by Sky Winters
She checked her email. No reply from her mother. The notification light from Alpha Meets Omega flashed with several new messages. She glanced at them, finding the usual hormonal responses, and discounting them. She tossed the phone aside and finished getting dressed, looking appreciatively into the mirror. A simple black pencil skirt, white blouse and black jacket paired with black heels and her hair pulled into a loose knot. Feminine but professional.
The string of small pearls and matching earrings her mother had given her, just as hers had gifted them to her, completed the outfit. She debated whether they were too much, but they were small, understated, so they worked. Happy with her appearance, she grabbed her messenger bag and keys, heading out the door to catch the bus. She still had about an hour before she had to be at work, but the bus stop was nearly a half-mile away and she’d have to catch two more buses before arriving at her destination. According to her phone, it was less than a thirty-minute commute, but she wanted to make sure she wasn’t late on her first day.
As it turned out, the bus was right on time, and she was over a half-hour early and within a few blocks of her building. Spotting a coffee shop nearby, ducked in and ordered a chai tea latte, sitting by a front window and watching the foot traffic pass by as she sipped her drink until it was time to make the rest of her way to work. As she stood to go, she felt a warm sensation spread through her. It flowed through her veins and settled squarely in her center, a flush that congregated in her center and then shot back outward to pulse between her legs. She felt weak in the knees and had to grab hold of the chair to stabilize herself.
Looking around, she saw no one that seemed to notice any change in her demeanor. The feeling subsided and then passed, leaving her to wonder what had just happened. It was like that heated moment when you were about to have sex with someone − when your body was on fire with some hungry need − but multiplied a hundred-fold. She’d never felt anything like it. It was both debilitating and exhilarating at the same time. Mostly, though, she felt bewildered by it. Just as quickly as it had hit her, it faded away.
She glanced at her watch and that got her moving. Hurrying along the sidewalk, she made her way to the large glass and metal building where she would begin her internship as an assistant to one Mr. Gary Nasteau, Chief Financial Officer of Nasteau International Holdings or NIH, as most knew it. She’d learn everything about the world of corporate real estate financing from one of the best and hopefully, walk into one of his open positions when she was done. All she had to do was the work; put in the hours and it would come, that’s all she could believe. This was huge for her and failure was not a choice she had the luxury of making.
“Ah, Miss Carmichael. Let’s get you started, shall we?” Marilyn Stutt, the human resources manager she had been speaking to over the past several months, told her as she entered her office. “Mr. Nasteau is out of the office today. He was called away on business, but you’ll be spending most of it on paperwork and training anyway. He’ll be here on Monday to get you started on your official training program. You’ll want to rest up over the weekend because he expects a lot from his interns.”
“Sounds great. I’m ready to go.”
“I hope so. We get interns in and out of here all the time. I’m not trying to scare you or make it sound like you can’t succeed, but I want you to know what you are getting yourself into. You’ll be working long hours, with little positive reinforcement. Mr. Nasteau is not exactly the kind of boss who rewards you with a pat on the back. The rewards you’ll reap will be in the form of a job or a good reference. He can make or break you, so remember that each and every day.”
Jaycee was speechless. It wasn’t exactly an uplifting speech to hear on her first day.
“I know it sounds harsh, but I’m just trying to prepare you for what’s to come. You can do this. Just remember what you are here for, and don’t think you’ll have him singing your praises. If it gets to be too much, come see me. We’ll talk it out. Don’t give up on your dream just because you have to deal with a bit of hardship to get to where you want to be. Okay?”
“Okay,” Jaycee replied, not knowing what else she could add.
Other than feeling some anxiety over the warning, the day was mostly uneventful. It felt good to be getting started, no matter how hard the journey might be. Back on the bus for her return home that afternoon, she pulled out her phone and checked her email. Still nothing from her mother. The notifications on Alpha Meets Omega were flashing and she opened it instead.
“Well, hello there,” she said aloud.
CHAPTER FOUR
Thad
After a bit of back and forth, Thad had a date with the brunette Beta on Alpha Meets Omega. He didn’t usually bother looking at the app during work, but something about her kept drawing him back to check for messages. He found that he was so eager that he asked to see her tonight. It was only after she agreed and they set a time and place that he was able to get her off his mind long enough to get any real work done. In the quiet moments, though, his mind drifted back to her photo and he found himself opening the app several times to look at it again.
What the fuck?
No woman had ever had this effect on him, much less a woman he’d never met. It was intriguing but also maddening.
The day went swiftly enough. He was out of the office and on his way home by four, instead of the usual six or seven. It gave him plenty of time before the late dinner he had set for eight. Unlike his usual hookups, he found himself feeling a bit more excited about this one. It could just be his recent state of mind, but he had a feeling it was something about this particular woman. But why? She was beautiful, yes, but there had been plenty of beautiful women that had crossed his path and shared his bed. Wasn’t she just another Beta in a sea of them? That was the thing. Something told him she was not, and he found that exciting.
Of course, his later arrival at the address she had given him was less thrilling.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir. This is the address you gave me,” Barron responded.
“It’s an eyesore.”
Barron scoffed but said nothing, causing him to inquire further.
“What?”
“No offense, Mr. Ulrich, but it’s been far too long since you lived like the other half.”
“Other half of what? It’s an old factory. What sort of person would live here?”
“Well, me.”
Thad stopped scowling at the window long enough to look back at him with a look of surprise.
“You live here?”
“I do.”
Thad was silent a moment, contemplating this, but offering no apologies for his distaste.
“Do I not pay you enough?”
“You pay me plenty, but my wife and kids get most of it. I got a divorce last year.”
Thad stared at him for a long while. How could he not have known this? Though Barron was technically his employee, he had always thought of him as a friend. Turns out, that was likely a delusion on his part. It was one of the rare instances where Thad got a look at himself from the outside and determined himself to be an asshole.
“Fuck me. All right, well, I tell you what. Since you’re home, anyway, why don’t you just call it a night and I’ll take the car on my own this evening.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind driving you.”
“Yeah. I’m sure. Get out and give me the keys.”
“Okay. Not going to argue with a night off.”
“Let’s get going then.”
Barron got out of the car and opened the rear door, handing him the keys as he emerged. He looked awkward, as if he wasn’t sure what to do next, then started walking to the front entrance with him. They rode up on the elevator together, Barron getting off on the third floor, while Thad continued up. So far, he was no more impressed with the interior of the place than he had been with the exterior. He walked down the hall, following the declining numbers until he reach
ed the door at the very end and knocked.
She opened the door and looked up at him, giving him a moment’s pause. She was even more breathtaking in person. He tried not to ogle her like some sort of pervert, but it was difficult.
Her big doe eyes looked up at him, as dark as her hair, and he felt a tingle down his spine.
“Thad?” she said.
He realized he hadn’t spoken − not like him at all. He was always in charge and commanding, not some smitten schoolboy who couldn’t muster enough courage to speak to a girl.
“Yes. I’m, uh. Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to answer so quickly.”
“Oh. I see,” she said, sounding uncertain about that response.
She should be. It made no real sense. He was floundering here. Giving himself a mental kick in the ass, he struck a more confident tone.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Almost. Let me just grab my bag and keys. Come in if you’d like.”
Thad stepped inside and looked around. The place was dire. Cheap, mass produced furnishings with little attempt made at improving the look of it. She might be a beauty but she was severely lacking in any skills at home decor.
“Interesting place,” he observed, trying to keep the disgust to a minimum.
“No, not really, but it’s what I can afford. I’ll work on it a bit as I have time. I just moved in yesterday.” She laughed as she said it, seeming non-plussed.
Either he’d done an excellent job of hiding his thoughts on it or she simply didn’t care. It was good to know that she might not be such a horrible decorator, though. Perhaps, she’d at least make it a little more presentable in the near future. His eyes fell on the bed and rested there for a moment, quickly looking away as she turned back to him. Too late, she had seen him.
“It’s a beautiful quilt. Did you make it?”
“No. My mom.”
Ah, a sore spot. Noted. Best to just change the subject.
“Ready to go then?”
“Absolutely. Where are we headed?”
She was already on her way to the door. He turned and opened it for her, waiting until she was out before he exited. He answered her while they were walking down the hall toward the elevator.
“A place downtown called Maggie Mays. They make a mean steak, but they have a diverse menu. You can get pretty much whatever you like there. It’s sort of out of the way for most folks, so it’s not so crowded and quiet.”
“Sounds great,” she replied.
She paused as they got to the car, looking at it the same way he had looked at her apartment. He could imagine that it seemed a bit much, a four-door Mercedes sedan. It screamed corporate shill, something he’d never considered before. Most women were more than happy to get in a car and chauffeured about with a wealthy businessman, but he supposed it gave off a completely different vibe without the driver. He opened the door for her and waited for her to be seated. Why was this woman putting him so completely off his game?
CHAPTER FIVE
Jaycee
Jaycee watched as he walked around the front of the car and got behind the wheel. He looked confused for a moment as he looked for a place to put the key, finally finding it and starting the car. He adjusted the seat a bit so that his legs weren’t as cramped as they appeared when he first sat. She watched with interest, not sure what to make of it. He was easily six-foot-three and well built. Even in the crisp white shirt and jeans he wore, he gave off that vibe of a corporate drone, but the bits of what appeared to be a large tattoo drifted up above his neckline. She found herself wanting to see the rest and not just because of the tattoo itself.
“I gave my driver the night off.”
“I see.”
She wondered why he hadn’t adjusted things on the way over or remembered where the key went but didn’t ask. There was something about him that was a bit overwhelming. She knew from experience that part of it was just that he was an Alpha and despite lying about being a Beta, she still reacted to him as the Omega she truly was. Being submissive toward his kind was coded into her DNA and, no matter how much she fought it, her body reminded her of this when in close quarters with one.
“Okay, off to dinner then,” he told her, putting the car in drive and pulling up on the sidewalk with a jerk. “Fuck.”
Jaycee tried not to laugh as he put the car in reverse and backed off the sidewalk in front of the parking space and then out onto the rounded entrance behind it. Hopefully, his driving wasn’t going to be this bad all the way downtown and back. Her mother had warned her about the dangers of online dating, but she’d thought there were crazy men to fear, not horrible drivers.
Fortunately, they made it to the restaurant with the usual question and answer session behind them...and zero casualties. He was actually quite personable, but a bit of an enigma. He seemed a little uncertain of himself, which was uncommon for an Alpha. It was only when talk turned to work that he seemed to slip free of his reservations and bestow the more dominant presence she’d come to expect from his kind. Settled into their seats, which seemed to be secluded in an unoccupied portion of the restaurant, they fell into more conversation over wine and appetizers.
“I’m a venture capitalist by trade but I’ve started to dabble in a bit of real estate,” he told her.
“Really? My company is a real estate developer.”
“Company? I thought you were a student?”
“No. I mean, I was, until recently, but I just started an internship with NIH.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
“Nasteau? Which partner?”
“The CFO. Gary Nasteau.”
“Wow. I’d have never pictured that.”
“Why?”
“Nasteau usually doesn’t hire female interns.”
“Really? Why not?”
She knew the answer already, just from what the human resource manager had told her and the faces of the other women in the office when she encountered them and told them she was his new intern. She could see them distancing themselves or pitying her almost instantly. It was clear that Nasteau wasn’t a fan of women and had only hired one as his new intern because he’d been forced into it, most likely a diversity hire he’d been opposed to, which was what the warning from Marilyn Stutt had been about. He was going to try to break her, make her cry − prove she couldn’t do a man’s job.
“Because he’s a dick,” he laughed.
“We’ll see.”
“I suppose, if he gets too rough on you, you could just shift and eat him.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He snickered and looked at the server, who was bringing their food. Chicken, walnut, and apple salad with balsamic dressing for her and a rare steak with steamed broccoli and wild rice for him. Between bites of food, the conversation turned to more personal matters.
“Why is a girl like you out looking for Alphas on a dating site?” he asked.
“Well, like I told you, I’m new in town. I don’t know how else to meet other wolves here other than just taking my chances at smelling one on the sidewalk or in the grocery line.”
“Fair enough. I guess I hadn’t considered that. I’ve gotten so used to living in a blended setting.”
“Have you always lived here then?”
“Yes. My pack owns the corporation I work for. I’ve been with them since I graduated college.”
“So, what’s a successful city wolf like you doing on a dating site? You don’t seem like the type who’d have any trouble finding a mate in the city.”
“Well, I’ve not exactly been on there looking for a mate,” he said, shrugging.
“I see. So, just a fling then?”
“Honestly? Up until now, that’s been the case, but I’m looking for maybe a little more.”
Jaycee wondered if that’s what he told them all. Did he make them think they had some chance of being the one, when really, he was just a hump and dumper? She didn’t mind that, if it were the case, but he should
at least be honest about it. She took a bite of her salad, stalling for a moment rather than responding to his comment. That’s when everything went balls up.
That feeling she had experienced earlier returned with a vengeance. A flush spread up her body and surged outward to pulse squarely between her legs, but this time, it wasn’t just a momentary thing. She was overwhelmed by it, by a desire so intense that she was having trouble even speaking. She looked up from her salad, trying desperately to maintain a sense of calm, but she could tell he saw, or maybe sensed, it too.
“I-I don’t feel so well,” she stammered.
She was aware that her body was on a mission of its own. Every fiber of her being was screaming for her to strip down and climb across this table, offer herself to him. It was as if, somehow, without warning, he suddenly had complete command of her desires. Looking up at him, she could see his eyes darken in her direction. Was he doing this to her on purpose? But how? What sort of powers did he possess? What kind of werewolf was he?
“We better get you home,” he said, pulling out his wallet and dropping cash on the table as he stood and approached her.
“No. Don’t touch me!” she shrieked, realizing it sounded much louder than she had intended.
“You’re not in control of yourself. I’m taking you home.”
It wasn’t an offer or a request. It was a command, and she didn’t have any will to say no. In fact, she hadn’t even meant it when she told him not to touch her. She wanted him to touch her, in ways she could only dream about, but she knew there would be no return. She wasn’t sure she could bear even the slightest friction of his skin against hers. She followed him out to the car, her legs like Jell-O and her pussy slicking over with longing. He put his hand on her lower back as he opened the car door, and it felt like a hot poker searing her skin. She froze.
