She slaps a palm against my chest as I move in to take her into my arms.
"You have been dismissive. Hostile." A single tear falls, which she ignores. "The single most infuriating alpha I have ever met. And I have been patient. I have been so patient. Because I could see it. I could see you underneath all of it. The person I texted for weeks who made me laugh and told me about his mother and calmed my nerves when I sent a smiley face." Her voice cracks.
"That's the Saint I kept waiting for. That's the one I kept making excuses for. That's the one I could love if you would just let me in."
I try to hug her again. “Lark, I know. I just snapped when he—”
“When he what? Treated me like an omega of value? Spoke to me?”
“But he didn’t. He just wants to—” I look around at the room full of eyes watching us. I pull her over to a booth.
“He was looking at you like… like he wanted to domorethan be nice to you.”
She scoffs. “So?“
“So?” I repeat.
“Women look at you like that all the time.”
“And how would you feel if any of those women touched me? Implied that they could treat me better than you?”
Her nostrils flare, but she doesn’t respond, at least not right away. After a few seconds of each of us breathing deep she finally speaks.
“The difference is that I’ve never rejected you. You, however, have never once treated me with unreserved kindness. Except for our texts. I loved those. I was embarrassed by how much. I looked forward to you messaging every day. Was actually happy to meet you that day at the clinic, and then—”
She wipes a tear and something inside me cracks. I did this. I made her feel like shit. I’ve been a total alpha-hole and deserve every bit of shit she throws back at me. I deserve all of it. Probably more, if I’m being honest with myself.
The truth is, I’m probably too fucked up to have someone like Lark.
“I’m leaving.” She stands from the booth.
It’s not what I was expecting her to say, and somehow it’sexactlywhat I expected her to say. I wouldn’t stay with me either. But it doesn’t stop the panic rising in my chest.
I grab for her hand. “Lark, please. Let me at least take you home. We can talk about this later, after you and I have had time to think about things.”
She turns, putting up one palm. “Don’t follow me. Please. I just need—” she swallows. “I just need a little time. Please stay in here for a while.”
No,my alpha surges forward.Follow her!
I force him down.
“Saint!” a voice calls from the counter. “Lark!”
Our drinks are ready.
Lark looks down at me. For two long, terrible seconds. Then she turns and storms out the door.
I wait. Not long. Just long enough to give her space to calm down. Just long enough for me to force my alpha back down. Just long enough for Baseball Seth, or whatever the fuck his name is, to get in his car. Then I walk to the counter and collect the drinks.
I step outside into the late afternoon sun. My Jeep sits exactly where I parked it. Lark does not.
I scan the street. I don’t see her walking down the sidewalk. She probably called an Uber back to the house.
It’s for the best.
I climb into the driver’s seat and set both lattes into the cup holders then start the engine. I move slowly, intentionally taking my time. I don’t want to arrive home too soon after she does.
When I decide she’s had enough of a head start, I shift gears and pull slowly from my parking spot. My phone starts buzzing before I even leave the lot.
