I pick the phone back up and start to type, but before I can even begin, another message comes through.
Zeke:
Can I see you? I know I fucked this up so bad, but I’d really like to meet you. Not in a dark club or a hospital.
His candid way of asking is… kind of endearing.
I glance up at the girls. They’re all staring back with hard determination. I take a deep breath. They are not going to be deterred.
Me:
I think I’m ready to meet up. But it’s going to need to be on my terms. My friend’s pack owns Bee Haven. There’s a restaurant there we could meet at.
Zeke:
That’s where we’re staying right now. We could meet you there.
Me:
I’m going to warn you that my friends know what happened, and they’re going to be coming. Is that all right?
I expect pushback, but the reply comes almost immediately.
Zeke:
Of course. That’s totally fine.
We establish a time for laterthat evening.
Then I pull up a new chat.
Me:
I’m meeting the pack this evening at the restaurant in Bee Haven. If you want to join.
Corbin:
I’ll be there, Sweetheart.
My heart does a little backflip, and I just manage to shove down the surge of hope that lights me up inside. Whether it’s mine or Zeke’s, I can’t afford it.
I feel like I’m one big push away from falling apart again, and I don’t want to be some brittle omega. I want to take back control—and this, meeting with the alphas who are my mates, feels like a solid step toward that.
Winnie
The entry to Bee Haven is stunning. The entire thing is shaped like an oversized farmhouse on the outside, and the décor is vintage French countryside—but the arched ceilings, oversized windows, and accents add enough glamour to remind you it’s a resort for the posh and famous without being tacky about it.
I veer to the right, where another large arch leads me into the restaurantSnow Rose. The delectable smells of food are drowned out by a set of scents—deep, rich, and overwhelming to my omega. They’re coffee and jasmine and clove and citrus. Once again, I can’t help but feel I made a bad choice by not doing this meeting in private. The last thing I need is a complete omega meltdown in the middle of Sunny’s alphas’ resort and Rose’s alphas’ restaurant.
Speaking of my friends’ alphas, several are not-so-subtly watching from the sidelines. Logan and Evander, two of Rose’s alphas, stand by the host stand pretending to chat. Hunt, Sunny’s alpha, is sitting at a table eating. And Victor, one of Clara’s alphas, is openly glaring into the dining room.
They obviously weren’t going to let their omegas near a pack with a member who bit without permission. And my friends weren’t letting me go alone. So now they’re here to watch too. I spot the girls: Cali, Sunny, Clara, and Rose sit nearby with menus in hand, clearly not reading a word.
I follow Victor’s gaze to a table next to my friends. There, a group of four alphas sit. On one side, I see Zeke in a black shirt that's stretched across his chest. His brown hair flops over his forehead, and even from here his beautiful green eyes cut—though they haven’t found me yet. The other alpha I saw in my hospital room is at the table too. A light blue T-shirt contrasts against his dark brown skin. I take a moment to drink him in: the stubble along his jaw enhances his strong features; muscular arms cross over his chest; he looks distinctly unhappy to be here.
The other two alphas are a mystery to me. One has a stubbled jaw, and light brown skin. His physique is lean but muscled, and his wavy black hair practically begs for my fingers.
The other… well, I have no idea what he looks like because he’s wearing a mask. It's a biker mask—eyes visible, everything below the nose covered by a skull print. Beyond his eyes, I can’t see anything: black beanie, leather jacket despite the warm restaurant, black gloves on his hands. His silver-blue eyes remind me of ice, sending a little shiver through me.
