“I don’t know, sir,” she says, and I cock my eyebrow.
“You just graduated, yes? Top of your class?”
Her eyes widen. “I… yes, but…,”
I slide the contract back over to her.
“I have some thoughts, but I’d like you to take a look at it too. I don’t believe in wasting talent.”
She brightens in front of my eyes. “I will,” she promises. “I’ll have it back to you today.”
Smiling, I wave her out. “Thanks, Sarah.”
When she’s gone, my smile slips as I glance again at the black leather folder.
The symbol for the Omega Center is embossed in elaborate gold foil across the top, signifying the organization that’s taken over the care of omegas since the Omega Creed collapsed five years ago.
Bracing myself, I crack it open, ignoring the spiel on the front page. My hands move straight to the back, to the little pockets storing a variety of cards.
Scent matching.
It’s a new initiative, designed to help alphas and omegas make a strong connection from the beginning and avoid the awkwardness that comes from trying to casually sniff at someone you’re meeting for the very first time.
I’m not entirely sure what I think about the whole thing, but curiosity gets the better of me.
My fingers slide a small, baby pink card from the folder, and I bring it to my nose, taking a deep inhale and choking on the sickly sweet stench.
The card drops to the table as I recoil.The fuck is that?
Gingerly, I pick it back up, flipping it over to reveal the scent of omega number one.
Coconut oil.
I grimace. I fuckinghatecoconuts.
Maybe there’s something in this thing after all.
Sighing, I slide the card back into the folder, closing it up and resisting the urge to carry on flicking through. This is something we need to do together.
Taking a few gulps of air to remove the pungent scent of coconuts from my nose, I spend a few hours working through various contracts and checking in on my cases, before holding a lunchtime meeting with a prospective new client.
I’m interviewing them just as much as they’re interviewing me. It’s something I’m adamant about as CEO of the largest legal firm in the city.
Cade Reyne won’t work with liars, cheats or assholes.
People used to roll their eyes at me. But my company grew, and grew some more, until we hit our first million and kept climbing.
As I pack up towards the end of the day, Sarah happily talking through her thoughts on the new Cromax contract, my hand lands on the folder again. For once, I’m leaving early, eager to get home and share the scent cards sent over by the Center with the pack.
An omega.
It’ll be a huge change for us all. We’re a close pack, but it’s safe to say we’re all mated to our work. I rarely leave the office before dark and Hudson is twice as bad as me with his obsession over his damn restaurant. If we didn’t live above the place we’d never see him.
Then there’s Axel, constantly working into the night at the gym, and don’t even get me started on Nate and his world.
Sarah finishes her explanation and rocks back on her heels, twisting her fingers together.
She’s good. Better than I thought she would be, even.
