Page 41 of Mark & Don't Tell

As she searches for the name, I test it out on myself.

Daria Kelly.

Oh hello, yes, I am indeed a Kelly.

Oh, the Kellys? They have a gorgeous omega named?—

“Daria?” the hostess’s grumpy voice cuts through my daydreaming.

“Yup.”

“Follow me.” She eyes the couple pushing through the door, sending them a pointed don’t you dare fucking move until I get back look.

Nerves flutter in my stomach as she leads me around the hostess stand. Am I really doing this? Having dinner with my scent matches? Surely, I’m dreaming. I pinch myself. Ow, fuck.

Right. Not a dream.

The main floor is obnoxiously fancy—tables covered in white cloths, sparkling glassware, bouquets of roses as a centerpiece, and a fucking swan fountain made of marble right in the middle of the floor.

What is with rich people and hideous decorations? Like, hey, everyone, look at all my money, let me buy this ugly-ass bird fountain.

Nearly every table is full, but my gaze immediately finds Kai and Lincoln six tables away, almost like my body knew exactly where they were all along. They both stand. Two chairs at the table are empty. One for me and one for another pack member who is noticeably absent.

My stomach drops. Is that a bad sign? Or maybe they’re in the bathroom. There’s no way they saw me while I was eyeing the ugly bird statue and ran, right? Fuck, I need to get it together. I haven’t even met the entire pack, and I’m already anticipating them leaving me.

Everything is fine. It’ll be okay. Suck it up and act like the gorgeous omega you are. Tipping my chin, I make my way over to the alphas, more than a little smug when their gazes stray to the way my hips sway before jumping back up to meet my eyes.

My heart skips as I take them in. Though Kai ditched the suit jacket, he’s still in the slacks and top from earlier today, the light blue shirt complementing his umber complexion. He’s undone the first two buttons of the top, revealing hints of a muscled chest. It should be illegal for an alpha to be this attractive after a long day’s work.

The other alpha at the table shifts, snaring my attention. Lincoln’s hair is still pulled back in a bun, but he’s traded his suit for a casual button-up, which he’s rolled up at the sleeves, exposing muscled, faintly bronzed forearms. Lincoln, while clearly strong, isn’t as lean as Kai, but I like the slight softness of his bulk.

They look delicious. These are my alphas. My heart skips a beat. They both study me as intensely as I study them. I stop before the table, catching the unmistakable allure of their spiced and citrus scents.

“Daria,” Kai says with a blinding smile. “You look?—”

“Good enough to eat,” a deep and familiar voice rumbles behind me. Vic’s chest brushes over my back, and his hand wraps around my throat as he inhales.

As heat shoots through me, I suck in a breath, gasping when the sweet and smoky myrrh of Vic’s scent scorches through my system. Holy shit, Vic smells divine.

Wait, why is he here?

“Vic,” Lincoln says with a sigh, “at least let her have dessert before you try to eat her.”

“Let her go,” Kai pleads, truly worried for me.

Little does he know that I’m right where I want to be. But how is this possible? What weird sort of game is fate playing?

Vic’s mouth brushes over my ear. “You’re wearing my collar.”

I swallow, the movement pronounced against the palm lacing my neck. “You left it for me.”

“Good little doe,” he purrs, stroking my neck. “But I don’t like that my marks are hidden.”

“Sorry,” I whisper.

“You should be.” He gently bites my throat before letting me go and standing in front of the other empty chair, smirking at Kai and Lincoln, who are understandably confused.

A hard line cuts across Kai’s brow. “You’ve met Daria already?”

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