Really, what kind of pack would stick by an omega that didn’t want a bond?
I could hardly blame them for being as apprehensive about me as I was them.
Indi was fast asleep, snoring softly as I passed by our room, a game console on the bed beside them playing a familiar lofi tune as they napped. Undeniably cute.
I stretched my arms above my head on my way downstairs, trying to loosen the tightness in my shoulders and back from spending most of the day curled like a shrimp over my tablet. As I got closer to the bottom of the steps, Eva and Marcus’ scents, blended together like the counter of a high end coffee shop—well, except for the actual coffee… maybe a bakery was more accurate—hit my nose, making my steps even faster with excitement.
When I made it to the kitchen, overly bright even in the night thanks to the cabinets and countertops, my mouth was positively watering.
Marcus kneeled in the suit he’d left in, helping Eva out of her shoes. She’d dressed for the occasion in a silken pink mini dress that clung to her upper thighs, a map of criss crossed cuts marked into her perfect, creamy skin.
For a minute, I almost forgot to be annoyed.
The alpha stood, leaning down for a soft kiss to Eva’s shoulder before moving away to place her shoes by the door.
“Joon!” she said excitedly, hopping up to race around the island to me, arms going around my neck for a kiss. “Give me,like, five minutes! I want to steal some comfy clothes from Indi. Marcus is going to make dessert.”
“Sound great,” I said, catching her around the waist for a quick squeeze. “Careful, Animal Crossroads took their ass out again.”
“Hmmm,” she hummed mischieviously, stealing another kiss before she pulled away. “What I heard was Eva, go jump on Indi so he doesn’t miss crème brûlée.”
I laughed, giving her ass a playful little smack on the way past. “Let’s see how that works out for you, princess.”
When I returned my attention to Marcus, he’d removed his suit jacket, laying it on the round table in the breakfast nook, and was in the process of rolling up his sleeves over his impressive forearms. He really was huge, even for an alpha. Where Indi and Cameo were on the leaner side, Marcus was a full wall of muscle. And those muscles were built on the back of hand whisking and probably moving heavy bags of flour or whatever the fuck else you did at a restaurant.
“Have a nice evening?” he asked, removing ingredients from a grocery bag with the crinkle of paper.
“Yeah, fine,” I said, brows furrowing slightly. “Don’t they serve dessert at that fuck expensive restaurant you own?”
Marcus chuckled. “They do. Eva said it sounded so delicious that she wanted to share it with everyone.”
Irritation flickered again as I leaned on the island.
Of course, sweet as pie Eva wanted to share with everyone. It’s what sweet, perfect omega’s would do.
Me?I would’ve eaten in the restaurant with Marcus. No guilt involved.
“That was nice of her.”
The alpha pulled out a pot, starting the base so quickly that I barely caught the ingredients past what’d been set on the counter. Eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, and a whole load ofstrawberries and chocolate. He faced the stove, whisking away as he brought the contents of his pot up to temperature.
"I had a feeling you’d appear the second we got home. Want to know how it went? Or trying to snag some time with Eva for yourself?”
"I didn’t come down foryou," I lied, rolling my eyes. “I just wanted water."
“Then I guess youdon'twant dessert, is that right?”
“Really?” I scoffed, not in the mood for the alpha’s… was this teasing?
Unlikely. Marcus didn’t tease. I was pretty sure that if he so much as accidentally stumbled into innuendo he’d have a coronary.
Still… when the alpha turned his head to catch my eye, the light in his green eyes was something decidedly close to humor.
"If you want something more than water. If not, I'm sure Cam will eat it."
"I want it," I said quickly, but the feeling of instant defeat stung.
God, I was weak to custard and caramelized sugar…
