Page 19 of Alpha's Sunflower Smiles

“Um, no?”

I couldn’t think why he would. I’d only unwrap that, too. Although where I was going to put them, I didn’t know. I’d find room for them somewhere.

He looked up at me, his face serious and compassionate. “You could give one to your omega.”

My lungs seemed to freeze. I couldn’t take a breath in.

The moment must only have lasted a second or so but it felt like minutes.

It was the shock. I hadn’t thought about an omega as a romantic prospect in over a week, since I’d walked out of my papa’s house. I hadn’t had to because I hadn’t spoken to Papa since.

The familiar feeling of inadequacy washed over me. I was an alpha. I should want an omega.

The fact that it was Wilfred asking me, so casually, made it worse. He thought I should be with an omega when the one man I wanted more than anyone was him.

My throat felt tight as I said, “I don’t have an omega.”

Luckily, my voice came out fairly normal. I didn’t think he’d notice anything off about it.

“Oh? Was your date casual then?”

“What date?”

“With your omega. The one you bought the rose candle-holder for.”

Finally my lungs started working properly again. I gave a shaky laugh.

“No, that wasn’t a date. I bought that for my papa.”

Was it me or did Wilfred’s expression clear as I said that?

“Did he like it?” he asked.

“Ah. Yes, he did like it.”

Wilfred was looking at me in the way that he had, focusing on only me. I’d noticed that he always gave his full attention to whoever he was talking to and wondered whether everyone felt like the centre of his world while he was with them. I supposed they must. I couldn’t be that special.

He tilted his head to the side, studying me.

“I get the feeling that there’s more to that answer.”

I sighed. “It’s a bit of a long story.”

He stood up straight and looked directly at me, waiting. I took a deep breath and said, “I bought it for Papa and hedidlike it, but he didn’t keep it. He had me give it to somebody else. An omega man. He was setting me up on a date.”

Wilfred’s shoulders sagged ever so slightly and, if I hadn’t been paying such close attention to him, I wouldn’t have noticedit. But I was watching his body carefully and I was almost sure I’d seen it. Almost.

“I didn’t want to be set up, especially with an omega. So I gave him the gift and left.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“Me too. I… I don’t want to be set up with anyone,” I confessed. “There’s someone I’m really interested in.”

“Oh.”

This time I wasn’t imagining it, Wilfred’s shoulders actually did sag further. He didn’t quite meet my eyes as he picked up my bag and handed it to me.

“I wish you luck asking them out. If you need a gift, you know where to come.”

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