Page 26 of The Gift
Well, that’s my excuse and I’m running with it. Although obviously some of the people on our team need more training.
For as much as I want to take the lead in this complex song and dance we’re caught up in, the one we have damn near decreed upon, the one where Bailey is in complete control, I won’t demand it from her. If she wants to freely hand over her submission, I am supportive and ready. If she wants to run, we’re going to have to let her. We’ll be fucking right behind her in the shadows, but that is not the point. Everything needs to be her choice and decision, and in some ways without our influence. Hello, hardest fucking test of character imaginable.
Her battling it out with herself and her nature is difficult to watch, gut wrenching in a lot of ways, but for her to heal, she’s going to have to fight her demons herself. And hopefully along the way she’ll see how not all alphas are the same. We want her to understand, emphatically, that omegas are so much more valuable to society, and a pack, than what she’s experienced to date.
“I’m going to see her?” She asks as we keep moving further towards the rear of the property. If I turned around, her mouth would be open, like it always does, when she gets a little thrown. But I also know her eyes would be swimming with residual worry she’d blown her cover.
She’ll tell us when she’s good and ready.
Much like we will.
And that’s going to be a fun day, isn’t it?
“You know, I quite admire Carmen. She’s successful, strong in her own way, resilient, but one thing she is not is fucking chill.” I chuckle over my shoulder and keep moving at a snail’s pace towards where Reno is stationed.
“She can be,” Bailey argues back quickly.
This woman would and could argue for hours. It’s another part of her diverse and challenging character.
“Nah, come on, Bailey. She’s like a sledgehammer. A pretty one, I’ll give you that,” I shrug.
And then it’s hard not to swing around to hold her face and lick against the bitter spike in Bailey’s mood and scent. Because while Carmen is pretty, she is downright fucking beige bland compared to the woman trailing after me.
“I’ll set you up,” she grits out.
I can’t stop the laughter brewing, but I wave a hand over my shoulder and hopefully she gets the message.
“Back to Jenna.” I stop a few feet from the gate, but don’t turn around, and as I hoped, Bailey pops into my view, her lips drawn up tight in irritation but at least she’s not looking lost anymore. “You remember the notes we provided about meeting omegas? When Jenna called, probably one of the reasons she reached out too, but she’s starting to display early signs of her heat cycle. By her calculations, she’s probably about a week out, but she’s going to emit some pretty strong pheromones and smells, and stress can bring it on quicker. It can also be contagious in a sense.”
“Are you serious?” Bailey rounds, drawing closer. Intrigue and something else in her eyes. It makes her look like her again. Every stunningly beautiful, sinful inch of her.
Swallowing back the doe-eyed smile that would have my duplicity blown before it even starts, I look at her in question. “Hey?”
“You left an omega in there, with who?”
“Henley,” I reply quickly, now she’s the one that has me confused.
“The alpha of your pack? So, you mean to tell me you left him in there with an omega coming into heat. How fucking unprofessional are you?” she says venomously over her shoulder as she storms past me, fiery determination in every swing of her lush hips.
But as she gets near the gate I call her back. “Remember to think calm, happy, thoughts, Bailey. You don’t want her to get freaked out.” I smile, grin really, like an evil villain.
“You listen to me, Ashton.” She’s literally back in front of me, her finger jabbing up in my face, “I’m so pissed at you right now. I thought I could trust you guys. You yammer on about doing this right, referring to this memo or that report, being mindful of thoughts and feelings.” She throws her hands up in frustration, before she lasers those goddamn eyes of hers at me. “You don’t put alphas like Henley in with omegas. That’s asking for trouble!”
“What? What’s wrong with Henley?” I ask, goading her, but fuck me she is glorious like this.
“He’ll overpower and dominate her with a blink of his blue eyes!”
“He has blue eyes?”
“Oh my god, do you walk around with your head up your ass? They’re neon blue like sparkling fucking sapphires.”
“Wow, I’ll let him know.”
“You’re missing the point!”
“There was a point to us discussing Henley’s eyes?”
“I really don’t think now is the right time for you to argue with me, honestly, Ashton, how could you?”
