Dropout rates are highest among omegas. I can’t imagine finding a pack and having to uproot my entire life. I wouldn’t want to give up on my dreams for an alpha’s whims.
“Bree didn’t really like studying anyway,” Delilah continues. “She’s super smart, but her life goal was always to have loads of babies. Her alphas are good guys, though. They wanted her to graduate, but she didn’t want to wait.”
Kady and Sabs soon appear with our drinks. Despite its name, the Sparkling Squirrel tastes like pink lemonade and isdelicious. As well as the cocktails, Sabs has ordered way too many shots.
After taking a few, we’re all breaking out into fits of giggles. Even the alphas don’t seem as intimidating anymore.
Before I know it, Kady surprises us all by ordering us to the dance floor. Downstairs, we join the throng of students. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people in my life, let alone packed tightly into such a small space.
Sabs leads us into the middle of the floor, my inhibitions lowering as she twirls me around. I’m not much of a dancer, but Sabs has a way of bringing people out of their shell.
Delilah gets lost in the music, singing and swaying. I can’t hear her well over the loud music, but from the snatches I hear, I can tell she has an incredible voice.
After an hour, we decide to head on up to the bar to catch our breath. Just when I’m feeling mellow and content, that’s when I smell it… Him.
Blood orange and gingerbread.
I can pick it out over all the other smells in the room. Even the music seems to fade into insignificance. The girls are too busy admiring a beta’s lizard-like body paint to notice.
I sway slightly, not just from the alcohol but because of the alpha swaggering toward us. When his golden, amber eyes burn into me, I have to bite my lip to stop from moaning.
“Laz!” Sabs spots him. She’s even louder than usual after having a few drinks.
He ruffles Sabs’s hair. “Looks like you’ve all been having fun.”
“Stop it! You’ll mess up my hair!” She bats him away. “I didn’t think you were coming tonight. Aren’t you too cool for these kinds of things?”
“I changed my mind.” Laz’s twinkling eyes meet mine. “Maybe I wanted to look for an omega to bite?”
I can tell he’s joking from his tone, but I want the floor to swallow me up. Before my face turns beetroot-red and I can stammer an apology, Sabs steps in.
“If I saw a random alpha hanging around our house, I’d have sucker punched him.” She bumps him with her hip. “Faye let you off easy.”
He holds my gaze, and my knees weaken. Has he got even hotter since I last saw him? He’s opted for a bold costume, dressed as a lion with a giant, fluffy mane around his head that blends in with his auburn hair. It’d look ridiculous on anyone else, but it looks great on him.
“I do want to apologize, Faye,” Laz says sincerely. “I’m sorry. I never meant to scare you.”
“I wasn’t myself that day,” I mumble, staring at my feet. I’m not sure it even comes out as actual words, more a jumble of syllables. “I’m sorry for saying?—”
“You don’t need to apologize,” Laz rushes to assure me. “I promise, I won’t come to Stella House again. Only drop-offs at the gate with Margie from now on.”
“Good.” Sabs punches his shoulder playfully. “I don’t want my older brother around, cramping my style.”
“Who says I cramp your style?” To her squealed delight, he pulls her into a headlock, giving me an insight into what life in the Maverick household must be like.
“They’re always like this,” Delilah tells me.
A gentle chuckle comes from behind me. “So this is where you are.”
I’ve been too pre-occupied to notice the subtle scent of crisp rain and parchment creeping up on us, but now that it hits me…
I whip around, almost slapping him in the face with my hair. “Ren?”
“Wait.” Laz drops Sabs mid-fight, turning his attention to us. “You two know each other?”
“We’ve met.” Ren pushes his glasses up his straight nose.
“When?” Laz demands to know.
