It’s a good thing I had Henri shut the doors. At this rate, Hestia would hear us from her room.
“You know we can’t date a trainee, the power imbalance?—”
“How did you come up withthatidea.”
“That’s inappropriate to even suggest. We could never?—”
“We only helped with her heat, that doesn’t give us permission to ask for anything else.”
It’s hard to catch everything since they’re talking over each other, but it doesn’t matter. I tune them out after I gather they disagree with me.
I wait until they’ve worn themselves out to continue, “If we follow my plan, it’s possible. There’s no reason to wait two years when our omega wants us now.”
More blustering denials that I ignore. They think if they lock down their end of the bond, I can’t sense how they feel about her.
“We’ll seem like a poor excuse for a pack if we don’t coordinate on this. What omega would want to join us if we can’t get along?” I say.
“Getting alongisn’t the issue,” Magnus says.
“Your goal is the problem,” Charm growls.
Where’s that charming silver tongue now?
My packmates never appreciate my good ideas, but I’ve come to accept that about them. This is important though. I have to convince them to do this.
“I will admit my feelings for Hestia go deeper than being coworkers, or even friends. But we’renotallowed to be anything else, per company rules. Not while she works under us,” Orion explains patiently, as if I’m simply unaware of the roadblock.
Henri isn’t arguing anymore, but that may be because he’s worried I’ll bring up my blackmail if he keeps going. Which I will.
So I’m counting Henri as on my side.
That’s one down, three to go.
The giant should be the easiest to fell.
“You and Hestia are always spending time together. Don’t you think she likes you as more than a friend?” I ask Magnus.
I think he actually blushes.
Magnus fidgets and mumbles, “We are friends. Even good friends, maybe. But that’s it. Outside of our team-bonding activities, we really only spend time together when we’re gardening.”
I resist the urge to snap at him. With my teeth.
Team bonding.
Is that what these idiots have been telling themselves?
Taking Hestia ice skating, buying her anything she wants, cuddling while we watch movies, decorating gingerbread houses together, all of that is justteam bonding?
“Do your other friends get so wet that you can smell how badly they want to drain you of come?” I ask.
More squabbling ensues.
If they’re going to complain after everything I say, this is going to be a long meeting.
I don’t even bother listening to them.
“You scented her yourself. Don’t act like you haven’t noticed Hestia’s interest in us,” I say.
