Page 9 of Unsubmissive Omega
I looked at the clock.
10.45
Confident footsteps sounded out in the corridor. The even, measured steps, were heading towards us. Whoever it was, theysounded self-assured, unhurried. The footsteps stopped outside the door, and we all turned towards the newcomer.
“Zendius, we need to…” the words died on the man’s tongue as the handsomest man I’d ever seen stepped into the room.
And not just handsome, he was hot as fuck. Heat flushed my cheeks, and embarrassingly the rest of my blood headed south. This man could have been made to order from my deepest desires – broad shoulders with well-defined muscles stretching the fabric of his shirt, a slim waist, and bright intelligent eyes set in a clean-shaven, chestnut-brown face with full kissable lips and creased with smile lines. He wasn’t smiling now, however. He frowned as he looked at me.
And just like that, I hated him.
He was truly gorgeous. I would have bet my soul that he had any number of beautiful omegas lining up for his attention. Which meant, this could only be a business transaction of some sort. How dare he do this to me when he clearly had absolutely no need of seeking a mate in this way?
And to add insult to injury, the scowl on his face told me he wasn’t pleased at the sight of me. Well, given that someone like him could have anyone he wanted, I probably wasn’t up to his usual standard.Asshole.
But I had to play along. I didnotwant to see the inside of Uncle Maxim’s dungeon again.
Chapter 05
DARIUS
I was excited to meet my prospective mate. The anticipation had me on edge as I went about my rounds in the morning, but I hadn’t been able to keep the smile from my face.
I made sure to make my way to my office in plenty of time. I wanted to get there early to compose myself and make sure I was ready to meet my mate. Although the search for a mate had started as a necessary inconvenience, once I’d seen the photo of the beautiful omega, I knew it was fate. I couldn’t wait to meet him, couldn’t wait to look into those amazing green-brown eyes, couldn’t wait to kiss him… Wait! I was getting ahead of myself, wasn’t I? I was a stranger to him, maybe he hadn’t fallen in love (or lust) with the man in the photo he’d been sent. Maybe it was just me doing crazy stuff. But Zendiushadtold me he was very keen for this mating, so I had to think he at least liked the look of me.
I pulled the crumpled photo out of my jeans pocket and looked at it for the hundredth time since Zendius had handed it to me. The crinkles and fingerprints were evidence of that. I couldn’t help my grin when I looked at those mischievous eyes, nor therush of anticipation that flushed my entire body with a heat that had my skin prickling under the coarse fabric of my shirt.
I slipped the photo into my back pocket and checked my watch. 10.45. Good. I still had fifteen minutes before they were here and I needed to be ready to greet them. Fifteen minutes to calm myself down. I wanted to present myself to my prospective mate in the best possible light - I didn’t want to go all alpha on him and frighten him off, though in truth he didn’t look like the sort to be easily frightened. I was pretty sure I was going to have my hands full.
He'd already rejected my suggestion of going somewhere to get more acquainted with each other (a date, even if Zendius had insisted it wasn’t to be that). I was disappointed about that. One look at that photo and I’d been certain he was the omega for me and I would have liked to woo him appropriately. Still, he apparently didn’t want that and I didn’t want to be an insensitive alpha, so I just rolled with it.
My office door was open and I strode through, calling out to Zendius as I did, my mind occupied with thoughts of my future mate, and… I pulled up short. Unexpectedly, the office wasn’t empty. My eyes landed first on the scowling alpha slouching in the visitor’s chair. He was an older man, with black hair but grey roots showing through – aha, a touch of vanity there - and he was glaring at me, apparently irritated, even though he’d arrived early.
Zendiuswasthere, and standing next to him was someone I recognized instantly. He was even more gorgeous in person than his photo had suggested. He’d dressed in a suit – despite my request for casual - and I had to admit, he looked incredibly handsome in it. It clung to him, in all the right places, hintingof a body shape that was tantalizingly slender. He was almost a head shorter than me, but he held himself proudly and… stiffly.
I frowned. This meeting was supposed to be informal – I had wanted my omega to be at ease, since an unfamiliar alpha could be intimidating and the circumstances were... unusual... to say the least – but nothing about this reeked of casual, and he looked far too tense.
Was I exuding too many pheromones, was he afraid of me? Or was he shy and nervous about meeting me?
“Xander,” I said, ignoring the others and stepping closer to him. He stiffened further, drawing himself up and away. I stopped where I was. I forced myself to speak softly, “I’m so pleased to meet you. Thank you for coming today.”
He inclined his head. “Alpha.”
So very formal.
“Just call me Darius, please.”
I held out my hand, palm upwards, and after a hesitation, Xander placed his hand in mine. A little frisson ran through me at the contact, and he seemed to startle.
Lifting his hand to my mouth I kissed the back of it. His eyes widened and snowy white teeth gnawed at his bottom lip but he didn’t say anything.
Behind me, Zendius cleared his throat, and I realized I was still holding Xander's hand and staring. The alpha vibes emanating off me must have been uncomfortable for everyone in the room.
Gently letting Xander’s hand go, and stepping back, I remembered my manners, and reluctantly took my eyes offXander, as I turned towards the older alpha who had risen to his feet behind me.
Zendius introduced him. “Darius, this is Maximius, my good friend and Xander’s uncle.”
I shook hands with Maximius. The man’s features were hard and his eyes cold, but this was my omega’s uncle and I needed to show him respect.
