Chapter 14

Asher

The room is filled with peaceful music playing in the background.

The clock strikes five as the last rays of sunlight filter through the clinic windows, but my heart is racing as I wait for my last client of the day.

Harlow.

There’s a knock at the door and I already know it’s her. The scent she claims comes from a bottle is seeping through the cracks of the door.

My heart rate picks up another notch as I say, “Come in.”

Harlow steps into my clinic, a smile on her face, and I have to grip my pen tighter to ground myself against her scent.

It’s stronger today, probably because of Carver. My jaw clenches at just the mere thought of him with her.

“Thanks for seeing me again, Asher.” Her smile lights up her face.

“The honor is all mine.” I mean it more than she knows.

She stands and waits as I prepare the space. Little glances around the room. She’s been here before. She wasn’t this nervous the last time, though.

I take two pristine white sheets and carefully drape them over the plush bed before giving her a smile.

Her nipples harden under her tee shirt. The room is at the perfect temperature, which makes me think this is more about me.

That’s when I see she has a nipple bar.

I inwardly chastise myself, attempting to push aside my dirty thoughts, but those thoughts arouse my body, causing my cock to strain against the confines of my pants.

I can’t let Harlow notice; I can’t have her going elsewhere.

Luckily, she’s too captivated by the bed to see what is happening to my treacherous dick.

Breaking the silence, but keeping my voice gentle. “Let’s see to your needs.” With each word, I try to keep professionalism in my tone, despite the intense desire coursing through me. “Are you okay with me going ahead?”

“I’m fine.” I watch as Harlow’s expression shifts from surprise to curiosity, her eyes wide with anticipation.

“Remove your clothes as you normally would,” I instruct, my voice a low murmur—that’s the only way I can stop the purr rumbling from my chest. “I’ll give you some space and let you lie on the bed and cover yourself with the sheet. ”

Harlow’s gaze fixates on my hands, as if suddenly realizing the magic they possess—the ability to ease her aches and provide her much-needed relief.

“Okay, I’ll be a minute.” A hint of nervousness tinges her response, her voice coming out as a small, squeaky sound. It’s endearing, making me smile.

She shifts her weight but keeps staring at the bed and then me. Like she is suddenly unsure why she is here.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.” She shifts on her feet, and I notice she’s favoring her right side again.

That won’t do.

I clear my throat and keep my tone professional. “You know the drill now. I’ll close the curtain. Remove your clothes and pull the sheet over your body. I’ll write up some notes and be back in a couple of minutes.”

I step out of her space, closing the privacy curtain behind me, and take a long deep breath.

My clipboard sits empty on the counter. I pick it up but don’t write a single word. Instead, I take more deep breaths, trying to center myself, trying to control myself. But the knowledge that I’ll be touching her again soon makes my hands tremble.

The rustling of clothes stops.

Silence falls.

“Are you ready?” I keep my voice steady, professional.

“I am.”

As I step back to the other side of the curtain, my breath momentarily catches in my throat at the sight of Harlow. She lies there on her back, so vulnerable, yet a vision of beauty. Her naked body is delicately concealed by the draped sheet .

I shrug off any immoral thoughts, reminding myself to respect the boundary this position has put us in.

Her face flushes a delicate pink hue as she stares at the ceiling. Her teeth graze over her bottom lip, a nervous habit that only adds to her allure.

“Same as before Harlow. Raise your arm above your head.”

Her eyes widen and she stares at my hands, suddenly realizing they are going to be on her flesh. “Okay.”

I smile because her voice sounds more and more like a squeak. More and more like the omega she hides underneath.

“I’m a qualified physio, Harlow. We were professional about this last time and we can be again,” I say.

I give her a reassuring smile. A small attempt to ease any nervousness she may be feeling. Though my body may yearn for more, my professionalism remains intact—for now.

I begin with gentle movements, my fingers working methodically along her neck muscles. “Jagger was talking about you. He seems quite taken with you.”

“Oh, that is sweet. He seems like a lovely boy.” Harlow’s voice softens, and I notice the tension in her shoulders ease slightly. “I waved at him yesterday when he arrived from school. Then he came and gave me a drawing. Apparently, I wear a cape and a mask.”

I laugh, adjusting my grip to work on a tight spot. “Sounds about right. He went through a phase where he drew everyone as superheroes. I got to be Batman for three straight weeks.”

“Ouch,” she winces as I hit a knot.

“Sorry.” I ease the pressure. “This area’s particularly tense. Have you been sleeping awkwardly? That knot in your neck is deep.”

“I’m sleeping on my friend’s spare bed. It’s seen better days. ”

She tilts her head to one side as my hands move in slow, deliberate circles.

“A friend?” I say.

“Yeah. Freya. I haven’t found a place that I can afford yet.” She relaxes further under my touch. “You should meet her. Oh my god, she makes the best muffins. You’ll fall in love with her. Maybe she could…”

“I’m sure she’s lovely.” I smile, moving to work on the top of her trapezius muscles.

“Okay, now turn and put your face in the hole.” I hold the soft linen against the bed as she turns. “Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll begin.”

Harlow positions herself on the bed, her body relaxing into the plush cushions beneath her. I observe her body, the subtle contours of her back and ass.

The smell in the room carries a delicate blend of scented oils and tranquility, which should add to the ambiance of the experience. But the alpha in me can only smell her.

Be professional.

“You need to relax,” I tell her because, my god, her tension is palpable even though she is beneath the sheet.

She laughs. “I’m naked under here.”

Tell me about it.

I push at my cock, which has been hard since she walked into my room.

I take a deep breath as I warm my hands, ready to work on her back and neck.

“Have you thought about what Coach asked you?” I probe gently, fingers brushing against her skin as I begin to knead away the knots in her muscles .

She exhales slowly, and I can almost hear the gears turning in her mind. “I have. It’s just...awkward.”

“Awkward how?” My voice is low and steady as I press into a stubborn knot just below her shoulder blade.

“I mean, what if it doesn’t work out?” She shifts slightly under my touch, and I glimpse vulnerability beneath her strong exterior. “What if I say something wrong? I'll be blamed.”

“It won’t be like that,” I assure her. “We’re not asking you to live with us—unless you want to, of course. And we’d go through everything with you before the first visit.”

A laugh escapes her lips, lightening the mood momentarily. But it doesn’t last long enough for my liking.

“It would be on your terms,” I continue, pushing aside my own feelings to focus on hers. “We really need to keep Jagger with our pack.”

She sighs deeply, tension coiling in her shoulders and despite my attempts at coaxing her for an answer I need to hear, she says, “I’d love to help you out. Jagger is gorgeous and so happy when he’s with you. I’d hate to be the one who could’ve helped but didn’t. But—”

“It’s a big decision.”

“I know,” she murmurs. “It just feels like such a big thing pretending to be something I’m not.”

“Big things often lead to bigger things,” I reply. Her skin is warm beneath my fingers as I work my way up to her neck.

As if sensing my thoughts shifting, she stays quiet for a moment before speaking again. “You think it would really make a difference?”

I move to the side of the bed. My hands tentatively hover above her before I make contact with her upper back. My fingers slowly sink into her skin with measured pressure .

I’ve read her notes over and over. I know where she knots and where her areas of discomfort are, and gently I coax each muscle into a state of relaxation.

She moans lightly, the sound sends a flicker of awareness through me.

“Are you okay?” I ask noticing the tension in her muscles gradually dissipating under my touch, as if they’ve been waiting for this release.

She nods and my heart roars at her growing trust in me.

“Asher, that feels so good,” she moans.

Despite her moans, I’m maintaining the utmost professionalism, but when she groans as my thumbs press firmly against her thigh, I struggle.

My cock strains against my pants and the alpha in me wants to get on the bed and fuck her right here and now.

“Good.” I grit my teeth. “Sit up.”

My alpha instincts want her so fucking badly, but I also know I need to take this slowly.

She turns on the bed, wrapping the sheet around her as she does as I asked. Her eyes meet mine and she asks, “Would you like to meet Freya?”

“Freya?”

“My housemate. She’s a single omega.”

Our gazes lock for a moment and the desire that was whirling through me feels like it’s been douched in cold water.

I want to lean down and kiss her, not touch her fucking friend.

“Our pack has got bigger problems than dating omegas right now,” I say.

“Sorry. I just thought…” She shakes her head and sighs. “How likely is it that Jagger’s dad will get him back? ”

“Unfortunately, high. That’s why we have to prove we can always provide a stable life for Jagger.”

Harlow groans as I stand behind her and massage her neck again, finding another tight spot. “How long have you known your pack mates?”

“I’ve known Oliver since college. We played hockey together before I switched to physio.” My fingers work carefully along her lower back. “I’ve been looking after this team’s aches and pains ever since.”

“And Parker?”

“He was already a player here when Oliver and I turned up. And the man is just as stubborn about taking care of himself now as he was then.” I adjust the sheet to maintain her modesty. “Though Jagger’s helped with that. Kid’s got him wrapped around his little finger.”

“I can see why.” Her voice is warm with affection. “He’s got this way of making you feel...I don’t know. Special, I guess.”

I nod, though she can’t see it. “That’s Jagger for you. Pure heart, zero filter.”

Before I can respond, there’s a tap at the door. It opens.

“Just a minute,” I tell Harlow as I open the curtain and walk to the door.

Oliver swings open the door and steps into the room. His presence brings an unexpected rush of energy that interrupts our intimate exchange.

I whisper to him that Harlow’s on the table. He slips past me, opens the curtain, and says. “Hi, Harlow. How are you?”

She smiles at him. “I’m better now that I’ve had Asher’s hands on me… I mean his touch…” She swallows, staring at me. “You know what I mean.”

Oliver chuckles, flashing his trademark grin before settling next to Harlow with a casual ease and says, “I remember seeing you at a game. When we played the Bears. And I caught you rubbing your tits at the game.”

“Did you really just blurt that out?” I hiss.

Oliver flicks his hand in dismissal.