It doesn’t make any of this less confusing.
I feel the tension in my chest tighten again, an instinctual response that I can’t quite control. My Omega stirs, drawn to him, recognizing the pull of his Alpha. The air between us hums with it. His scent mingling with mine, creating a quiet, undeniable connection. I catch the faintest shift in his gaze, a flicker of something primal, as though he’s aware of the same force pulling us together.
It’s confusing. I want to reach out and let the warmth between us settle into something more real, but the weight of it all makes it hard to breathe. Ford’s presence—his overwhelming, memory-inducing scent—is washing over me and drowning mein the best and worst way, and I can feel my heart race as I fight the pull.
“Oh yeah?” I chuckle. “Well…”
I don’t get my words out.
The door to the diner swings open loudly, making me jump in my seat.
But I’m more shocked by the person entering the room.
Hayes.
Shit.
Instantly, I recall the sensation of Hayes’ lips against mine, the way his Beta scent had changed into something stronger and more potent than anything I’d ever smelled on a Beta before.
The second his boots hit the worn wood of the diner floor, I feel the shift around us. The temperature in the room drops by a degree, and everything around me blurs. His gaze sweeps the room with that quiet intensity I’ve always known, but tonight, it’s different. It’s sharper, more focused.
And when Hayes’ eyes land on me and Ford, I swear the entire room holds its breath.
For a split second, it’s just me and Hayes and the silent connection between the two of us. His gaze flickers down the parts of me that he can see, like he’s quickly deducing exactly what’s going on. The heaviness of his stare pierces through the noise, through the clinking of silverware and the low hum of conversation. I feel it, an electric current under my skin, a current that wraps around my ribcage and squeezes.
My chest tightens, and I can’t breathe.
“Lo?” Ford’s voice breaks through the tension. My gaze is still locked on Hayes, my heart pounding in my chest, every muscle in my body tense. “What’s going on?”
I don’t know if I can handle this.
I don’t know if I can handle any of this right now.
And my Omega instincts are telling me to run.
Shit.
CHAPTER 18
Hayes
Ican’t believe what I’m seeing.
Someone might as well have hit the pause button on my life, because I am in shock.
Lo.
Sitting there, gorgeous, clearly dressed up for a date. This isn’t casual. And she’s at dinner withhim.
Ford.
My packmate.
How the hell did I not know about this?
Does my pack just not talk about anything any longer?
Wow. I’m speechless. I’ve heard rumors, sure, but I’ve also heard a million other things about Lo since she’s been back. Who knowswhatto believe when it comes to town rumors.
