Page 54 of Alpha Marked

"You don't need to help me if you have an early morning," said River. "I can find something."

Ares opened the cupboards. "We have ramen, cereal, crappy canned spaghetti, crackers." He opened the next one. "Or, if you want something better, we have microwave popcorn, coffee, hot chocolate, mac and cheese, soup, and…" He pulled out a small jar and showed it to her. "Caviar?"

River couldn't help but chuckle. "Wow, that's quite the variety."

"You'd think a group of college guys lived here from the cabinet stock."

"Now I see why you have a chef."

He nodded and put the jar back. "Let me check the fridge."

"That's okay, I'll do the popcorn."

"You have to eat more than popcorn."

"I will at breakfast, but that'll hold me."

He looked like he might argue, but instead, he nodded, pulled out a bag of microwave popcorn, and tossed it in the microwave.

As the microwave did its thing, the two looked at each other. The air between them grew uncomfortable, and River glanced away.

"So… why did you sleep in the doorway?"

"I didn't mean to. I only… came to check on you."

He wasn't saying something, but she refused to pry.

The popcorn beeped, and Ares pulled it from the microwave and poured it into a bowl.

He prodded the bowl toward her. "Do you want a drink?"

She nodded and popped a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

He opened the fridge.

"Soda, please."

"What kind?"

"Whatever."

He pulled a soda and a beer from the fridge and handed her the soda.

"Do you like those?" she asked.

Ares inspected the beer. "Not particularly."

"Then why do you drink it?"

He regarded her for a moment.

"What I mean is, most humans drink them to get buzzed or drunk, but a shifter has to drink a ton of them to do that, and I assume a Lycan would have to drink even more. So, why drink it if you don't like the taste?"

He set the beer on the counter. "Honestly, I have no idea."

She chuckled as he opened the fridge and pulled out a sparkling water instead.

"Interesting choice."

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