By the office

Rae’s POV


I had no idea why Erik kept saying that I was his. I was not his slave, he himself said so. And I was - to my unhappiness - his mate. So there was no reason for him to say that. But then, I thought about a possibility: he was saying that to make Alpha Rockwood leave me alone.

“Yours?” He asked, frowning? “Is she your mate?”

“It is not your business, Alpha Rockwood. All you need to know is that she is mine, off limits to you or to any male whatsoever. So, keep your hands and eyes away from her.” Erik’s voice was low, but I could clearly hear the threatening.

“I see.” The other Alpha said and I heard him laugh low. I was still avoiding his face. “I won’t pursue her for now. But when you’re tired of this beauty, I don’t mind if you send her to me.”

“Excuse us.” Erik said between gritted teeth and held me by the waist, pulling me so I should follow him. Once we were far from the other Alpha, still on the stairs, Erik turned around pretty quick and my back was on the wall, his hands on either side of my head and he was breathing hard.

“Erik, wha-”

His lips descende on mine and my head just lost any line of thought, at least about anything that didn’t have to do with him. My hands went to his neck and hair and I know one his hands were not on the wall anymore, because I felt them on my waist and in my hair.

“Rae, I want you so badly.” His voice was just a whisper on my lips and his hips came straightforward. I felt his…

“Erik, we can’t.” I said, pushing his chest. Not that I could ever push him for good if he didn't want to move.

“I know.” He answered and I heard he was sad. “I know we can’t. But Rae, we need to talk about this.”

“There is nothing for us to talk about.” He wanted to talk about what? How he needed an heir and I was not good enough for that? I already knew it, no need to remind me of how low I am.

“Of course there is.” His fingers lifted my chin to make me look at his face. “I want you. And I have to find another way, ok?”

“Find another way?” I didn’t understand. Another way for what?

“Yes. We can chat later, ok? Too many strangers around us. My office, by noon. Please, don’t stand me up.”

“I won’t.” I answered. I didn’t want to be alone with him for longer than necessary, especially in private places. I had not idea if I’d be able to keep resisting this need to have him all over me.

He gave me another light kiss on the lips, caressed my cheek and left. I had to wait for a few moments before I could go to the kitchen not looking like someone who had just hooked someone up. Not that I would be able to hide his scent on my skin, but anyway.

I entered the kitchen and boy, the place could be described as pure chaos. Seriously. Tons of omegas and Cassandra in the middle, going here and there, like a mad woman, trying to make everything work. When she saw me, I could read relief in her eyes.

“Oh, Rae!” She said and motioned with her hand for me to go to her. “Please, help us here.”

“Sure.” I said and started to stir the sausage. I sensed she was still near me and I looked up. Yes, she wanted to say something. “I’m ok.”

“Good. But we’ll talk later.” She said and patted my shoulder before she left to check someone else’s work.

“Hi!” A girlish voice sounded on my left and I glanced, seeing a skinny brown-haired girl.

“Hey.” I answered. I have never seen her there.

“I’m Donna.”

“Rae. Sorry for not shaking your hand but…” I looked at the food in front of me and she smiled. She had a bright smile. “You’re new here?”

“Well, I’m not from here. I’m from the Silver Bow Pack.”

Ah, that explained why I never saw her. Looking around quickly I could see new faces. Wow, they were intending on staying for a very long time, since they brought so many omegas with them.

“How long are you guys staying?” I asked, not helping myself. If they were going to stay for too long, it was because Erik and that blonde were getting married.

“I don’t know for sure. Maybe the weekend?” She shrugged.

“The weekend? But.. there are many of you.”

“Oh, we always have to travel like that. Alpha Flint and his daughter, Loretta, they don’t trust others with their foods and all. That is why we must travel with them.”

That was kind of rude, in my opinion. It was the same as saying that whoever was hosting them, in that case Erik, couldn’t provide them good ‘service’.

We didn’t talk much more because Donna had to go take care of other things, since she had already finished chopping the vegetables.

The rest of the day was veeery tiresome and I was nervous. I wanted to be free and be able to rest. All those strangers around me made me very nervous, and thanks to Erik, I now could talk more and not look too weird. At least with other omegas. At the same time, I didn't want the day to be over, because it meant I would have to talk to Erik and listen to him listing the reasons why we couldn’t be together. That was depressing.

I finally went to my room, took a nice shower and went to Erik’s office. When I was approaching, I could smell the scent too sweet. Loretta was around. I looked to my both sides and nothing, so I kept walking. The curiosity was that the scent was getting closer and closer until I realized it was coming from Erik’s office. I had a bad feeling. The door was slightly open and when I looked, Loretta was sitting on Erik’s lap, kissing his mouth.

I turned around but I think I was so stunned by what I saw that I didn’t see where I was going, just hearing the vase near the corridor breaking. The pain inside me was terrible. He knew I was coming. Did he want me to see that, so I would stop desiring him?

“Rae?” He called my name, but I didn’t turn around. His hand was on my arm but I pulled it. “Please, this is not what it looks like!”

“Just… please…” My brain was not in the condition of thinking muchor trying to interpret things otherwise. I had to be far from Erik. I could smell Loretta in him.