Page 52 of Isla

But I did.

He promised it would make me. He was a criminal who appreciated my side of the law. We became a partnership. Yes, I didn’t like his way of life, but I also knew the man wasn’t all bad.

I also knew I could depend on him if I needed.

In public, he was Mr Ernesto, but in private, he was Dad.

Not a good look for a high-profile lawyer.

Certainly not good for any of these alphas if they thought they could take what was mine.

Time crawled, the wait for the double doors to open was becoming painful. Waiting for my omega to seek me out, for her to scent me.

Finally, the doors opened and all the alphas in the room turned and watched. There must have been at least twenty-five alphas there. With only ten omegas, some of these alphas were going to be disappointed.

Each omega was wearing a nice dress and a white mask, and I closed my eyes as I waited for her scent to hit me as she walked past me.

I wanted to know if was for real. And although it was lighter now than I thought it would be, her sweet berry smell tickled my nostrils. I wanted to see if she stopped next to me, to smell me the same way.

“King,” a voice I recognised said and my eyes opened wide.

“Paula,” I whispered. She was the smell?

It made little sense, but I leaned closer to her and took it in again. She now smelled of berries with a light nutty perfume, but she still had the musky smell she always had.

“I’m using the name Polly here,” she hissed. “I don’t want news getting back to my father that I’m here.”

I groaned. This was all I needed. Paula Ernesto, Ronaldo’s daughter, here in the flesh.

“Have you been to Vegas lately?” I asked, wondering if the scent was Paula all this time.

“A month ago, I didn’t look you up... you know, after everything. But nobody knows anybody here. What’s your number? I’ll put you on my list?”

I shook my head. “No, I really don’t want your father coming after me. I’d prefer to keep things the way they are.”

She pursed her lips, glaring at me for a while. As I scanned my eyes over her head looking at the other omegas who were strolling around, almost dancing between alphas who were specifically told to not make sudden movements, not to scare any of the clients.

“I’m signing myself up for the chase and I’ve spoken to all the omegas and only I’m doing the real one, not the virtual chase. Wouldn’t you like to join the chase? Wouldn’t you like to catch me? One last time?” she purred. Her voice was a whisper among the growls of the alphas in the room.

My eyes darted to the double doors as they opened again and the smell of berries roared into the room before a vision in white walked through the doors. Her strapless dress stopped at her knees, her high-heeled sandals criss-crossed up her calves. Her long honey blonde hair waved to the middle of her back, but it was her smile as she walked through the door that got me the most. One large white smile to a red-headed girl.

“You didn’t answer me,” Paula said.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“Us. One last time. For old times' sake.”

“No,” I growled. “Find alphas that want you.”

“King,” she moaned. “We used to have fun together.”

“Used to,” I repeated. “No longer.”

“I’ll tell my father about us,” she whispered.

I glared at her. “And I’ll tell him you're here right now because I expect you came here because you thought your father's case would have gone on longer than it did.”

The bell chimed, signifying the end of the session. Half an hour that went so quickly, I squeezed my fingers to my palms, vexed because Isla turned up late and had walked nowhere near me. She didn’t know my number. “Just go,” I whisper yelled at Paula.

She hissed and spun on her heels, and stormed away. Walking to a group of alphas who prowled around her.

My gaze scanned the room. I walked to where I thought she was, but I couldn’t see her as people left the event.

I had to find her.

---