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My first stop before I leave Granton is the bank, owned by the elder Werth Pack, where a rosy-cheeked, pudgy male beta ushers me into his private office to assist with the account name change. He simpers and tells me he’s so sorry for my loss, and I mumble the words that people expect when you should be grieving. But I’m not.
He makes roundabout comments about how he hopes I’ll be pleased with their service and continue my patronage of them. It occurs to me I don’t have to keep my money with this bank. I can pull it all out and transfer it to my existing account.
I’m considering doing that—the elder Werth Pack owns the fucking bank, and hell if I want them to make any money off my money—when the door opens and a familiar waft of soothing beta scent hits me, blended with a faint whiff of creamy coffee and whiskey.
Topher. Topher is standing behind me. “Sorry to interrupt, Giles, but- Vee?” He sounds shocked to see me here, in the bank owned by his pack members’ fathers.
The beta across from me—Giles, apparently—stumbles to his feet, another simpering smile on his face. Or maybe that’s just how he is all the time. Simpering. “How can I help you, Mr. Werth?”
I don’t turn around, but I can feel his gaze burning into the back of my skull. Topher ignores Giles’ question. “What are you doing here, beautiful?”
My fingers tighten on the arms of my chair as I grit my teeth, refusing to answer. But of course, eager to please Giles, rushes to explain. “Miss Kinsella is having her grandmother’s account transferred to her name. Gladys Benson.”
I feel him move closer, so close his body heat radiates out to kiss my suddenly chilly skin. The omega in my chest sits up and takes notice. It’s not the same as it was with Davis and Jackson, who she recognizes as her alphas, her need to please them greater than any other instinct she has, but she still recognizes him as Mine.
I’m taken aback by the ache in my teeth, my jaw, the sudden overwhelming need to pierce his skin with my bite. I bite my tongue instead until I taste blood.
It’s not possible for a beta to claim an omega through a bite. I mean betas can bite omegas all day long and the mark will be there. It might even scar when it heals, but the bond won’t form. Omegas, however, can bite a beta and form a weaker version of the alpha/omega bond. I would have done that in a heartbeat back in the day. Sunk my teeth into Topher’s neck, marking him as mine, creating the special bond between us and only us.
Now I can barely stand to look at him.
“Kinsella?” he asks, and I know there are more questions behind it. Did you join a pack? Did you let an alpha bite you in? Did you just change your name to hide from us?
I tilt my head and look at him through narrowed eyes. “Yes,” I bite out. “Kinsella.” He doesn’t need to know that the Kinsella clan adopted me. That they’re my family and certainly not my lovers.
Maybe him thinking that I bonded to another pack will hurt him, make him feel the smallest portion of the pain I felt when they rejected me.
His brown eyes run over me, and I take a moment to do the same. Brown skin, brown eyes, brown hair. You’d think it would make Topher a little bland, monotone, one note. But he’s fucking beautiful. A symphony of warmth that makes my heart ache.
He moves into my space, bracing his hands on my chair as I yank my arms out of the way, avoiding his touch. “I don’t see a bite on your pretty neck, Vee.”
I see one on his. Just above his collared shirt in a spot where no one will miss it. He can’t cover it up unless he’s wearing a turtleneck or a scarf. Jackson bit him, bonded him, sunk his teeth in deep enough to make him bleed.
Or was it Yasmin who bonded him?
The omega in me hates the thought of that, waking up from her eternal slumber to howl in agony. My teeth ache with the need to sink into his skin. Even as my chest cracks a little with the realization that they really moved on without me. Formed a pack, created pack bonds and bites and probably little babies that have silky brown hair and green eyes like the witch that stole them from me.
I do my best not to lean into him, not to take deep inhales of the lemon and mint scent I know as well as my own. Better, since mine is always hidden, stifled under chemicals. “We both know there are plenty of other places to put a bonding bite, Topher.”
His mouth pulls into a crooked smile, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Not going to pretend you don’t know me, then?”
I smirk and lean back. “It’s pointless, isn’t it?” My hand flutters toward Giles, but brushes against the buttons of Topher’s crisp light blue shirt. “Giles there gave away my true identity by telling you who my grandmother was.”
He leans closer, so close his nose brushes the tip of mine. “You should know we’d recognize you anywhere, beautiful.”
I blow out a soft breath. He inhales it, eyes burning with desire, with… No, I shake my head and lean back, just as Giles clears his throat. “The transfer is complete, Miss Kinsella. I’ll just need your signature and then you’re all set.”
I pull my gaze away from Topher, still leaning over me. “I’d like a printout of all transactions for the last ten years, if possible.”
Gile’s brows arch as Topher finally straightens, folding his arms over his chest. “We have an online system where you can check the account, Miss Kinsella,” Giles says, eyes darting between the two of us. “I’d be happy to set you up with a login and password.”
“Why do you want that, Vee?” Topher asks, tilting his head like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve.
“It’s not really any of your business,” I snap out, pushing to a stand. “Nevermind. I’ll just access it at home.” I point at the sheet of paper on the desk. “Is that what you need me to sign?”
“I-Yes.” Giles gapes at me, probably because he can’t believe anyone would talk to any member of the Werth pack like I just did. I bend over and snatch up a pen, scrawling my name on the highlighted line. Then slam the pen down and slide it over to Giles, offering him a forced smile.
“Thank you for your help today.”
