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Chapter Four

Emerson

“ T hanks, Norah.” I smiled towards the laptop camera as I scribbled some notes. “Unfortunately, I won’t have time to look over Fisher’s diary again tonight, but I can review it tomorrow. I’ll put in some time for us to catch up again before Detective Rhodes gives us the latest the following day.”

Every time I thought I had a handle on this case, something new popped up to make me question everything.

But after months of investigating and appeals, the trial date was fast approaching, and we were so close to gathering all the evidence we needed to throw Miranda Fisher behind bars. I couldn’t stop now.

Norah leaned into the screen, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Oh? Got plans tonight?”

Sure, if questioning the thief who broke into my home office counts as “plans”.

Rolling my eyes, I waved away the question. “Shocking, I know.”

“I’ll say. First time you don’t work late in weeks, and it’s on some random Tuesday? What are you up to?”

Getting a delicious-smelling omega to give me his name, along with anything else I can get out of him.

“Nothing crazy. I’ll speak to you tomorrow.”

With the call ended, I leaned back in my office chair, lightly tapping my fingertips on the armrest. It had taken all of my restraint to leave my thief alone while I worked, but my plan required time.

As soon as his pheromone suppressants had started wearing off in the bathroom, I’d scented him as an omega. Not only that, I’d scented him as mine .

Finding a scent match—the perfect omega for my inner alpha—was rare and not something I’d ever expected for myself.

Even less so during a break-in at my home.

The urge to claim him still pulsed through me, but I fought the desire.

When I claimed my omega, it would be by his request. Leaving him surrounded by my scent should help him recognise the match and submit to what I can offer him as his alpha.

But then there was the matter of the attempted theft. Besides the fact that no omega of mine would get away with this without a punishment, I still wondered the reason for the break-in.

Reaching into my desk drawer—I’d have to speak to him about picking the lock, as well—I pulled out my thief’s backpack and the book he would’ve got away with had I not been home early.

Miranda Fisher’s diary was unassuming at first glance, with a plain, hardback green cover and worn corners.

The police had granted permission for me to investigate the contents further here, but I hadn’t discovered anything new yet.

Flicking through the book lazily, I let my mind wander.

Recognisable names, meeting places, and times popped out at me, detailed in scribbled handwriting I’d become all too familiar with recently.

Small Post-It notes stuck out from the pages, either highlighting similar entries or linking the same person multiple times.

Why would my omega try to steal this diary?

The straightforward assumption would be that he worked with Fisher—likely as someone detailed inside whom the police hadn’t put together a full profile for yet.

We knew the key players in Fisher’s operation, or at least their names, but there was no telling how many strands connected to this web.

Still, why would an omega choose to work with her?

It didn’t make sense. Unless Fisher, or someone connected to her, hired him to get the diary back.

But to what end? The police already had a case built against Fisher and her primary associates.

This diary solidified that case, but it didn’t introduce anything new.

Certainly nothing worth the level of effort my thief went through today.

I’m still missing something.

My vision unfocused as a dull ache thrummed through my head.

I massaged my temple with a sigh. Maybe Norah was right.

I worked too hard, and really, what did I really have to show for it?

The world was better with those criminals behind bars, of course, but maybe it was time to direct my attention towards myself for a change.

My mothers were mated and already had my sister and me by the time they were thirty, with my brother on the way. It was difficult not to be envious of them, as I sat firmly in my late thirties.

Was meeting my omega a sign for me to put aside work and easy beta hookups to finally settle down? I’d have to convince him first. Something told me my fated omega wouldn’t feel inclined to listen, but I’d never met a challenge I couldn’t dominate.

Warmth flooded my chest, down to my throbbing cock. Ever since I’d recognised that omega’s delectable mint and metallic scent, my body refused to relax. My inner alpha knew what I needed, and he was tied up in my bedroom, surrounded by my scent.

Mine. Protect. Fuck. Bite. Claim.

The thoughts raced around my mind until attempting to work became pointless. I’d waited for long enough.

My heart pounded a rapid beat as I fired off a text to my assistant and sealed the diary in a large envelope, leaving it on my desk.

Once I’d grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, I marched down the hallway to my bedroom.

With each stride, a fresh, earthy scent filled my nostrils.

Minty, with a sharp metallic undertone and something smoky and alluring.

Vetiver. I never wanted to inhale anything else.

As I twisted the key in the lock and tore open the door, the mouthwatering scent sucker-punched my senses.

The overwhelming intensity of it almost brought me to my knees as I locked eyes with the source of the scent.

My omega. He lay where I left him, more or less.

The sheets were scrunched around his body, and the pillows had been knocked to the floor.

Interestingly, he held a bedside lamp in the air between his now sockless heels, the cord taut until he yanked it from the wall.

I waved the bottle of water. “And here I was, coming to reward you for staying put this time.”

With a sharp twist of his body, the lamp crashed into the wall beside me. At least his aim was off. Pity about the dent in the wall, though.

“Done?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Or are you planning to kick your socks at me next?”

My omega glared daggers at me, his chest heaving and cheeks flushed red. It thrilled me to see he hadn’t lost his fire. He was gorgeous, enraged, and vulnerable.

His dilated eyes followed me as I circled the bed to the corner where his head lay. As though I’d crossed an invisible barrier, he shot up to a sitting position, leaning away from my outstretched hand as far as he could.

I held my hands up in surrender. “Relax, omega. I’m just removing the gag. Unless you’d prefer to keep it on?”

He eyed me suspiciously but made no move to avoid me this time.

Good. Maybe he can be reasoned with, after all.

“Lean forward for me,” I said, reaching around his head to remove the gag, along with the loop connecting his cuffs to the headboard.

Guilt twinged in my chest as he opened and closed his mouth, stretching his jaw now that he could finally move. The restraints had been necessary, though. There was no chance I’d have made it through my calls with him screaming the building down and destroying more of my furniture in here.

Twisting the seal off the water, I held the bottle to his lips. “Here, drink this.”

Green eyes flicked to the hand holding the cap, and he accepted the offering.

A trickle of water escaped the corner of his mouth as he drank, and I ached to lick it off his skin.

However, I settled for wiping it with my shirt sleeve before rolling them up to my elbows, setting the remainder of the water on the bedside table.

He leaned back against the single remaining pillow by the headboard, practically relaxed compared to how I found him a moment ago. “So, do you gag every guest in your bedroom, or am I just lucky?”

“Calling yourself a ‘guest’ here implies there was an invitation.”

“Hm?” He blinked at me. “Oh, sorry. Zoned out for a second there. I was having a flashback of being forced into this room and tied to the damn bed. You’re a lawyer, right? Last I checked, keeping a hostage is pretty fucking illegal.”

“So is breaking and entering. The way I see things, I could call my friends in the police department and have them come pick you up. I’m sure a pretty omega with a delectable scent like yours will make plenty of friends behind bars.”

His jaw ticked, and the glare was back in full force.

“Or you can answer my questions. In return, I’ll let you go and help you ride out your heat.”

“You’ll ‘help me with my heat’? How generous of you.” He scoffed, eyes refusing to meet my gaze. “Hate to disappoint, but I’m not in heat. My cheapass suppressants wore off, is all.”

“Deny it all you like, but your scent doesn’t lie. Not to mention…” I placed a hand on his forehead, not deterred by him trying to lean away. His skin was hot and clammy under my palm. “You’re burning up. It won’t be long before you’re delirious.”

While triggering his heat had never been my intention when locking him in a room filled with my scent earlier, I couldn’t deny that the result pleased me to no end. Watching my feisty omega slowly come undone before my eyes was mesmerising.

My hand moved up from his forehead into his hair, letting the soft locks run through my fingers.

Despite his initial recoil at my touch, this time he allowed it.

He glared determinedly at the wall opposite him, but as I continued to touch him, his jaw steadily relaxed, and his scowl softened slightly.

Pride surged in my chest. Taking care of my omega, relaxing him, and easing his tensions was what my alpha was born to do. Looking after my omega was the only thing that mattered.