I laughed and went inside. Pausing in our entryway, I absorbed the beautiful details of our home: white marble, gold detailing, soft complimenting colors. Tyler’s dark cherry scent lingered in the air, but I found myself looking for hints of blueberry and balsam, despite knowing I wouldn’t find any.
Tyler had bought this house a decade ago with his inheritance and let me do whatever I wanted with the decor. We’d been dating since I was eighteen, when he’d swept me off my feet, convinced me to be his omega, move in, and not worry about anything for the rest of my life.
I still didn’t really worry about much, but I was coming to realize howlongthe rest of my life was.
With a sigh, I slipped upstairs to shower and make myself presentable before Tyler got home.
I had a good life, I reminded myself of that regularly.
I didn’t need more than this.
Right?
Ihadn’t even met Tyler and I already hated him. From the sounds of it, Madison was already working with regular clients, but getting no financial benefit from it. It also sounded like Tyler intended to keep it that way. A lot of omegas didn’t work outside the home and their pack supported them financially, but that only worked when that’s what the omegas wanted—and if their alphas adored the shit out of them.
Tyler was keeping Madison on a short leash. He might allow her to do the work, but earning financial independence from it? That was out of the question.
I was all for omegas doing whatever the hell they wanted in life, and it fucking pissed me off when other alphas put stupid restrictions down.
I’d been willing to commit homicide for my sister and apparently, I was contemplating the same for a stranger. A sweet, feisty, gorgeous one with dark eyes I could drown in—but a stranger nonetheless.
“How was your walk?” Ava asked as Lucy and I slipped into the house.
“Enlightening.”
“Oh?”
“What’s the deal with your neighbor?”
“Which one?” Ava asked.
“Madison.”
“We don’t really know her that well, but she’s friends with Charlotte and no one likes her boyfriend.”
I barked out a laugh. “Add one more to the ranks for that.”
“Did you meet him?”
“Just her. She was finishing up a run and stopped to walk with Lucy and me. The dude sounds like a dick.”
“That’s definitely what I’ve heard,” Ava said with a nod. “I’d say you should try sweeping her off her feet, but probably better to wait until she gets around to leaving him.”
“Is that how things work now? I mention a person and you think I’m going to try and hook up with them?”
Ava shrugged, collecting her daughter from me. She didn’t have as much room to hold her as Lucy would have preferred, since Ava was pregnant with her second baby and a couple months away from popping. “I enjoy seeing people happy. You would be a definite improvement on what she’s got.”
“I can’t argue with that, at least from a personality angle. I don’t have the money that asshole obviously has, though. If she’s used to that lifestyle, she’s not gonna be happy with less.” Alpha to alpha, I could square up with him, but bank account to bank account? No chance.
Lucy hugged Ava tightly around the neck and my sister made kissy sounds until Lucy giggled. “Pack up, then.”
“Withwho? You and your pack are the only people I know in this flipping city.”
“You’re supposed to be out there making friends, Nathan. What’s the point of living here if we’re the only people you talk to? Haven’t you made any friends at work?”
“I’m not packing up with a coworker for the fun of it.”
Madison might have me fixated, but I wasn’t stupid. If she was stuck with an asshole, I couldn’t do anything about it. Fucking hell. Why was I even having this conversation with myself right now? I’d talked to her for five minutes. This wasn’t some scent-matched bullshit. I hoped, anyway. That would make things infinitely more complicated, and she didn’t have her scent out, so that question would have to go unanswered. I could talk to a pretty omega without envisioning sprinting off into the sunset with her.
