Page 28 of Want It All

Tristan peered through the gap between the blinds and the window. ‘I don’t. Not very well.’ He turned and gave me a searching look. ‘But I know this isn’t him.’

There was respect in his tone, even though they’d seemed distant lately. I supposed that you didn’t have to like someone to respect them, though it made some small, secret part of me sad they weren’t better friends.

I wasn’t really sure why.

Sebastian stumbled back from the window. ‘Fuck, there’s somebody out there.’

Tristan’s back went ramrod straight. He pointed to the solid worktable in the middle of the room, its wooden top covered in tools. ‘Under that, both of you.’

My feet were moving before my brain registered what he’d said, even though there was no hint of a bark in his tone.

Tristan had probably never needed to bark; between his wealth-earned confidence and the dominance that poured from him like waves, I suspected people jumped to obey the faintest hint of a suggestion from him.

Sebastian and I dove under the table. It was closed in on three sides, and the tight space made me feel safer. I felt even better when Sebastian wrapped his arms around me.

A low, menacing growl came from outside.

Sebastian and I froze. It was one of the things I hated most about being an omega: my fight response was non-existent.

It was freeze, flight, or nothing. My instincts weren’t encouraging me to look around for a weapon; they were screaming that if I stayed still and quiet, the scary alpha outside might not see me, might not scent me, and might move on to terrorise someone else.

‘I know you’re in there, little omega,’ the alpha growled, and I recognised the voice: Glynn, one of the men who’d tried to make me walk with them during the discipline mixers. ‘Come out. Come to me.’

The outer door rattled as he tried the handle. I knew it was locked, but I wasn’t sure how locks stood up against six-foot alphas running on black-out levels of adrenalin. Sebastian clutched me tighter, his breathing erratic.

I was struck with the oddest urge to purr.

I forced myself to swallow it down; omegas purred only for their pack. It would be mortifying if I made my little rumble and he pulled away.

I settled for splaying my hand over his rapidly beating heart.

The door shook as Glynn tested his strength against it.

‘Come out, omega,’ he crooned again, and I broke out in gooseflesh.

It felt all kinds of wrong, him speaking that way.

It was metal over metal, a knife against a bottle.

The shiver skittering down my spine left a bad taste in my mouth.

‘I know you’re wanting, know you’re hurting.

I can smell it. I can make everything better. My knot is waiting just for you.’

Bile rose up my throat. There was no way in the world I wanted Glynn’s dick anywhere near me, but the fact that he was clearly turned on by my scent made me wonder.

If I’d scented him, would I want him back?

Would my body decide that he was a good alpha, a good match , because he was physically strong and my instincts liked the way he smelled?

They couldn’t have made a worse choice, and it scared me that it might happen .

Not just to other omegas, but to me . What if I scented someone one day, they made me slick, and I ended up with a bond mark on my neck, never to escape – but they were unsuitable?

Sexist, manipulative, controlling? Abusive? Violent?

Sebastian pulled me closer as I shivered again. ‘It’s all right, Rosebud,’ he whispered. ‘It will be all right.’

I wondered which of us he was trying to convince.

‘ Come out! ’ Glynn roared, and I was scrambling out from under the desk before I realised what I was doing – Sebastian’s arm still tight around my waist as he moved with me – because that fucking alpha had barked at me.

Sebastian didn’t let me go, keeping pace as I hurried towards the door, my mind blank of everything but the alpha’s command.

Somewhere inside, I was fuming, but the anger – and conscious thought – was buried so deep I couldn’t touch it.

When someone slid in front of me, I didn’t understand what they were doing – the alpha had given me an order , and they needed to get out of my way – but a gentle hand gripped my shoulder, stopping me.

‘You don’t have to do that, omega.’

There was no bark in Tristan’s voice, just a gentle calm that reset my brain. I stopped resisting – Sebastian paused at the same moment – and we stared at the locked door, at the rattling handle, and then I tipped my chin up to stare at the green-eyed alpha.

Tristan had broken Glynn’s command simply by speaking .

‘ Omega! Come out! ’ Glynn roared again, but Tristan simply shook his head.

‘You’re safe here, omega,’ he murmured, and I sighed, because of course I was . Who the fuck was going to challenge Tristan Grace?

His hand was a warm, comforting weight on my shoulder. He stroked Sebastian’s cheek with the other. Sebastian was pale, and he leaned into Tristan’s touch as if it was the only thing keeping him upright.

‘I have you,’ Tristan said. I didn’t know which of us he was speaking to, but it didn’t matter. My spine went soft and I lay my head on Sebastian’s shoulder. ‘You’re safe.’

A sharp crack split the air, and the door began to splinter.

Tristan brushed a kiss over Sebastian’s brow. ‘Go back under the table, baby,’ he said softly. ‘Keep each other warm.’

I hadn’t realised how cold I was until he said it.

It was shock, the after-effect of a bark from a non-bonded alpha.

Sebastian was shaking, so when we crawled back beneath the table to the sound of splintered wood hitting the floor, I wrapped myself around him as best I could, straddling his lap so I could link my arms and legs around his back.

An odd pop came from outside: once, then twice.

Sebastian gave a shuddering exhale. ‘Finally,’ he said hoarsely. ‘That’s a tranquiliser gun.’

‘It’s almost over,’ Tristan murmured. He paced back and forth before the ruined door; light shone through from outside, bringing the scent of eucalyptus.

The wood was heavily splintered, even on the inside, and it was impossible to tell whether Glynn had used his fists or something else against it.

‘You’ve been so brave. Both of you. I’m so proud. ’

It wasn’t true – I was cowering under a table, for fuck’s sake – but his words gave me a warm glow regardless.

Tristan’s praise was downright dangerous.

Sebastian buried his face in my neck and breathed in. ‘He must have caught your scent in the garden,’ he whispered against my skin. ‘I’m so fucking sorry, Rose.’

‘Seb, it’s not your fault,’ I whispered back. ‘ He lost control, not you. It mustn’t have taken much to push him over – my scent would have been diffused when he caught it. If he loses control that easily, then he’s not safe anywhere .’

He made a noncommittal noise.

There was another thud from outside, and someone gave a wordless shout. A few moments later, a knock sounded on the side of the building. ‘Rosemary? Are you in there?’

‘Is the alpha contained?’ Tristan answered sharply.

‘He’s locked in the back of a wagon and headed for the nearest Alpha Retreat,’ the voice responded, and I recognised it as Harry, the groundskeeper.

I disentangled myself from Sebastian, and we crawled out from under the table. I hadn’t cared before, but now the sticky dust on my hands and knees made me feel disgusting. I wanted a hot bath, a blanket, and to drink a chai latte bigger than my head while I watched a trashy TV show.

‘You okay?’ I turned to see Sebastian studying me. He reached to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear with trembling fingers.

I exhaled. ‘I think I need an omega moment.’

Sebastian forced a half-smile. ‘Something warm and something sweet? I think I need a moment like that myself.’

‘Let’s get you both back to the manor,’ Tristan said, and unlocked the splintered door.

A number of staff were outside, waiting. A woman strode towards me. I’d met her once before, but even if I’d never seen her, I’d recognise her stormy eyes, high cheekbones, and plush mouth.

‘Ms. Morris,’ Byron’s mother said, her voice deep and calm, like her son’s. ‘Mr. Worthy. Mr. Grace. Were you hurt?’

I shook my head.

‘They’re both suffering from shock,’ Tristan said. ‘Glynn barked at them.’

Professor Griffiths’ eyes widened as she took in Sebastian. ‘I didn’t realise barks affected betas so acutely.’

Sebastian forced another smile. ‘I hadn’t realised it myself.’

She gestured. ‘The campus doctor is here. She can help –’

‘I just want to go back to my room and have a shower,’ Sebastian interjected. ‘Please.’

Griffiths studied him, her brow creased. ‘Of course. If that’s what you need.’

‘It is.’ Sebastian turned to me. ‘Rosebud. What’s going to help you the most?’

I wiped my dirty palms on my skirt. ‘A bath.’

Our dean nodded. ‘All right. But I will insist you both visit the doctor later. I’d say it’s just to satisfy my concern, but we also have a legal obligation to your safety.

’ Her eyes found mine. ‘I’ll need a report, too.

But, given the situation, I’m happy to speak with Mr. Grace now, and leave yours until later today.

Or tomorrow,’ she added hastily, as Tristan bristled.

‘Tomorrow morning will be fine. The faster we get it done,’ she went on, lowering her voice, ‘the faster we can expel him.’

It was the right thing to say; Tristan visibly relaxed, his shoulders rolling back. ‘We’ll come and see you tomorrow morning,’ he said. ‘I’ll take them back now and come to your office once Sebastian is settled.’

It should have sounded condescending. But when he offered me his arm, I took it, leaning on him gladly, because it felt like caring, instead. I was shaky and my skin was clammy; I was still finding it difficult to catch my breath, and my stomach churned.