I will make him love me

Finding the coffee machine was easy.

Vernon grumpily prepared Melissa's order and picked it up before he remembered that he didn't know the way to her office.

He looked around the cafeteria, noting that it was empty save for the server.

The omega leaned in with a polite smile. "Do you know where Melissa King's office is?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do I look like I have any business knowing whoever that is?"

Vernon was taken aback by her rudeness. His lips parted in surprise. "That's not what I—"

"Leave and stop wasting my time."

"Why are you being so mean, Kathy?" a voice said, and a man approached the table. He flashed a smile at Vernon, extending a hand.

"I'm Adrian."

The omega wordlessly raised the coffee in his hands. "I'm a bit occupied. I'm Vernon."

Adrian retracted his hand with a chuckle, stuffing it in his pocket. "Pleasure. Are you lost?"

He seemed polite, and Vernon shook his head. "I'm looking for Melissa's office."

"Take him away. He is being a nuisance," Kathy said, cleaning the counter. She scoffed, tossing the rag away. "I don't like that."

Vernon raised a brow in disbelief. Why was she so rude?

"What did I ever—" he started to protest, only for Adrian to gently cut in.

"I'll take you there."

The omega nodded, looking at him. "Thank you."

They walked away, and Adrian threw him a glance. "You must be new here?"

Vernon hummed. "Yeah. I joined this morning."

The other nodded. "Kathy is not a bad person. Just a bit... grumpy."

"But she'll eventually warm up to you."

"I believe you," Vernon said dryly, and Adrian chuckled.

"You don't believe me."

The omega shrugged wordlessly, and that seemed to amuse the other more.

They stopped in front of a glass door.

Adrian smiled. "This is your destination. I hope to see more of you, Vernon."

Vernon gave him a small smile. "We work in the same building. It's inevitable, don't you think?"

The other nodded in agreement and pushed the door open. "See you then."

The omega inhaled deeply and walked in. His gaze fell on Melissa, seated on a couch.

He cleared his throat. "Here is the coffee you asked for."

Melissa didn't raise her head from the files she was flipping through. "You certainly took your time," she commented, her voice carrying a hint of sarcasm.

Vernon frowned. "I didn't know the way to your office, and I—"

She chuckled softly, interrupting him. "I didn't know you were a lamb that needed to be taught everything."

The omega's brows furrowed in disbelief. How could she speak like that?

Did he—"

Melissa gestured to the table. "Keep the coffee there. It's probably cold."

She stood up, flipping her hair. "Follow me."

With that, she walked out of the office, and Vernon followed behind.

She led him to a room filled with different cubicles and staff typing furiously on their computers.

The omega was taken aback by the sight. Why did everything about Xavier Donovan have to be so serious?

"Everyone," Melissa clapped her hands once, drawing their attention.

Silence descended on the room, and they all turned to stare at her.

Vernon felt a bit unnerved by the sudden attention.

She smiled at them. "We have a new staff member. Vernon Giordano-Donovan. Please, make him feel at home and help him settle in."

"Of course, Miss King!"

"Of course, Miss King!"

Melissa was obviously pleased by the response. She led Vernon to an empty cubicle and pointed to a large stack of files on the table.

"Sort this out," she ordered. "I want it ready by the end of the day."

After she left, the activities resumed, and Vernon sat down, cracking his knuckles.

"Let's get busy then."

***********

"If anyone told me you were ever going to get married, I would've called them the biggest liar of the century."

Xavier closed his laptop with a tired sigh and raised a brow at his friend. "Have you come to disturb me, Theodore?"

Theodore rolled his eyes, putting his legs atop the table. "You are no fun at all, Xavier. Aren't people supposed to lighten up after marriage or something?"

The alpha clicked his tongue in annoyance. He narrowed his eyes. "I can increase your workload if you're that free."

Theodore gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest. "You're evil. Why are we even friends again?"

Xavier's lips curled in a smirk. "Because no one else can tolerate your annoying ass."

His friend gasped again, mildly offended. "I'm not annoying. I can't believe you're saying this to my face!"

The alpha tilted his head innocently. "Would you rather I said it behind your back?"

Theodore clicked his tongue in disbelief. "We'll revisit this conversation at a better time. You want to talk about your flash marriage?"

Xavier leaned back comfortably in his chair. "There's nothing to talk about. I'm a married man."

His friend frowned. "Do you love him?"

"I do."

"Does he feel the same?"

The alpha's gaze lowered to the ring on his finger. He gently touched it with a smile. "I will make him love me."

"What if he never loves you back?" Theodore asked again. "That is a possibility you have to consider."

"He will love me back."

*************

Kyle gently dropped his cutlery and looked at his date. "I don't think this is going to work."

The woman blinked at him in surprise. "How do you know that? We can still try, and—"

The alpha looked at the windows, his gaze falling on the busy streets. "We'll only be miserable, Isabella."

"That's not true!" Isabella protested, desperation bleeding into her voice. She grabbed his hand. "Kyle, we can work something out, and—"

Kyle pulled away and stood up. "I wish you all the best."

The alpha walked out of the restaurant. As soon as the fresh air hit his nose, he let out a sigh of relief. "That wasn't as bad as I expected."

He walked to his car, only to collide into someone.

The impact sent both parties staggering, and Kyle winced, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The other person recovered quickly. "I am so sorry. I'm so careless, and I didn't see where I was going, and—"

The faintest whiff of tangerines hit his nose, and Kyle met the other's gaze as his alpha thrashed within him.

The other was wearing a large black hoodie, his face obscured by a face cap and mask. But those soft brown eyes seemed to draw Kyle in like never before.

He came back to his senses only to realize the other was still apologizing.

"I'm so sorry. I hope you're not injured—"

Kyle shook his head. "It's alright. I'm... okay."

"Alright then," the other man said. He walked away, leaving the alpha staring after him.

Kyle took a deep breath to rein himself in. "That was something," he murmured to himself.

The alpha raised his wrist to look at the time, only to find it bare.

He blinked in confusion. "Where's my watch—"

Kyle's eyes widened in realization. He looked in the direction the person he collided with had gone.

"That little thief."