Page 12 of In Control

“I think you’d like to believe that. But you forget I’ve had my piece of you and as delicious as that was, little one, I won’t be going back for more.”

She scowls at me and storms out of the room. I listen to her angry footsteps pound down the corridor.

At least she has no fucking scent. Nothing lingering in the air to drive me wild. No scent, but there’s the hint of feminine perfume; of jasmine.

I spin around and stride straight out of the room.

* * *

The front doorof our pack house opens and footsteps ring out on the floorboards in the hallway.

I lift my glass of bourbon to my mouth and take another sip letting the fierce alcohol sting against my lips and my tongue.

The footsteps continue along the hallway and pause in the doorway.

“Esra?” Liam asks, “is that you sitting in there in the dark?”

“It is.”

He flicks on the light and I groan against the brightness, my own reflection suddenly staring back at me from the window.

My packmate slumps into the drawing room, loosening the tie around his neck as he does. He drops down into the armchair next to me and I spin the glass in my hand, letting the ice cubes clink against the sides.

“Everything all right?” he asks, examining my face as next he removes the cufflinks from his shirt, dropping them on the side table and rolling up each sleeve.

Is everything all right? I don’t know how to answer that. Everything should be fine. I’ve reached the pinnacle of my career at the age of 41. A Professor in Physics at Crestmore. I could almost laugh. Fuck you all those half-arsed teachers who always lectured that I’d never make anything of myself. Just look at me now.

I should be on cloud nine. I should be focussed on my work and making a name for myself in the department. Instead, I’ve spent my first two weeks at the university focussed on something else altogether.

“Let me guess,” Liam says, snatching the drink from my hand and taking a long gulp. “It can only be one of two things. Work or a woman.”

“Try both,” I mumble.

“Hmmm.” He passes back my drink and I take another mouthful. “Sounds complicated.”

“It is. The woman is a student.”

“Shit. You’re not usually interested in women that young–”

“She’s a PhD student.”

“OK, so that’s not so bad.”

“It is. She’s out of bounds. The university doesn’t look favourably on relationships with students. I’ve been advised – no fraternising with students. No fraternising with your fucking colleagues either.”

“Shit, man. That’s uptight.”

I shrug. There’s been enough scandals in academia – tales of professors trading marks for sexual favours – you can hardly blame the university authorities.

“So stay out of her way … or wait, is she an omega?” He frowns with concern. It doesn’t matter that we have our own omega, Gabriel — we have done for a decade. Omegas are always a temptation. A rare temptation. But one we want to avoid. It’s one thing hooking up with betas. Gabriel’s fine with that. Another omega – no way! “Do you need me to up your dose of suppressants?”

“She’s a beta.”

Liam is quiet, fiddling with the pair of gold cufflinks on the table top. “A beta.”

“Yeah.”

“Then what’s the problem? Stay out of her way.”

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