“Yeah,” I say, turning back to the stove, trying to play it cool, even though my heart’s doing a little flip at the sound of his voice. I know exactly what it means to cook for and feed an omega. Although, it’s usually an alpha cooking and feeding. “You could use a good meal. Bacon, pancakes, eggs… the works. Just for you.”
Chad slides off the couch, moving quietly across the room. He steps around the kitchen island, leaning against it with that easy, effortless confidence. His eyes are on me, the same playful spark still there, and it sends a little shiver up my spine.
He reaches out, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and the contact, however brief, makes my pulse quicken. “You didn’t have to go through all this trouble just for me.”
“It’s not trouble.” I try to sound nonchalant, but the way his fingers linger near my face has me flustered. I flip another pancake onto the plate and take a breath to steady myself. “Besides, you deserve it.”
The world. He deserves it all.
The corner of his mouth quirks up. “Deserve it?”
“You know what I mean.”
Chad smiles softly, his dark eyes tracing my face with an affection that makes my heart skip. “I don’t deserve you,” he murmurs, reaching out to snag a piece of bacon off the paper towel. “But I guess you’re stuck with me now. You’ve cooked for me. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.”
I lean into him, letting my smile match his. “Good. Because I’m pretty sure you’re stuck with me too.”
My stomach flips, and before I can even process the warmth spreading through me, Chad closes the distance between us. His lips brush mine in the lightest, most chaste kiss, but it sends a rush of heat straight to my core.
“Don’t let me distract you,” he teases, nodding toward the stove. The pancake is on the verge of overcooking, so I flip it quickly, sliding it onto a waiting plate and handing it to him.
He hums with pleasure and accepts it, before moving back around the island and settling on a stool while he watches me cook another. “It looks like you have enough batter made to feed an entire pack.”
“Yeah, I might’ve overdone it a little,” I admit, shrugging as I swirl the batter around.
Chad leans forward, his elbows on the counter as he chews thoughtfully. “Or... we just get you a pack to cook for.”
“Me? A pack?” I snort.
“Yeah, you’re my queen and deserve a pack. I guess it’s settled. Who do you want? Mason? Yeah?”
I laugh harder this time, shaking my head. “Chad, omegas pick their pack, not the beta.”
He shrugs, popping the last bit of bacon into his mouth. “I’m not the best decision maker. I mean, I did have sex with Dean in his car on the side of the road because I was sad.”
I raise an eyebrow, a teasing smile pulling at my lips. “I think you had sex with him because you wanted him, and he wanted you.”
Chad pauses, looking down at his nearly empty plate, his fingers tracing the rim. The easy atmosphere between us shifts, his usual lightness dimming. He swallows, then slowly lifts his eyes to mine, dark and uncertain. “There’s something you should know, Lakelyn.”
The weight in his voice presses down on the space between us. I lean in, my heart picking up speed. “What is it?”
“Dean’s my scent match.”
The words crash into me, knocking the breath from my lungs.Scent match.It’s the explanation for everything—the charged energy between them, the pull I feel each time they are together, and Dean’s reaction when I went to his office with Chad’s scent all over me. The thought that he might have responded to me only because of Chad makes my stomach twist.
Dean’s musk has always comforted me, the same way Mason’s does—but when Chad’s perfume blends with either of theirs, it’s like everything falls into place. It just feels right. It makes sense. And it lights my senses up.
He shifts in his seat, watching me carefully, waiting for my response. “I just thought you should know…”
I exhale, the realization settling in. I could feel threatened, insecure—but instead, I find myself asking, “Are you serious about me picking the alpha for a pack?”
His gaze sharpens with curiosity, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Of course.”
My heart pounds in my chest, and I feel my palms grow damp with the weight of what I’m about to say. But I know this is what we both need. “Okay, then I want two alphas. Mason and Dean.”
The air between us goes still, his eyes widening in surprise. The silence presses down on me, heavy and loud, and I can hear my pulse roaring in my ears.This is it, I think. He could take it back, say I’ve crossed a line, or shut it down completely. And if he did, I wouldn’t blame him.
But I know, deep down, that Chad will never be whole without Dean. His scent match is a bond too strong to ignore. Not to mention, I’ve had a crush on Dean for months. And I think we both want Mason.
