Chapter 21 CHAPTER 021
Soren should have known Reign wouldn’t let him off without punishment. Not only was he being watched every moment of the time, but he also followed the Enigma to this office to keep him within sight. Soren snorts, as if that’s really going to stop him from sneaking out if he wanted, but Soren decided to be on the enigma’s good side.
Reign is a cold-blooded killer; he takes lives as if it’s another form of breathing, and nothing and no one can stop him. Soren might be a crazy omega, but Reign is a much crazier Enigma, while Soren is still shaken that he could take a kill now without blinking, even though those alphas deserved worse. They messed with the wrong omega, and Soren would gladly slit their throat if given the chance.
And if Soren wants to survive this one-year contract, he needs to play smart, which means sitting through painfully boring meetings like this one. Soren fights off a yawn for the third time in thirty minutes as the board meeting drags on. Men in expensive suits talk about numbers, investments, territories, and shipments like it’s the most exciting thing in the world. Well, news flash, it isn’t. It’s boring as fuck.
The board members give him weird looks, probably wondering what he’s doing among them when he doesn’t belong, but he’s their boss's fiancé, so they have to deal with it.
Soren’s eyes drift over to Reign, who sits at the head of the table, posture relaxed but commanding, dressed in black as usual with his large coat and gloves. Power radiates off him. Is there a reason why he always keeps his gloves on? Soren wonders.
He tilts his head slightly as he looks at the man closely; a small smile stretches on his face as he crosses off Reign as the most handsome man Soren has ever seen and trusts him, Soren has seen a lot of men, and none of them come close.
There’s something dangerous about Reign’s beauty: the sharp jaw, dark eyes, and that controlled smirk that appears when he knows he owns the room, and of course, how easily he could control his pheromones to affect whoever he wanted. He looks like art.
“Perhaps, we could consider. Mr. McLaren’s offer.” One of the board suddenly says, pulling Soren out of his trance.
“He proposes marriage for a long-time collaboration, and Mr. Montgomery is engaged. Plus, he will never take a second glance at the McLaren family's omega heir."
“The McLaren family Omegas are known to be spoiled brats. They are pawns for their father’s business. He doesn’t care who he sells to push his company forward,” another board member throws in, disdain visible in his voice.
The conversation spikes Soren’s interest. What omega would want to marry Reign, knowing his dislike for omegas? Perhaps they have a death wish.
One of the older board members clears his throat. “We will gain more. The McLaren shipping routes would double our reach in the south. If not marriage, perhaps an… alternative arrangement.”
Soren raises a brow slowly, and the words catch Reign’s attention too as he finally speaks.
“Repeat that,” he says.
The man stiffens. He awkwardly glances around at the other members before clearing his throat and speaking again. “I only meant purely for business purposes; we shouldn’t close doors too quickly.”
Reign leans back slightly in his chair. “Are you suggesting I take an omega for business and discard my fiancé?”
Soren pouts as he turns his head to look at the broad member who brought up the idea. What Soren has with Reign might be fake, but he still feels insulted that they could dismiss him like that, even when he’s in the room. Rich people.
But the room goes silent after Reign’s question; the sound of a pin drop could be heard.
The board member swallows. “Of course not, sir. Merely that alliances sometimes require… flexibility.”
Soren snorts under his breath, and Reign’s dark eyes flick toward him briefly.
“My engagement is not a temporary contract to be renegotiated when a better offer arrives, and…” He pauses and leans forward, pinning the member with a deadly stare that makes the room suddenly cold. “You will respect my Beta fiancé, do you understand, Mr. Smith?”
The man’s lips slightly tremble as he nods and then turns to look at Soren. “I’m sorry if my words offended you, Mr. Fox."
Soren doesn’t speak but offers the man a smile, but at that moment, the door of the conference room bursts open, and Soren is hit with the pheromones of an Omega.
He reels his head like everyone else and watches as an omega male strolls into the room as if he owns it, dressed in a vest suit that hugs his tiny waist, with cold blue eyes and brown hair. His heels rail against the floor as he sways his hips from side to side, holding a folder while his gaze stays fixed on Reign as if he is the only person in the room.
The omega walks to the center of the room, throws the folder onto the table in front of Reign, and crosses his arms over his chest, standing like a model posing for the camera. “Perhaps, you should reconsider that statement about working with my family, Mr. Montgomery.”
Soren’s brow twitches in realization. This is the Omega heir of the McLaren family.
Suddenly, every board member is gathering their things, and in the next moment, they are scampering out of the room as if it’s on fire, and honestly, Soren feels the heat too.
The omega’s pheromones are sharp, sweet, and provocative. He’s pretty omega and flawless like a rich, expensive omega should be.
Soren shifts slightly. What about him? Should he leave, too?
Reign silently taps his pen on the table as he looks at the omega in front of him with a tilt of the head. “You’ve made quite the entrance,” he says calmly.
The omega smiles faintly. “I prefer efficiency.” His gaze flickers to Soren for a moment before he looks away as if he’s not interested in anyone other than the enigma. “My father sent me personally. We believe the previous discussion was… premature. We could make so much working together. I don’t see why you won’t consider a marriage collaboration.”
Soren's jaw clenches, but he pokes his inner cheek to hide the distaste. He can see a lot of reasons why their so-called partnership won’t work. For starters, he hates omegas, and he’s engaged. Soren has never been so disrespected in his entire life.
“I understand your dislike for Omegas, but scent blockers are an alternative. You will never perceive my scent during our marriage,” the omega continues.
Soren’s fingers curl slightly at his sides, and his jaw clenches further, and the awful feeling in his gut seems to grow. This omega is everything Soren is not. This omega doesn’t hate his subgender as Soren does. If Reign were to choose an omega, plenty are throwing themselves on the table as offers. Soren is nothing compared to them.
Soren doesn’t want to sit here and listen any further. He stands to his feet.
“I’ll go get coffee,” he announces, even though no one asks, and without waiting for a response, he leaves the room.
He should have left the moment those broad members did. He wouldn't have gotten his feelings discarded and hurt, but why does he care?