I glanced out the window as a car drove by, trying to put my thoughts into words. “Those feelings are still there, but now there’s this competing voice that hates being alone. Like maybe I was just trying to fight my true nature all these years.”
I looked at both of them. “Did you both know you’d be in an alpha pack one day? Was this where you imagined you’d end up?”
“No,” Lukas shook his head.
“Yes,” Preston replied.
“Interesting.” I pointed to each of them. “Who’s going to tell me why first?”
Preston leaned in closer, his thigh softly rubbing against mine. “A normal partner with a normal life seemed boring and lonely. I guess I just wanted people to hang out with while I went on my journey as a dancer.”
“That seems like exactly what you have with the Arco pack,” I looked at him hopefully.
He shrugged. “Just missing a beautiful woman now.”
“You’ll find her one day,” I teased with a wink before looking at Lukas. “And you?”
“Thought I’d end up with a short, snarky little alpha girl to marry and have a family with. But when Dem asked if I wanted to create a pack, I shrugged to myself, ‘why not?’”
“I see. Do you all live together?” I asked, growing a bit more curious about the details of their lives.
“We do at the Arco packhouse. Dem had it custom-built for us when we moved out here and started the company,” Preston replied, as his arm casually stretched behind my back, letting his hand rest on my shoulder. I tensed slightly, yet I leaned into his arm as well. My body just couldn’tdecide what it wanted. He did feel nice to lean against, though. Couples stuff, I suppose.
The waitress brought our food and left a large milkshake in the middle of the table.I took a sip of my tea before settling in to eat, enjoying the delicious salad. I could see Preston eyeing my food, but he kept his opinion to himself. His arm left the back of my neck, making me miss its warmth terribly.
“Tell me, Ivy.” Lukas pointed to me. “I now have many pictures of you dancing, not sure how they got on my camera. You seem to always smile when you dance, even during basic classwork. What happens when you have to perform an evil character?”
“Don’t let Lukas tease you.” Preston shook his head. “He once performed opening night, forgetting to take off his leg warmers.”
“Is that true?” I gasped, my eyes wide with delicious delight as I wagged my finger at Lukas.
“Tis true, a side of me I’d hoped you’d never see, but alas, you have discovered my shameful secret.” Lukas sighed dramatically as he grabbed his heart.
We continued to talk for the remainder of dinner, telling jokes and discovering small things about each other. As I finished the last of my salad, Preston looked at me intensely.
“Can you picture what your life would be like in our pack?” he asked as he drilled his eyes into me. Lukas seemed to be very interested in my answer as well.
“I’ve tried to picture it, yes.” I took a sip of my tea before continuing. “Being a part of a pack, a packmate, an omega—it’s one my mind still needs to grow comfortable with.”
“And what does your body want?” Lukas eyed me wickedly.
A blush crept up in my cheeks. “I’m not answering that.”
Picking up a spoon, Preston reached for the milkshake and scooped up a small portion, offering it to me. I gently tasted the spoonful, and a soft moan escaped my lips as the cold, delicious chocolatey taste ran over my tongue.
Preston shifted beside me, and I caught the faintest curl of his scent—chili chocolate and burnt caramel. It hit me like a wave, and suddenly, I couldn’t help myself. I buried my nose into Preston’s neck and inhaled deeply as my tongue started to lick his skin.
I heard a gasp coming from somewhere, but his scent took over my mind. I had wondered earlier if his skin tasted like his scent. It didn’t even matter at this point; I just wanted more of him. My hands steadied his head as I kept breathing deeper, a strong urge to taste him consumed me. Eventually, Preston’s voice broke through the fog in my mind.
“Ivy!” he loudly whispered, his entire body tense from my touch.
I looked up and inhaled sharply as our eyes met, astonishment crossing my face.
“I’m so sorry!” I said, looking away from him. “I just can’t control myself sometimes. The beta blockers must be wearing off.” I glanced over to Lukas, who was leaning forward on the table and breathing heavily.
“God, I wish I were sitting there right now,” Lukas softly groaned, his eyes full of heat and desire as he looked enviously at Preston.
Preston cleared his throat and readjusted himself. “Maybe that’s our cue to end the night. Lukas, will you get the check? I need a minute.”
