Right, definitely has nothing to do with the fact that she turned into an absolute smoke show.
Liv clears her throat. “I’m not sure what my mother said, but I’m not looking to settle down, and I’m definitely not planning to quit my job. Not now, not if I do meet my pack, and not ten years from now, even if I have kids. What I do is...important.” Her voice wavers slightly, but her spine is straight and head held high.
It’s nice to see she won’t let a pack push her around.
“Sawyer,” Aubree snaps, her voice hard.
I flinch as she swats my arm.
“Sawyer.”
I wave her off. “Shh.”
“I’m out of here, you absoluteass,” I hear Aubree hiss.
Fuck. Guess our date is over. Maybe I should care more, but all I do is nod in acknowledgement, solely focused on what’s happening one table over.
Aubree huffs. “Prick.”
She’s right. I’m being a total dick, but I can’t bring myself to care right now because instead of accepting what Liv said, the limp-dicked idiots surrounding her question her choice.
“But you’re a nurse. Wouldn’t you be just as happy caring for a pack as you are caring for sick people?”
I have to fight against the growl that starts vibrating in my chest. How stupid are these guys? I’ve heard a bit about what Liv has done. There’s nothing wrong with being a nurse, but when she’s specifically let them know that she’s doing research, which is distinctly different, it’s insulting.
“I—I, no.” She clears her throat and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I wouldn’t be happier taking care of a pack. I love my work. And, for the record, I’m not a nurse...” Liv’s stammering gives away her fury. Some people shout when theyget angry, some people cry, but Liv? She always got a bit tongue-tied and shaky when rage overtook her as a kid. Seems that, at least, hasn’t changed.
One of the alphas at the table scoffs and turns to the man beside him. “This is a waste of time. I know our dads would love us to cozy up with Wellington’s daughter, but I’m fucking bored already, and our food hasn’t even arrived yet. I bet she gives terrible head too.”
I don’t miss the way Liv’s shoulders curl inward, and my whole body heats with building rage.
The second alpha sighs, eyeing Liv up with a scowl. “Yeah. We need agoodomega. Someone who won’t babble about shit no one cares about when we’re out in public. Someone who understands the importance of taking care of her pack.”
As if any of these dim-witted fuckheads are even half as interesting as Liv.
When her chin drops to her chest and her shoulders shake like she’s sniffling and trying to hold back tears, I lose the battle with my composure. Rising with so much force that my chair scrapes against the parquet floors, I cross the space between us in four long strides and come to a stop behind her. The six dickless wonders scowl up at me as a growl finally breaks free from the confines of my chest.
“Liv, baby, there you are.”
Chapter Four
OLIVIA
There’s something distinctly humiliating about being shamed by a pack I barely know. The jerks talk about me, not seeming to care that I’m still very much at the table, insulting me without regard for my feelings. Exactly like my mother treats me. My face is so hot, I’m sure my skin is a worrying shade of scarlet. Nails digging into my palms, I press my lips together, trying to figure out the best way to leave the date without causing a scene.
I’m not good at confrontation. It makes my skin tight and itchy. But I’ve finally learned to stand up for myself when it matters, and I refuse to give up working. Not even for a pack. Some omegas want to stay at home, and that’s great for them, but that’s not who I am.
The pack continues to criticize me, making me feel as small as an ant, and I look for the nearest escape. I don’t expect to be rescued by a six-foot-three alpha I’d recognize anywhere.
“Liv, baby, there you are.” Sawyer’s voice is a little deeper than the last time I saw him, but his sky-blue eyes are as bright as I remember, and he’s the only man I know who can make aclassic taper fade look more sexy than preppy. There’s a shadow of a beard, dark brown hairs lining his jaw, that wasn’t there the last time I saw him. He’s certainly a far cry from the boy I followed around as a kid while his mom was our nanny.
He’s the last person I expected to see, but right now, I’ll take any reason to excuse myself.
“Sawyer! What are you doing here?” I push my chair back and close the distance between us, flinging myself into his arms. He catches me with ease, his warm chuckle brushing over my cheek. “Save me,” I beg as I squeeze him tight.
“Why do you think I came over?” he whispers into my ear before rubbing his cheek against mine, marking me with a scent I can’t read. It’s a harmless thing if I wasn’t on a date, but in front of a pack courting me, it’s practically a declaration of war.
“Who the fuck is this?” Brent—or whatever his name is—demands.
