The alpha shrugs. “I thought you might think it’s weird.”
“Weird?Me?”
“Okay, we can argue about this later,” Sam says firmly to get us back on track.
“I’ll go get the car,” Thatcher offers, rushing out with Sam’s keys. I turn to look at my scent match, then, noticing the passive expression. It’s the same way he normally looks in a crisis, and he looks way calmer than he did when we first arrived at this party.
“You don’t think she agreed to this date, do you?” I ask him.
He doesn’t respond for a few moments, but he takes my hand in his. “My instincts are telling me something else is going on here.”
I give a firm nod. “Okay. Okay, good. I trust you, Sam.”
Even over the bass thumping through the house, I can hear his purr start in the center of his chest. His smile is small and soft as he squeezes my hand tighter. “Let’s go get our mate.”
Ironically, all of our friends are crowded around the beer pong tables, drinking and laughing. Well, except for Stacia and Rory, who still look concerned off to the side. We passthem in haste, and Kendall spots us and calls out, “Hey! Where are you guys rushing off to?”
In true dramatic fashion, I turn around and say, “To get our omega. She’s out on a date right now.”
Ciro gasps. “Your scent match is on a date with someone else?!”
Stacia smacks him on the shoulder. “Ciro!”
The rest of their packs turn to stare at him, eyes wide as they process what he just said.
“Scent match?! When the hell did that happen?” Dax exclaims.
“I knew something was up at that party—” Uriah chimes in.
When Ciro sees their flabbergasted expressions, he puts his hands up. “What? We just found out during the game, it’s not like we were keeping it a secret from you.”
“It’s still not something you just blurt out!” Stacia reprimands her beta.
“And you’re not going to repeat it, because Thatcher doesn’t know yet,” Sam says with a stern warning.
“He doesn’t know?” Everett asks.
“No, it’s… complicated,” I answer. “God, this is a mess.”
Rory interrupts, her hand going to my shoulder. “Back up. She’s on a date? Please don’t tell me Cindy set it up.”
I pause, my chest suddenly tight. “She’s the one who told me Opal was on a date, just a few minutes ago.”
The blue-haired omega nearly growls. “Oh, hell no. We’re all going. Let’s go get our freaking friend.”
The determination in her face sends something through me, some kind of feeling of care and loyalty that I haven’t felt from a friendship in a while. We turn to move outward, all on a mission to find our missing piece once and for all.
FORTY-EIGHT
I’m in a weird headspace as we ride to the restaurant, our friends following behind us.
I know my pack mates are keeping something from me. Opal isn’t the kind of person to run away without a proper reason, and I’m itching to figure out what that is. At the same time, I know Sam and Kit aren’t malicious people. Whatever they’re keeping from me, they’re doing it for my own good. I just have to be patient now and wait, and trust that my instincts about the situation aren’t off base.
After finding out from Rory and Stacia how Opal’s last date went, I can’t see her going back into that situation willingly. I also still have the desire to hunt that alpha down and take away his ability to speak with my fist, but that wrath is futile. So, I channel it into finding our omega, cursing myself for not telling her sooner how I felt. It was slow and gradual even for me, so I don’t expect her to fully know the depth of my affection. I’ve fallen for her in a way that feels like fiction and I never want to stop reading.
Our large group gets to the restaurant, and the set up insidenever fails to amaze me. It’s crystal white in every direction, with circular tables and candlelit centerpieces, the lights slightly dimmed for the nuance of privacy. I’ve considered bringing my pack here for some fine dining, but now it feels tainted by this unfortunate venture. Nonetheless, it is beautiful.
When the host sees us, he gives us a puzzled look. “Can I help you?”
