Page 71 of In Deep
“Seb?” Her eyes find him. “Oh yeah. Do you want to go over and say hi?”
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea–” I start to say, but she’s already grabbed my hand and started to tug me after her.
“Come on, you shouldn’t let him intimidate you.”
Easy for her to say; she’s not an omega.
We stroll closer, and I can spot the moment he senses me coming, his shoulders tightening and his head tipping to the side. But he doesn’t turn around. He keeps his back to us and forces Sophia to walk right around him and stop in front.
“Hi,” she says with her most charming smile. The alpha scowls at her, refusing, as usual, to meet my eye. “I’m Sophia.” He stares at her. “Rosie’s friend,” she prompts, jerking her head in my direction. “Do you like Rosie’s new dress? Zane bought it for her.”
His gaze slithers down my figure, electrifying every part of me as it does, and I swallow hard as my gland thrums.
Then his eyes flick back upwards, but he won’t meet my eye. Instead, he addresses the wall over my shoulder. “I didn’t know you were going to be here,” and then, without another word, he stalks away.
Sophia’s mouth drops open and she frowns. “What a fucking wanker,” she says just loud enough for him to hear.
“Yep,” I reply, hoping he hears my agreement too.
It’s one thing treating me like dirt because of some problem with his pack, but he could at least have the decency to be polite to my friend. It can’t hurt to be civil.
“You really need to talk to Zane,” Soph says, “if he’s pack mates with this dude …”
“I don’t want to give them up,” I say, realising the truth of it for the first time. I’m having too much fun. And I like them. I like all of them and the things they do to me. I’ve always thought of my body as a cage, a place I’m trapped inside, limiting and confining me. With these alphas, I’ve realised that my body isn’t a prison, it’s a paradise.
I’m not going to give that up because one alpha has permanent premenstrual tension.
“Come on,” Soph says, “let’s get out of here. We can go toThe Loungeinstead.”
“In these dresses?”
“Why the hell not! This party is dull.”
We link arms and, with our heads held high, march the hell out of that snooty drinks party. I don’t belong somewhere like that.
And I ignore the sensation of a scorching hot gaze on my back as we go.
* * *
The queue to the club curls along the pavement, but one look at us in our dresses and the bouncers usher us straight inside, despite the protests from the students at the front of the line.
We head straight for the bar, knocking back a tequila shot each, then we make our way to the dance floor. Some girls Sophia knows from her old school are already dancing in a circle and we join them.
Soon I’m forgetting about alphas and men in general, lost to the beat of the music and the sway of my body.
Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I know we’re being watched again, that guys are circling us, trying to catch our attention. But I don’t care. Their gazes don’t heat my blood. They can look all they like. They can think about me all they want. I lift my arms above my head, swaying my hips to the beat, closing my eyes. Sophia wraps her arm around my waist and kisses my cheek.
“You look gorgeous, Rosie,” she shouts above the music. “No wonder all these alphas are losing their minds over you.”
All except one. But I laugh anyway, twining my arms around her, and we swivel our hips together, giving our group of admirers a show.
Another of Sophia’s friends pushes through us with her hands full of shots of tequila and I take one, throwing the alcohol back. My eyes smart as it stings my throat.
Soph grabs my empty glass and walks off to deposit them on a table. When she returns, she’s pulling Harrison behind her. She winks at me and links her arms around his neck.
I spin away to give my friend some privacy and continue to dance with her friends until I feel a faint tap on my shoulder. I suspect it’s one of the creeps who’ve been circling us, but when I look around, it’s Francesca, the girl from OmegaSoc.
“Rosie,” she yells, hugging me and kissing me like we’re old friends. “You look sensational.”
