Chapter 5

Five

CALEB

" W hat do you think of the omega?" I asked my pack as I organized the notes in front of me.

"She's exactly what the Onyxpaw Pack is looking for," said Dravin gruffly, clearing his throat. "Attractive omega, that one."

"Voluptuous in all the right places," sighed Nick, rubbing his hand frustratingly through his hair. "Let's keep her for ourselves, boss."

"N…no," I said, hesitating for a moment.

She was attractive, yes. But she wasn't my type. I needed a submissive omega. One who would love to be taken care of at all times. To be carried, fed, and fucked constantly. Jade would find it creepy, and she was blunt.

Bruce was abnormally quiet.

Usually, as the oldest member of my pack, he relished giving input on the omegas that came into our office.

"What about you, Bruce? Should we tell the Onxypaw Pack the good news?" I asked, wondering what came over him.

He seemed lost in thought, his fingers intertwined on the desk.

"I didn't tell you all this, but I met her yesterday," Bruce finally admitted. "At the Omega Ball, we genuinely connected, and now she's here? None of this makes sense."

Oh . Fuck.

It was completely my fault that Jade was here. I was the one who gave her our business card and invited her here during the Ball. But I wasn't about to let Bruce know this. He shouldn't get attached to a client at all, or else the pressure to bring her into our pack would be enormous.

I wasn't going to deal with that pressure.

"Well, it looks like your connection didn't mean much to her," I said coldly. We needed to secure this million-dollar deal with the Onyxpaw Pack.

Bruce shook his head in disappointment. "I just can't believe she'd do that. Figures it was all in my head."

"So we agree to match her with the pack?" I pressed.

"Yes," said Dravin, his face glowing with excitement at the prospect of the money. We already ran a successful agency, but each deal was still exciting and fresh as the last. But as soon as I picked up my cell phone, it began to blare with a flood warning.

"Shit, the omega is out there driving," I said, my heart racing. I couldn't allow this omega to get into any danger.

She was important. A prized possession I couldn't lose.

"If she's smart, she'll stay sheltered someplace," said Dravin. "Call her."

I dialed her number, and the phone went straight to voicemail.

"She's not answering," I said, getting up and pacing around as I stared out the vast windows. The rain was coming down hard, and I could see the beginnings of a disaster on the ground. A couple of inches of rain, that was quickly piling up.

"Hey, Jade," said Bruce.

Somehow he had gotten through to her on the phone. Racing to his chair, I ripped his phone out of his hands. I can't believe she had the nerve to ignore my call.

"Hey Bruce," she was saying.

"Jade, it's me- Caleb," I said urgently. "Are you driving right now?"

She was breathing quietly on the other line.

"I am," she said. The background noise of the rain pelting on her car sounded ominous.

"How far away are you from home?"

"Not far," she said vaguely, but I could sense the dishonesty in her voice. "Tell me the truth omega."

"You sound panicked for my life," she giggled, and I nearly threw the phone against the wall.

"I'm going to stay on the line until you get home," I said firmly.

"Fine, I'm stuck," she said. "My tires are stuck in the mud."

"Tell me exactly where you are, Jade."

Jade

I sighed as I hung up.

Looks like I couldn't just sit here and wait for the rain to stop. Caleb would be here soon, barging his alpha self into my life.

That's how alphas were.

They felt the need to always be the hero and were super overprotective. I was used to taking care of myself and doing my own thing. My mother taught me to be strong, and the thought of being helpless as I sat in my car bothered me.

Leaning back against my seat, I closed my eyes and listened to the rain furiously pelting against my car. It was soothing, but I was freezing as I hugged myself. I had to turn off the engine in my car since my gas tank was less than half full.

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until I woke up to a loud rapping at the passenger door. My heart was racing as my eyes snapped open, and I could make out the blurry figure of Caleb peering through the window at me. The gold iris of his eye glowed in the dark.

Damn, it was past sunset already.

I unlocked the door, and he got inside next to me. He made the car seem tiny with his muscular frame. His scent wafted around the car, intoxicating and alluring to my inner omega. His scent made me want to crawl all over him, to stick my nose in his neck and absorb him.

"Your tires look bad," he said abruptly, distracting me from my naughty thoughts of him.

"Yeah…I know."

"There's no way we can free your car today," he said. "But you can come with us to our place, and we'll return when the weather's better."

"Oh no, that's unnecessary," I protested, knowing where this was headed. From how determined he was to get here, I knew this was a losing battle. He would take me home with him regardless. "I can sit here and wait it out."

"Then I'll sit here with you," he said, reclining the chair back and crossing his arms over his chest. He meant it as he sat there. My mind raced with possibilities of how I could kick him out of my car.

"I can take care of myself," I said. He looked at me lazily, his eyes half-closed as he prepared to settle in with me.

"Not taking that chance," he chuckled. "You are worth a lot of money to me right now."

"Is that what I am?" I said indignantly. "A wad of cash to you?"

"No, of course not," he laughed. "You're funny, Ms. Jade."

What an arrogant dick …

"You can take your ass back to your giant truck over there before the flood gets worse," I said. "I'm fine right here, and I don't need you in here to keep me company."

"Doesn't a warm bed sound nice to you?" he asked, looking at my wet shirt and the goosebumps on my arm.

He traced my arm with a warm finger, and I shivered.

His touch held a depth of alpha energy and power that I longed to be enveloped in. My breathing quickened, and I knew I didn't stand a chance.

"It does sound nice," I said, my voice softening against my will. My inner omega was happy to be given this type of attention. The attention I longed for but didn't dare indulge in.

"Perfect. We will keep you safe and sound for your intended pack."

As I stepped outside the car, I wasn't prepared for the onslaught of rain.

My hair was plastered to my head by the time I reached his truck. Someone opened the back door for me as I ran up to it, and I saw his entire pack sitting inside. They quickly scooted over to make room for me as I sat there with my dripping hair and clothes squished between the door and Dravin. The warmth of the heater was like a warm blanket, and it felt so good. I sat across from Bruce, and for some reason, he didn't look pleased to see me there. Nick was sitting on the other side of Dravin.

Caleb began driving the truck as we all looked at each other.

"You must be freezing," said Dravin, removing his jacket and draping it over me. His body warmth still clung to the jacket, and I basked in the warmth.

"The jacket will get wet," I said, self-conscious.

"It's better than a sick omega," he winked. "We will take care of you to the max. Until you're sick of it."

I smiled, not sure to what extent he meant.

"She says she can take care of herself," said Caleb chuckling, and I pursed my lips with annoyance.

"What? So you don't think it's possible?" I asked, ripping the jacket off of me and throwing it back at Dravin. His eyes widened in shock at my behavior.

"Calm down. I'm only teasing," said Caleb. "Put that jacket back on."

"I don't need it," I said, rubbing my very-cold arms. I couldn't let him think I needed them. Not in the slightest. Especially when he was being such a douche about it. Dravin leaned closer to me, his short red hair brushing against my shoulder.

"Caleb loves to tease omegas because he can't get any of his own," he whispered, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I can hear you, jackass," said Caleb as Dravin gently set the jacket around my shoulders.

Once in a while, I'd glance up at Bruce, but his eyes were focused on the window- away from me. He didn't seem to want to talk to me at all.

Was he that pissed at me ? We barely even knew each other, and it's not like I committed anything to him.

He had to get over it.

"Hi, Bruce," I said. Then teasingly. "Prepared to have me sleep over at your place?"

He lifted his eyebrows as his gaze turned towards me. My pulse raced with apprehension.

"Of course," he said mechanically. "We will try to make your stay as comfortable as possible." Then he looked away, and my heart sank a little. I didn't particularly appreciate that he wasn't his normal friendly self with me anymore.

It felt cold in a way. And it made me feel alone.

The ride was smooth with the truck, even though it got scary at times when the water was too deep. I couldn't believe I was about to stay out here all night. It looked impossible to get back home.

"Here we are," said Nick, peering out the foggy window. "Home sweet home."