Page 64 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

“My mate. My beta.”

The claim came out in a hiss.

“Apologies,” he hummed, sounding anything but apologetic. “Please sit. I’m looking forward to discussing how Northeast Property Management can assist Hawthorne Farms. You are the biggest maple producer in the country.

A hollow, cold laugh slipped from Ty. Like me, he knew this man only wanted one thing—money. He wasn’t afraid to stoop to stealing it from someone as sweet as our little omega.

“Actually,” I said, my voice dropping an octave, “we’re here to discuss another matter. One pertaining to Mia Birch.”

The color drained from Miller’s sallow cheeks. His smile faded, his lips twisting.

“I'm sorry. But I cannot discuss another client’s po⁠—”

“Our omega,” I cut him off. “She is a member of the Hawthorne Pack.”

Rage swirled in my gut. My vision blurred, tunneling on Miller as I crowded him. A strong hand gripped my arm, grounding me. I sucked in a breath.

The other alpha swallowed, looking like a wax figure melting in the sun. His eyes darted to the door, then back to us.

“Ah,” he stammered, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Ms. Birch. Yes. Well. There have been… complications with her property. Administrative errors, mostly. We’ve sent several letters explaining the delay in e⁠—”

“You sent nothing.”

The dangerous rumble hissed through Ty’s clenched jaw, the sound like nothing I had ever heard from him before. He stepped forward, the movement so fluid and predatory it made Miller stumble back against his chair.

I smirked, leaning against the wall, content to watch my beta rip the other man to shreds.

“You stole from an orphaned omega, who scraped together just enough money to keep her childhood home afloat. You left her house to rot. And for what?”

Ty slammed his fists on either side of Miller’s chair. I adjusted my hard length, scratching my fingers through my beard.

“Now, see here,” Miller tried, his alpha rising to the surface. My shoulders straightened, my muscles taut as I prepared to defend my mate if needed. “That property was a liability from the start. We followed standard protocol. If she can’t afford the upkeep, that’s hardly a matter for⁠—”

Ty didn’t let him finish. In a blur, Ty grabbed Miller by the lapels of his designer suit and slammed him into the paneled wall. The pictures on the walls rattled, one falling to the ground, the glass shattering at their feet.

Sick satisfaction morphed with grim pride. I’d always known Ty was protective, but seeing him like this made our bond sing.

“Shut. Up,” Ty snarled, his face inches from Miller’s. “You took advantage of our omega. You stole everything from her to pad your own greedy, gaudy lifestyle. And now you’re going to fix it.”

“I’ll refund her payments for property maintenance,” Miller choked out, his face turning a concerning shade of plum.

My alpha refused to remain silent anymore. I stomped across the lacquered floor, hoping my shoes scuffed it. My fingers yanked on the tie choking me, and I tossed it aside. I glared at the other alpha, loosening the top two buttons on my shirt before rolling my sleeves.

This bottom-feeder pushed my last nerve. My restraint held on by a frayed thread, and if he thought Ty was terrifying, he was about to see what an unhinged Apex looked like when defending their pack.

Before I could say anything, my beta spoke, his voice an emotionless whisper that made the hairs on my arms prickle.

“That, and then you are going to fund the full restoration of her home. Here is the estimate.”

With his free hand, Ty fished a rumpled piece of paper out of his pocket. He released Miller. The alpha slumped to the floor, gasping for air, clutching at the bruises on his windpipe.

Snarling, he snatched the quote, his yellow eyes bugging out of his head.

“Are you mad? This is insane. It’d be cheaper just to tear down the trash heap and build a new house.”

“But our omega doesn’t want a new house. She wants the one she shared with her parents. If we don’t see the money in her account by the end of the month, we’ll go to the press with proof of what you did to Mia Birch. A young, orphaned omega.”

“You can’t… you can't threaten me like this. I have lawyers. I’ll have you arrested before you hit the lobby.”