/Reed's POV/
Running a hand down his black striped suit, I adjusted the sleeves of the white shirt. A heavy feeling sat in the pit of my stomach, all too familiar and aching. The thought of seeing the omega again caused a stir in my heart. Immediately I thought back to the day of my fathers funeral and how broken she appeared.
Erin looked like she was barely holding together when she saw my father's picture. The omega slipped away before the end of the ceremony and cried her heart out. I could hear the rings of them, and quite frankly, it ripped something inside me. But why? After all these years, I should not be thinking about comforting her for the moon's sake!
“Looking handsome, brother! Who are you trying to impress?!” Rowan wriggled his brows, leaning against the wall. He was also dressed in a suit, the one which brings out his eyes. And my brother had the audacity to pick at me.
“I should be the one asking you that.” I raised my brow, giving one final look in the mirror before turning on my feet.
His lips twitched at that, eyes almost brightening when I glared at him. “I hope you are not going to do anything weird. We are going there for purely business purposes.”
Rowan's nose flared. “What do you take me for? I know my boundaries.”
“Good.”
With that, I slipped on my watch and wound it around the wrist, checking the time. Charles will be our assistant for now as we abruptly shift here. The beta told us that he informed Woods Publishing and set a meeting.
“The car is waiting for us. Let’s go.”
I hummed, pocketing my phone and turning towards the door.
***
As I stared at the property from the car window, my eyes fixated on the green lawn and benches on either side; I felt my shoulders sag in defeat. It’s been years since I saw the tall building, watched the line of trees framing it and heard the quiet rushing of waves from nearby.
The car came to a quick stop, Charles turning over his shoulder. “We are here.”
“Thanks. You can come with us if you want.” Rowan said, his voice drifting as he shut the door, leaning against it.
“I will!”
A lump formed in my throat as a rush of memories hit me, that achingly familiar giggles and patter of feet as we ran around. Rowan and I had no restrictions as pups being the son of Pack Alpha, free reign to run around. We went a bit overboard at times and always came to this place.
“Reed?” My brother's voice echoed in my ears, his brow arching. “Come on!”
I shook my head, snapping myself out of it and rushed to catch up with Rowan and Charles. The elevator did not work, so we had to climb up two flights of stairs, my shirt clinging to my chest. Once inside, we were greeted by a receptionist who forced a blinding smile our way before guiding us towards the meeting room.
“Miss Woods is running a bit late but do not worry, she will be here soon. In the meantime, do you want me to get you something? Tea? Coffee?”
Rowan beamed at her, “I would like an iced americano.”
“Umm…black coffee for me. Two spoons, please. Thank you.”
Charles was bashful to order, almost staring at us with folded lips. Rowan nudged at him before placing an order for the beta. The receptionist, whose name I had not heard, walked out of the room.
“How can anyone be late for their meeting? It’s preposterous!”
Rowan let out a sigh. “Don’t start now.”
“What?” I innocently blinked. “If it were our office, we would have already cancelled the meeting.”
“Good thing it’s not our office then.”
“Rowan, you don’t understand….”
My brother met my eyes, his jaw set tight. “I am not understanding? Wow!”
Charles shifted his eyes between the two of us, his arms crossed against his chest. The beta commented on the lines of watching a soap opera come to life when we heard footsteps. I straightened in my seat only to see the receptionist rushing with a tray.
After thanking her, I accepted the cup and looked outside the glass window. A couple of acres stretched before us, ideally attended to bushes and trees adorning the grounds with colourful flowers. I tried to repress a pleased hum as I took a sip. The drive had exhausted me — or perhaps the fatigue was simply a result of my family or the looming tasks.
A few minutes passed by when I heard the door abruptly pushed open, and in walked Erin. She hurriedly hung her coat on the stand before rushing to us. I couldn’t help but stare at her as the omega came to stand in front of us. Her loose strands swooped gently over her forehead, probing only somewhat into the blue — perhaps even cerulean eyes.
She was overwhelmingly gorgeous in the striped pants suit, almost complimenting Rowan and me. Her curves were on display, the material clinging onto her like a second skin. The slight, upward curve of the corner of her mouth had me staring at her round pink lips. My mind couldn’t help but think there was something rather aesthetically pleasing to her bright clothing, mixed with sharp eyes and a confident stance.
“I apologise for making you all wait. Something came up urgently.”
Her smell hit me out of nowhere, my knees felt suddenly weak, and my mouth started to water every time I breathed in—hints of lavender and spring rain, subtle yet earthy. The rich and floral scent almost surrounded me in a cocoon.
“Mister Reed Armani,” She said, her voice clear and yet entirely raspy and ridiculously sultry. Her blue eyes beneath that loose hair remained closely on my face; a hand held out in my direction. “Welcome to Woods Publishing”
I swallowed strenuously, and reluctantly took her hand, feeling her firm but soft skin against mine. For a second, I could feel something sizzle inside me, a spark igniting as our palms touched. I let go as fast as manageable. “Thank you.”
I didn’t have to look sideways to confirm my brother’s smirk. He has always been annoying like that.
“We were also hoping to meet Adam today.”
At that, Erin grimaced, her lips pressing in a thin line. The omega cleared her throat. “I am sorry, but he won’t be joining us today. My father is dealing with a loss in his way, and it’s taking a toll on his health. So it will be only me.”
“Oh”
“Please.” Erin motioned towards the empty chairs.
I didn’t take my eyes off of her for a mere second. My gaze pierced the omega as I sat silently while Charles introduced himself. Now that I was facing the omega, I saw that she had grown even more gorgeous and graceful, almost like a carefully sculpted statue that took years to carve. The years have done good to her.
As Erin turned, she noticed me staring at her, my lip caught inbetween my teeth as my eyes scanned her face. I quickly looked away and released my lip from the grip of white canines, heat crawling my face.
Except, now that I think about it, it’s not just her attractiveness that sticks out; there’s exhaustion painted over her face and beneath the omegas eyes, weighing down over her body. It appeared distinct and all too familiar.
“Reed?” My brother said cautiously.
I jerked, snapping out of my thoughts. My cheeks coloured when I realised Rowan must’ve said something, but I was too busy staring to catch it. “Sorry, what?”
“I was explaining to Miss Erin that we have to pull out the investment.”
Nodding my head, I pulled on the blazer and sat up straight. “Ahh, yes. It’s unfortunate, Miss Erin, but we do not have any choice. We barely made any profits, and so did your company. I have checked the bank statements, and it’s not looking good, so we do not have any other choice.”
Colour drained her face, mouth opening and closing. Erin shook her head. “N-No, you cannot do that!”
“Why not? What’s the point of spending money when we are not getting anything in return? I have no idea why our father kept on investing when there has been no change in your situation for the last four years.”
Her voice quivered as she clasped her hands together. “We hit a rough patch, but the Pack Alpha always believed in us. He was sure we would get back on our feet. I know things have been bad, but we all are trying, Mister Armani. The book fair this year will surely change things for us. Can you please hold on till then?”
“I am afraid we cannot. The contract termination will be sent tomorrow, and we can talk about money later. Good day.”
***
Any thoughts? I will update on Thursday too :D
/Erin's POV/As soon as their scents fade in the meeting room, I let out a loud exhale, still able to feel the musk hit my nostrils. My eyes bore hatefully in their direction, hoping it was enough to burn their back. Both of them dared to show up and give an ultimatum. Then again, after their father's death, they had no obligation to invest in our company anymore.Still, it stung. The harsh reality that we had no one to back us anymore slowly settled in. Our staff paychecks relied heavily on monthly payments from the Pack Alpha and few royalties. How will we survive? Most importantly, Alpha Reed mentioned us paying him back.What am I going to do now? Panic began seeping into my bones, legs clamped together. My head slammed on t
/Rowan's POV/I awoke with a startle, my eyes flinging open as I felt a sharp, metallic poke at my cheek. My hand swatted at the object as I sat up as fast as my body could manage, a groan escaping from parted lips. I didn't see anyone when I came to until I heard a childish giggle from behind. With my brows furrowed together, I twisted my body to see the unwanted visitor, my back cracking as I did so.The pup blinked at me; her silky blonde hair appeared messy with a tiny hand clamped over her mouth. I had to squint from the harsh glare from the ceiling lights to observe her on her knees beside the bed in an attempt to hide.“Anya, love, what are you doing here?” I slowly tugged on her wrist and nudged her closer, making the pup sit opposite me. After the afternoo
/Erin's POV/My eyes widened as I let his voice sink in, washing over me in waves. Those words kept on echoing, my toes curling around the sandals. Goosebumps prickled at my arms all over, suddenly aware of the chill in the room. For a second, I thoroughly thought that they were both joking about it. Then again, Rowan and Reed would never try to open up past wounds, not unless they were severe.“Excuse me?”Rowan was the first to speak up, wetting his lips and breaking the silence that followed my question. “Yes, you heard us right, Miss Woods. You have to be our omega, as in the Pack Luna, and we will keep on funding your company.”I took a quick breath through my nose, feeling incredibly exposed.Rage coiled in
/Reed’s POV/Staring at the cold omega in front of me, I couldn't help but think back to the first time I met her. My brother and I were pups just like her but a few years older and mature. Or so I thought."But I don't want to go!" I whined while crossing my arms together and slumping on the bed. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Rowan tying his shoelaces, a grin on his face. At eight years old, my twin was already enthusiastic about listening to everything our father said."Reed..." My father sighed, a furrow in between his brows as he sat on his knees. "I promised my friend that I would bring both of my kids. Besides, don't you want to make a new friend?"My mouth twisted at that, head
/Erin's POV/I closed my eyes briefly, steeling myself as the honeyed voice seeped in through layers of clothes. My treacherous body had always innately responded to the dark, forbidding men sitting across. The way the Alphas talked to me, so brash and honest that it spurred something inside.Also, I hated to admit it, but they looked more dangerously handsome than ever today. I couldn’t help but gawk at their thin shirts, barely concealing anything; their dark brown hair was as attractively dishevelled. Reed's eyes appeared deep green and intense as they stared, the laugh lines at the corners in stark contrast to the brooding expression on his face.I kept my gaze down for a hesitant moment, biting on his lip, uncertain whether to oblige to the demand he made.&n
/Reed POV/There’s a heavy hand on my shoulder, holding me tight enough to let me know that trying to get away wasn’t a good idea. I twisted my head towards Rowan, who mirrored the same expression. A sigh escaped my parted lips, tearing my eyes to look at the Luna in front.“Mom.”“We need to talk.” Her nostrils flared, eyes shifting around the living hall, her tone sounding grave. “Now!”“What is it, mom?” Rowan tried to ask but only got a glare in return which made him cower. The Luna can be scary when she wants, a fact that made the members steer clear of him most times. Growing up, we thought it was fun, but it only made it difficult for us to get through with her.
/Erin's POV/As the question washed over me, I shifted on my feet. Suddenly the room turned hot, toes curling as sweat clung to my skin. My chest heaved, chin raising defiantly to meet the Alpha's accusing stare. He appeared a lot closer than before, making my heart pound."It's my family issue, Rowan." I crossed my arms against my chest, making sure to emphasise on the 'family' part. His face fell for a second, inhaling sharply."Are you serious right now?" His brows rose in utter disbelief as if the Alpha couldn't believe that I would even have the nerve to say something like this. "We have known each other for years, Erin. My brother and I expect you to inform us of such critical matters, especially if we are going to be mates."&nb
Putting on a weak smile, I made my way towards Reeds chair, draping my arm over his neck. My sharp nails dug into the Alphas shoulder blades, watching as he didn’t even flinch. I leaned forward, lips parting as I met my father's eyes.“Dad, you should focus on getting rest instead of indulging in silly conversations,” I said.“It’s not silly!” Reed piped from below, his lips twisting, offended.I pressed my nails harder, letting out a breathy giggle, the hair on the back of my neck standing up. What was Reed trying to prove? The last thing I wanted was the Alpha to break the news about courting me to my father in his fragile state.Esther made a sound, twisting her lips. “Erin, how can y