I'm a socially awkward omega.

They are alphas who live in the spotlight.

We are complete opposites, but for some reason they want me.

I'm not going to deny it, there's something about them that pulls me closer, but things are complicated.

I didn't want to burden them with all my baggage when they have the chance of finding an omega who suited their lifestyle.

No matter how hard I try to push them away, they always find a way to draw me closer.

And like they say, they aren't planning on stopping until they claim me as their omega.

*** AN NON-SHIFTER REVERSE HAREM AGE GAP OMEGAVERSE NOVEL ***

1. DAISY

Just breathe.

I sucked in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. It did nothing to calm my racing heart. My legs felt like jelly and I was sure that I was shaking like a leaf. I didn't do well in stressful situations. In fact, I didn't do well in any situation that included dealing with people.

Mother had told me that some important people were going to be at the house for dinner and that father expected me to join them.

I had been dressed like a doll by the maids per her instructions to make sure that I didn't end up ruining anything.

The dress was uncomfortable, the material made my skin itch, and the shoes were a size too small.

Everything I was wearing had been handpicked by my mother. Which was another indication of how important the dinner was for them.

I sucked in another deep breath and pressed a shaky hand to my stomach. They were waiting for me in the dining room. I was running late even though I had been dressed an hour before the set time for dinner to start.

Nerves kept me locked in my room until I had managed to give myself a small pep talk. But the courage I had gathered flew out the window when I reached the landing and heard the rich baritones of strangers coming from the room.

The dining room door suddenly opened, making me jerk in fright.

My sister came to a halt when she spotted me. Her lips twisted into a sneer before they curled into a sweet smile.

My heartbeat instantly increased when she crossed the floor.

"We have been waiting for you," she said loudly enough for the guest and our parents to hear. "Come on honey! I'm starving."

She gripped my wrist and tugged me in the direction she came from.

I felt sick.

"There she is!" Father clapped his hands twice. "Daisy is the youngest of our family and unfortunately always late. Once again, I apologize for the long wait ladies and gentlemen. But now that she's here, dinner can be served."

I was pushed down into an empty chair just as the maids entered the room and started serving the food.

My fingers rubbed at my wrist under the table, trying to relieve the lingering pain of my sister's fingernails.

I bit my lip as I stared down at the plate that had been placed in front of me. The smell made me feel sicker. I hated fish and my father knew it.

Was he waiting for me to embarrass him so he could punish me?

With shaky hands, I reached for my knife and fork.

Conversation flowed around the table. Nobody bothered to include me and I was perfectly fine with that. I had nothing to say and I was too busy focusing on cutting the fish into small pieces so it looked like I was eating.

But, I made the mistake of raising my head.

Sky blue eyes instantly caught mine, making the air lock in my lungs. They held me captive. He was all I could see.

The man with pale skin, sky blue eyes, and a scar that covered half of his left face. His hair was light brown and curly but despite that, it fit him perfectly.

I smiled at him and surprisingly, he smiled back.

Until our little stare was broken by my sister. She nudged me painfully in the ribs, forcing my eyes away from the man and towards her. Leaning closer, she pressed her lips to my ear.

"Don't even think about him. Don't look at him. Don't talk to him. That alpha is mine and you're not going to get him," she hissed.

Pulling back she gave me a bright smile before she turned her focus back to the woman at her side.

For the first time since I arrived, I looked around the table. It seated ten people including my father and mother that sat at the head of the table.

Men dressed in fancy suits and women decorated with fancy jewelry. They all belonged in the circles my parents traveled. Fancy, wealthy people who looked down on those beneath them.

There were a lot of alphas, a beta here and there but no other omegas besides my sister and myself.

A soft touch on my arm snapped my attention to the man seated to my right. He leaned closer, making his scent drift over to me. It was pleasant, but I couldn’t make out what it was.

"We can swap plates if you want?" he said softly. "I'm not so big on the greens and you don't like the fish. It's a win-win if we trade."

I studied his plate. He had eaten the fish but not the salad.

"How are we going to switch plates without anyone noticing?" I whispered.

My eyes locked on his lips when they curled up into a smile, and then slowly trailed higher to take in the rest of him.

He had blond hair and green eyes. Typical surfer boy looks, but he was a lot more muscular than a surfer. The material of his clothes was stretched tight over his skin almost like it was too small for him.

"You didn't even notice."

I blinked and then looked down at my plate. True enough, he had switched our plates and I hadn't even noticed.

"Oh."

“I’m Valiant.” He held his hand out toward me.

I stared at the dark ink peeking out from under the sleeve of his suit. Without realizing it, I leaned closer to get a better look.

Valiant chuckled. “I’ll need to take my shirt off for you to get a better look at it.”

Colour flooded my cheeks. I jerked back in my seat and picked up my fork to stuff some lettuce in my mouth.

Another low chuckle came from him.

I watched him from the corner of my eyes.

He picked up his fork and took a bite of the fish. Reaching out, he picked up his glass and swallowed it down with some wine.

My mind raced with things I could use as a conversation topic, but before I could come up with something, the woman at his side started talking to him. My shoulders slumped as my eyes locked on my plate again.

I wish the dinner was over already so I could go back to my room.

“How old are you Daisy?” Valiant asked me, making my eyes snap up to his in surprise.

“W-what?” I breathed.

“How old are you?” he repeated.

I swallowed. “I’m eighteen. How old are you?”

“I’m twenty-eight.”

“Oh.”

His lips twitched. “Is that the only word in your vocabulary?”

“No.” I frowned at him when he laughed. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No.” He leaned closer. “I’m sorry if I made it seem like that. It’s just, you’re not much of a talker and I’m trying my best to make it seem like we’re deep in conversation so that I don’t have to talk to Glenda.” Valiant nodded to the woman at his side who he had spoken to earlier.

“Is that her name?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I kinda forgot her name when she made it clear that she’s only interested in me because of my close connection to Alexander.”

“Who’s Alexander?” I asked him.

He frowned. “You really don’t know, do you?”

I shook my head.

Valiant leaned closer, making his scent surround me. I sucked in a deep breath and bit my lip. I liked his scent a lot.

“See that grumpy bastard sitting to your father’s left,” he muttered. “That my dear, is Alexander Wyatt.”

I looked in that direction and frowned.

Alexander Wyatt was a man who loved the camera. I had seen him on the news a few times, but he hadn’t held my attention long enough.

“Is he your friend?”

“We’re pack,” he answered. “A family.”

“O–” I broke off before the work could slip out of my mouth. “Sorry,” I apologized.

He took another bite of fish and chewed. “I forgive you, but only because I can tell that you’re doing it unconsciously.”

My eyes trailed back to Alexander.

He looked serious despite the fact that my father was obviously telling one of his stupid jokes. The man wore a black suit that made his pale skin stand out more. It also drew attention to the dark ink covering every inch of his hands, and the left side of his neck to his jaw.

I leaned towards Valiant. “What colour are his eyes?”

The simple question made him choke on the fish he had been chewing. I reacted automatically. Reaching up, I slapped him on the back as I pushed my glass of water within his reach.

After taking a few sips, he looked at me and winked. “Why don’t you see for yourself.”

I looked back at Alexander and sucked in a breath when forest green eyes locked with mine.

2. VALIANT

His eyes darted from hers to mine and then narrowed.

I gave him an innocent smile. He wasn’t stupid, but I also knew that he wasn’t going to do anything at the table that might give John leverage to use against him. The whole purpose of this dinner was for us to find something we could use against him to get our money back.

But the guy was playing it smart.

My eyes locked on the omega at my side again. “So?”

“So?” she repeated, acting like she didn’t know what I was talking about.

“What do you think about his eyes?”

She stuffed another bite of salad into her mouth and slowly chewed it. When she swallowed, she picked up the same glass I had drank from when I had choked. Something inside me stirred. It wasn’t every day an omega drank from the same glass as an alpha without making a big deal about it.

“I like it,” she said softly. “His eyes. It’s an unusual colour for a man with his pale skin and black hair.”

“Do you like him?”

Daisy frowned at me. “I don’t know him.”

It still surprised me that someone didn’t know who Alexander Wyatt was. Everybody knew him, and I meant everybody. He was well-known in the business world and the underworld.

“I’m sure you’ve heard something about him,” I pushed.

Her frown deepened. “I’ve seen him on the news but I don’t pay much attention to it.”

My eyes darted over her face as I nodded. She didn’t seem like the kind of girl to watch the news. I didn’t want to judge her based on her age, but she was only eighteen. If I wanted to keep my pretty face, I needed to step down and stop flirting with her.

“Tell me, Daisy, are you still in school?” I asked her.

She shook her head. “I dropped out as soon as I could and took some online classes. I did finish high school if that’s what you’re wondering about.”

“Why did you drop out?”

I could sense the shift in her mood as soon as I asked the question. It made me all the more curious about her. John only talked about his eldest daughter. In fact, we never even knew that Daisy existed until he mentioned her tonight.

“I hated school,” she said softly.

“Me too,” I muttered.

She raised her head to look at me. “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a gamer,” I lied. “I live in my mother’s basement and test video games for a living.”

Daisy blinked and then smiled. “You’re joking, right?”

“What gave me away?”

For a second her eyes dropped down to my chest.

“You’re too fit to be a gamer,” she answered.

“Says who? For all you know, I hit the gym twice a week when I have free time.”

She raised an eyebrow.

I chuckled. “Fine. You got me. I do go to the gym twice a week though. I’m a lawyer.”

“That’s…nice.”

I shrugged. “What do you do for a living?”

Her lips parted but whatever she was about to say was interrupted by her father.

“Ladies and gentlemen, dinner was delicious, if I must say so myself.” A few chuckled. “Now that it’s over, let’s head to the living room where my daughter Isabella will entertain us before the men join me in my study for a drink.”

I sighed, disappointed.

Daisy stood and surprisingly turned to face me. “This is the first time I enjoyed one of my father’s dinner parties,” she said softly. “Thank you for making it pleasant.”

“I should thank you.” I leaned closer so the other guest couldn’t hear me as they walked past. “I hate these kind of things, we all do. It was a pleasure to have such a beautiful omega at my side to talk to.”

Colour flooded her cheeks.

I loved seeing her skin flushed with colour. My eyes dropped to take in the rest of her. I had been too focused on my phone when she arrived to pay much attention.

Fucking hell, she’s gorgeous.

My eyes lingered on her legs a few seconds longer and then slowly trailed back up her body to her face.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she hissed.

“Like I want to spread you across the table and eat you for dessert?” I muttered.

The colour in her cheeks darkened, but she frowned at me instead of giving me a flirty reply back. I swallowed when I realized that I had said the wrong thing.

“Look－”

“You don’t know if I’ll taste like desert or not,” she interrupted.

I blinked at her in surprise.

A low chuckle came from somewhere behind me a second before a hand gripped my shoulder. Daisy’s eyes instantly darted over to the man who had joined us.

“You smiled at me,” she muttered.

“You seemed surprised,” Elias said softly. “Should I have glared at you instead, flower?”

He has barely said a word to her, and he already had a nickname. My lips twitched, a sneer fighting to escape. I didn’t want to scare her because for some reason I liked her.

“My name is Elias.” He held his hand out towards her.

Daisy’s teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she stared down at his hand. Just as he was about to drop his hand, she slipped her hand into his. Elias gripped it firmly and raised it to his lips. She shivered when his lips brushed against her skin.

Interesting.

“Nice to meet you, Elias,” she said softly.

“Having an introduction party, are you?”

I glared at Alex as he approached us from behind Daisy.

She instantly stiffened.

I noticed the way he studied her when he thought that nobody was watching him. It was extremely rare for Alex to take any interest in women, especially young omegas.

“We’re not here to socialize,” he growled, eyes focusing on Elias and then me.

“I promise you it’s better than the entertainment father had planned,” Daisy said. “Isabella is going to play the piano and sing which she can’t do very well, but father’s friends are crawled up his ass so high that they’ll praise her.”

Elias laughed and even Alex cracked a smile, but I saw the glint in his eyes, and it could only mean trouble. I gave him a slight shake of my head, but he was already moving in.

“You don’t sound very happy with your father, Daisy,” he drawled.

And she fell right into his trap.

“He’s an asshole.”

“Daisy dear, why don’t you let me escort you to our entertainment while you tell me all about this asshole father of yours.” He held out his arm for her.

We held our breath as we waited for her to answer. Daisy stared at Alex, pale green eyes darting over every inch of him before they locked on the arm he held out towards her.

“No thank you, Mr. Wyatt,” she said sweetly. “I’ve had enough of Isabella’s shrill voice to last me a lifetime. But I do hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.” Daisy turned towards Elias and me. “It was nice meeting you. Thank you for…just thank you.”

With that she turned and walked out of the dining room, leaving a stunned Alex behind.

“I like her,” Elias muttered. “And I know that look on your face, Alex. Don’t involve other people in your games. Especially not omegas.”

“Especially not that omega,” I growled, following Elias out of the room.

3. ALEX

Daisy was right about her sister. Isabella had no talent, but everybody acted like her little performance was Oscar-worthy. I stood near the window, trying my best not to glare at the guest lingering about. It would have been in his favour if he just attended the meeting Valiant had set up last week.

What was he hoping to gain with all these people around?

My lips twitched. He thought that they would make me go easy on him, but he was in for a surprise.

I was going to do everything it took to get my money back from the bastard. Sure, I didn’t need it. But I wanted it back.

Taking a sip of my drink, I searched the room for a certain omega.

“She’s not here.”

I frowned at him. “Who?”

“Daisy.” Valiant smirked.

“I’m not looking for her.”

He leaned closer. “Liar,” he breathed.

I turned, but he moved back to my side, giving me no choice but to look at him.

“I’ve been mingling,” he muttered, glancing around to make sure that there was nobody within earshot. “They are all crawled up his ass. Nobody has anything bad to say about him. Although…” He trailed off when someone approached.

We both relaxed when we realized it was only Elias.

“How much longer is this going to take?” he questioned.

“Until we get a private moment with him.” I nodded towards John who was doing his best to avoid us.

“I doubt we’re going to get it tonight.” His hand shot up to touch the scar on his face. “The staring is making me uncomfortable. Nobody has said a word to me all night. I just look in their direction and they want to fucking hide.”

“Not Daisy,” Valiant chipped in.

I threw him a glare.

“Elias－”

“You don’t need me here,” he interrupted me. “I’m going home.”

“Let Stevens drive you,” I ordered.

My eyes narrowed when his lips parted.

Changing his mind, he gave me a stiff nod, hesitated a moment, and then made his way toward the exit.

I watched him go, taking note of the women whispering behind his back.

Before he got his scar, he had women lining up at his door, fighting for his attention. But women found him repulsing now, and he hated it.

“She smiled at him,” Valiant muttered. “Daisy.”

“I saw,” I told him.

“We also had an interesting conversation.”

I sighed, focusing my attention back on him. “What do you want, Val?”

“What do you mean?”

My eyes narrowed, making him smirk.

“I think we should set them up on a date,” he said.

“I think you’ve had too much wine.” I turned away from him when I noticed John finally making his way over towards us. “Forget about it.”

“Gentlemen,” John greeted. “I hope you’ve been enjoying your evening?”

“Cut the crap,” I growled. “I’m a busy man John. You better say what you want to and give me a good fucking reason why I shouldn’t have you arrested for stealing my money.”

“I…” He glanced around nervously. “Let’s talk about this in my office.”

Valiant and I shared a glance as we followed John out of the room and down a hall into his office. He made sure to close the door firmly behind him before he turned his focus on us.

“I would appreciate it if you could keep this silent. I’m a businessman－”

“Who likes to gamble with money that doesn’t belong to him,” Valiant interrupted. “You know why we’re here. Let’s cut the small talk and get right to the chase. Where’s his money, John?”

He swallowed loudly. “I-I don’t have it. N-not all of it.”

I wasn’t surprised. We both knew it was why he had been avoiding me. John was a bad fucking gambler and an addict. It was why he continued to play even though he always lost the money. I was sure that I wasn’t the only man he owed money to.

“I was hoping to make an…arrangement with you to pay off the amount I owe you.”

I leaned my hip against the desk and crossed my arms over my chest. “How long do you think it’s going to take you to pay off two hundred thousand dollars?”

His face paled, but he remained silent for a few minutes.

“You can have my daughter, Isabella,” he finally said, breaking the silence. “As part payment. She’s an omega and still unbonded. Isabella is very talented and will look well after you. As you know, an alpha needs an omega by his side. She’ll do anything you want.”

His eyes were hopeful as they darted between Valiant and me.

Did the bastard really think that I was going to accept his－

“We have an agreement, under one condition.”

My eyes snapped over to Valiant in surprise. What the hell are you doing? I silently questioned him, but he ignored me.

Walking over to the desk, he grabbed a piece of paper and pen and then started writing something down.

“We don’t want Isabella.” He paused to look up at John. “We want Daisy. She comes to live with us, do anything we ask of her and we will write off twenty thousand of your debt.”

I pursed my lips.

“Daisy?” He frowned at Valiant. “I assure you that Isabella is a much better choice. She－”

“We’re not interested in her, John,” Valiant interrupted him. “It’s Daisy or we start breaking bones to get our money back.”

John pulled a tissue from the box on his desk and started wiping the sweat from his forehead. His eyes darted around the room, mind racing with reasons why Daisy wouldn’t be great for the deal. While he was doing that, I glared at Valiant.

He caught my eye. Trust me, he mouthed.

We came here to make some threats to get our money back, not write off debt by…buying his fucking daughter.

“I’ll pay you the twenty thousand,” John finally said. “She…Daisy can stay with you until I pay you which should be in a week. After that, you give her back.”

“Give her back?” Valiant tilted his head to the side and smirked at him. “No, John. Daisy will stay with us until the full amount is paid. You have…less than a month to pay up as per our first arrangement.”

Pushing the paper across the desk, he slowly straightened and held the pen out towards John.

“That is a written agreement. You agree to give Daisy to us, but I’ve made some adjustments. She will stay until you have paid the full amount within the dates mentioned. Or else…” He left the sentence hanging in the air between us.

John’s eyes dropped to the pen Valiant held out towards him and then to the paper. He stared down at it for a few minutes and then looked at me.

“I have some conditions.” John licked his lips. “Daisy has been promised to another pack. They are waiting for her pre-heat to start. She can stay with you, but none of you can touch her.”

“You sold your daughter?” I questioned. “How much do you owe them?”

“Nothing,” he growled defensively. “We made an agreement.”

“Does she know about this agreement?”

He remained silent which answered my question.

“Sign it John,” I growled.

He grabbed the pen out of Valiant’s hand and signed his name on the paper. Valiant pulled the paper away, glanced at it, and then handed it to me.

I signed the paper, folded it neatly, and pushed it into my pocket. “Tell Daisy to pack her bags. She’ll be leaving with us tonight.”

4. DAISY

“Honey, can we talk?”

Nothing good ever came from my mother starting a conversation with those words.

I nodded as I slipped the bookmark in between the pages and closed the book I had been busy reading before she interrupted.

She hesitated by the door for a few seconds and then entered my room. Her eyes darted around, taking it all in.

We used to be close, but everything changed the day Dad died. Now all she cared about was the money and what people thought of her. She was a perfect fit for my step-father John, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.

“I didn’t think it was important to join the after-dinner drinks,” I muttered. “Isabella does well on her own.”

“I know. It’s not what I want to talk to you about.” She took a seat on the edge of the bed and silently studied me for a few seconds. “You know I love you right?”

I nodded.

This was definitely going to be bad.

“John…he ran into some trouble at work. There was a project he was working on but the investors pulled out at the last minute. The owner canceled and now demands John to pay back the money he already paid.” Her eyes dropped to her twitching hands on her lap. “It’s more than we have. John managed to make an arrangement with him. He has a month to pay the money back, but for…insurance, the man wants you to go stay with him.”

My eyes widened, my heartbeat increasing as fear filled me. The asshole wanted me to go live with a damn stranger?

“You can’t be－”

“John will have the money in two weeks,” she interrupted me. “He has done so much for you, the least you can do is－”

“Why can’t Isabella do it?” I questioned. “She will be jumping up and down in joy at the opportunity to snag a rich alpha.”

“I…” she trailed off. “Look, I don’t know all the details. This is important otherwise he would have sent Isabella, but you know how much she screws things up.”

Throwing the book aside, I got to my feet and started pacing.

This stupid room was my safe place. She knew it. John knew it. I hated leaving my room. I hated stepping foot out of the house and now they demand that I go live with some stranger?

I shook my head as panic filled me.

“Daisy－”

“No,” I interrupted her. “Let his daughter go.”

I spun around, hurrying to the bathroom, but she caught me by the arm before I could make it inside. Spinning me around, she stepped closer until we were nose to nose. I instantly tried to shrink away from the anger in her eyes.

“John took you under his wing when he didn’t have to. He paid for school, for the clothes you’re wearing and the damn roof over your head and you have never once thanked him,” she hissed. “When has he ever asked for anything in return? Never! This is the first time and I don’t give a damn how you feel about it or what you think. You’ll be downstairs with your bags in two minutes or I will come up here and drag you into that car myself with just the clothes on your back!”

She gave me a push when she let go of my arm and then stormed out of the room.

I stared at the door, shaking. How could she demand this of me? Have I not been the perfect daughter she always wanted me to be?

How could she expect me to go live with strangers until John paid off whatever money he owed? What if the man was an alpha who abused omegas? What if he was a beta who hated omegas?

There were so many questions racing through my mind, making the panic worse.

Before I knew it, one minute had passed and I still stood in the same spot.

I knew from experience that my mother would keep to her word of dragging me out of the house if she had to.

After a trip to the bathroom to empty the contents of my stomach, I grabbed an old school bag and stuffed some clothes into it. She said he would have the money in two weeks, and although I doubt that he would, I made myself believe that he would keep to his word. Which was why I only packed enough clothes for that duration.

Just as I zipped the bag closed, the was a knock on my door.

I stood frozen.

The door opened a second later and a maid stepped into the room.

“The car is waiting for you,” she said.

I spotted two men hovering behind her. They would drag me to the car, kicking and screaming if they had to.

Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I grabbed my phone and gripped the strap of the bag as I followed them down to the front door. None of the guests were in sight but I could hear them.

For a moment jealousy filled me. Why couldn’t I be like them? Why couldn’t I be a heartless bitch like my mother? Why did I have to be a stupid omega who can’t even leave the house to buy her own stuff?

A sleek black car was waiting by the bottom of the steps, the back door already open.

Was I ever going to see daylight again?

More tears slipped down my cheeks when one of the men gripped my arm firmly and forced me to walk forward. My legs felt like jelly otherwise I would have tried to make a run for it.

But what was I going to do when I ran away? I wouldn’t be able to survive a day in the city on my own.

“Get in.”

I bit my lip to stop the sob from escaping. My eyes darted back to the house. I was expecting to find my mother standing by the door, watching me leave with tears in her eyes, but instead, I found the door closed.

“Get in,” the man repeated.

Jerking my arm out of his hold, I climbed into the car.

I wasn’t a weak omega. I was strong. I was going to fight if anyone tried to hurt me. I wasn’t going to allow the past to be repeated.

The little pep talk helped ease some of the fear and panic, but it faded the moment the door slammed shut behind me and the car started moving.

“Jesus Daisy, you’re shaking like a leaf.”

My eyes snapped open and locked with familiar green eyes.

“He owes you money?” I breathed.

“He owes us money.”

I turned my head to look at Alexander lounging in the seat next to me. He watched me with narrowed eyes. I turned my focus back to Valiant.

This wasn’t so bad. I already met the three alphas and despite the fact that I felt a little uncomfortable around Alexander, I was okay staying with Valiant and Elias. They seemed like good people.

“How much does he owe you?” I asked softly.

Valiant glanced at Alexander. “Do you have a month’s worth of clothes in that bag of yours?”

“M-month?” I breathed. “Mother said two weeks.”

“Your father said that he would pay it in two weeks, but I doubt it,” Alexander muttered.

“Step-father,” I corrected him. “How much does he owe you?”

Clearing his throat, Valiant leaned forward slightly. “Two hundred thousand dollars.”

There was no way that he would be able to pay that amount or even half of that amount in two weeks. He might be rich, but we didn’t have close to that amount of money coming in. My eyes dropped to the bag I was clutching to my chest.

“Turn around,” I demanded. “I need more stuff.”

Valiant chuckled. “We can pick it up tomorrow.”

“What if I need it now?”

“We’ll buy it before we get home,” Alexander said. “What do you need, omega?”

I flinched. “Don’t call me that.”

“Is there anything you need now, Daisy?” Valiant repeated Alexander’s question in a nicer way.

“A miracle,” I whispered.

5. DAISY

Their home was not what I expected.

It was a penthouse in the middle of the city. The car was parked in an underground parking that was specially reserved for Alexander Wyatt. There was a pin code that had to be entered for the elevator to go straight up to the penthouse.

Alexander stepped out of the elevator and walk right over to the dark oak door. He paused briefly before he pushed the door open and entered the penthouse.

“Come on,” Valiant urged softly with a hand pressed to the small of my back.

A light above the stove was on and a single lamp in the living room. It didn’t give me much light to take it all in, not that it mattered. Valiant steered me away from the living room, down a dark hall, and towards a door at the end.

He pushed it open and stepped inside first to switch on the light.

Everything about the room was simple. A bed and bedside tables, a closet, and a tall window with a view of half the city. The wall was painted a light green that matched the bed sheets.

“You can make any changes you want,” Valiant said softly. “Just let me know what you need and I’ll make sure that you get it.”

“I won’t be staying for long,” I told him.

He raised an eyebrow. “You have a lot of faith in John.”

I didn’t reply. Walking over to the bed, I placed my bag down on it and turned to face him. It made me see the door that led into the bathroom and a big bookshelf I had missed earlier.

“I want to show you something.” He gestured for me to follow him as he walked over to the bookshelf.

I frowned when he pulled a specific book a few inches out of its spot and a click filled the room. He glanced at me, and then pulled the shelf away from the wall, revealing a secret room.

“A nest if you ever need one.”

“I won’t,” I replied.

But curiosity had me moving past him into the room.

There were no windows.

A big canopy bed occupied the center of the room. Thick purple curtains surrounded the bed which was covered with different size pillows.

“There’s also a bathroom,” he said softly, pointing towards it. “And a closet filled with more pillows and blankets.”

“You have an omega?”

“No.”

I frowned. “But you have a nest.”

Valiant switched off the light and walked out of the room. I followed silently behind him, questions flooding my mind. Once we were in the bedroom again, he pushed the bookshelf back into place and turned to look at me.

“I have a few cousins who visit sometimes,” he said softly. “They’re omega’s and we like to be prepared in case the unexpected happens.”

He looked me right in the eyes and lied to me, but I wasn’t going to push. If he didn’t want to tell me why they had a nest hidden away in their penthouse, I wasn’t going to push him.

My eyes dropped to his neck, searching for a bond mark but I found nothing but bare skin.

“I’ll show you around tomorrow.” He made his way over to the door. “My room is right across the hall if you need anything.”

“Thank you.”

He smiled. “Sleep well, petal.”

The door clicked closed behind him. I stared at it, trying to make sense of the sudden loneliness that filled me. I didn’t want him to leave, but I didn’t want him to stay either.

Turning in a slow circle, I took everything in again. It looked nothing like my room which I didn’t like. My walls were decorated with fairy lights so I didn’t have to sleep with the main light on.

At least there were lamps to use.

I decided to take a quick shower and then climbed into bed. A sigh fell from my lips as I stared at the shadows created by the lamps.

It was so silent that I could hear the ringing in my own ears. Were all three of them already in bed? I pushed the thought away as soon as it entered my mind.

It was only going to be for two weeks.

There was no reason for me to get to know them because as soon as John paid off his dept, I would return home and never see them again.

For some reason, the thought filled me with pain. Now that I had met them, I wanted to know more about them, especially about Elias.

Like how had he gotten his scar? Why was he still unbonded? Why were they all unbonded, especially a man like Alexander?

If you’re going to stay here for a month, you’ll get to learn everything about them.

I turned onto my back and tugged the sheets up to my chin. My eyes fluttered closed but sleep evaded me.

Reaching for my phone, I checked for any messages from my mother but found only one from an unknown number.

I will get the money and pay them back. Just keep your distance. They are dangerous. You don’t want the past to be repeated, do you, Daisy?

I frowned at the message, certain that John had sent it. What was there to fuck up?

***

By three o’clock I gave up my tossing and turning and got up. I dressed for the day and then grabbed my phone. The door didn’t make a sound when I opened it. I paused, listening for any sound to indicate that someone was awake. When I was sure that there would be no unexpected meeting with any of them, I slipped out of the room and pulled the door closed behind me.

My heartbeat increased the further I walked down the hall. There were no lights on like there had been when we arrived last night.

Pausing, I turned on my phone’s flashlight and then walked the rest of the way. When I reached the kitchen, I hesitated.

I walked over to the fridge and pulled it open. My lips parted in a silent gasp as I took it all in. The fridge was stacked with food…healthy food. Lots and lots of healthy food.

My lips twisted in disgust.

I wanted something sweet, something unhealthy.

Letting out a sigh, I closed the door and moved toward one of the cabinets. The sweet stuff must be hidden somewhere. My shoulders slumped when I opened the cabinet door and found more healthy snacks inside.

“It had to be health freaks,” I muttered.

I closed the cabinet and opened another, but froze when a sound reached my ears. Gripping my phone tightly, I slowly turned around.

The scream escaped before the light was switched on.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.”

Hands gripped my arms, making the panic worse. I thrashed, trying my best to free myself. The hold tightened and then dropped away. I made a run for the safety of my bedroom but in the next moment, I was restrained.

“Enough!”

My body jerked in fright, but my mind instantly obeyed the alpha command. I slumped against the man.

“Good,” the man muttered close to my ear. “It’s just me, flower. Elias. You remember me, don’t you?”

Elias. The man with the scar. I nodded, I remembered him. His hold on me loosened enough for me to slip away. The fear faded, only to be replaced by anger.

I spun around and started hitting him. “You freaking asshole! Why would you do that?”

With a low growl that made my panties flood with slick, Elias gripped my wrist to stop my hits, and took a step forward, pinning me against the cabinet.

“Stop,” he growled. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You did.”

“If it makes you feel better, you scared the shit out of me too.” Elias rubbed slow circles on the inside of my wrists with his thumbs. “I didn’t expect someone to be up so early.”

The movement of his thumbs was distracting me. I blinked and snapped out of the daze he had me in. Elias immediately let my wrist go when I twisted my arms, but he didn’t move away. His hands dropped to grip the counter on either side of my hips.

I sucked in a nervous breath and instantly wished I hadn’t

He smelled fresh and clean like he just took a shower. But underneath the scent of soap was another scent that called to me. I sucked in another breath and allowed my eyes to flutter closed.

“I like the way you smell too,” he whispered, making my eyes snap open. “Now tell me flower, are you hungry?”

I instantly nodded. “I’m not eating any of that healthy stuff.”

He chuckled. “What are you craving?”

How does he know I’m craving something?

“Something sweet,” I told him.

“Get some shoes on,” Elias ordered. “Our super early breakfast is waiting for us.”

6. ELIAS

A fellow sweet tooth.

Valiant was going to hate it.

I watched in amusement as Daisy drowned her pancakes in syrup, but the amusement faded when my eyes darted up to her face.

Her eyes were still red-rimmed from crying after I scared her.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized again. “I really didn’t know that you were there.”

Daisy slowly lowered the bottle to the table before she looked up at me. “You didn’t smell me?”

Unease gripped me for a moment, but I instantly pushed it aside. I had nothing to feel uncomfortable about.

I cleared my throat and took a sip of my coffee before I answered her.

“I have no sense of smell,” I told her softly. “After the…” I trailed off, pointing at my face. “My vision was damaged but managed to be repaired, but they couldn’t do the same to my…smell. I’m also half deaf in my left ear.”

“How did it happen?” she asked, eyes darting to my scar for a second.

I saw nothing but curiosity in her eyes.

“Let’s play a game,” I said. “I answer your questions, and you answer mine.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why? I won’t be staying for long.”

“You have a lot of faith in your stepfather,” I muttered.

When she didn’t reply, I turned my attention to the plate in front of me. I grabbed the syrup and poured some onto the pancakes before I cut a piece off and started eating.

I was hyper-aware of her eyes burning into my skin even though I was trying my best to ignore it.

“Why do you want to know about me?” she asked, breaking the silence between us.

“Because I’m curious, and I would rather get to know you by talking than reading the file about you.”

Her lips parted with a gasp. “You have a file about me?”

“Not yet.” I took another bite and slowly chewed. “I will by tonight.”

Daisy stared at me. “Why?”

I smiled. “I’m very protective of my pack Daisy. I need to know about every person they allow into our home, especially you.”

“Why me?”

“You’re John’s stepdaughter.”

She placed her fork down and crossed her arms. Her eyes narrowed until she was attempting to glare at me. It wasn’t intimidating. In fact, she looked really fucking cute.

“What does that have to do with anything? My mother is married to him. I just live in his house and do my best to avoid him and his bitch of a daughter.”

“Do you know what he does for a living?” I asked her, tilting my head to the side when she frowned.

“He owns a business.”

“What type of business?”

A loud sigh fell from her hip. “I don’t know, okay? I know he’s rich, and that’s why Mom married him. He’s also an asshole who thinks his money can buy him everything.”

I studied her silently. “How much are you getting out of this?”

“Excuse me?” she gasped. “What the hell are you implying?”

“I’m just trying to figure out what you’re getting for staying with us,” I told her. “Excuse me for being so straightforward. No omega will just pack her bags and go live with strangers.”

Daisy pursed her lips. Her eyes darted around the cozy cafe. There weren’t a lot of people and those who sat a table or two away weren’t paying any attention to us.

“She didn’t give me a choice,” Daisy whispered. “It was either I go willingly or she’d drag me kicking and screaming.”

“Why the fuck would she do that?” I growled.

She jerked, instantly lowering her eyes. “Mother would do anything for him. In her eyes, he’s the perfect husband that can do nothing wrong.”

“I’m sorry your mother is such a bitch.”

My words made her smile. I started eating again and after a few minutes, she picked up her fork and stuffed a piece of pancake into her mouth. I stayed silent until she finished half of her plate.

“I use to be a police detective,” I told her. “I was working on a case. When we finally solved it, things went…bad. There was an explosion. It’s how I got the scar.”

“Detective Walker?” Daisy croaked.

“Yeah. You must have read about it or heard about it on the news.”

“I－” She broke off, swallowing a few times. “I n-need to use the bathroom.”

I nodded, watching her hurry toward the bathroom with a frown. It was not the reaction I usually got from someone when I told him how I got my scar.

Downing the last of my coffee, I signaled the waiter for another cup. The cup of coffee arrived a minute later but Daisy didn’t return. I waited, getting more restless as the seconds passed.

How long does it take to go to the bathroom?

When two full minutes passed, I got up, unable to wait any longer, and headed to the bathrooms. I knocked on the door, but there was no reply.

“Daisy?” I called out. “Daisy, are you still in here?”

I knocked again.

Had she snuck out the back?

I turned, eyes darting around, in search of a back entrance, but there was none within close distance.

If she snuck out of the back, I would have seen her.

“Daisy?”

I gripped the handle, hesitated a moment, and then slowly pushed the door open. My heartbeat increased, and my stomach twisted with nerves as I pushed the door wider and stepped inside.

“Daisy?”

A whimper answered me.

I hurried forward, uncaring of the other women who might be inside. All the stall doors were open, except for one. I knocked on it, making it creak as it opened.

My stomach dropped to the floor when my eyes locked on her.

Forcing myself through the small gap in the door, I pushed it closed and crouched.

“What do you want me to do?” I asked her, but she didn’t reply.

Tear-filled eyes locked with mine. The helplessness tearing at my heartstrings.

Another whimper fell from her lips.

I had no fucking idea what to do. I had been faced with many things in my line of work, but this wasn’t one of them.

Taking a seat next to her, I pulled her onto my lap and hugged her to my chest.

“It’s okay,” I whispered. “You’re okay.”

I pressed my cheek to hers and started purring.

My arms tightened around her when she whimpered. I wanted to help, but I didn’t know how.

Her body slowly relaxed and a few seconds later, her breathing started to slow. I bent my head to get a better look at her face. She was pale.

“Do you want me to get you a glass of water?” I asked her softly.

She shook her head and surprised me when she got off my lap and moved to sit against the door. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them.

“The explosion…I w-was kidnapped after my mother married John and held for ransom. You… Detective Walker was working on the case. The kidnappers mentioned you a lot.”

Daisy swallowed loudly. She hesitated a moment and then moved closer. Sitting on her knees, she raised her hand and pressed shaky fingers to the scar on my face. I sucked in a breath as she traced the jagged line.

“It’s my fault,” Daisy croaked. “I was the reason for the e-explosion.”

I frowned at her. “Flower, it’s a coincidence. There are millions of people with the same name. Explosions are common with police work.”

She shook her head as I talked. “No.”

“Daisy－”

“I saw you,” she interrupted. “I was at the hospital. I snuck out of the room to find you because nobody would tell me if you…” A sob fell from her lips. “I’m sorry Elias. I’m so sorry.”

I reached for her.

I was certain that it was just a coincidence. There was no way that life would be so cruel to bring us together in such a way. I still had nightmares which was why I was up so early in the mornings. I remembered it like it was yesterday. The fear, the adrenaline, the pain.

My brows dipped into a frown as I racked my brain for the names of the family.

There had been a lot of people affected by the blast, not just me.

“What’s your last name?”

“Valent.”

My blood ran cold as everything clicked into place. I took a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart. “Tell me why you think it was your fault.”

Daisy looked up at me. “You remember?”

I nodded.

Her eyes lowered in shame. “I listened to them talking with you, negotiating on my release and the money John had to pay them. They threatened you with the bomb. I thought they were lying.” Daisy paused, pressing her hand to her trembling lips for a few seconds. “When they turned their backs, I made a run for it. I was almost there…just a few steps away from freedom when…when…” She broke off, shaking her head.

Reaching up, I cupped her cheek and turned her face to mine. I waited until her eyes locked with mine before I spoke.

“You were just a kid, Daisy. A scared little girl who wanted to go home. Maybe it was your fault, maybe it wasn’t. We don’t know and we’ll never know, but it’s no reason for you to hold onto this guilt. What happened happened and nothing is going to change that.” I smiled. “I’ll tell you to forget about it, but I know that it won’t be that easy.”

“Don’t you hate me?” she asked so softly I almost didn’t hear her.

“Hate you?” I leaned closer. “Flower, I don’t hate you and I never will.”

Her eyes darted over my face, searching for something. It seemed like she found what she was searching for because she nodded.

“Good.” Without thinking, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her tear-stained cheek.

The taste of her salty tears was doing something strange to me, but I forced the emotions aside. I’ll try to make sense of it all once I was alone.