Sneaky Omega wins the day…or the hotel.
I wave my hand at him. “Page two hundred through to two hundred and forty-four in theRules for Staff Handbookon appearance. Staff must wear the official uniform. They are not permitted to wear nail varnish, makeup, or have any visible tattoos or piercings.”
Piper looks at me, confused. “Gracie, this is some unique dirty talk you have. Go on, tell me another rule. You’re giving me goosebumps.” He cards his fingers (the ones that are breaking the rule on nail polish), through his curls. “Tell me, what rule is my pretty hair breaking?”
I narrow my eyes. “Two hundred and seventy eight: Long hair must be tied back by a ribbon and?—”
“Fuck, I’m a living rule-breaker.” He smirks. “Don’t tell me anymore. I told you, I like to take things slow. I may just soak through my pants with slick here.”
“You wouldn’t if you were wearing the Omega absorbent panties that are handed out to staff.”
Shit, did I say that out loud?
Piper arches his brow; his eyes dance with amusement. “Good to know.”
I peer closer at his tattoo, glad that at least it’s on his shoulder and will be covered up by his uniform.
A gorgeous, howling wolf tattoo is inked on his shoulder.
My breath hitches.
I know that design.
Piper is one of the infamous Wolf siblings.
I take an instinctive step back.
Now I know why he must have become a HO. How could he have ended up as anything else, when his parents were executed, and he was marked as a Reject son of criminals, when he must have barely been in kindergarten?
I remember because those executions led to one of the rare arguments between Dad and Maya.
Maya announced the executions as salacious gossip over dinner one night.
I had never seen Dad go so pale. I thought that he was going to collapse.
Maya didn’t notice. She continued to crow about how the Wolf pack had gone bankrupt and the kids would likely end up in the Institute as Companions, as they deserved to.
Suddenly, Dad stood, the chair screeching along the floor.
“Shut up, Maya. Shut up,shut upfor one damn day in your life, just…” Dad stormed out of the room.
I sat frozen and terrified between Hatton and Bird, as Maya’s furious pheromones flooded the room.
When Maya slowly stood to follow Dad, I knew that what happened next would be bad, but that something even worse had just happened and that I didn’t understand it.
I still don’t.
What’s the mystery?
Piper’s expression falls.
His hand rises, as if he means to cover his tattoo out of habit, before he forces his hand away and raises his chin. “I’m not ashamed of being raised in the Wolf pack.”
The Wolf pack were criminals.
Yet Piper is not responsible for the actions of his parents. After all, I’m from the Frost pack. I would be in for a lot of ass kickings if that was true.
I respect his resilience.
