Hayley’s POV:
“So, you must be Michelle.” Jeremy looked me up and down, nodding as he spoke. “You’ve grown into a fine young lady. Do you remember? When you were born, I even held you in my arms.”
“I don’t remember.” My voice was cold. Seriously, who expects a newborn to have memories?
“No matter, that’s all in the past.” Jeremy waved it off casually before turning to the people behind him. “Well? Aren’t you going to greet Michelle?”
At his words, Harris and Darcy, siblings, stepped forward and called out, “Michelle.” They wore polite smiles, but thanks to Hera’s heightened senses, I could tell they weren’t as friendly as they pretended to be. Hera’s disgust at their scent only made me more eager to put distance between us.
“Michelle, I’m Darcy, a year younger than you,” Darcy said, stepping closer with the clear intent of linking arms with me. I shifted to the side effortlessly, avoiding her touch. Her hand hung awkwardly in midair for a moment before she withdrew it. She opened her mouth again, about to say something else, but I narrowed my eyes, scrutinizing her coldly. The sharpness of my gaze stunned her into silence.
Harris noticed the tension and changed the subject. “Michelle, I’m a year older than you. If you ever need help with anything, just let me know.”
“What could you possibly help me with?” I asked, amused.
Harris hesitated for a moment before replying, “Anything, really. You’re just an Omega, but I’m a Beta. You can always call on me if anyone bullies you or you run into trouble.”
“In that case, go find me a hundred vials of Aurora Root,” I said calmly. Aurora Root was extremely rare. Even my people struggled to collect enough of it. Since Harris liked to put on airs, I might as well test his capabilities.
The moment I said it, Claudio—who had just taken a sip of coffee—choked and sprayed it everywhere. His eyes widened in understanding, then filled with mischief.
“No problem! I’ll ensure you get them within three days,” Harris agreed without hesitating.
I glanced at him like he was an idiot. “I’ll give you three months. If you actually manage to gather them all, I’ll fully acknowledge you.”
Claudio immediately jumped in, grinning. “If I manage to collect them first, will you acknowledge me too?”
“Get lost.” I rolled my eyes.
“Alright.” Claudio chuckled and wisely backed away.
Harris, full of confidence, thumped his chest. “No need for that much time, Michelle. You can count on me for this.”
“In three days,” he added, “if I can’t get them, I’ll let you pick anything you want from my medicine vault. Deal?”
“You said it!” I was honestly thrilled. Who would have thought someone would deliver such a great opportunity to me so early in the morning?