Page 67 of The Gift
“And we’ve already established, I’m not a person to drag things out,” I say waving them on. Ashton flutters away, boiling the kettle by the sounds, but I watch Henley.
“A few things.”
“Start with the easiest,” I suggest, putting on my jewellery in the process.
“The Regalo interview has been rescheduled to two this afternoon.”
“Easy.”
“I don’t like it,” Ashton says, his voice devoid of the humour I’ve come to expect from him. He slides over a small pot of tea, with a matching cup and saucer that goes with the bowl my fruit salad is in. The A-team went fancy for me, it nearly makes me cry.
“You don’t have to. I get paid a ridiculous amount of money to interview assholes, and that’s what I’m doing.”
“We’re coming too,” Henley adds, ensuring there is no room for discussion by using his alpha bark.
I look at him. He’s angry but not angry enough to not sense my unease at his little power display. He pulls in his aggression and once done, I answer him. “No argument here, we decided that last night. Next.”
“Koda and I had to go help Colton out last night. He was shit faced. His house was a mess,” Reno says, leaning back on his chair, his arm balancing on the next one. Reno isn’t small or dainty, but Jesus he has hot-as-fuck down to a fine artwork.
It’s weird, but the sheer size of the A-team has never been an issue, for some reason I’m seeing them in a different light. Perhaps my mind is sending me these little signs, telling me, reminding me of how capable they could be. Although it might also be because of my hormones waking up.
I cough, stopping my own version of AlphaPorn playing out too much more. “Because of me?”
“Because he’s not dealing with how he feels about you,” Koda adds, the edge of his lip tipping up confirming I got busted being a little lusty.
“I’ll go see him after I do the interview.”
“That works,” Ashton confirms, lifting his head slightly to catch a whiff. I guess I really didn’t stop my imagination playing out quick enough.
“And you will not be there for that discussion. It’s private. I owe him,” I say firmly.
“The four of us will be waiting at his open front door,” Henley clarifies.
I nod once at him, and he drops his smile, taking a big inhale before he starts again. “We lost an omega last night. We have the best of our team looking for her. But she might be a victim. We’ve had to report it to the authorities and have our guys working closely with them. As they get information, we will.”
“Jesus. That’s horrible.”
“I wish I could say it’s not the first time it’s happened, but I won’t lie to you,” Henley adds. “They’re good, whoever it is. They’re always one step ahead of us. It’s like clockwork, every ten to twelve months they get one.”
I look at him for more and he goes on. “As soon as we know, you will. And when we have time, we’ll walk you through all the other disappearances. Not Exposé though, only you.”
I nod, and then the room goes deadly silent, and the A-team look decidedly uncomfortable, but they all don’t look away which is a good thing. “Reno?”
“Why me?” He stammers through a toothy grin. Shrugging, knowing I’ve busted him, he does the same thing that Ashton did, obviously scenting the air, looking at me like he wants to take more than a bite.
“Because it looks like you’ve got all the answers.”
He laughs, but it’s not a funny-ha-ha laugh. “This is about you.”
“Okay.”
He locks his eyes on mine, “You’re changing, and it’s getting past the point of medical intervention. I’d say we have a couple of choices, but it’s decision time. I don’t like sitting here telling you what to do with your body, and that is not my intention. I also don’t want to sway you with my personal thoughts, but what I will do is confirm what you are doing is not a permanent solution. And it soon won’t work.”
Reno takes a small breath. A part of him looks like he wants to get out of his chair and come over, but he doesn’t. “We want you. Our bodies are going to keep reminding, tempting, and luring you – sending you signals every minute of every day. Without even meaning to. We will be showing you on a primal level that you are a part of our pack.” He holds his hand up when I try to speak. “We’ll be more protective, less forgiving of external interruptions while doing things to ensure you don’t forget how willing and capable we are.”
“Even you?” I clarify.
“Don’t mistake Reno’s beta genetics making him any less of an alpha. He’s a surly, arrogant prick on a good day. Now you’re here, I bet the big fucker changes the most out of all of us and you super charge him into an alpha,” Ashton adds, a smile on his face, pushing my bowl of fruit closer.
