Hunting Their Omega

Mine

Aurelia

"Are you alright, Dr. Flores? You look like you’ve seen a ghost," Janice noted as I practically ran through the hospital's front doors and headed for my office. Her voice sounded like it was miles away. I could barely hear her and when I looked over, her face was blurred.

Oh god, was I about to pass out? My head was spinning, and I couldn’t seem to calm my racing heart.

"Never better," I blurted, but didn't stop to chat.

"Wait..." Janice tried, but I desperately needed to get to my office and sit down before I embarrassed myself and had a full-blown panic attack in the front lobby of the hospital.

I reached my office and opened the door before stepping inside and quickly shutting it behind me. I pushed my forehead against the cold, smooth surface of the door as I inhaled a shaky breath, trying to calm myself down.

You're fine. Everything’s fine. You're being paranoid. I told myself, but just as I was about to turn and head for my chair, someone cleared their throat behind me.

My eyes widened and I dropped the paper bag in my hand as I slowly turned to see who was in my office.

Janice was probably trying to warn me when I got back, and I ignored her.

Damn it.

A man in his early fifties, whom I didn't recognize, sat in my chair behind my desk. Obviously, he thought highly of himself if he felt it was appropriate to take my seat, in my office. That or he was trying to send a message that he was above me. Either way, my jaw clenched at the sight of him leaning back casually with one of his ankles propped on his thigh. Who was this man and why was he invading my personal space? At least the anger coursing through my veins grounded me a little and eased some of the other symptoms I had been experiencing.

As I assessed the man, I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand.

He had black hair slicked back, a mustache, and dark eyes that almost matched his hair color. He wore a black three-piece suit and seemed well-built. It was hard to gauge his height since he was sitting down, but I was guessing he was over six feet tall.

I would say he was good-looking for an older man, but there was something off about him. I could feel it in my gut.

"Good afternoon, Miss..." the man sitting in my chair started, but his words trailed off as he waited for me to finish his sentence.

"Doctor... Doctor Flores," I replied, a bit of venom lacing my tone. I might be okay with my friends leaving out the doctor's title in my name, but this arrogant asshole sitting in my chair would address me respectfully if he wanted to talk.

He smiled, not looking the least bit put off by the bite in my tone.

"They told me you'd be a handful, Doctor Flores. I can't say I'm disappointed they were right." He chuckled.

"Who's they? And what can I do for you, Mister..." I asked, trailing off at the end just like he had done.

He stood from my chair, revealing that I had been correct about his height. He was well over six feet tall. He moved around the desk and stopped when he was only a few feet away, extending his hand for me to shake. He was smiling in a way that sent another cold chill through my body.

There was definitely something off about this man. Warning bells were going off in my head.

"Theodore Richards," he said, his tone smooth as silk.

I reluctantly shook his hand since I was a professional, but then quickly regretted it when he brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. His lips lingered longer than necessary on my skin, making me shudder. I tried to free my hand, but his hold was unrelenting.

"You are very beautiful, Miss Flores," he noted, but I cut him off.

"Doctor," I gritted out and yanked my hand harder, successfully pulling it free from his grasp. I rubbed my knuckles against my pants to wipe away any residue from his chapped lips.

"Aww, right. My apologies, Doctor Flores," he said, but his tone sounded far from apologetic. If anything, he sounded amused and pleased by my irritation.

"What can I do for you, Mister Richards?" I asked while glancing back at the door, wondering if I could make it out of the room before he caught me. I should have run the minute I saw him in my chair, but I had been too surprised by his presence to react. Now that he was standing, my chances of escaping were reduced.

"You missed your appointment this morning for the mandatory testing. Did you not get the letters that demanded your presence?" Theodore asked smoothly.

I gulped, my body suddenly feeling clammy from the chill that took over, cooling my sweat-coated skin. I had a feeling he was here because of the appointment I missed, but I was hoping to be wrong.

"Unless someone tells me what the testing is for, I won't participate. I'm reasonable and don't feel like I'm asking for much," I said, feeling proud of how firm I sounded even though deep down my confidence was dwindling.

"Mayor Galloway told me you'd ask questions and be difficult to handle. Said you're always outspoken at town meetings," he chuckled darkly, sending another shiver down my spine.

I took a step back putting some distance between us, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second.

I was also furious with Mayor Galloway. Yes, I asked a lot of questions at meetings and held him accountable, but I wasn't the only one to do so. Plus, his job as mayor was to answer our questions and concerns. So, why the hell was he telling strangers I was difficult to deal with?

"Unfortunately for you, Miss Flores," Theodore started, emphasizing the word miss purposefully to piss me off. I didn't bite this time and waited for him to continue.

"The testing is mandatory, and we don't need to provide you with details of what it's for. Having said that, from the slight smell coming off you, I have a feeling you're what we're looking for. The test is merely a means to confirm it at this point, but we can do that right here and now," Theodore added, inhaling deeply and letting out a little satisfied moan as he exhaled.

What the actual f**k was going on?

A frown formed between my brows and my heart rate picked up speed as I processed his words. They made no sense. He said I was what they were looking for. That he could tell by my smell. What did that even mean? What were they looking for? Who were they? And what did I smell like?

If anything, I smelt like sweat after my near-panic attack at the coffee shop. Plus, what did my smell have to do with any of this?

I snapped out of my thoughts when a little voice in my subconscious demanded that I run, warning me that I was in danger.

I met Theodore's gaze, and the dark glint shimmering in his eyes was enough for me to listen to that faint voice in my head and I ran.

I spun on my heels, grabbed the door handle, and quickly turned the knob before shoving it open.

I glanced behind me, expecting the man to chase me, but he didn’t, making my frown deepen. He stood in the same spot, looking calm and unconcerned with my attempt to flee, his hands casually resting in his pant pockets.

I quickly stepped out of my office while suspiciously eyeing him over my shoulder.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it far when I collided with a hard wall.

I groaned from the pain that exploded on the side of my face.

Two strong hands grabbed my arms, steadying me.

That same heat from earlier in the coffee shop returned with a vengeance. It felt like someone had thrown a match onto my gasoline-covered skin and set me on fire. What the hell was happening? As the thought crossed my mind, another cramp exploded in my lower abdomen, causing a whimper to leave my lips.

I looked at the wall blocking my path and realized it wasn't a wall but the handsome, stern man from the coffee shop. His face was even more severe this time as his jaw ticked and his nostrils flared.

He brought his face to the crook of my neck and inhaled a deep breath. Goosebumps erupted all over my skin where his nose touched. I froze in place, mesmerized by the action. For some reason, the sudden urge to step into him and rub my body against his became overwhelming, but before I could, he growled a word that snapped me out of my daze.

"MINE."

His arms snaked around my back, and he pulled me firmly into his chest, where he held me possessively. If there was any doubt before that he was referring to me when he growled the word mine, it was long gone. He held me and nuzzled his face against my neck as if I belonged to him.

I frowned, not liking how this stranger spoke to me. What kind of caveman said mine when referring to a woman? I wasn’t property to be own and I certainly didn’t belong to this brute. I didn’t even know him.

But at the same time, butterflies invaded my stomach, and I felt a gush of warm liquid coat my panties. Even the feral growl that still rumbled in his chest was doing something to my insides. How was it even possible for him to make that sound? It was so animalistic and deep. It awoke something inside of me.

A whimper left my lips before I could stop it.

Why was my body reacting so strongly to this stranger? I had never reacted to anyone like this before.

I should have been appalled by his bold statement, and I was, but my mind and body were at war. My body liked the possessiveness in his tone and was quite content remaining snuggled in the stranger's arms, while my brain demanded I slap him for touching me so intimately without my permission.

"Well, that's going to be a problem, Jaxson." Theodore noted with a disapproving sigh before commanding, "Restrain them both."