Liam plays with her hair, moving it out of her face. It’s an excuse to touch her, really. He’s already feeling possessive.
And because I’m staring up at her, I see what they don’t.
Old healed pack marks bitten into the side of her neck.
Our omega’s been claimed before.
Chapter Nine
GABRIEL
Kat is already standingin the shade near the door by the time I get there. “Were you waiting long?” I ask her, shifting my duffle bag higher on my shoulder.
“No. Only a few minutes,” she says. “Jen dropped me off. My car’s in the shop.”
“I’ll give you a ride home when we’re done.”
She flashes me a smile. “Thanks.”
She looks good. Tight spandex hugs her curves. Her pregnancy isn’t showing yet. She’s wearing light blue yoga pants and an extra-long strappy sports bra to match. Kat looks good enough to eat.
I put a hand on the small of her back and get the door. “Let’s go sign in.”
The worker checking everyone into the gym smiles at us. I hold my card to the reader, then sign her in as my guest and pay for her day pass with my phone.
“Oh, I could have gotten it,” she says.
As if there was any chance I’d let her pay for our first date. “Don’t be silly. I’m the one who asked you to join me. Comeon, the classes are on the fourth floor.” I grab two rolled towels from the stack and lead her to the elevators.
“This gym is insane,” she says, looking around before getting on the elevator. “I heard it’s really expensive.”
Normally it is. “I get a huge discount because I work for the hospital. We send patients here for rehab and PT.”
The elevator beeps and the doors open.
“What do you do at the hospital?” she asks.
“I’m a physician’s assistant.”
“I didn’t know that was a job. Do you like it?”
“I do,” I answer. “I like working thirty-six hours a week and helping the trauma team and surgeons.”
Kat shivers. “Writing about blood and gore is one thing. I don’t think I could handle seeing it in real life.”
Kat’s adorable. I’m beginning to see why Liam was so drawn to her, even without the scent match driving him wild. There’s something about her that drives up the protective instincts. The elevator jostles to a stop before I can think of a response.
We get out on our floor and find the right studio for our yoga class. It’s a prenatal yoga class, and getting into it is difficult because it’s popular. I had to sweet talk the instructor into squeezing us in.
We take our shoes and socks off and store them in a cubby outside, then walk in barefoot. There are mats for the students to use. I get her one and a resistance band and blocks, then help her set up her station. Folding chairs have already been set out to mark the spots for students, and about half of them have already arrived.
We sit together, mimicking the others. She sits cross-legged while I sit behind her, giving her support. I take the opportunity to study her while the both of us wait.
With her hair up in a ponytail, I can see the old matingmarks that Matthew swears he saw the other night. It’s true. She’s been mated before.
Kat looks over her shoulder at me. “I don’t think I’m showing enough for this class,” she whispers.
The pregnant women and male omegas here are further along than she is. Their partners touch and cradle their big bellies. I reach around and do the same. “This class is hard to get into. It’s good to start early.”