Page 69 of Speechless
“Because you have basic common sense,” the same voice came from speakers in the ceiling. “And yes, there are both explosives and firearms lining the walls in case someone who’s not welcome shows up. Don’t worry. You’re not on that list.”
“That’s very reassuring.”
“It should be. My communication style is very direct. If I were going to kill you, you’d either be dead before you knew the difference, or I would tell you to your face and revel in it.”
I paused. “All right. I think that’s less comforting than you imagine, but I’ll take your word for it.” Not like I really had much of an option now that I was standing in the middle of a kill box.
“To each their own.”
The hallway was a bit longer than it looked. When I reached a door so thick it seemed like a bank vault, I felt like I was in the belly of the beast.
The door unlocked, and I entered, heaving the heavy door open. “You don’t think this amount of security is overkill?”
“Probably,” he acknowledged, his voice now not filtered through speakers. “But you know what they say. Better safe than dead.”
“I think it’s better safe than sorry?”
He chuckled. “Not in my line of work.”
I wasn’t sure what I pictured, but a suave man in a button-down and dress slacks wasn’t it. For some reason, I thought I’d be walking into a space lined with fast food wrappers and empty sodas along with a person in old basketball shorts and greasy hair. Not a space so neat and clean it barely looked lived in, and someone who looked like they were on their way out to a date.
Spinning in his chair, he looked at me, and we sized each other up.
Something shifted, and I let the shock show on my face.
Feeling the connection with pack members was a much subtler sensation than meeting your Omega. With the others, it had been that quiet feeling ofknowing. No way to describe it unless you’d felt it happening. And right now? It was happening.
All awkwardness slipped away, both our instincts recognizing the other as pack. What the actual fuck?
Aiden leaned back in his chair and grinned. “Well… that’s different.”
“Yeah…” I shook my head. “Not really what I expected.”
There was no protocol for the way packs formed. Just because the connection was there didn’t mean you were obligated. Most of the time people did, because it made sense to stay with the people whose instincts matched yours, and we had them for a reason.
“I didn’t catch your name,” Aiden said, standing and holding out a hand.
I shook it. “Theo Pierce.”
He paused. “You’re the swimmer.”
“Yeah.”
“Nicely done last Olympiad.”
“Thank you.”
We stood there for a second, staring at each other. What did we do now? “Do you have any pack members already?”
“No.” He shook his head and sat back down at his computer, typing quickly. The screens all around the room began to turn off until it was only the security monitors that were live. “It had gotten to the point where I thought I’d be on my own. Which would have been fine. But I guess that’s not true now.” He laughed once. “Unless you’re not looking for additions. I promise I won’t be offended.”
“Well, there’s three more of us, so I’m not going to make that decision on my own. But I wouldn’t say no. I’m more blindsided than anything else.”
“Four of you? Damn. Well, thankfully, due to the unique nature of my job, I have a very flexible schedule. I’m happy to come meet the rest of the pack. If you’re interested.”
I startled out of the daze I was in. “Yeah. For sure. Our lives have been a bit hectic the last few days, so it makes sense.”
He frowned. “Why?”
