15. Max

Chapter 15

Max

F irst Jack and now Sam seems to be involved somehow with Lily Bloom. How is this happening? Is it meant to be? Or some fucked up way of making my life a miserable hell? Sitting in traffic, which is particularly bad this morning due to a temporary traffic light somewhere up ahead, thoughts of Lily swarm my mind, and I slam my fist on the steering wheel.

"Fuck," I growl. "Why her?"

This is the question of the hour. Why her? But it's coupled with a thousand other questions. Why now? Why is Jack hiding her? Why is Sam getting involved? Why is no one talking about her? Why? Why? Fucking why?

"Dammit!" I roar as we grind to a halt again, missing the light by two cars. "This day sucks."

My shoulders slump, and I let my head fall back against the headrest while I wait.

I let out a long sigh, adjusting my grip on the steering wheel. I inhale deeply and glare at the flowers I removed from the bin last night and threw into the passenger footwell of my car. Lilies and vanilla. I can't even smell the roses for her scent covering them. It's comforting yet maddening, because it's mixed with all those questions swirling in my mind. Making a snap decision, I ask my phone to ring Sam.

It dials from its holder on the dash, the sound echoing through the car as I start to move forward when the light turns green.

"Max," he answers through gritted teeth. "A bit busy. What's up?"

"Busy with what?"

He snorts. "What is with the third degree?"

"Nothing," I snap. "I just want to know what you're doing."

"Helping George with something over at Lily's shop."

Lily. It's always about Lily lately. "What?"

"Helping George with something over at Lily's shop," Sam shouts.

"I heard you the first time, you dick. I mean, what are you helping with?"

There's a rustle, and I wait while Sam moves about. Then he comes back on the line. "What difference does it make?" he asks. "Is there something you need?"

Is there something I need? How about the two members of my pack not being secretive squirrels with regards to an omega I can't get out of my head? Hmm? How about that, you fucking prick?

"Max? Do you need anything?"

"Yeah, we need a meeting. The three of us. Tonight, to talk about finding an omega. My mother is on one again and has a list. We can't let it get that far. Am I making myself clear?"

Sam groans, and I feel like a huge arsehole for doing this, but it's two birds with one stone. Get my mother off our case and force their hands about Lily. If she is not an option for us as a pack, then I need to know so I can move on and forget about her alluring scent and big green eyes. The rest of her, I daren't even think about yet.

"Can't do tonight, pal. I'm on shift."

"Lunch then."

"You think we can sort this out in half an hour?" he snickers.

"We can make a start. Tell Jack and meet me at the bank at twelve."

I hang up before he can reply.

By the time I pull into the car park at the back of the bank, my mood hasn't improved. I'm wound tighter than a spring, and it's barely eight in the morning. Fantastic. I grab my things and march inside, ignoring the greetings from everyone I pass. Slinking into my office, I shut the door and slump at my desk. My head is a mess with thoughts, which doesn't improve when I see a manilla envelope on top of the post pile addressed to me in my mother's curly handwriting.

"Oh, fuck off," I growl and frisbee it at the door.

To my horror, the door opens, and the envelope smacks Jamie, my assistant, in the face. Jamie stumbles back, catching the envelope before it falls to the floor. His eyes widen in surprise as he rubs his nose.

"Good morning to you too, Max," Jamie snaps. "I assume this is something I should be aware of?"

"No," I grunt, leaning back in my chair and rubbing my temples. "Just my mother being a pain in the arse as usual. What do you need?"

Jamie places the envelope on the edge of my desk, cautiously keeping an eye out for any further flying objects. "Your meeting at ten has been cancelled."

"Oh, good."

"Good?"

"I have a lunch meeting now I can't miss, so yeah, good."

"Fair enough," he murmurs. He shuffles on his feet for a moment, clearly debating whether to say something else, but lucky for us both, he doesn't and backs out of the office, closing the door behind him. Silence floods the room again. My eyes drift to the envelope taunting me from the edge of the desk. Mum's matchmaking attempts have become more desperate lately, and it's like she's got some sixth sense that I'm losing my mind over an omega I know nothing about other than that she hooks up with my packmate. Or is that pack mates now?

I boot up my laptop and try to lose myself in emails and spreadsheets, but thoughts of Lily's bright green eyes and floral hair accessories invade my concentration, making it impossible to focus on bank statements and client requests. I slam my laptop shut and sigh. Reaching for the envelope, I rip it open and find a dossier on omegas that Mum thinks might be suitable.

They aren't.

Not a single one grabs my attention in the looks department. Not that they aren't pretty or attractive, but they don't hold a candle, or should that be a flower, to Lily Bloom.

I toss the dossier aside, more frustrated than before. It's like Mum's trying to fix us up with some catalogue bride.

When lunchtime finally rolls around, Sam has messaged that he and Jack are waiting for me at the cafe around the corner. I drag myself there, feeling the weight of this conversation already weighing down on me. Sam and Jack are sitting at an outside table, bickering over something pointless, no doubt. I pull out a chair and sit down, glaring at them both.

"Right, lads," I start, not in the mood for pleasantries. "We need to talk."

Jack sighs but doesn't look annoyed—more resigned. "Sam says your mum is getting ideas again."

"No shit," I snap, then think better of it and soften my tone a bit. Being a prick won't help me here. "We need to decide what we're doing about an omega before she decides for us."

Sam opens his mouth to protest, but I interrupt him by holding up my hand. "I know, but shut the fuck up, okay? You know what she's like. She will have us in a mating bond before we know which way is up if we give her any sort of opening. We three need to get our fucking act together and stop pissing about. Are there any candidates you want to put forward? Any at all?"

Silence.

Sam leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jack glowers at the pavement, his face as dark as a winter night.

"That a no, then?" I ask, my tone as off-putting as fuck. Even I can hear it.

Sam glares at Jack, and I read between the lines. Sam is like me. On the outside with this omega who has got Jack tangled up like one of those vine things he insisted on creeping up the side of the farmhouse. It's time to put him on the spot.

"Jack. You know we are a pack and that any omega we agree on will be for the pack. This isn't a single-pairing deal. It's four of us together. Do you have a problem with that all of a sudden?"

His gaze snaps to mine, and he gives me a withering glare that could kill a house plant. "No, I don't have a problem with that all of a sudden."

"So, what's the issue, then?"

"Yeah, Jack," Sam pipes up, suddenly all interested. "What's the issue, then?"

I roll my eyes at him. He can be such a tool sometimes.

"No issue," Jack grits out.

I study Jack's face, searching for any sign that he's going to come clean. His jaw is clenched, and he's avoiding eye contact. That's enough of a tell. He's definitely not going to be honest about her, so that gives me only one option. To forget about her and move forward.

"No issue, my arse," I mutter.

Jack's eyes flash with frustration. "I told you, there's no issue."

"Then why the secrecy?" I snap. "Why are you both acting like I'm the enemy here?"

Sam raises his hands defensively. "Whoa, don't drag me into this. I'm just trying to help out wherever I'm needed."

"Bullshit," I growl. "We're supposed to be a pack. We share everything. You two have been off doing your own thing and leaving me in the dark. It's not right." I hear my complaint, my whinge more like, and wince inwardly, but I guess I'm feeling more left out than I originally thought.

Jack's shoulders slump slightly, and he rubs the back of his neck. "It's not like that, Max. There's just a lot going on."

"Then talk to me," I insist. "If there's something going on, we need to handle it together, and we need to decide what we're doing about an omega before my mother decides for us."

Sam nods slowly. "He's right, Jack. We've been putting this off for too long."

Jack glares at the two of us. "Right, fine," he snaps.

I lean back in my chair, feeling a slight sense of relief that we're finally getting somewhere, albeit in a slightly forced manner. "Okay, let's start with the list my mother sent. Any candidates stand out to you guys?" I chuck them the envelope, knowing both of them will be the same as me, and shun the entire lot.

Sam sighs and picks it up, flicking through the dossier before flinging it back on the table.

Jack ignores it completely.

"None of these will work," Sam states flatly. "We know what kind of person we need, and it's not in this dossier."

Jack nods in agreement, his jaw tightening again. "Exactly. We need someone who can handle all three of us and our very different personalities, not just a pretty face your mum picked out."

I glance between them both, contemplating my next move. "So, if none of these are any good, I'll ask again. Do either of you have anyone in mind?"

An awkward silence falls over the table.