Chapter 9

Nine

JADE

" Y ou look amazing," said Caleb upon entering the room I was in. Well, his room, precisely.

When I first came back from the shopping trip, he didn't greet me. Instead, he was holed up in his office all day, a stark contrast from yesterday when he couldn't take his hands off me at bathtime.

"Thanks," I said, putting on the finishing touches of my pink lipstick. I wore my new dress and the jewelry I bought with Nick and Bruce.

"My friend will help tow your car out of the mud tomorrow morning," said Caleb. "It was tough getting ahold of him since he's so busy, but it was the earliest he could do."

"That's okay," I said. "How much is it?"

"I'm not allowing you to pay for it," said Caleb. "I'm touched that you offered. But I am your host, and I'm more than happy to pay for the services."

It felt so weird to have alphas pay for my things and not hesitate.

"I'm grateful for the help," I said. "Really, I am."

It was in the afternoon, and I was getting nervous. The Onyxpaw Pack would be showing up soon. The smell of Dravin's cooking floated upstairs, making my stomach growl, while Nick and Bruce helped him prepare lunch for my big meeting with the alphas.

"Are you nervous? I can sense your fear from here," muttered Caleb, coming up behind me and also gazing at me in the mirror. Caleb was dressed in a professional-looking suit, ready for business. Ready to sell me off to a wealthy alpha pack.

"A little," I said. "How many are there?"

"It's three of them," said Caleb. "A modest pack."

"Okay," I said. So I would need to juggle three males at once. I started envisioning how it would work in the bed and swallowed hard. Then I heard the doorbell ring, and my heart was racing a mile a minute. "Oh my god, they're here."

"I'll greet them. You can come down after a couple of minutes when they settle in, and they can take a good look at your beauty," said Caleb, giving me a once-over. "Everything matters right now. First impressions. Everything."

"Oh hell," I said, holding my stomach.

"Just be yourself," he said. "But not as blunt. Act nice and innocent."

Then Caleb quickly made his way out of the room, his unbuttoned suit swishing behind him. The butterflies in my stomach grew worse the longer I hung out here. I paced around the room, taking long deep breaths trying to calm myself down. The rain was still coming down, but the roads weren't as flooded like yesterday. It was a steady rain with the occasional thunder.

After working up some courage, I left Caleb's room and focused one step at a time down the stairs. I couldn't bring myself to look at the Onyxpaw Pack but I could feel their gazes as I tried to walk down the stairs elegantly. This could be my one and only chance to snag a nice wealthy pack who'd take care of me and love me.

It would be one hell of a dream come true.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw that they were all sitting on the couch in the living room. All three of them stood up instantaneously to greet me.

"Hello," I said, my voice coming out in a squeak. My hand was shaking as I shook the first one's hand. He was the biggest of the pack, with short brown hair and a mole on his cheek.

"Hello. The beautiful Jade," he said, his voice silky smooth, and my heart beat faster. He had chocolate brown eyes and looked like a businessman with his tailored blue suit and black tie. "I'm Hanibal."

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"I'm Brent," said the second alpha, who had slicked black hair and shiny, gelled eyebrows. I looked at Nick who waggled his own eyebrows. I wanted to laugh but kept a straight face as I shook his hand. I needed to be less picky and more open-minded. He could end up being the love of my life after all. And that thought alone made me burst into a smile.

"Is something funny?" asked Hanibal, also smiling. "I'd like to share in the joke."

"No, it's just…" I said, my voice trailing off as I shook the third alpha's hand, avoiding his question. The third alpha had short hair and a mustache. He looked to be in his forties.

"I'm Nicholas," he said. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," I said.

"You are very beautiful," said Nicholas, hitching his glasses up and gazing at my hourglass shape created by the dress. I didn't know how to feel about all this. I didn't necessarily feel the instant attraction to this pack like I had with Caleb's pack. But I was still hopeful I'd learn to like them as time passed.

"Let's have some lunch," said Caleb, gesturing towards the large spread on the dining room table fit for sixteen people. We headed to the table, and Hanibal sat to my right while Brent sat to my left.

On the table was chicken, rice, vegetables and salad. Wow, they worked hard cooking for this occasion. I was impressed by the lengths Caleb's pack would take to seal my purchase.

Caleb's pack sat across from me. My hands were shaking as I tried to pour the food onto my plate, and Hanibal, sensing that, took the spoon from me and made my plate with my requests. He seemed attentive like Caleb, and I liked that already about him. Or maybe deep down I was a hopeless romantic.

"Thank you," I said as Hanibal placed the plate of food before me.

"Of course," said Hanibal. "So tell me about yourself, Jade. I've heard plenty, but I'd love to hear from those pretty lips of yours. Tell me about your family."

"I have one brother," I said, almost choking on the rice. It was like I'd forgotten how to speak. I was usually so confident at my workplace around my female friends.

"Do you still live with your family?"

"No, I live alone in an apartment," I said. "I worked as a nurse for years."

"Why did you feel the need to live alone? Wouldn't it corrupt an omega to stay alone?" asked Nicholas, wiping his mustache with a napkin.

Wow, he was a tool.

"I needed my independence," I said. "Just like how an alpha leaves his family home and forms his pack. Wouldn't I be afforded the same freedoms in this day and age?"

Caleb's eyes were on his plate, and his jaw was tense.

I didn't care if I embarrassed him. If the Onyxpaw Pack were going to take me, they would have to accept everything about me.

"Of course," said Hanibal in his silky voice, trying to soothe me. "Nicholas didn't mean anything by his question."

I nodded, biting my lip tersely. I took a sip of water to quench my dry throat. It was awkwardly quiet for ten minutes, with only the sounds of chewing and forks clinking on plates.

Nick cleared his throat a couple of times uncomfortably to break the silence.

"How was the rain outside?" I asked, unable to believe I resorted to talking about the weather. "The weather is pretty terrible to travel in."

"We would travel through mountains and ice to meet our intended omega," said Hanibal.

"Oh wow," I said. He was smooth, and I could feel my guard lower around him. Then he asked the next question out of the blue. A question that threw me for a loop.

"Are you a virgin?"

I looked back and forth across the table. Wondering if I had to answer that question, and Caleb gave me a slight nod, signaling that I should answer.

"No," I said, my heart beating fast. Hanibal's eyebrows flew up, and Nicholas made a disapproving noise.

"Well, it was nice meeting you," said Hanibal, quickly getting up, not even finishing his food.

What?!

The rest of his pack followed suit as they abandoned their full plates of food and walked out of the front door. When the front door flew open, rain rushed inside, wetting the doormat. I sat there in shock. Unable to believe what just happened.

They had a problem with my virginity?!

"Damn," said Dravin. "They're fucking idiots."

"We're cutting them from the contract," said Caleb darkly. "I thought we did a thorough background check."

My eyes burned with my impending tears. I couldn't cry over a pack I just met. For the next few minutes, I tried to eat with Caleb's pack pretending nothing had happened. But I couldn't take it anymore.

"Um, excuse me for a second," I whispered, getting up from my chair.

"Jade, please eat your food," said Bruce softly, his eyes on me.

"I'll be back," I said, turning and heading up the stairs. I hoped they didn't see the hint of my tears as I rushed up the last steps. Then, heading into Caleb's room, I sat on the bed and finally let the tears flow.

Rejection hurt like a bitch. Especially to an omega.

We would preen ourselves and look pretty for alphas. But when they reject us, even if I just met them, it cut a hole through my heart. Looking around the room, I needed a more enclosed space. A space that felt like a hug.

I went into the closet and leaned against Caleb's many suits and his stack of watches.

Every time I wiped my tears away, more flowed down like a river. I couldn't help it. I just wanted a pack that adored every inch of me. I was a little crazy in my past, but that shouldn't deter them from wanting me.

I sniffled, trying to catch my breath.

My chest felt tight like I wouldn't be able to breathe normally again. The way they looked at me in disgust and left was the most embarrassing thing to ever happen to me. In front of everyone too. It was way worse than standing naked in front of a pack of alphas.

"Are you okay in there?" asked Caleb from outside the door.