The bell rang again. Probably another random person asking for directions.
But then familiar voices filled the room.
“Ryu? You there?” Dante called.
I shot up. “Dante!”
And not just him — his brother and my friend Lorenzo stood beside him. They were alone, a rare sight to see since their children were born.
“You guys!” I cried. “What are you doing here? Where’s the family?”
“The omegas are looking after them tonight,” Dante said with a grin.
“Yes, Raja and Gabriel decided to pool the kids together for one big play-date,” Lorenzo explained. “I think they’re having aRob the Buildermarathon.”
“So, we decided to have an Alpha’s Night Out. We’re gonna get drinks, stuff our faces, throw darts… Typical alpha stuff, right?” Dante said. He threw his arm around my shoulder and we wrestled a bit. Lorenzo, who was calmer and more dignified than both of us, just watched with an amused smile.
“That’s great!” I said before suddenly remembering a problem. “Oh, but… The school doesn’t officially close until 7pm.”
Dante glanced around. A slight wince crossed his face. “Um, no offense, man, but there isn’t anyone here.”
My shoulders sagged. “I know. No one’s been in all day. Or the day before…”
Dante and Lorenzo exchanged sympathetic glances.
“Come on, I’m sure no one will miss you for one night,” Dante reassured me. “And besides, you need a break once in a while. It’s no good to just focus on work all the time.”
“Indeed,” Lorenzo added. “If I’ve learned anything since the birth of our daughter, it’s that you absolutely need some time for yourself once in a while.”
Dante shot his brother a knowing grin. “Charlotte start getting into trouble already, huh?”
With a sigh, Lorenzo said, “Just like her omega-father Raja, she’s been getting into trouble since she was born.”
“Don’t I know it!” Dante cried. “Noah and Noelle are like a couple of demons now that they’re both old enough to shift and walk.” He laughed. “It’s like a new game ofWhat Did My Child Stick Up Their Nose This Time?every waking moment!”
Even though they were complaining about their kids, I was endeared rather than repelled.Iwanted a child who got into trouble, too. But that wasn’t going to happen without a mate, and I obviously didn’t have one of those, so I was stuck with living vicariously through my friends’ stories. All I could do was hope that maybe one day I would have my own stories to tell.
Lorenzo and Dante noticed my sudden quietness and stopped.
“Sorry,” Lorenzo said, putting his hand on my shoulder. “We’re supposed to be making you feel better, not worse.”
“Nah, I don’t feel bad,” I told him. “It’s not that I don’t enjoy your stories. It’s the opposite—they make me wish I had my own to share.”
“Alright, enough of this,” Dante declared. “Let’s go have our Alpha’s Night Out, just the three of us. No omegas, no babies - just us! And no thinking about anything depressing or I’ll set your hair on fire. What do you say, Ryu?”
Dante’s enthusiasm and Lorenzo’s calming aura were contagious. I couldn’t say no to either of them. I was tired of sitting around and feeling sorry for myself alone. A night to focus on myself and my friends just havingfunwas exactly what I needed.
“Okay,” I finally said. “I’ll go on one condition.”
Dante leaned in. “What?”
I grinned at him. “You’rebuying drinks.”
Rolling his eyes, Dante slipped a credit card out of his pocket and twirled it around with a smirk. “Deal.”
