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“What do you want from me?” My voice was shaky with lust.

Now he’d denied me, I couldn’t stop it pooling in my stomach. Desperate for his tongue tangled in mine, swallowing his growls. Pan slid down the bench with a shaky breath. Further away. I dug my nails into the black leather seat to stop from following.

“Tell me what it feels like to be you?” His dark nails flashed as he reached out and tugged at the hem of my shirt. “They smell good on you. Especially Walden.”

His smile was like dark chocolate. Bitter and lacking sweetness.

“I don’t understand.” Something about the dim room made me whisper, like this was a secret to hide in the folds of my confused heart.

That made me rear back. Secret liaisons landed me in this house. The first day outside of Fenella’s apartment and here I was, ensconced in a room with an alpha I shouldn’t trust. I stumbled off the bench and away from his alluring scent and hypnotic gaze.

“I don’t understand either. Run along, Hartlock, before I take a bite out of you.”

I heeded the warning and fled.

12

Walden

Tully Hartlock was in my house.

My watch vibrated, and I switched off the silent alarm, reminding me I should’ve been at work thirty minutes ago. I ran a hand down the jacket of my gray suit. It didn’t feel like armor today. The knot of the navy tie strangled my throat. I fussed with my pocket square, but it hadn’t moved from the last time I’d touched it. My phone rang, and I huffed a soft sigh.

“Alessandra,” I answered my assistant with a clipped tone.

“Good morning, Mr. Baylark. I have your coffee waiting here for you. Do you have an ETA?” There was a faint clack of her nails on the keyboard.

Alessandra had been my assistant for five years, and she would never let on if she was worried about my absence. I aimed to bein the office by seven thirty each morning and for the first time, I was late.

“I’m taking a personal day. Can you please reschedule any meetings?”

CJ’s pack was the only one I could see being irritated. But he was the last person I wanted to see right now. Sitting across from the alpha, who encouraged Pan’s addiction? Knowledge CJ used to finagle his investor pitch meeting. A little sweating would do the slimy alpha some good.

“R-really?” Alessandra choked. “Of course, Mr. Baylark. If you need anything else, please let me know.”

“Did you make that call to Grant? I’m still waiting for the update about theothermatter. He’ll know what I’m talking about.”

My head of security had connections everywhere, and I wanted all the information he could gather on Tully Hartlock.

“I forwarded a preliminary report to your email. I assume you don’t want to cancel the group counseling session with Dr. Hanes?”

My stomach sank. I’d forgotten about the couple’s therapy session. I doubted Pan would even attend; especially given he was ignoring me after I sent him out of the room for harassing Tully. He hadn’t attended the last two sessions either. Could I handle sitting there, hoping he would turn up?

“Keep it.” I clenched my jaw.

Even if Pan refused to come and work on our relationship, I could use the time to unravel the knotted mess of my insides. The faint scent of honey tickled my nose, and I had to stop myself from melting under the table.

Tully. Hartlock.

The second I saw her eyes, I knew who she was. Light crystal blue, with a darker ring around the edge. They were unique, a genetic trait passed down by her family line.

The elusive omega. Who grew up to be a beautiful young woman. But what had happened to her to end up like she had?

The funeral had been different. Her innocence had been tear-stained and raw. She’d sent me away with a wobbled lip and a glare that could cut.

I took her warning to leave her alone to heart.

I opened the report and sifted through what Grant gathered about Tully’s life. There was no trace of the girl I remembered. No sparkle in her eyes. She’d always been quiet, with a bright wardrobe.