Page 17 of Cost of Courting

I shake my head.

“Oh, we’re going to have to fix that. It can be our third date.”

My cheeks explode into heat, and I look down at my coffee to give myself a second to untie my tongue.

“We’re going on dates now?”

“Yeah, as friends, of course.”

My happiness dims. “Oh, yeah, of course.”

Bailey drinks some of his coffee and leans his head back, groaning.

Heat spikes through me, and I have to squeeze my thighs together.

He sits up and inhales. My scent slams into him. Our eyes collide.

“Selene?”

I shrug, looking at anything but him. “Sorry.”

“You’re an omega?” he murmurs, but I can see he’s not happy about the discovery.

I close my eyes. “Guilty.”

“I had no idea.”

I get the impression it matters very much.

“Yeah, well. It is what it is.”

Bailey finishes his drink and looks over my shoulder.

“You don’t have to wait. I can see you have somewhere to be.”

“No, well, yes.” He looks so conflicted. “I do like you, but things are complicated.” He trails off, those blue-green eyes watching me with a guard up for the first time.

“Not shopping for omegas, huh?” I force out a laugh.

“I’m afraid not.”

“That’s okay. Thanks for the coffee, Alpha.”

He cringes, and I want to erase the last half an hour because I don’t want this horrible feeling. Like I’m less or not enough and the knowledge that he doesn’t want me.

But some things aren’t meant to be kind or nice. Some things aren’t supposed to work out.

Like me and Pack Dread.

Like me and this alpha.

Sometimes what you want has to come last. The world isn’t a good or right place. It’s dog eats dog, and someone's gotta be the one who survives.

That’s all I’m doing. Surviving.

And keeping what’s mine safe.

I don’t run; I walk away, my head high, my heart not broken but bruised.

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