Page 67 of The Omega Lesson

“How exactly?” I’m getting tired of all his thinly veiled threats. “I’m not interested in bribes, and you can’t intimidate me. Just do the work and we both win.”

He snorts, stretching his arms over his head until his shirt tail pulls free and I can see a flash of brown skin. Of course, he notices me noticing, since this is all just part of his alpha challenge. I grit my teeth at the knowing look he slants me. Because while I said he can’t intimidate me, the power is all in his hands.

“A kiss.”

“What?”

“Don’t sound so outraged. You’ve done a hell of a lot more with your chew toy, Cliff. And while he has a nice dick, let’s not forget he’s just a lowly beta.”

My breath catches, both at his leer and his insult. The thought of this ugly boy even glancing Mattie’s way makes my blood boil. “Matthew Cliff is none of your business, Darren.”

But my anger just makes his smile grow. “No? But what if I know something youreallywant to know about him.”

“There’s nothing you can say…”

He glances at his watch, then reaches down and very deliberately cups his groin. “Yep. From what I saw, he’s gonna need a big, strong alpha to come to his rescue right about now.”

My heart lurches, and I reach out and grab his shirt collar. “Don’t fuck around, Darren.” I’m not physically strong enough to shake him with any real force, but the alpha command that rolls out of my chest rocks him back on his heels. “Tell me what’s happening to Mattie.”

“Fuck,” he breathes, his pupils blowing wide as my dominance washes over him. “You really are packed up, hey? I heard the rumours. The Cliffs…?”

“And the Lyalls.” I give him a cold smile to mask the way I’m shaking. “Now, do you want me to go home and tell them you tried to blackmail me into kissing you? Ben will squash you like a bug. Right after Noah runs you over with his horse.”

“Nope.” His smirk is a little wobbly as he pulls free. “You can owe me for this one.”

As if. “Good. Then talk.”

“Drummond came and grabbed your boy at lunch. Said he missed a correction session last week, and they needed to make up for it today. If you’re wondering, that’s the arsehole’s code for beating the shit out of the beta kids whenever he feels like it…” I’m already running to the door, but Darren calls out. “Hey! Let me film you alpha commanding the old prick, and we can call it even!”

I throw a scowl over my shoulder, but as I hurry across the quad, his offer makes me fumble in my pocket for my phone. Filming whatever is going on isn’t the worst idea, especially if I’m going to need proof against Drummond. But before I worry about that, I pull up my top contacts, my thumb hovering over the list of numbers. I could call Noah, but he’s likely to go feral if Mattie is hurt. There’s Jackson, of course, but he’s too far away to do anything to help. The only real option is Ben, and I punch his number before I can second-guess myself.

“Lexi,” he says on the first ring, a distinct purr in his voice. “How are you, sweetheart?”

No doubt Saturday night is still fresh in his mind, but there’s no time for reminiscing right now. “Are you on your way home?”

“Landing in half an hour. Everything okay?”

“No. Well, it could be something. I’m checking it out. Can you meet me at my place?” I shake my head, which does nothing to ease the hollow ringing in my ears. “No, scratch that. Make it Noah’s. But I’ll call you back if it’s a false alarm.”

“Lexi,” he growls, “I’m ten-thousand feet in the air and I was twitchy before your call.”

Crap. Ben is a powerful alpha and has a deep blood connection with Mattie. Can he already feel something through the pack bonds? I’m tempted to keep my fears to myself, but that’s never helped me in the past. “I think someone’s hurting Mattie.”

The curse that comes out of him is nearly a roar. “Who?”

“Drummond. I think. It could be a false alarm…”

“I’ll kill that sonofabitch!”

I really hope Ben’s not sitting on a packed commercial plane. “Which is why I’m going to handle it.”

“No!” he barks. “Don’t get between them. I’ll send security…”

“Iamhis security, Ben.” I don’t hide the echo of authority in my words. It was enough to knock a little shit like Darren Fraser on the arse; I just hope it’s enough to pull Drummond in line. “Send whoever you want, but I’ll take care of this.”

“Lexi!”

I grimace as I end the call, then march up to the door of the Master of Discipline’s office. It’s tucked away between the woodwork shed and the back of the gym, giving him plenty of privacy to dole out his so-called punishments.

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