Tony stepped out of the elevator and tossed a wave towards Pepper's secretary, ignoring the man's protests as he called out for him to wait. Tony wasn't someone who waited. Pushing through the doors he caught the annoyed wrinkle between Pepper's brows before her face smoothed out as she continued the call she was on. He paced around the room, knowing it would annoy her more and he just liked riling her up whenever he could.

But then an irresistible, albeit faint scent hit his nose and he paused. Moving over to Pepper's desk he sat and stared at her curiously. The scent was slightly stronger here. It was floral and sweet. A mix of rosemary and lily of the valley with hints of lavender. A scent that was as soothing as it was appealing.

Which meant it had to belong to an omega.

The second she ended the call and opened her mouth he cut her off, "Have you slept with an omega?"

"Excuse me?"

Tony shook his head a little, dismissing the idea even as it came, Pepper was happily mated with Happy and neither were the type for multiple partners. So switching tactics he said, "I think you must have come in contact with an omega recently. I can smell her, but it's faint so it must not have been prolonged contact."

A look crossed her face but before she could say anything her door pushed open and a voice was saying, "Ms. Potts, I got those documents notarized for you and just need you to sign this…"

The voice trailed off as the woman stopped dead as she caught sight of Tony sprawling in his chair. Tony straightened, this was the omega with the pleasing scent. Dressed sharply, she continued to hesitate as her eyes darted between Tony and Pepper, her nose flaring slightly as she scented him. She took a deep breath and walked over to the desk, moving around to lay the papers she was carrying on the desk for Pepper to sign.

Tony stood suddenly and strode over to her and stuck his hand out. He ignored the look of complete surprise that crossed Pepper's face at the move and said, "Hello. I'm Tony Stark."

She swallowed heavily before she said, "Yes, I uh…know that. I think everyone knows that…"

Tony smirked at her as he kept her hand in his. A flicker of pleasure rolled through her scent before she seemed to get it back under control and tug her hand out of his. He continued to stand close to her as she focused back on Pepper. Showing her where she needed to sign.

When it was done, Pepper looked up at her, "Thanks, Ellie. Also, remember I asked that you call me Pepper, not Ms. Potts."

"Of course. I'll get these over to legal and make sure you get the final copies once the originals are sent out." She shot Tony one final look before she moved around him and walked back out of the office.

The second the door shut he turned his attention back to Pepper, "Your new assistant is an omega."

"Yes, she is."

"How did that happen?"

She checked her watch, "Well, she applied for the job, her cover letter and resume intrigued me so I set up an interview. Ultimately, I felt she was the best candidate for the job."

"Smart ass."

"I learned from the best."

Tony rolled his eyes, "Please, you were already self taught by the time I came around."

Pepper checked her watch again, "Is there something you needed?"

"What? I can't just come and check up on my company and former assistant turned CEO?"

She snorted softly, "No, Tony, you can't. Because you forget I know you. Now what do you want? I have a meeting to get to."

"I want to throw a party," Tony said. That wasn't the reason he originally came here but he was a man who knew how to change plans on the fly.

Pepper stood up, "That's great, you should get on that. And before you say anything, no, I'm not planning it for you. Unless it relates to SI, I'm no longer the party planner."

"Aww, Pep, that's not fair." Tony complained.

She gestured towards the door, "Get an assistant Tony. If you don't want to deal with hiring one, find one within the company."

Tony's hand tucked into his pockets as he watched Pepper stride down the hallway towards her meeting. Once she was out of sight, he turned the other way to seek out a particular assistant.

I caught the wide eyed look the beta, who I couldn't remember the name of, gave me as I approached my desk. Three steps beyond her desk the reason for the look hit me.

Alpha .

Specifically the alpha that had been in Pepper's office early. The alpha who just happened to be the owner of this company, one of the richest men in the world, and Iron Man.

Coming around the corner I eyed the man lounging against my desk, ankles crossed over each other as he typed on his phone. My nose twitched as I got the full force of his scent again, a mix of whiskey and cedar with slight undercurrents of metal. Just like it had earlier, his scent triggered an odd kind of flipping deep in my gut. Something I'd never experienced before and was entirely unsettling.

Clearing my throat and watching as his eyes snapped up to me, "Mr. Stark, is there something I can help you with?"

His eyes snapped up to mine and he smirked, "Call me Tony, sweetie, I want to talk to you."

I shifted on my feet, hugging the files I was holding against my chest as I tried to get a hold on the nerves jangling through me. I nibbled on my thumbnail as I said, "Oh. Um. About what?"

He nudged my chair further away from my desk and nodded to it, "Why don't you sit, before your legs give out with your nerves."

Heat flooded my face as I squeaked out, "I'm not nervous!"

Which was a bald faced lie and he knew it. His eyebrow quirked up and he said, "Sit."

There was just the slightest whisper of an alpha command behind it and even though it shouldn't have affected me, I felt a lurch somewhere around my navel and the urge to obey shot through me. Without questioning it further I moved over to sit down. He settled back against my desk and recrossed his ankles as he examined me.

"What's your name?"

Wetting my lips, I set the files I was holding down into my lap and answered, "Elizabeth Baker."

"Well, Lizzie…"

"Actually, I go by Ellie." I didn't even think about it before I cut him off. He eyed me for a moment and I detected the slight shift in his smell that I identified as amusement. Which threw me for a loop because I'd never been an omega who could actually identify those kinds of minute changes in an alpha's smell before. It was something that omegas were supposed to be able to do, it helped them do what they were biologically attuned to do. But I was never that kind of omega, it's why I was where I was now…

A sudden snap brought my attention back to the man in front of me. I felt my face heat up again as I repeated, "Um. Yeah, I uh go by Ellie."

"Right, well. You're an omega."

"Yes."

"Unclaimed?"

I tried not to bristle at the question. It was considered a very normal and valid question. I jerked my head in the affirmative and waited to see where this was going to go.

Tony hummed a little and said, "I need you to do something for me."

"I don't know what I could possibly do for you, Mr. Stark." I could just imagine what he wanted me to do. He had a reputation after all.

He smirked as if he knew what I was thinking and said, "I need you to plan a party for me."

My mouth fell open as I stared at him in surprise. That was the last thing I had expected him to say and he straightened some and looked at me expectantly. Clearing my throat I said, "Um. A party? Why do you need me to do that?"

He started tapping his phone against his hand as he said, "Because I don't yet have an assistant again since my last assistant became the CEO of my company. So, since you are her assistant, you can help me do this and by the time that's done, I'll probably have found a new assistant."

I opened my mouth, fully intending to say no, but he had leaned closer to me with a tilt of his head and his voice had dropped to a near purr as he said, "Pepper clearly saw something in you, and if she thinks you are worthy of working as her assistant, I think you'll do great at planning this party for me. Besides, I'll give you a nice bonus for your trouble."

Chewing on my thumbnail again, I considered it. I could seriously use the money. It wasn't like I wasn't paid well in my current position, but the fact is the education that got me to this point was extremely expensive and I had massive debts from it. I was pretty sure he could see me getting ready to give in because he smirked again and his scent took on the edge of pleased alpha.

Finally, I found my voice again and said, "Uh, okay. I guess I can try…."

He straightened suddenly, "Great. You can come by tomorrow morning when Pep's in meetings all morning."

"Come by?"

His eyes glinted and his scent took on a sharper note as he said, "Upstairs."

"To…the Avenger's floors?"

Moving closer to me, forcing me to tip my head back some so I could keep my eyes on his he said, "Yes. I'll make sure that Friday has your information so she'll let you up with no problems. When you arrive tomorrow, take the east elevators and request the common floor. I'll meet you there."

Blinking several times as I processed the rapid fire instructions he had just thrown at me I just nodded. His hand brushed against my shoulder as he left and I remained sitting there for a long moment as I tried to process the past several minutes and the way this alpha had affected me. He shouldn't have been able to affect me at all. It's why I was working like this, because I was considered a broken omega.

Alphas needed omegas for the best regulation of their hormones and pheromones. While science had progressed enough to have created medication and things that could provide the bare minimum of that regulation, nothing worked as well as an actual Omega.

But, every so often, an omega was born that was unable to provide the biological imperative required of them. They called these omegas DCI, and testing that I was forced into when I first presented at 13 showed that I was part of that small population of useless omegas. I had to endure a year of the testing, with my parents getting angrier and angrier before I was officially labeled as DCI and they could dump me into an omega house.

Parents and families of omegas were supposed to be able to have their whole lives elevated for having produced an omega. Because omegas were the rarest designation and also the most important for healthy alphas in society, having one usually meant wealth and comfort. Having one that was DCI was the ultimate shame. Which is why they created homes for these broken and unwanted omegas to finish growing up in.

These homes provided the bare minimum of care, they taught a DCI omega what their options were once of age, and it was to these houses that scientists would come when they needed test subjects to try and figure out new and improved ways for care, treatment and testing. These omegas became the lab rats. It's a rough way to live, but it was better than being put out on the street like some DCI omegas would be.

While omegas could technically hold any job they wanted, most stuck to certain types of caretaking related positions. Omegas were naturally nurturing and tended to be drawn to that in every aspect of their lives, including professions. The most illustrious job an omega could have outside of the home was to work for a company as a "company omega". These were omegas that would be used to help balance and even out the competing personalities of alphas in the workplace. Not that a DCI omega would be able to do that.

But, we could still find ways to support ourselves. I had gone the route of getting a highly desirable education that cost an obscene amount of money, because I didn't qualify for scholarships as a DCI. It was worth it though, because that education landed my resume on the desk of Stark Industries CEO and she decided to hire me as her own personal assistant. My life wasn't what I thought it would be when I first presented, but it was slowly becoming something that would be good.

I had no idea why, but now Tony Stark–second in command of The Avengers pack wanted me to plan a party for him. I couldn't help but feel like there was an ulterior motive involved here. I just couldn't put my finger on what that was.

Clint paused as he walked by where Tony was standing in the kitchen, nose twitching as he caught an irresistible scent coming off the man. Leaning a little closer he took another sniff. Faint, but definitely there. Earthy, floral and sweet…

"Dude…why are you smelling Tony?" Sam asked.

"He smells good for a change." Clint snarked, knowing it would rile Tony up.

"Excuse me. I'll have you know I always smell good."

Clint moved away from him, "If you say so."

Sam moved around the counter and leaned into Tony to take his own sniff. With a shake of his head he said, "He's right though, there is an amazing smell clinging to you. Where were you?"

Stepping away from Sam, Tony answered, "I went to see Pepper. And speaking of which, gonna have a party."

"For what this time?" Clint demanded.

"I don't know. I'll think of something," Tony waved his hand dismissively as Clint's eyes rolled.

"Think of something for what?" Steve asked as he and Bucky strode out of the elevator.

"Tony is gonna have another party."

"Why?"

"He doesn't know yet," Clint called over his shoulder as he moved deeper into the floor to flop down onto one of the couches in the area set aside as the living room.

Hands planted on his waist, Steve eyed the pack's second in command, "Is it really necessary?"

Tony hand planted dramatically on his chest, "Parties are always necessary."

Sighing, Steve let it go. Technically, he could issue an alpha command to stop it from happening, but to do something that extreme for something like this was pointless. It was easier sometimes just to let him do what he wanted.

"Yeah, well, try to keep it from getting too crazy this time."

Tony grinned in satisfaction and said, "Don't worry, I have someone coming to help with that."