Page 26 of Galaxy Between Us

“It was just an accident, and I said I was sorry!” Ari pokes his head around my larger frame; delicate fingers wrapped around my bicep. Flexing a little bit for him, I hardly refrain from my eyes rolling back with pleasure. His hand feels damn good there.

“Sorry doesn’t fix a custom designed and tailored outfit worth more than your annual salary! But of course, a lowly Omega like you wouldn’t know that.”

Oh, boy. Jaimie’s words make me blink back to the present. I better de-escalate this.

“Jaimie, enough. Arius is an old friend of mine and I expect you to treat him with the same respect you give me. I’ll pay to have your clothes fixed if that’ll make you happy. Besides, I think you two could be great friends.”

Both Omegas look at me completely unconvinced, so I clear my throat and project some of my Alpha pheromones into the room. It’s not something I like to do often, but I fear if I don’t, things may get out of hand. After a beat, they both submit and I give them each a nod.

That’s better.

We’re off to a hot start, but they seem to have reached a truce. For now.

Arius and I ate dinner together. We caught up on some things. I told him about a huge magazine I’d headlined in three times in the past two years. He told me about an Omega activist group he joined at boarding school. Neither of us brought up how Arius suddenly left me without saying goodbye all those years ago.

In Minsley's lab, each member of the crew hovers distantly around Ari and me as we observe the three-three-four telescope model. They don’t look happy. Especially Minsley, whose curiosity outweighs his disdain for this precious Omega. Something tells me they probably weren’t any happier to see him even before this whole situation.

I notice Ari stealing glances at a Beta in the room. I’m not sure why, but it sparks rage that I haven’t felt in a long time. I’ve been managing my anger well these last several years. Not letting things trigger me as easily as when I was a hormonal teenager with no grasp on my strength. Why would I relapse now?

My possessive hand lifts to his back, encouraging him to go on. Ocean blue eyes meet mine over his shoulder before he begins and I offer an encouraging nod.

I like his eyes on me. Not on that smug-looking Beta.

“If you open up the optical tube near the second focal plane, like this,” he explains while demonstrating. “You can adjust the aperture through here.”

He may not realize, but no one else’s hands are as small and careful as his. It’s no wonder they hadn’t thought of this.

“And even the slightest adjustment can significantly increase the focus,” the Beta pieces together.

“Correct,” Ari nods to him. “The lens sits right in front of the zoom chamber.”

I’m beginning to really hate this guy. Why is he getting so much of Ari’s attention? Is this what he’s into? Smart Betas? I’m bigger than him. Higher up than him. Smarter than him…and probably scarier.

I’ll need to let off some steam at the gym after this before I go all Alpha on these people.

With a deep inhale of his calming scent, I turn my focus back on Ari and his amazing work.

“This is an outstanding level of innovation, Arius.”

He beams at the praise with rosy cheeks.

“Are we just going to ignore the fact that he’s still a disobedient Omega?” Mr. Minsley finally snaps. “He violated his cleaner contract by tampering with unauthorized equipment! And he withheld this information from us for days!”

Unfortunately, he has a point. I won’t fire Ari, but Minsley doesn’t trust him enough to remain cleaning his lab. I turn to Arius as everyone disperses back to their lab stations.

“As a cleaner, you are still within your contract, so I’ll have to put you on suspension for this.”

“I understand,” he hangs his head.

I tilt his chin up, loving the feel of his soft skin on my fingers.

“Going forward, come talk to me first if you have any ideas you want to share. Got it?”

He nods with a tilt of his head that charges my soul.

I offer to walk Arius back to his dorm room, but first he asks if he can say something to Brock. I wait by the door as he practically skips up to the Beta from earlier. My jaw clenches. If I’d known that was who he meant, I would’ve dragged him out of here.

I can’t hear their conversation, which makes me more frustrated and impatient as I wait. Are they friends? Or are they more? He seems a little more flirty than usual as he leans casually on the Beta’s table. Happy, even.