Page 39 of Your Wild Omega

“Thanks,” I whisper.

“Anything else on your mind?” Callisto asks, releasing me and topping up his wine.

I cover my glass when he offers me more. “What’s going to happen about the charges for my heist? Will I go to prison?”

He spreads his hands on the bench, wide shoulders rippling under his fitted suit. “Well, I don’t want to be insensitive, but I can actually use Zack’s, ah, sentence, in our favor for this one. I’ve drafted an appeal to have the charges dropped based on your scent matching and the alpha’s unfair destination. Leroy’s providing a statement that the alpha spoke intelligent words, and I’ve got a report from the sheriff confirming the same thing, so those Lodgings psychologists will get left out in the cold. Hope this gets them fired.”

Gotta agree with him on that.

Callisto grins, warming to the topic. “Honestly, impersonating an OCB agent is harder to wriggle out of, but I think I can get the sentence reduced to a fine, given the circumstances. For an omega, sometimes the reason does justify the means.”

A lump forms in my throat. On top of everything, I guess I was more worried than I realized about the possibility of leaving Zack. But Callisto’s attitude reassures me. He deals with this sort of thing all day long, and he doesn’t seem concerned, so neither will I.

“That's good news. Thanks for your help.”

He chuckles. “I’d say “anytime” but then I’d worry you’d go and do it again, and none of my arguments will work a second time.”

I hold up my hands in surrender and shake my head. “No second time. The first one shaved years off my life.”

Callisto snorts. “I hope not.”

I drop my hands and brush against the soft petals of the roses on the counter. “Last thing,” I say, tracing my index fingeraround a blossom. “What can I send to the truck driver as an apology gift?”

This time, the alpha laughs loudly. “That poor guy didn’t know what in hell was going on.” He shakes his head with a chuckle. “Don’t send him anything until after the charges get finalized. We can’t have it looking like any kind of payment.”

“Oh, good idea.” Yeah, I hadn’t thought of that, but luckily Callisto did. I nod and sip more wine, but a bubble pops right under my nose, making me sneeze.

“But don’t worry,” Callisto says after I’ve finished sneezing. “I’ll represent Lionel or get his case transferred to someone I trust at our Darinian branch. Once it’s over, we can send him a client appreciation gift, something like season VIP basketball passes.”

“Oh, that sounds great. If he’s not into basketball, he can sell it for cash?”

Callisto nods. “Does that set your mind at ease?”

“Yeah, all immediate worries ticked,” I say, smiling. This man’s going all out for me, and not just with the legal stuff. I lick a little of the wine off my lips and pick up a rose. “I assume these are for me?”

Callisto flashes me a silly grin. “Looks like you have an admirer. Must be a house fairy.”

“Uh-huh.” I chuckle, lifting the rose to my nose. “One who happens to smell like you.”

His lips twitch, the corners dipping into his cheeks. Not quite dimples, but impressions. Callisto leans on the bench and slides the long, narrow case by the vase closer to me. “I just—well, we never got to talk about it, so I wanted to say how honored I was to help you through your heat. Don’t feel pressured. I simply wanted to express myself.”

Curious, I flip the box open. Inside, a bracelet nestles on navy satin, the rows of diamonds glittering under the down lights.They twinkle as I turn the box to run my finger over the small square links set in white gold.

“Shit, Callisto,” I murmur. “It’s beautiful.” Very elegant and eye-catching. The sparkles seem to swarm inside me as I recall my heat, Callisto reaching under the cut door to bring me sweet relief.

I glance over at the library, the wooden door now replaced by iron bars. “Thanks for helping, and rearranging your house,” I murmur, pressing the individual settings under my finger as I stroke the bracelet.

“Want to put it on?” he asks, his thickened tone making me think he’s remembering too.

I nod, and he lays the cool metal over my skin and attaches the two ends. His fingers linger momentarily on the back of my hand. If I had any doubts Callisto Wren was trying to woo me, they vanish under that warm touch as he slides the bracelet into position and cradles my wrist between his hands.

“Gorgeous.”

I wet my tongue with a little wine, swallowing the emotion rising in my throat. Why couldn’t he have done this the first day we met? Why did he wait until after I saw how wholeheartedly my other two alphas would love me?

I tug my arm free under the guise of inspecting the jewelry. “It’s stunning,” I say. Too much, perhaps. Clearing my throat softly, I add, “I’m not quite myself when I’m in heat.”

His expression falls as I draw the line between us again.

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