Chapter 20

The amount of time that I spent in my office had become ridiculous. At first it was because I hated being home with Ethan there. Then it was to get Shae back. Then to find the fucking mole, and now… now that things had finally gotten better with Ethan, my team was focused on trolling through everything Derek had done to unravel his web of misdirection. Tonight, though, I'd told myself I would work as much as I could while Theo and Jade took Ethan and his sister to a fundraising gala their mom didn't want to go to. I still wasn't clear on the details, but I knew that I could try to get some time with him tomorrow night if the team covered enough tonight.

It wasn't only the work that was frustrating—the ghost of that kiss in the conference room haunted me. I couldn't walk by that fucking door without getting hard. His taste, the scent of his cinnamon roll perfume, the feel of his hard dick nearly slotted against mine through our clothes. It ran in a loop through my mind and I wanted more.

I pressed my palm firmly against the hard bulge in my slacks and tipped my head back over the top of my chair, breathing deeply and trying to think of anything but Ethan. Fresh mint and eucalyptus reached my nose at the same time as Jade's amusement rang through our bond.

"What's got you so hot and bothered in here, Trev? Did you open a new package of pens? Red swingline stapler, perhaps?"

I just lifted my hand and a single finger in her direction in response. Her full-bodied cackle reached me and brought a smile to my own lips. I brought my head up and opened my eyes, expecting to see my Valkyrie in some kind of gown for the gala tonight. Instead, she was wearing the same badass corporate woman type suit she always did. Alarm shot through me. Had something else happened with Shae? Or with Cat? No, Jade wouldn't be laughing if it had.

"Why aren't you all glammed up? Is this fundraiser not a formal event?"

"I got a call a couple hours ago saying that I have to come in to answer questions regarding the attack on the facility that held Shae. I would have come down sooner but Gia kept me back to go over everything, just in case."

Gia was Drake House's best attorney and Jade's only friend outside the pack. She had zero filter and no fear when it came to Jade. The fact that Jade had picked Gia to handle this situation personally set off some alarm bells.

"Should we be worried?"

"No. Theo and I were clearly within our rights as Shae's packmates to defend and retrieve them from a threat. This is just a formality."

"But?"

"But that means I cannot go tonight with Theo and Ethan. Shae hasn't said specifically but Miles and I don't think they are ready for the potential triggers of an event like that."

"You want me to go with them?"

"Would that make you uncomfortable?" Her face scrunched adorably, showing her confusion as clearly as I could feel it. "I was under the impression that you all had moved forward. Or was the conference room make-out not as monumental as Shae seemed to think?"

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks and Jade cackled at me again before coming over to lean her delectable ass against my desk. She reached for my hand, and I took hers instead, pressing her palm to my cheek and kissing her wrist.

"Shae didn't exaggerate. I just don't know if he's ready for me to be somewhere public like that with him."

"They told Marisol that two of us would be there with Ethan. Daniels will also be there but his focus is Aubrey. Theo is also still experiencing the volatile swings of being a new Alpha, and on top of that, he's the only one of us bonded to Ethan right now?—"

"Jade, it's okay. I'll go, as long as he's comfortable."

She turned her hand slightly so she could lift my face to hers and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

"Thank you, love."

"I'll tell Cole he's in charge and then I'll run home to get ready. I can take my bike and meet them there."

"One more thing, the reason Ethan's mom was hesitant to go is that she suspects Ethan's fathers might try something. Be on your guard."

My brows drew down and a low growl started in my chest as I thought about the last time I saw his fathers. The way they'd spoken to Ethan. It had taken all my willpower not to strike out at them and make them regret every fucking word they'd said. I nodded to her and rose from my chair to press my forehead to hers.

"No one will hurt our Omega tonight."

Her eyes closed and one of her hands pressed against her bondmark on my chest. Gratitude and love filled the bond between us, and we took a moment to just revel in that connection before she pulled away and we both went off to prepare for the events of the evening.

Contrary to what most people thought when they saw an Alpha who looked like me at events like the society fundraisers we sometimes went to, I didn't hate them. I liked putting on a nice suit or a tux, being on Jade's arm when she floated around like the goddess she was, making everyone wish they could be her or be with her. I liked helping organizations that did good things for others, although that didn't take a fancy event. Mostly, I liked how uncomfortable I made the stuffy assholes, the ones who didn't like my tattoos and long hair in their space.

I'd carefully chosen my tux and taken more care with my hair and beard for this event than I normally would have, even though it wasn't an event we'd been to before. For one thing, Ethan's mom had asked the pack to represent her tonight. And for another thing, I was conscious that Ethan's fathers could easily use my appearance to try to provoke a reaction from him or sway others' perceptions of our pack. When I arrived, I looked around and spotted my brother and Daniels, taller than most of the people around them. They were standing together near a wall of paintings. As I made my way over, I saw that the paintings were on sale to support the charity.

The closer I got, the more I realized that both of the other Alphas seemed to have taken the same measures to clean up that I had. It made sense for Theo because he was Ethan's bonded Alpha, but Daniels was only there as Aubrey's security. Interesting. Aubrey had her back to me and was talking to Ethan, although all I could really see of him were his dark brown curls, bent close to her head. I was about to say something to announce my approach and not startle them when Aubrey moved out of my line of sight, and I got my first full view of Ethan.

I stopped in my tracks because he was breath-taking. He was wearing a deep blue tuxedo, just a few shades too bright to be called navy, and the color made his light brown skin glow. He had a white shirt and a contrasting deep red bowtie. And, fuck me, was that a corset?

"You're drooling, brother."

Theo's whispered tease pulled me from my daze, and I cleared my throat before crossing the final steps to the group. Ethan gifted me with a shy smile as he sipped at the last of the champagne in his glass.

"Sorry for being late. Jade let you all know I was coming?"

Ethan nodded and Theo wrapped an arm around his waist, pressing a kiss to his temple. I swallowed hard, wondering what Theo was getting from the bond with Ethan. Was that kiss to give him comfort because Ethan was feeling uneasy with me here? Should I leave? I was about to ask when Aubrey sucked in a breath and nearly squealed with delight.

"Ooo, there's Georgiana Chambers! There was just an article about her in Designation Today, she said she was going to leave her band because she found her scent match but her bandmates loved her!"

"Sounds like a riveting article."

Aubrey stared daggers at Daniels before squaring off with him.

"Keep your judgmental shit to yourself, Debbie Downer. E, come and get a drink with me."

"You can't have any alcohol, Miss West?—"

"Oh shut up, Daniels. I wasn't going to get any champagne. I just want to see if I can talk to Georgiana."

Ethan was tugged along by his sister with Daniels on their heels. Theo cracked a smile.

"Can't wait to see what pack she ends up with. Are you good here for a minute?"

"Yeah, I'll look at the art. Maybe spend some of the pack's money on a new piece."

"Ethan's nest could use some art."

My jaw clenched and my pulse spiked as Theo clapped me on the shoulder and followed the others. Ethan's nest. I hadn't been up to see it yet, and I wouldn't know what to get him even if I had. Art was so personal. Not just in preferences of styles and mediums but what a piece said to one person could be completely different to someone else. What if the emotions that one of these evoked in me, ones I would want to convey with it as a gift, would be perceived in a completely different way by him? No, that was too risky. I could do with another piece in my room though.

I was so lost in the paintings in front of me, that I didn't notice someone approaching me until the stale shortbread scent hit me like a sledgehammer. My heart began to race and my palms started to sweat. I prayed I was imagining it but when I turned around, I discovered that, unfortunately, it wasn't all in my head. Standing right in front of me, wearing a skintight purple dress and a vicious smirk, was the Omega from my nightmares. Poppy Cabot.

"Well, well. Trevor Owens. Looking as good as ever. Too bad it looks like you're still as defective as ever."

My mouth was dry and my throat was tight. I wanted to tell her to fuck off. Wanted her not to affect me, but my body was betraying me. Just like it had that night. Her nose wrinkled as she scented the fear and anxiety coursing through my body.

"Thank god you couldn't be a real Alpha and bite me when I presented myself to you on a silver platter. Looks like even your Beta brother has an Omega now. So fucking pathetic."

My shoulders curled in, and my chest began to heave as my vision darkened at the corners. Jade was reaching for me in the bond, desperate to soothe me and find the source of my panic but I just couldn't stop it.

Warm hands cupped my cheeks and I flinched for a moment until my senses registered the scent of warm cinnamon rolls. I looked down into hazel eyes that were full of concern. Hazel eyes, not blue like Poppy's… Ethan.

"Breathe for me, Trevor."

His voice was soft and I nodded once as I kept my eyes locked on his. Fighting the tightness in my chest I took a deep breath in, then blew it out. Ethan's blunt fingernails gently scratched into the trimmed edges of my beard along my jaw as he breathed with me. The breath that moved over my lips was minty but with a slight tang of the champagne that he'd been drinking. I wanted to taste it from his lips.

Brittle laughter broke through my focus on Ethan and his eyes hardened. His hands left my face and I wanted to whine at the loss until his fingers threaded through my own and his other hand held my wrist.

"I'm not leaving you. You're not alone. We can all leave."

I nodded again, not quite capable of speech yet, and looked to where Theo and Daniels were blocking us from Poppy and an Alpha who looked only mildly interested in what was happening.

"Get your Omega under control."

Theo's rage vibrated through his voice as he spoke to the Alpha with Poppy, his scent electrified. The other Alpha scoffed and slowly lifted a glass of amber liquid to his lips, sipping from it before he responded to Theo.

"That's not my Omega. Those aren't my bites on her neck. My pack made me come." His eyes shifted back to Poppy for a moment and his nose wrinkled as though he smelled something foul. "Can't let you fuck her up though. Reputation and all."

He scratched the side of his nose, causing the cuff of his shirt to slide down and reveal the head of an Anubis tattoo. Theo stiffened and I knew this was about to get ugly. Even though we'd been in a less crowded area of the gala, we were drawing attention.

"Speaking of reputation." Poppy's voice dripped venom and I tried to brace myself for another attack but her hateful gaze speared toward Ethan. "I heard you couldn't lock in the Rothchild pack. They were willing to slum it with a male Omega but, really, you chose these two?"

Ethan's hands tightened on mine and Theo's growl reverberated around us. Only then did Poppy's facade crack a little. She didn't know Theo was an Alpha and now she wasn't so sure of herself. A vicious snarl slipped from Ethan's mouth as he turned his head toward her. I'd never heard an Omega growl and it brought a little more clarity back to my thoughts. My hindbrain knew that sound was for me, to protect me, to claim me. It was hard not to let my heart take off at what that sound offered even though I knew it was mostly instinct for him. Ethan spoke clearly, though I could tell he was forcing the words out through clenched teeth.

"I've never hit a woman before but if you don't shut up, you might be the first."

"You wouldn't dare. Probably just as defective as that one." She nodded to me before continuing. "You should have just taken whatever Gavin Rothchild offered you and been grateful. Your fathers couldn't even sell you off to a?—"

Between the crack of a fist against skin and a wail from Poppy, I barely heard the muttered curse from Daniels.

Aubrey was shaking her hand out and glaring at the sobbing Omega on the floor.

"Never talk about my brother or his pack like that again, you braindead cunt."

The Alpha with Poppy looked like he wanted to laugh but then she let out another wail and he rolled his eyes.

"Can't really let that stand, mate."

The Alpha swung at Theo, halfheartedly, as security began to make its way over. Aubrey was still insulting Poppy as she cried on the floor when Daniels scooped her over his shoulder, muttering.

"For fuck's sake, Hellcat. Just had to throw down, didn't you?"

"Put me down, Guardzilla." Aubrey was breathless as she squirmed against Daniels' hold. "Shouldn't have taught me to hit someone if you didn't want me to."

Daniels was chuckling to himself as he carted Aubrey off.

Theo turned to me as the other Alpha began talking to security. He tipped his head, telling me to get Ethan out of there and I moved to follow Daniels, dragging Ethan along with me.

We turned down one of the back hallways that led to a staging area for the catering. It wasn't until the exit was in sight that Daniels dropped the fuming teenage Omega.

"I need to check where this exit leads. Do you have a vehicle here, Trevor?"

"My bike."

The words croaked out of me and Ethan made a worried sort of noise before cuddling into my side. Even Aubrey sidled up to me, lending me her silent support. Daniels looked between me and the Omegas and sighed.

"Watch them."

His words were stern, like a command, and Ethan stiffened. Anger wound through his scent at the tone of Daniels' voice, but I knew the other Alpha wasn't being a dick. He needed to know I was aware enough to protect them if it came down to it. I nodded as he moved to the exit and opened the door to clear it on both sides. His shoulders relaxed somewhat before he turned back to us.

"Come on. It's right near the parking area. We'll split up here since we aren't going to the same place anyway."

Aubrey moved to her brother and gave him a hug, whispering something to him that made him squeeze her tighter. She released him and turned to leave before worrying at her lip in a gesture that was so similar to Ethan's, I felt a pang in my chest. The tiny Omega unexpectedly flung herself at me in a fierce hug.

"Don't listen to a word she said, ‘kay?"

I nodded down at her, completely befuddled. Daniels made an impatient noise and she rolled her eyes, pulling on her brat persona again. Ethan and I smiled after her until Daniels raised an eyebrow at me as if to say, "you're supposed to be moving dumbass." I put a hand on Ethan's lower back, guiding him out behind Daniels and his sister. Thankfully, we weren't far from the row where I'd left my bike, and I hustled us in that direction while the others got into an SUV very similar to Theo's.

I handed Ethan the spare helmet that I always kept on my bike in case Jade wanted to ride with me. He slipped it on but eyed the bike worriedly.

"Have you ever ridden on a motorcycle, Ethan?"

The frantic shaking of his head had me moving into his space and taking the straps that he was struggling to buckle. I tipped his chin up and the scent of gooey cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven, filled the air. I smiled and heard his breath catch as I clipped the straps of the helmet together and ran a finger lightly down his throat.

"Just hold on tight. Don't be shy Omega, hug me like you're my very own backpack."

Ethan swallowed thickly as I climbed on to the bike and he followed my lead, lifting one leg over, landing somewhat clumsily into the seat, but that only brought him flush against my back faster. I reached back for his hands and wrapped them around my waist, squeezing his hands briefly.

I could feel his chest moving rapidly against my back and I focused on that space inside of me that I so rarely needed anymore. The purr that came out was quiet and halting but it had the effect I wanted.

Ethan relaxed into me, resting the side of his helmet between my shoulders, and squeezed his arms around me. This could be a problem. If this was what it would be like, I would want him on my bike with me every day. The rest of the pack would fuss over how dangerous it was. Best to enjoy it while we could.

"Don't let go."

Ethan's little squeal when we took off was quickly drowned out by the sound of the engine and my answering laughter as we sped home.