Page 5 of Alpha's Sunflower Smiles

I thought I detected a note of regret in his voice. After all, if he hadn’t just shoved some random omega at me, that could have been his.

My attention shot back to Xavier when he stepped close to me, put his hand on my arm and leaned up on tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I was sure he lingered close for longer than he needed to and I squirmed with embarrassment.

“Thank you,” he breathed.

The whole thing was designed to demonstrate his gratitude and probably to turn me on with his proximity. If Wilfred had been pressed like that against me, I’d be rock hard.

For Xavier, though? Nothing.

It wasn’t his fault and I was sure that he was a nice enough person and there was someone out there who would really, really want him. He deserved to find that person. And I deserved to be with someone I actually wanted, too.

Come to think of it, I wasn’t even sure whether Xavier liked me. I was short for an alpha, though I was broad-shouldered and strong. Many omegas preferred bigger alphas and even non-presenting men had told me I wasn’t alpha enough for them. Xavier could be disappointed, for all I knew.

I stepped back, trying to smile at him.

“You’re welcome,” I said. “I hope you enjoy the evening but unfortunately I have to leave.”

With that, I practically ran to the door.

Just as I was opening it, Papa rushed up behind me and hissed, “What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving. I have work to do.”

“You’re embarrassing me in front of our guests.”

“They’re notourguests, Papa, because I don’t know them and didn’t invite them. They’re your guests and you sprang them on me because you want me to marry but I’vetoldyou I don’t want an omega.”

A frown creased his forehead. “You don’t want a female omega, do you? I thought you liked men.”

“I-I do like men, Papa. I like—”

It was on the tip of my tongue. All I had to do was say ‘non-presenting’ and he’d finally know. He’d stop setting me up with little omega men who didn’t do anything for me and made me feel inadequate because I couldn’t get hard for them the way they expected me to.

“—Men.”

I hated myself for not being able to tell my own papa who I was romantically attracted to but the word was out and it was inadequate and I just needed to get away. Away from Xavier and from Papa and from the tight knot in my stomach.

I fled back to my car and drove into Silford.

I found myself back at the office without having intended to set out there. I parked outside on the high street, which I could never do during the daytime because there was never room but at night the road was clear and deserted.

Had I come back for my briefcase filled with papers?

The evening was getting chilly and the cool air blew around me as I climbed out of the car and took a look around. Opposite me, Sunflower Smiles was still open.

The light was on and Wilfred was at the door. Further down the street, I saw two people walking away, one clearly an alpha with his arm protectively around a small omega.

I longed to walk over to that shop and breathe in the scent of it and wrap my arms around Wilfred. Holding him would make everything better, I was convinced of it.

But he wasn’t mine to hold.

I turned away and trudged into my office and settled behind my desk again, grabbing the stack of papers from earlier. Might as well get some work done, since I wasn’t going to be enjoying my evening.

Chapter 3

Wilfred

Outside, the sun was just setting. It was early evening and people would be about to leave work and head home.

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