Page 37 of Omega Forged (Hartlock Omegas #2)

Walden

“Thanks, I need about ten more of those.” I shared a grin with Pan as he poured me a cup of coffee. My sleep was even worse than usual. Between the final gala adjustments, organizing my campaign to run for mayor, and the whispers about HLA rebels persisting, sleep was the last thing on my list.

Lloyd fussed with the meeting room speakers and a scowl cut lines into his face. “It’s not working.”

“Technology, it never does what it’s supposed to. I tested this yesterday, and it was perfect,” Ajax said, as Pan poured him a drink as well. Lloyd threw his hands up in the air, slumping back into his chair.

Pan slid into his with a shrug. “Well, which of the gods oversaw technology? Give them my regards, because frankly, I’m thrilled not to have to stare at any of the Foundation board’s faces this early in the morning. We can still do audio, can’t we?”

I wet my lips and pulled up my spreadsheet, thumbing through the data.

We invested a lot of money to build a conference room at home, and the technology failure frustrated me.

The pack put it in to curb my long hours at the foundation.

But if the technology failed, what was the point? My neck prickled.

“Yeah.” Lloyd blew out a breath. “We can still connect fine, but you know how much of a stickler Roger is.”

“Prepare yourselves for a deluge of passive aggressive comments.” Ajax rolled his eyes.

Pan pushed over a plate with cut fruit and I grabbed a few slices of orange. His eyebrows shot up, like he hadn’t expected me to take it. The orange was too tart to enjoy, but the sourness woke me up more than the caffeine did.

“He’ll remember his place. Being the vice president isn’t everything. One day he’ll be gone, and the Baylark name will remain.” I was in no mood to deal with the short-tempered man who made up part of the board.

“Maybe we’ll get a visit from Tahlia again.” Lloyd shot me a sly look.

“Fuck.” The expletive tore my throat up. “I won’t survive it if she does.”

Tully introduced us to Tahlia yesterday, during another boring meeting.

The femme fatale alter ego she used for Only Omegas.

Her skin, the red wig, the ribbons wrapped around her body.

What followed afterward? I shook my head.

I needed to focus on work, not Tully’s allure.

My control snapped, and I didn’t feel like I’d gained it back yet.

Tully made me lose myself, like Pan, and it was heady and irresistible. I wanted to push back from the table and bound upstairs to find her. Would she be filling out her journal? I could splay her out and spell the words on her clit.

No. Stop. I needed to focus on this gala and my legacy. Tully was an important part of my future, but I couldn’t lose sight of the whole picture.

“I don’t think I can get through another meeting without her. What Tully did with those ribbons? It lives rent free.” Pan whistled and tapped his head.

“She’s perfect,” Ajax sighed.

“She doesn’t think so,” Lloyd added, and his expression turned serious. “Yesterday was a step in the right direction, but we have to make sure we reinforce how much we adore who she is right now.”

My brow furrowed. “What does that mean?”

“The Hartlockness of it all, daddy.” Pan rolled his eyes. “She doesn’t think she’s good enough.”

“Ridiculous,” I scoffed.

“I agree, but if someone tells you something enough times, you believe it.” Lloyd swallowed.

We fell into silence. Thoughts could be insidious, invisible shackles from someone else’s careless lips.

I didn’t argue with Lloyd, because I knew every one of us had that little voice in the back of our head.

Telling us we weren’t enough. I crushed mine under my ambition.

I worked hard every day to prove myself and it paid off.

My name was my legacy, and I was worth it. I’d make sure Tully felt the same way.

“Roger is waiting, you ready?” Ajax hovered his hand over his mouse.

“Fine,” I said.

Ajax shook his head. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He clicked the connect button, and the speaker tone rang barely a beat before the irate voice of Roger Nife filled the conference room.

“The screen is black. Is it meant to be black?” he huffed. “Baylark Pack, I assume you can hear me, even though I can’t see your faces.”

“Sorry, Rog, we’ve had some technical issues this morning, but we’re eager to get ahead, so back to you.

” Ajax handled our VP like putty and he spluttered with barely mollified frustration.

I could picture him clearly, his jowls shaking with disapproval, cheeks plum and chest puffed.

He was more exhausting and needy than any omega in Starhaven.

“Well, get Saffa to look at it. You hired an IT whiz, the least you can do is use her.”

“We most certainly would, except that we’re working from the home office today.”

“Walden is?” Roger’s snort of disbelief filled the room, and I frowned.

Was it so unbelievable that I might work from home? It was as if no one had ever seen me take a break before.

“First the spontaneous time off, now this? You’re not going to have a mental breakdown before we announce your campaign, are you?”

“Shall we get started on the agenda?” I ignored him.

We were here to work, and the sooner we finished, the sooner I could take a break and check in on Tully.

I couldn’t get the pint-sized omega out of my mind.

I fidgeted with my laptop and cleared my throat.

“Did you want to give us an update on Astaly? Has their high prince deigned to give us an answer yet?”

Roger floated the idea of sending an invitation through the ambassador. Hoping it might get a faster response from our ally.

“We got a very abrupt reply from his secretary, supposedly his highness is knee deep in a political crisis right now. Perhaps you could reach out personally. I know you’ve had some conversation with him, Walden.”

I frowned as Ajax jotted down a note on the pad beside him.

Pan rolled his eyes. I’d met the high prince once, on my only trip to Astaly.

The city was clean, impressive, and so damn cold.

I couldn’t shake the eerie sense of being watched wherever we went.

We’d met the high prince briefly, as a pack, and Pan had instantly disliked the alpha.

They were Designated, like us, but they couldn’t be more different. Their royal family enforces rigid rules, from their citizens’ dress to curfews.

“I’ll try, but I can’t say I’ll have more success than you.”

“We spoke about this, Walden. If you want to run for mayor, you need to have something that sets you apart. Support from our allies, it’s huge. You do still want this, don’t you?” Roger grumbled through the line and there was a moment of silence as he shuffled through his pages.

Ah, my campaign. Mayor. It had been my goal for years. All the long hours and sacrifices were for this moment.

“I’ve been a little distracted, but don’t worry, I’m committed.”

Pan clenched his jaw and stared down at his hands.

Was he thinking about the botched announcement?

I was supposed to be campaigning already, but the scandal of what happened would have tarnished the night.

This was my last chance before it became too late.

These things took years of planning, prepping, and organization.

What about Tully?

The thought of my sweet omega flooded my chest with warmth. I already considered us committed. She had her doubts about herself, but I would make her see how wonderful she was.

“Look, I know it’s none of my business, but I heard some whispers and I need you to be upfront with me.”

“What?”

“Someone reported seeing a pretty little omega with a famous last name arm in arm with the Baylark triplets. They were overheard discussing her heat and how your pack was the one who attended her. Is there truth to this at all, because if there is…”

Fuck.

I clenched my jaw. The shopping trip had been a risk, one we’d spoken about.

It wasn’t something I wanted to keep secret.

Tully was skittish about being seen, because of her past. I knew my sisters would take good care of her, though.

She’d left their company with some sparkle in her eye.

They’d rung me afterwards and spent an hour warning me not to mess it up.

“Our personal life choices don’t seem relevant right now, Rog.” Ajax tried to steer the conversation away.

“They do if you want this gala to be a success, and if you’re serious about running for mayor. A Hartlock omega is a symbol, and a powerful one.”

My name, my legacy, was enough, but with a Hartlock? I would be unstoppable.

“What would you say if a Hartlock could, hypothetically, attend the gala? Not confirming any rumors,” I said.

Pan whipped his head toward me, shaking it vigorously.

I waved all of them off. It was only a question, not a promise.

There was a lot at stake. I knew Tully was frightened about the weight of her name, and didn’t think she was worthy of it.

But I would be right by her side, supporting her every step of the way.

Lloyd shot me a furious glare as Roger hummed with pleasure.

“Walden,” Ajax interrupted, but Roger spoke over his thready voice.

“If that ever happened, I’d drive straight to the casino and bet my life savings, because clearly the gods favored me,” Roger chortled.

I didn’t believe in gods. My parents made a show of placing offerings for the Warrior, the Sage, and the Oracle. But I only relied on my own two hands and a name that stretched through time.

With a Hartlock, the optics would be phenomenal.

Lloyd held up his phone to the speaker and pressed play on a video. White noise filtered out.

“R-roger—Losing—C-can’t,” Lloyd spat out a few garbled words before ending the conference call.

“What are you doing?” I frowned as Lloyd turned off the noise.

“Faking a poor line? He’ll probably fall for it.” Pan interlaced his fingers behind his head.

Lloyd stood up, and his scent filtered over, chemical-laden bitterness.

“Did you listen to a word I said about Tully before?”

I didn’t like the tone he used. It pressed against my Adam’s apple and forced me to swallow. He was protective of Tully, and I commended him for it. She deserved to have people in her corner after feeling alone for so long. But I was not a threat.

“Do you know how much courage it took for her to come here yesterday and give us a show we’ll never forget?”

My chest stung. “Of course I do.”

“The ribbons.” Pan leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

“She is so terrified of being herself, she locked herself inside for months. You really think she’ll want to be a part of this gala?” Ajax said.

“Why not?” My nostrils flared.

Tully didn’t have anyone to help guide or shield her from the intensity of attention that came with her name. She had Baylark Pack and an entire PR company at her disposal now. It wasn’t fair to compare the two, especially not over a conversation.

“Tully isn’t like you, Walden. She’s never felt comfortable in the spotlight, and I don’t want to do anything to put her relationship with us in jeopardy.” Lloyd wrung his hands.

“Her past doesn’t have to be her future. You got used to it, didn’t you?”

Lloyd flattened his lips. He’d stuttered in front of the cameras when we first became a pack, and now he was charismatic and charming. Tully would be the same. She just needed time and encouragement.

“There is still that alpha she’s terrified of,” Lloyd tried again.

“There is no one in this city who is more powerful than this pack. I hope he does come for her, because I’d relish the opportunity to ruin him.”

Ajax agreed with me. Finally, some support.

“What happens when she melts down in public because of the pressure? How will you treat her when she can’t be the perfect campaign partner?” Pan said.

My neck flushed with heat. He was referencing our last time in public. The way he said it made me think he blamed me for what happened.

“Maybe if you told us what set you off, we could make sure nothing like that happens to Tully.”

Pan’s shoulders hunched over his ears, and he curled his hands into fists.

“I’m just saying it’s a lot and we can’t all be perfect like you, Walden.”

I scrubbed my hands down my face. Perfection was a myth. Discipline? A steel work ethic? I had an endless well of those inside me and I got where I am today because I worked damn hard to get there.

“I was five when I said I wanted to run this city. Used to call myself Emperor Walden, though, didn’t realize the best I could do was mayor.

Leaving my mark is important to me, and I’ve worked my entire life to get to this point.

I’m not asking you to do it, I’m asking you to support me. Is that too much?”

“It might be for Tully.” Lloyd would not let it go.

Irritation flickered in my stomach. Made it toss with emotions I couldn’t sift through.

“If you had to choose between this role and Tully, what would you say?” Ajax tilted his head.

Pan snorted softly. He didn’t think I would hear, but I did.

I hadn’t chosen him. I whispered his name, beloved, in the shadows and in our bedrooms. He never seemed to care before. Was I wrong about that? I ignored the knot of my intestines.

“We are getting worked up for no reason. It was a question and an option. Let’s go to this donor dinner and see how Tully feels.” I clenched my jaw.

“And if she wants to live like a hermit afterward?” Lloyd arched sandy eyebrows.

“I think you’re underestimating our omega. She’s braver than you give her credit for.”

I would show Tully how incredible she was, and she would beg me to attend this gala, at least I hoped.