First Meeting{79}

I glanced at my watch for the hundredth time, frustration bubbling up inside me. Where the hell was Ashley? We were already late for our first day at the office, and I couldn't afford any more delays.

As I stood outside the pack house, waiting impatiently by the car, I ran a hand over my low man-bun, trying to control my rising irritation. Where was he? I had given him clear instructions to be ready on time, and yet here I was, left waiting for him like a fool after calling the annoying alpha multiple times.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I spotted Ashley rushing towards me from the pack house, his hair in disarray and his shirt untucked. He skidded to a halt in front of me, panting heavily.

"Sorry, Vas," he gasped out, trying to regain his breath. "I overslept and then I sorta fell asleep in the shower-"

I raised a hand to silence him, my voice cold and clipped. "Save it, Ashley. We're already late. Get in the car."

Without another word, I turned around and climbed into the driver's seat, my frustration radiating off me in waves. Ashley quickly scrambled into the passenger seat, fumbling to put on his seatbelt.

The drive to the office in the city was tense and silent, the only sound in the car the low hum of the engine. I couldn't even bring myself to look at Ashley, my disappointment too great to bear.

When we finally arrived at the office, I parked the car and stepped out, my eyes scanning the parking space for any sign of our new business partners. And there, to my dismay, stood Ashley, his hair still a mess and his shirt now half untucked.

"What the hell, Ashley?" I growled, my patience slipping away. "You can't even bother to fix yourself up properly? Is that the impression you want to make on our partners?"

He looked at me, his eyes wide with panic. "I'm sorry, Vas. I'll fix it right now, I promise." I might be an omega but I didn't top harmonious resonance for no reason. I was a force to be reckoned with.

But I didn't have time for his apologies. I stormed past him, brushing off his attempts to fix his appearance.

As we entered the office, the staff immediately began to gather around us, their faces filled with anticipation and excitement. Some of them even held small gifts, hoping to earn some favor with the new boss.

I couldn't have cared less.

Without a word, I made my way through the crowd, my eyes scanning the faces, determined not to let my disappointment show at their thoughts of bootlicking. Ashley, as always, took charge and began dismissing them with his usual air of authority.

"Alright, everyone, settle down," he said, his voice ringing out through the office. "The boss is here now, so you can all get back to work. No need to hover around him like a bunch of wannabe groupies."

I watched as the staff dispersed, their expressions ranging from confusion to disappointment. They had expected a charismatic leader, someone who would inspire and guide them. Instead, they got me – a stone-faced Omega with a no nonsense Alpha by his side. A duo who cared more about results than popularity.

Ashley walked up to me, a sheepish expression on his face. "Sorry about earlier, boss. I'll make it up to you. Ice cream on me later."

I sighed, the tension slowly seeping out of me. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again, Ashley. We can't afford to make a bad impression. And stop calling me boss when we aren't on a mission!"

He nodded, a seriousness in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. "I understand, boss. I won't let you down." This annoying male.

With that, he pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and began to read out our schedule for the day. We had a meeting with our new business partners, scheduled for later that morning. But before that, he suggested we head over to a small diner just across the road for breakfast.

As we walked towards the diner, Ashley resumed his teasing, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "You know, boss, you really need to work on your people skills. I mean, you're like an iceberg – cold and unapproachable."

I smiled, shaking my head and ignoring the title. "I'm not here to make friends, Ashley. I'm here to get the job done."

He laughed, his voice laced with amusement. "Well, lucky for you, you've got me to handle the socializing. I'll be your friendly face to the world."

"You're the worst at socializing, ash." I said.

We entered the diner, and as we settled into a booth, Ashley continued his banter. He threw lewd sexual comments into the conversation, hoping to provoke a reaction from me, but I paid him no mind. That was Ashley, always pushing boundaries and trying to get a rise out of me.

As we finished our breakfast and prepared to leave, I noticed a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. Perhaps Ashley had a point – maybe I did need to loosen up a little. But for now, I had a meeting to attend, and I needed to be on top of my game.

We made our way back to the office, ready to face the challenges of the day head-on. As we entered the meeting room, five minutes before the scheduled time, I took a deep breath, feeling a surge of determination. We made it just in time.

I glanced at Ashley, who stood by my side, his hair now somewhat tamed and his shirt properly tucked in. I nodded at him, a silent show of gratitude for his unwavering support.

We waited patiently for our new business partners, our minds focused on the task at hand. No matter what challenges lay ahead, I was confident that together, Ashley and I would conquer them.

And as the door finally swung open, I couldn't have prepared myself for the greatest shock of my life so far.

WHAT THE FUCK!