Beta with pheromones

BETA WITH PHEROMONES Episode 1: The Elevator Aurelia Sinclair woke to the insistent vibration of her phone. 7:21 A.M. The alarm flashed beside a half-empty glass of water, its sharp beeping cutting through the quiet of her bedroom. Aurelia groaned beneath the blanket and reached blindly toward the nightstand. Her fingers found the phone. Without opening her eyes, she silenced it. For a few seconds, the room fell silent. Then her eyes snapped open. “Oh, no.” She threw back the covers. Aurelia had exactly thirty-nine minutes to get ready. Fortunately, she had prepared everything the night before. Her white blouse was already pressed. Her black pencil skirt hung neatly beside the wardrobe. Her shoes were polished, her handbag packed, and her work files arranged in perfect order. She skipped breakfast. She skipped her usual cup of tea. But she refused to leave the house looking as though she had fought with her wardrobe. By 7:47, she was out the door. Her hair was pulled back neatly, her clothes immaculate, and her heels clicked sharply against the pavement as she hurried toward the road. Aurelia Sinclair was rarely late. In fact, being late was one of the things she hated most. Especially when she worked for Rhys Langley. Langley Corporation rose above the city like a wall of glass and steel. Employees streamed through the entrance as Aurelia hurried inside, arriving just as the clock changed to 8:03. “Good morning, Miss Sinclair,” the receptionist called. “Good morning.” Aurelia offered a polite smile and headed toward the elevators. Rhys Langley, the twenty-four-year-old CEO of Langley Corporation, was already known for being terrifyingly disciplined. He expected perfection, noticed everything, and had no patience for tardiness. Aurelia had been his personal assistant for almost six months. She knew better than anyone that Mr. Langley did not appreciate delays. She pressed the button for the employee elevator. When the doors opened, a packed crowd stared back at her. Aurelia looked inside, horrified. “Seriously?” The doors slid shut. With a sigh, she pressed the button again. While she waited, she reached into her handbag for her phone and used its dark screen as a mirror. Then— Thud. She collided with someone. “I’m sor—” The apology died on her lips. Her gaze traveled upward from a pair of perfectly polished black shoes to tailored trousers, a fitted suit jacket, a crisp white shirt, and a dark tie. Finally, she reached the unreadable face of Rhys Langley. Two sharply dressed VIP guests stood beside him. Aurelia straightened immediately. “Mr. Langley.” Rhys said nothing at first. His eyes moved over her face, then to the files in her arms, and finally back to her. “What are you doing here?” “I’m waiting for the elevator.” He glanced toward the employee elevator. Its doors opened, and another crowd poured out. “It’s full every time,” Aurelia explained. “You’re waiting for that?” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because that’s the employee elevator.” A brief silence settled between them. One of the VIP guests looked amused. “You’re my assistant,” Rhys said. “Yes.” “You’re late.” “Yes.” “And you’re standing here waiting for an elevator when you’re supposed to be upstairs.” Aurelia opened her mouth. “I—” Before she could finish, Rhys stepped toward the private elevator. Its doors opened with a quiet chime. He turned to her. “Come.” “Sir?” One eyebrow lifted. “Are you planning to wait here all morning?” Aurelia shook her head quickly. “No, sir.” She hurried after him. One of the VIP guests stepped inside first. Rhys followed. Aurelia hesitated at the entrance. “Mr. Langley, I don’t think I’m—” Rhys reached out and caught her wrist. His grip was firm, but not painful. “Get in.” Aurelia blinked. “Yes, sir.” She stepped inside. The elevator doors closed. The music of the morning seemed to disappear with them. Only the low hum of the elevator remained, accompanied by the faint pulse of the building rising around them. Aurelia stood beside the VIP guests, clutching her files tightly against her chest. Rhys stood across from her, his expression controlled and distant. At first, Aurelia noticed nothing unusual. Rhys did. The moment she entered the elevator, a strange scent reached him. Faint. Warm. Soft. It was not perfume. It was not shampoo. It was something beneath all of that. Something that should not have been there. Rhys inhaled quietly. The scent was coming from her. Aurelia. He glanced at her. She was watching the elevator numbers, completely unaware of the effect she was having on him. Rhys looked away and tried to regain control. “Interesting,” he murmured. Aurelia turned toward him. “Is something wrong?” “No.” “Okay.” The elevator continued upward. Rhys watched her from the corner of his eye. In the soft light, Aurelia looked calm and composed, unaware that his attention had become fixed on her. He could still smell it. His mind, usually crowded with a hundred thoughts at once, had become strangely quiet. Calm. He had not felt this relaxed in weeks. And he did not understand why. His gaze returned to Aurelia. She was simply standing there, holding her files against her chest. A Beta. She was supposed to have almost no scent. Yet somehow, her presence was doing something to him that no one had ever managed to do before. The elevator display changed. 32. The doors opened. The VIP guests stepped out first. Aurelia moved to follow them. “Wait.” She stopped and turned. “You’re coming with me.” Her eyebrows rose. “Sir?” “My office.” “Yes, sir.” She followed him out. Behind them, the two VIP guests exchanged a brief, knowing glance. Rhys walked toward his office. Aurelia hurried after him, her heels echoing across the polished floor. Neither of them noticed the look the VIP guests had shared. Neither of them knew that the simple elevator ride had changed something between them. For Rhys Langley, it had created a problem. He had discovered something he could not explain. And already, he wanted to know why being near his assistant made him feel calm. Rhys paused outside his office. Then he glanced back. Aurelia looked up at him, confusion flickering across her face. The elevator doors closed behind them. To be continued…