Page 22 of Lilacs and Leather
“No,” she cuts me off.
I walk over to her desk and set the arrangement down in front of her. “Have you ever heard of the expression ‘it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission’?” I ask casually, sitting in one of the leather chairs in front of her desk.
Lex pulls the ribbon and unwraps the cellophane. I see the tensing and relaxing of her shoulders, and a small wave of Lydia’s scent washes past me. Lex’s nostrils flare and she cocks her head to the side, considering.
“What am I forgiving, Rhett?” she asks with a sigh.
Her eyes are soft as she looks at me, and I grin. “So, remember when Mateo mentioned that we ran across an omega?”
“You found her, didn’t you?” she asks, more of a statement than a question.
I nod. “She works at Grandmother Wila’s in Old Town. And she put together this stunning arrangement for you.”
Lex nods her head slightly as she brushes a finger over a lilac blossom. A small smile pulls at her red-tinted lips as she inhales deeply. It’s only there for a moment before it drops away into a frown. “Is that really a good idea, Rhett? Considering everything...” she asks softly, trailing off.
My grin falls a little at the reluctance in her tone. I’d almost forgotten abouthimin the excitement of meeting Lydia. But the look on Lex’s face, the shift toward bitter oranges in her mulled wine scent, is enough to give me pause.
“Lex, if this is going to make you uncomfortable—”
“No, I’m not—if you want this, then I’m more than happy to support you. I just... we don’t exactly have an exemplary track record with omegas,” Lex says, a little ironic chuckle creeping out at the end.
“That has nothing to do with you, and I know you know that,” I chide, voice stern.
“I do. An abundance of caution never hurt anyone, though. Omegas can be complicated,” Lex says, her lips twisting into a concerned frown.
I shrug. “Some are, some aren’t.”
Lex lets out a sharp exhale. “I’d never stop you from doing what makes you happy, Rhett. But for me, our pack has to come first, always. No one is allowed to tear us apart,” she states, her eyes hardening to hazel ice.
Again. The silent word hangs between us for a long moment. I swallow and consider my reply carefully.
“We may be putting the cart before the horse. I’m taking Lydia to Alice’s tomorrow. I’ll feel her out, see if she’s open to what we have to offer, and get back to you,” I offer, leaning back.
“Lydia.” Lex says the name almost to herself, gently stroking a rose petal. “Honey and vanilla?” she whispers, breathing deep again.
“I know. She smells like heaven.” I sigh, smiling a little.
Lex hums her agreement, closing her eyes briefly before looking back at me. “I’ll keep these here for now. Is there something you actually need?”
“Is seeing your gorgeous face not reason enough?” I tease.
“Rhett—”
I cut her off with a laugh. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the Old Town stores. We dropped the ball.”
And just like that, Lex, my alpha and one of my best friends, disappears, and Alexandra St. Clair, CEO and queen of her domain, takes her place.
∞∞∞
Later that evening, I’m down in the lounge of the packhouse with Mateo and Lucas. Their attention is firmly glued to the basketball game on the television. They banter back and forth about different players and their stats, but I don’t follow the sport enough to know what any of it means. And I’m thoroughly distracted by my text conversation with Lydia. I’d messaged earlier to confirm a good time for dinner, but the conversation has since become a heated debate over which city has the best food.
“What’s got you grinning like a fool, Coop?” Mateo teases, cutting through my dazed thoughts.
I flush, jumping at the sound of his voice. I look up to find him staring at me with a smug, knowing smirk.
“Just… having a chat with a new friend,” I say, trying to act casual.
“So, I take it you got that date with the omega?” Lucas tosses, eyes still on the TV.