Post-dance-class and freshly showered, Harley found himself in the back of one of the Academy’s town cars. He was headed to his father’s office downtown, a fifteen-minute drive from the school.
He had just pulled out his phone to start a secret game of Candy Crush (his guiltiest pleasure) when it buzzed. An incoming text, from Grant: “Call me when you get this.”
Harley sighed. He might as well since he had some time to kill. He tapped through his contacts until he found Grant’s number.
The Alpha answered on the first ring. “Baby! It’s been too long.” His voice was deep, sexy. “You know I don’t like to have to remind you to call me.”
“Hi, Grant. I know, I’m sorry. I was totally out of it, what with my heat and all.”
“That’s right!” Harley could hear the smile in Grant’s voice. “And how was it? Did you think of me while you were getting yourself off? Did you moan my name when you came?”
Harley felt his cheeks go red. “Grant, please.”
The Alpha heaved a sigh. “Oh, Harley. You really are a virgin, aren’t you? Well, I suppose you’d better be.” He chuckled. “So, we’re on for this weekend. I got our reservation changed at Le Bleu. Once the manager figured out who I was, he practically fell all over himself to accommodate me.”
Who your father is, you mean, thought Harley, but instead he said, “That’s so great, Grant! I can’t wait to go with you. I’ve missed you.”
“Have you, Harley? If you really missed me, would I have to remind you to call me?”
“The school took my phone away! They said something about Omegas heat-calling inappropriate people.”
He could hear the heavy pause at the other end. “Well, you’ll be done with that silly school soon enough, baby. Then the only rules you’ll have to worry about are mine.”
Harley was saved from having to respond to that by the car pulling up to the curb. “Oh, Grant, I have to run, I have a meeting with my father.”
“What does he want?” He could hear the irritation in Grant’s tone. There was no love lost between the two of them.
“I have no idea,” lied Harley. “Probably to talk about my graduation.”
Grant chuckled. “Sounds riveting. Well, enjoy it, baby. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at nine. Dress hot so I can show you off.”
“I will. Bye, Grant.”
Harley hung up and set his phone in his lap.
“Mister Day? We’re here,” the chauffeur said gently.
“Yes, thank you.” He sighed, glancing up at the shining glass skyscraper. Might as well get this over with.
***
The hallways of Day Pharmaceuticals Incorporated were a maze, but Harley could find his way blindfolded. He’d been walking these halls since he could toddle. Of course, that was back when they weren’t sure what he was going to be: Alpha, Beta, or Omega. Now that everyone knew it was the latter, Harley didn’t get invited to shadow his father at work anymore. Omegas became mates to CEOs, not CEOs themselves.
His father’s office was a roomy suite in the corner of the building. His assistant, Deanna, greeted Harley with a warm smile. “Go on in, Mister Day. He’s waiting for you.” Habit made Harley knock anyway before entering. He barely had time to close the door behind him before his father spoke.
“What’s this I hear about you having a strange Alpha in your room?” His father had been gazing out the window, but when Harley entered, he swung around like a swordsman facing a new foe. Even from across the room, he could feel the weight of his father’s anger. Harrison Day was not a man known for keeping his emotions in check. But then, few Alphas were.
Harley sighed. “Hi, dad. Nice to see you too.”
His father waved a hand dismissively. “You’re going to put our whole plan in jeopardy and you want me to kiss your forehead? Think again, Harley. Now then, out with it. What happened? Did you fuck him?”
Harley cringed. “No!”
“Well, at least you have some sense. How did you manage that, being in heat?”
“He... stopped it. He left me.” Harley didn’t see any point in lying to his father. Sooner or later, the man had a way of finding out.
“He left you? Interesting.” He paused, fixing Harley with that inscrutable gaze. “And what happened with the Dean?”
“I won’t be expelled, I’m just banned from all social and extracurricular actives for the remainder of the year.”
“That’s all? Good. Now that you’ve finally had your heat it doesn’t matter. We can give up the charade of waiting until you graduate for marriage. In fact, I mean to see you married before your next heat.”
“But that’s... less than a month away!” Harley felt like the floor had dropped out from underneath him. No way, it was way too soon. He and Grant barely knew each other.
His father nodded, ignoring Harley’s shock. He paced back and forth like a caged lion as he spoke. “The sooner you’re married, the sooner we can get our hands on his family’s money. And the sooner we can turn this company’s finances around. You know better than anyone how important that is, Harley. We have discussed this time and time again. And you have agreed to do your part to help our family succeed.”
It was true. From the minute he’d been enrolled in the Omega Academy, an expense they could barely afford, Harley knew what his family expected: for him to marry someone rich. Because without some serious capital for new innovations, Day Pharmaceuticals was in danger of going under, or worse, being acquired by a rival. For someone like Harley’s father, the prospect was not something to be suffered lightly. He would do anything to avoid it. But like many things in Harley’s life, it was a secret. If word got leaked to the press, it would be all over for them. Investors would pull out, stocks would plummet, and that would be the end.
“Are you listening, Harley?” His father’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “I said, I’ll be in contact with Grant’s family tomorrow to start the wedding planning. Your mother won’t like the short notice, but the sooner we get you mated the sooner I can relax. After what happened with that moron of a security guard, I’m not taking any more chances on our future. Grant won’t take you if you’re damaged goods.” He paused, fixing Harley with a steely gaze. “I trust that you won’t embarrass me by being anything less than enthusiastic in public?”
“No, sir. I’ll handle it.”
He nodded brusquely. “Good. Expect a proposal in the next few days. I’ll be in contact with more arrangements as they’re made.” He turned back to the window, the usual sign that Harley was dismissed.
Harley was proud of himself. He managed to make it all the way back to the privacy of his room before letting the tears fall.