Chapter 26

I couldn’t believe I was doing this.

Hawk’s hand rested on my thigh while he drove. The back seat of their SUV was filled with way too many bags, each one with pale pink tissue paper sticking out of it.

Cheria had every piece of lingerie you could imagine, and I was halfway convinced we’d bought one of each. I’d told Hawk he didn’t have to, but once he begged the sales woman for my sizes, he was like an unleashed tornado.

I pulled out my phone to calm my nerves about actually taking pictures like this, and texted Trinity first.

ISOLDE

Hey. You alive? Haven’t heard from you since you disappeared.

A picture came through almost immediately. Trinity with her blonde hair in a messy bun, hair flying in every direction, and a silly expression on her face.

TRINITY

Proof of life! And yeah, sorry. Things have been crazy. The emergency was that somebody at the office died. A freak car accident. Thing is, they were one of our biggest people, so everyone’s been scrambling to pick up the slack and make sure that stories don’t get dropped in the middle. It’s a mess.

I kind of got promoted though? Like not really, but I get to do some of these stories, and they’re a bit more serious.

Damn. Trinity loved her job, reporting on the society scene in Clarity Coast and Sunset City, but she still wanted to do more. Sure, her profiles on people like the St. James pack were well received—I still had to ask them about that interview—and she had fun doing them.

It was the occasional boozy girl’s night where she confessed she wanted a bit more substance. Not to leave the fun, glitzy part of the job behind, but expand it. She had killer interview skills. Why not use them to do stories on celebrities and society and the heavy hitters?

I hoped this would be that chance.

ISOLDE

That’s great! I mean, not that someone died, but that you’ll have the chance to do something more. If you need help or anything, let me know.

TRINITY

If I need a rescue from my own brain you’ll be the first person I call.

Then I texted the thread with all three of us.

ISOLDE

I agreed to do something, and it might be a terrible idea.

OCEAN

Considering your last ‘terrible idea’ has turned out great so far, I’m going to withhold judgment until I hear it.

TRINITY

Yeah. What did you do? If it involves any of the handsome Alphas you’re currently sharing a bed with, I doubt it’s bad.

ISOLDE

One of them talked me into doing a boudoir photoshoot.

Talking me into it was a little generous. Hawk hadn’t had to do much convincing once he told me exactly what he was thinking. But it was still nothing I would have come up with alone.

TRINITY

Holy FUCKING SHIT.

That’s not a bad idea, that’s incredible! I will need to see the photos immediately.

ISOLDE

Slow down, cowgirl. I actually have to take them first.

TRINITY

Details.

OCEAN

I’m with Rin in that I don’t think it’s a bad idea, but oh my god I cannot imagine doing that. I never could!

Trinity’s text and mine came through at the exact same time.

TRINITY

Bullshit.

ISOLDE

Bullshit.

OCEAN

It is not bullshit. I barely want to take my clothes off, let alone take them off in front of a camera. Besides, this isn’t about me. When are you doing this, Iz?

ISOLDE

We’re on our way now. The man took me to Cheria and basically bought out the store.

TRINITY

Who is it?

ISOLDE

Hawk.

TRINITY

That Alpha is sex on a stick. Put your phone down and focus, Iz. We’ll be waiting for an update later.

OCEAN

Have fun! 😘

Hawk squeezed my thigh. “You okay over there?”

“Yeah.”

He chuckled, moving his hand to hold mine. “Very convincing.”

“I have no idea how to take pictures, let alone take them in clothes that make me blush by just trying them on.”

“That’s one of the things people love about Janet. She has this way of making people comfortable even if they’ve never been in front of the camera before. I’ll be there the whole time.”

“Even if I can’t see you?”

One glance at me and he smirked. “Especially then.”

We pulled up to an unassuming building, and Hawk parked. I barely stopped myself from hopping out of the SUV, remembering the promise I made Cade. I waited until Hawk circled the car and opened the door for me.

His grin was blinding. “She can learn.”

“Don’t push it.”

“Oh, I will push it, baby girl. Into you. Very soon. Go on in. I’ll grab the bags.”

My stomach was a jumble of nerves. Here went nothing.

As soon as I walked in the door, I stopped. The space was nothing like it looked from the outside. A cozy front area opened up into a bright, airy space where there were sets in different places. A wrought-iron bed, a bathtub, a window with floaty curtains, some pillows and blankets that looked very much like a nest.

“You must be Isolde.” A woman sat behind the small front desk, dark hair, dark skin, and glasses. The scent of tangerines reached me. She was an Alpha, smiling at me. “Yeah, that’s me.”

She stood and came around. “It’s great to meet you. Hawk seems absolutely taken with you.”

“He’s outside bringing in way too many bags of lingerie. Seriously. There’s no way in hell we’ll be able to use it all.”

Janet laughed and gestured to the back. “Sounds like Hawk. We’ll get you started on makeup and hair, and then we can decide on outfits. Ever done anything like this before?”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “Not going to pretend I’m not nervous, either.”

“Don’t worry, that’s totally normal.” A brightly lit make-up station sat in a little hallway near the bathroom, with two more women. “This is Erin and Monica. They’re my Beta and Omega, and they’re going to take care of you.”

The way she looked at them made me stop short. Janet looked at the two women the way the St. James pack looked at me. “It’s nice to meet you.”

I extended my hand and Erin took it. “Oh my god I love working with redheads. You’re going to look so good when I’m done with you, none of your pack will be able to resist.”

A laugh caught in my throat. “Some of them already have that problem.”

“All of them,” Hawk’s voice echoed from the main entry. “We all have that problem. Janet, you want to take a look at this buffet to see what you can work with?”

Janet rolled her eyes, clearly amused. Then she leaned closer and put her hand on my shoulder. “Trust me when I say that the Alphas who go a little overboard always end up with the best photoshoots. You can be nervous, but we’re going to make you look incredible.” She strode away, and I heard her talking. “You really did bring the whole store with you, huh?”

Monica began brushing through my hair, and Erin stared at me. “Do I have something on my face?”

“Not yet. I’m deciding which way I want to go with you. Do you want something to drink? We’ve got tea, water, and soda. I think there’s some lemonade in the fridge. Or I could⁠—”

“Tea would be great,” I said with a laugh, their earnestness breaking through the nerves. “Thank you.”

“I’m thinking big waves and volume.” Monica pushed her fingers up through my hair, simulating the size. “Kind of old-school glamor. With this color it could be great. What do you think?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I love that. Good luck though. My hair hates curls. If you can get them to stick, you’ll be a miracle worker.” Even Ronnie hadn’t gotten curls to stay for my parents’ party. The blowout was incredible, but my hair loved to be straight.

She smirked. “That’s exactly what I am.”

Erin appeared with the tea, and they both went to work, chatting away. In the other room I heard the crinkle of tissue paper and low conversation as Janet and Hawk decided my wardrobe.

“Do you guys ever work with plus size clients?”

“Fuck yes we do,” Monica said. “All the time. They’re some of my favorites.”

I smiled. “One of my best friends said she could never do this. Granted, I didn’t think I could either, but if I can, I’d love for her to try it.”

“We love our plus size girls,” Janet said, appearing with Hawk. “If you can get her here, we’ll make sure she has a good time.”

“Noted.”

Hawk crouched by my chair, taking my hand. The girls suddenly gave us some space. “How you doing, baby girl?”

“Better. I don’t feel as nervous.”

“Good. I’m not going to kiss you yet so I don’t ruin your makeup.” He kissed my temple instead. “That will come later.”

The nerves in my stomach weren’t from fear now, but anticipation.

“Fuck, Isolde, you can’t perfume like that if you want me to last the whole shoot.”

I raised an eyebrow. “This was your idea, Alpha. Keep it in your pants.”

A low growl that went straight to my core. “Naughty Omega, calling me Alpha in that tone.”

“You don’t like it?”

“No, I like it far, far too much.”

The girls finished my makeup—dewy skin with shimmering gold around my eyes—and my hair stayed in giant rollers that made me look like some horrific combination of a satellite and a flower.

“What do you think of these?” Janet asked.

Lingerie was laid out on the bed. Some I’d seen at the store, some I hadn’t. All of it was beautiful, and pretty much all of it was nothing I’d ever worn before.

A gorgeous, sheer, emerald baby doll dress with matching underwear. Something that was vaguely bodysuit shaped with sapphire blue straps which would cover the important bits. A shimmering golden robe over a black bra and underwear set, which I had chosen. And finally, a black and silver corset. It didn’t look like anything was paired with it.

Hawk wrapped me in his favorite pose, being careful not to disturb the curlers. “I think they’re beautiful.”

I smacked his hand around my waist. “Of course you do. You chose them.” Then I turned around and looked up at him, whispering. “What am I supposed to do with all the rest of it? I know this isn’t even close to the amount you bought.”

“You keep it,” he said. “You wear it. Hopefully for us. And I tear some of it off you with my teeth.”

“That’s too much, Hawk.”

“No. It isn’t.” He turned me around. “Do you like them?”

“A couple are more… daring than I’d pick, but I’m willing to try.”

Janet grinned. “Perfect. Rank them from the most comfortable to the least. We’ll do that one last.”

“Wouldn’t it make sense to get it out of the way first?”

“Actually,” she crossed the room and picked up her camera, glancing through the viewfinder. “The last photos of a session are nearly always the best because you learn what to do and you become more comfortable. If I put you in an outfit you’re nervous about when you’re already nervous, it will feel worse.”

That made a lot of sense.

I ranked them. The robe first, the strappy thing last. “Where will you be?” I asked Hawk in a breathless whisper. “You really are going to watch, right? You’re not going to take a coffee break?”

“I’m not going to take my eyes off you, baby girl. I’ll even start where you can see me. But this is about you. Owning what a fucking stunning Omega you are.”

I didn’t tell him I only felt that way when they looked at me. Maybe this would help.

Erin gestured me over, and they helped me dress. The cool professionalism in their behavior made being in things I would only ever wear in my bedroom less awkward.

When Monica let my hair down into the huge, curling waves, my jaw dropped. “I didn’t know my hair could look like that,” I admitted.

“I’ll text you all the products I used if you want to know.”

“Yes, please.”

The gold dress and black underwear were first, and oh god, it was just as awkward as I was afraid of. Monica and Erin disappeared, and Hawk stayed across the room, watching. I felt his eyes on me.

Janet took me over to one of the walls where a big, gilded mirror leaned against it. “I’m going to direct you how to pose for the first bit, okay? So you can get a feel for it.”

“Oh my god, yes please.”

“It’s going to feel weird, but I’ll show you the pictures so you can see I’m not blowing smoke up your ass.”

I laughed, but I appreciated it.

She had me lie on the floor with my feet on the wall. The golden robe pooled around me, and Janet had me arch my back with my arms in different positions. She was right. It felt weird, and more than a little uncomfortable.

“Look this way?”

Looking toward the camera, my eyes caught on Hawk. He stood with his arms crossed, which made his tattooed biceps bulge in a way that was entirely distracting. But more than that, his eyes consumed me with heat. They traced down the arch of my back and all the way to my pointed toes and back to my face.

His eyes were already dark, but now, the way they burned, they seemed entirely black. I hadn’t really understood why he liked watching, not to judge, but it had never done anything for me. But being watched like that?

Holy shit. It felt like sunlight pouring directly into my veins. So much easier to arch my back a little higher, lean into the pose, and keep my eyes on him.

“There it is. That’s perfect,” Janet said, snapping pictures. I barely heard her. My whole being was still held captive in Hawk’s fiery gaze.

His face, so intense it nearly looked angry, barely changed. One little corner of his mouth sliding upward in a hint of a smile. It was really good I owned this lingerie, because with that smile, all of it would be ruined. I might have a hard time getting all the way there, but arousal wasn’t a problem, and Hawk had me riled with a look.

Fuck me.

“Here.” Janet came and sat cross-legged beside me, breaking the spell. “See?”

She turned the screen toward me, and all I could do was stare. The woman on the camera couldn’t possibly be me. She was… stunning. Voluptuous and sexy and confident. It was like splitting my brain in two, knowing I was the only one who she’d taken photos of, and still not being able to accept that the pictures were of me.

Janet laughed at my stunned silence. “Worth the discomfort?”

“Yeah. I’ll say. But that’s not me.”

“That is you. It’s all you. Want to see, Hawk?”

He still watched me, and had barely moved. “I promised Isolde I wouldn’t take my eyes off her. Isn’t that right, baby girl?”

Was there still oxygen in the room? I wasn’t sure. “Yeah.” My voice sounded like I’d run a hundred miles.

Hawk smirked. “Then I’ll see the pictures later.”

“Let’s do some more by the mirror, but I’ve got some other poses I want to try.”

“Okay,” I straightened, finally believing I could do this. “Show me where you want me.”