Page 34 of Unbonded
“No!” I yelp, squirming my way out of Lachlan’s arms. I’m still not steady on my feet, and they throw me matching scowls as I grab the back of the sofa. “This isLachlan. A friend from college. He just gave me a lift home.”
When Lachlan casts me a pained look, it takes a moment for realization to hit me.Oh crap. Right before I passed out, Lachlan Cook told me headoredme, and now I’ve friend-zoned him. To make matters worse, it’s in front of a seriously dominant alpha. While Lachlan is a confident guy, he had to put up with a lot of crap in college, not least from Lee, who always liked to remind him of his superior designation. “We’rereallygood friends,” I amend, giving him an apologetic smile. “Better than I realized, in fact.”
“The best,” Lachlan beams back at me, his happy mood restored until he looks at Bram. “And who areyou, man?”
“Um, this is Bram Webber.” I wave a hand at the alpha, whose hands are firmly planted on his hips. “He’s kind of my new boss.”
“She also lives with my pack,” Bram says curtly, his attention now firmly on me. “I called Hector, and he said you were sick.”
“Just a bit off,” I reply, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach at the mention of his pack. Lee wasn’t keen on that dynamic, either, and while I thought we were enough for each other, I was always intrigued by the idea of more. “Um, I grabbed something at the pharmacy, so I should feel better soon.”
“Yeah, but you took it hours ago, and you’re still flushed.” I look at Lachlan as he brushes a thumb over my cheek. “Plus, you’re perfuming. A lot.”
“Perfuming?” Bram narrows his eyes. “You want to explain what you mean by that?”
“Katie’s always smelled like oranges,” Lachlan replies, frowning back at the alpha. “It’s sweeter now, though, and there’s something new. Like… a smoky, floral edge.” He tilts his chin to his chest, thinking. “What was that tea you were always drinking in college?”
“Japanese morning dew,” I whisper, staring at him in shock. “But I don’t smell like that anymore. Coffee, maybe…”
“Nah. It’s oranges and fancy tea,” Lachlan says, all confidence. “I could pick your scent out of a stadium of omegas.”
“I don't understand.” I look at Bram, but he’s still eyeing up Lachlan. “What canyousmell?”
“Coffee more than tea,” he admits, scowling at the admission. “It doesn’t smell bad, just…”
“Not oranges and fancy tea,” I murmur, trying to keep the disappointment from my face. As an uber alpha, Bram’s senses are heightened, so shouldn't he be able to scent my natural fragrance if Lachlan can? Unless Lachlan onlythinkshe can smell oranges because he remembers it from college...
“What happened after you left Corbus?” Bram asks, interrupting my depressing train of thought.
“I didn'tleavehim,” I huff. “I went to see my doctor, but she wasn't there.”
“Dr Green is at a medical conference in Chicago,” Lachlan adds helpfully, but it draws another frown from Bram. “You know Kate's doctor?”
“Sure. You don't?”
I'd roll my eyes at their macho posturing if I wasn’t still feeling so drained. “I got some pills at the pharmacy and thenwent to see Lachlan. He was on his lunch break, so when I told him I wasn’t feeling great-.”
“Why?” Bram interrupts me. “Because of Corbus?”
I study him curiously.Why does he keep steering everything back to his packmate? Did Corbus say something about what happened between us in the car?“No. You know I'm having some issues with my hormones, and then there was an alpha in rut at the clinic...”
In three gigantic strides, Bram is right at my side, his eyes glowing with an almost feline menace.Eyeshine, my tripping heart informs me. Somehow, I’ve brought out the beast in Bram without even meaning to.
“Whoa, Bram.” I hold up a calming hand. “He visited the clinic before I arrived. I wasn't anywhere near him, but he left a really strong scent in the room. It turned my stomach, that’s all.”
Bram swallows hard enough for me to see his throat contract, but the menacing gleam in his eyes slowly fades. “You shouldn’t go back to that clinic if they’re also treating alphas there. I'll call your doctor and arrange a house visit.” He looks around, noticing my purse still in Lachlan’s hand. “If you’re ready to go, I'll drive you home.”
He seems happy to ignore the fact that I’m standing in my official residence right now, but Lachlan catches my arm before I can take a step. “Wait up, I'm not leaving you alone with an uber alpha. You can come back to my hotel.”
I can’t even process that thought beyond the instinctive need to keep him close, and I look helplessly at Bram. “Kate spent last night under my roof without any issues,” he says slowly, “and it’s a lot safer than a random hotel.” Lachlan opens his mouth to argue, but Bram holds up a hand. “We have plenty of room, if it makes you both feel better.”
I don’t miss his emphasis onboth, because, the truth is, being near Lachlan is comforting. I’m too tired to wonder why thatmight be, but something tight inside me starts to ease as he says, “If that’s what Katie wants, then sure. Lead the way.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN - LACHLAN
When it comes to picking a passenger seat, Katie chooses mine, which instantly puts a smug-ass smile on my face. But there’s a nagging feeling in the back of my mind as I follow the alpha’s luxury SUV back into Manhattan. I’m expecting to head to Midtown, or maybe the Financial District, but Katie directs me to turn right towards Lenox Hill. “Bram Webber,” I muse as we drive up Third Avenue past fancy apartment buildings and old money townhouses. Everything in this part of the city has a kind of golden glow that reminds me of that flash of eyeshine I saw in the alpha’s eyes. “Do you know if he’s the same Bram Webber who’s Head of Finance for Paragon?”
“Mmm.” Katie is sitting sideways in her seat, my jacket covering half of her face. “He’s definitely the first accountant I’ve ever met who looks likethat.”
