Page 163 of Altius
“Tabitha sicced our legal team on Northport. You know how seriously she takes the company’s reputation.” He put his glasses back on. “Garvey’s finished.”
A sickening realization jolted me forward in my seat. “If the university fires him for violating his NDA, rather than omega rights infractions—”
My phone vibrated in my hand. Somehow, I already knew who was calling.
The same person who always delivered bad news on behalf of the annoyances in my life.
I hit answer and turned on the speaker function, not bothering to play nice with my nominal pack mother. “Anya.”
She greeted me with a bone-weary sigh. “Sounds like you already know about the university’s decision. I suppose I have Owen to thank for that.”
“You’re letting Garvey get away with assaulting two of your medical fellows and trying to drag an injured player back onto the field?”
“It’s out of my hands, Cal.”
“Then why are you involved?”
“Because university leadership thought Morgan’s fellowship director was the appropriate point of contact for what I’m about to say.”
“Say it to her. Not me. You have her number.”
“It’s precisely because I respect her professional abilities that I…” She paused, swallowing so hard the sound reverberated throughout the room. “I can’t. Not when the program, my program, failed her. This situation is a disgrace, Cal. And I want no part of an institution that allows outstanding individuals like Reyhan Parsha and Morgan Van Daal to be treated like this.”
Her voice cracked.
I suspected she’d already called Reyhan, trying to bolster her courage before thoroughly offending my girlfriend. And it didn’t work. Reyhan was among the few people who took more pride in being a physician than Morgan.
I rammed a fist against the side of my leg. “How much are they offering?”
“Because of Morgan’s profile,” Anya said, trying to mask her guilt with sarcasm, “she can name her price, within reason.”
“Are they offering a settlement to Reyhan as well?”
“Yes, along with Amir Okorie and several other injured players, as well as Dr. McEwen. His wrist’s fractured.”
Catching Owen’s raised brow, I asked what we were both wondering. “What about the rest of the coaching staff?”
A prolonged silence followed.
“They aren’t getting punished for their negligence?” I snarled.
“It seems that they’re letting Garvey fall on the proverbial sword. Any additional rearrangement of the coaching staff is due to their embarrassing end to the season, not allowing the pheromone intimidation situation to continue.” She sucked in a harsh breath. “And it’s beensuggestedthat I retire. My choice of medical fellows has been deemed subpar.”
The corner of Owen’s mouth curled back into a threatening sneer.
A furious rumble sounded low in my chest. No one talked about our mate—about Morgan—like that.
Anya realized her mistake too late. “They didn’t mean her, Cal.”
“No, just omegas and betas in general,” I ground out. “I still don’t see why I should be the one to tell her.”
“Do this for me…and I’ll make sure that if you file courting paperwork before the end of my time at the university, it won’t impact Morgan’s team placements.”
Owen and I stared at one another for a breathless moment.
No. The university wouldn’t honor such an agreement.
I shook my head, trying to dislodge the temptation of her offer. “You can’t guarantee that.”
