Page 9 of Unwanted

Things were moving way too fast, and I couldn’t even explain to myself why I was so insanely drawn to Liam. It simply defied logic and my old ways. I was never like this; my flirting and wooing a partner involved much more lukewarm and conventional methods, maybe even dull. There was never much intensity, and the chemistry was usually mild at best. Even with Winter, it wasn’t perfect. Yes, we were drawn to each other by this strange competitive spark, and sometimes we had rough sex, tumbling and fighting in bed. But it never sped my pulse beyond a certain point—I was always in control of my mind and body. And now? All I wanted was to pull Liam into my arms, hold him close, and… do so much more.

It was especially intriguing because I had a kind of demisexual orientation. I needed to know a person before hooking up with them; even a bit of familiarity was my preference over completely anonymous sex. That’s why I didn’t do one-night stands. I would always choose a casual arrangement, like being fuckbuddies with someone I already knew, rather than meeting up with random strangers.

But… Liam was basically a stranger! And yet, in this case, something was different!

Then suddenly, I remembered what Liam had said when he was standing on the cliff. He didn’t want to ‘die a virgin’.

Those words hit me like a wave, and I instantly felt stupid for being so worked up over this poor kid, especially since he didn’t have any experience in that area.

Was I just a creepy old pervert?

We pulled up to a cute café along the road, one I’d eaten at a few times before, about halfway between my house and Malden Pharmaceuticals. We sat down at a little table outside under some trees, as the weather was warm. The omega waiter brought us menus.

"Today’s on me! Order whatever you want," I said, grinning.

"I’ve got money," Liam muttered.

"I know, programmers make good money, but let me treat you. Please."

He reluctantly nodded and looked at the menu. I used that moment to check him out; he looked a bit better than yesterday. His face had some color back, and I also observed these interesting, faint golden freckles on his cheeks. He nervously adjusted the disobedient lock of hair that had fallen across his forehead.

I had this sudden urge to brush his strawberry blond strands back behind his ear, but I quickly reprimanded myself.

My gaze slipped down to his pale, thin neck, and for some reason, I focused on his neck gland. We were both betas, so our glands weren’t active, but I couldn’t stop staring at his. It was pale and flat, typical for our subgender, but I found myself wondering… what was it about these glands that made alphas so obsessed? I’d seen it so many times, how alphas would naturally wrap their arms around omegas and kiss their necks, their lips always finding the gland.

I’d never done that with any of my exes. Besides Winter, I’d been in long relationships with two other betas and even had a short fling with an alpha once (yes, yes, the ‘Storm case’, which I won’t dwell on—just a crazy incident in my life…). But that area of their body never interested me more than any other part of their skin.

However now, I couldn’t stop staring at Liam’s pale neck, noticing the soft pulse just below the surface. His skin was so thin, almost translucent like you sometimes see in light blondes. I wondered what it would feel like to touch his gland with my lips. It was supposed to be an intimate thing, but that was more for alphas and omegas, not betas… we didn’t regard it that way. And yet…

I snapped out of it and forced myself to look at his hands instead—small, and bony.

Liam glanced up at me and said, "I’ve decided. I’ll have the salad," pointing to the menu.

Still being in this weird mood, I forced myself to pick something for lunch. I ordered additional fries for him, which he accepted courteously.

When the waiter brought our food, Liam started eating with real appetite. I found that strangely satisfying. I watched, almost mesmerized, as he took bite after bite, the spoon sliding into his soft lips.

It was getting harder and harder to not just… stare at him. He wasn’t what you’d call classically handsome. He was the type of person you wouldn’t notice at first glance, but once you really looked, you’d start to see his quiet charm, something that was really pulling me in.

The conversation flowed easily. I asked him about his favorite foods, so I’d know what to cook for him in the coming days. I loved cooking and thought I was pretty good at it, so I started planning in my head how I’d spoil Liam with all kinds of delicious meals.

We got back home in the afternoon, and I helped him bring his clothes inside. He had a lot, and my narrow closet could only fit about half of them. So, we took the rest upstairs to the other small room in the loft, where there was a bigger closet. Neither of us mentioned the obvious—that this was everything Liam owned.

In the afternoon, I went out to the garden and called Winter. I told him Liam seemed calmer and was feeling better, and I asked if he could help get him a new job at D-Project. Winter was supportive and promised to ask around. He agreed that Liam needed a fresh start and that staying at DevApp wasn’t good for his mental health.

When I hung up, I noticed Liam standing near the jacuzzi, looking at it with interest. The tub was covered with a clear protective cover to keep dirt out. I walked closer and smiled.

"You wanna try the jacuzzi?"

He hesitated, biting his lip, which immediately drew my eyes to his mouth.

"I have to admit, it’s tempting… I’ve never been in a real one before."

"It’s got a great hydro-massage system. Super relaxing, trust me," I encouraged, even though I knew if we both got in the jacuzzi, half-naked, things might get… intense. Still, I offered.

After a moment of hesitation, Liam nodded.

"I’ll get it ready. You go change, and I’ll join you in a bit."

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