The door swings open, and the man who appears steals my breath for all the wrong reasons.
He’s draped in pale silk with plum undertones matching the door, the fabric falling in artful waves around a slender frame. Lavender hair catches the light like spun sugar, swept to one side and held with a clip sparkling with what might be real diamonds. His eyes, a startling shade of amethyst, widen in surprise.
He’s the kind of Omega beauty Alphas fall all over themselves to court.
“Emily.” His voice flows like sweet, sticky honey. “What an unexpected surprise.”
He dismisses my presence, all of his attention on the Alpha beside me. Even without the ability to read his pheromones, I can read the calculation in his expression, and the way his mouth curves into a practiced smile meant to disarm.
“You look…tired, sweetie.” He tilts his head, the graceful movement showing off his best angle. “Still working those brutal hours for people who don’t appreciate you?”
Emily’s throat works as she swallows. “Hello, Auren.”
“And who’s this?” Auren gestures toward me. “A new stray?”
Heat creeps up my neck. Alphas and Omegas react to each other’s pheromones, using invisible cues to trigger responses. But I rely on what the world offers up, and right now, it’s a gorgeous man using his allure as a weapon, each word a targeted dart.
“This is Jared,” Emily says, tension running through the introduction. “He works at the resort.”
Auren’s focus shifts to me, landing on the bruises blooming across my face, and his plush lips form a mew of disgust. “My, my. He’s had a rough time of it, hasn’t he?”
I straighten my spine, refusing to cower beneath his scrutiny. “Nice to meet you, too.”
Auren blinks, surprise flashing across his features before the mask slips back into place. “Well, I doubt you’ve come for a social call. What brings you to my doorstep after all this time, Em? Missing the comforts of pack life?”
Emily flinches at the nickname, a tiny movement anyone else might miss. But I’m focused on her, not him, and every word strikes her like a physical blow.
“The pack has been talking about you,” Auren continues, leaning against the doorframe. “Store-bought bread just isn’t the same as what you used to make us. Maybe you could bring treats sometime and catch up. Just because you abandoned us doesn’t mean we can’t be civil.”
“I didn’t abandon anyone,” Emily whispers, staring at a point past Auren’s shoulder. “You pushed me out.”
“Such drama.” Auren waves a dismissive hand, the silk of his sleeve rippling. “No oneforcedyou to remove your name from our registration.”
The lie hangs between them, and Emily absorbs it without protest, and I wonder how many times she’s stood like this, letting Auren rewrite their history.
“How are the others?” Emily asks, her voice smaller than I’ve ever heard it.
“Thriving.” Auren examines his manicured nails. “We’ve actually expanded. Two new members joined last month. Alphas, of course. We needed the balance after you left.”
Another barb, another flinch.
I shift the cat carrier to my other hand, the plastic handle cutting into my palm.
“Sounds like you’re doing just fine without me,” Emily says flatly, unable to disguise the hurt threaded through it.
“Necessary adjustments.” Auren’s hand lifts to trace along one delicate collarbone. “That’s what happens in a healthy pack. We adapt. Move forward. Some of us don’t cling to the past.”
His gaze drops to the cat carrier in my hand, understanding dawning across his perfect features. “Ah. I understand what this is about now.”
Emily’s fingers twist together. “We came for Mixie.”
“Did you?” A chill threads through the question. “After all these months without a single visit, you show up expecting me to hand over what’s mine?”
“I tried?—”
“Not very hard, though, did you?” Aureninterrupts andtsks. “Always falling short where it counts.”
“She was never yours,” I interject, unable to stay silent and unsure if I mean Mixie or Emily.