Page 48 of Storm
For a moment, Jonathan's mask slips. Something flashes in his eyes—anger, frustration, maybe even concern. Then it's gone, replaced by his usual cool detachment.
"I don't like loose ends," he says, his voice clipped. "And I don't like complications. Storm is both."
It's not a real answer, but I know better than to push.
"There's one more thing," Jonathan continues. "I know about your... attachment to Storm."
My blood runs cold. I feel the color drain from my face. Has he seen the way I look at her? The way my scent changes when she's near? Of course he has. Jonathan misses nothing. I open my mouth to deny it, but no words come out.
"Sir, I—" I finally manage, my voice a strangled whisper.
He holds up a hand, cutting me off. "I'm not interested in your denials. I'm interested in your understanding of the situation. Storm is my claimed omega. That is how the world sees her, how she must be seen. Any suggestion of impropriety between a pack beta and an omega would be... problematic."
"I understand the rules," I say carefully, staring at my hands, which are white-knuckled in my lap.
"Do you?" Jonathan leans forward, his scent sharpening with alpha dominance. I shrink back into the chair. "Because let me be clear. If there is even a hint of inappropriate behavior between you and Storm, it won't just be you who suffers the consequences. She will too."
The threat lands like a physical blow. I swallow hard, nodding rapidly. "I understand. I would never—I wouldn't—" The words tumble out in a nervous jumble.
"Good." Jonathan sits back, his posture relaxing slightly. "Then we won't need to have this conversation again."
I rise to leave, my legs unsteady beneath me, nearly bumping into the chair in my haste to escape.
"Frankie," Jonathan calls as I reach the door. I turn back, dreading whatever else he might have to say. "Remember—you're here to help her adjust. Not to encourage her worst impulses."
I nod again, unable to find words, and slip out of the study. My heart pounds in my chest as I make my way back to my room, Jonathan's warning echoing in my head.
This was a mistake. I never should have agreed to come here, to be part of this farce, to be so close to Storm when I can't—when we can't?—
I stop short in the hallway, the realization crushing me with its weight. Being this close to Storm without being able to touch her, to hold her, to be anything more than a beta in her presence, it's pure torture. Worse than being separated. At least then I could imagine her, dream of her without the constant reminder of what I can never have.
Every moment I'll see her, smell her, hear her voice... and know that a single touch could mean death. For both of us.
I'm trapped in an beautiful hell of my own making, and there's no way out.
Chapter15
Storm
The ceiling feels wrong when I open my eyes. It takes me a moment to remember where I am. I roll over with a groan, burying my face in the pillow that smells too clean and too expensive.
I lie there for several minutes, waiting for my brain to catch up with my body. The silence in the apartment is odd. Usually, there's the faint hum of activity that signals I'm not alone.
Today, there's nothing.
I sit up, suddenly alert. The penthouse feels empty in a way it hasn't before. I slip out of bed and pull on what passes for my pajamas—tiny sleep shorts and a thin cami. I don't bother with a bra. If Jonathan and Reed don't like it, they can look away.
I really should ask them to let me go shopping. I’m gonna run out of things to wear… like yesterday.
The hallway is deserted as I pad toward the kitchen with my bare feet. The flooring is heated.Fancy. No alpha scents lingering in the air, no sounds of movement. Just silence.
I head straight for the elevator, pressing the button repeatedly. The light doesn't even come on. I try again, harder this time, as if sheer force will make it work.
"Are you kidding me?" I mutter, moving quickly to the stairwell door. I twist the handle, but it's locked tight. I rattle it harder, frustration building in my chest. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
Movement catches my eye, the security camera in the corner of the ceiling, turning slightly to track my movements. I glare directly into it, hands on my hips.
"This is a safety violation!" I shout at the camera. "You can't lock people in with no way out. What if there's a fire?"
