Jordan glares at me.
“Listen, it’s really cute how you got all dressed up for this date, but the only reason we need an Omega is to have a baby.” He puts his arm around José’s shoulder, and they both nod their head.
I give them a wide smile. “Wow, I love going on a date and being treated like all I am is a uterus. This has been great.” I stand up, swearing Teddy smiles at me, and as I walk past Jordan, he grips my arm and tugs me back.
“You leave this date like this, and I’ll make sure all the Alphas I know in the area know to steer clear.”
I smile like a pageant queen and yank my arm out of his grasp. “That’s so sweet of you, Jordan. Thanks for helping me with that little problem.”
“I told you we should have made that other girl an offer,” José says to Jordan.
“She was poor,” Jordan replies. I give Teddy a pleading look, nearly begging him to walk away with me—that he deserves better. But he shakes his head, and I walk to the bathroom. No way am I going to call my mom. She dropped me off, I’m sure in hopes that I would go home with these assholes and bond them on the spot.
I don’t want to go home tonight, but I can’t stay here. I splash some water on my face and groan. I attempt to pull the eyelashes off with no success. I do my best to avoid Jordan and his pack as I leave the restaurant and start walking. It’s stupid to walk alone in the dark, but there’s a shopping center down the street with ice cream.
Moose tracks will make everything better. I didn’t even get to eat, that’s how awful they were. Truthfully, I want to cry. This is the part of being an Omega I hate. So many people see me as a thing, as my designation, not who I am. I just want someone to look at me, the real me, and like what they see. I’ve never had anyone give me that, not even the person who’s supposed to love me the most in the world.
My eyes might be watery as I get my ice cream and sit on the curb and eat it like the depressed loser I feel like I am.
There are only two things left open in the shopping center, the ice cream shop and The Vapor Lab. Two guys are laughing outside when the door opens, and they go inside, but another figure walks out. I turn back to my ice cream and self-pity.
I knew the date was a bad idea; I knew nothing good would come from it. But to have an Alpha outright say that I’m an incubator and a lower-class citizen makes me feel like trash. Honestly, it makes me want to go back to Lavender Moon. I feel more respected there than I do anywhere else nowadays. Lavender Moon is extremely picky about their members. While I obviously don’t know what their true stance is on Omegas, everyone has showed me more respect than the two “esteemed” Alphas I was with tonight.
“Luna?” a soft voice says above me. I turn my body and shift on the concrete curb. I look up to see James’ beautiful face. He’s so handsome, he truly could be a model. I don’t think I’ve seen a man with such a sharp jaw or perfect skin. He sits down next to me, stamping out his joint and looking out to the dark street with me.
I may sniffle a little bit and shrug. “Hey, James.”
“Why are you alone?” he says.
“Bad date, why are you alone?”
He smirks and shakes his head. “I go where I want.”
“Ezra and Ian don’t go everywhere with you?” I ask, confused.
“No, I like my space.” I shrug in some understanding. But if I were with Ezra or Ian, I would want them following me around everywhere. “What happened on the date?”
“I didn’t even want to go. My mother set it up.” He grimaces at the mention of my mother.
“You need a ride home?” he asks. My ice cream has nearly melted in my hand. I shake my head.
“No,” I say softly.
“You want to go somewhere else?”
“With you?” I ask, my tone probably far more hopeful that it should be.
“Yeah, with me.” I smile and nod my head. He holds his hand out for my dripping ice cream. I hand it to him, and he takes a swipe with his tongue. It’s fucking hot, insanely hot, watching him lick up the melting dessert. Maybe the hottest thing I’ve ever witnessed—I really need to get out more. He doesn’t care that I was just licking it. He hums at the flavor and then tosses it in the trash. James grabs a few napkins from the counter and hands them to me, so I can clean off my hands.
He holds his hands out, and I grab them as he tugs me up. We’re standing so close together that I can smell his cinnamon and clove scent. I haven’t been attracted to any of the Omegas’ scents at the club, but James’ scent does something for me. If he scents me, he doesn’t let anything on as he heads to his car.
James opens my car door for me silently as he rounds the vehicle and starts the engine and drives off. I trust him completely while he drives downtown. The windows are down, and the humid air clings to my skin and makes my hair fall slightly. I smile to myself, liking the idea of the fit my mother would be throwing right now.
The ride is quiet but content. I like just being around James. There isn’t an overwhelming need to fill the silence like there is with other people.
He eventually pulls over to the side. The beach is to the left, and we both get out of the car. I expect him to walk me over to the sand, but he doesn’t. He stands before an empty lifeguard chair and points his head in the direction. I follow and climb up. I’m pretty sure I give him a clear shot of my panties in this dress. But James doesn’t say anything as he climbs up next to me, and we share the seat. He pulls a pack of Skittles out of his pocket, and I hold out my palm.
When we both have a fist full, we both do the same thing, separating them by color and eating them accordingly. It makes me smile. It seems I found another Omega with a serious sweet tooth.
