Page 18 of The Flavor of Us

It feels like a game, but one I’m more than willing to play.

When the song starts to fade, the final notes vibrating through the speakers, I hit my ending pose—a slow, deliberate arch backward, my body stretched out and vulnerable, one arm raised above my head.

The crowd cheers, whistles filling the air, but when I lift my head and look back toward the front row—

She’s gone.

My stomach drops slightly as I climb down from the stage, the glow of the performance still buzzing in my veins but now tinted with confusion. Did she leave? Did I—didwe—do something wrong?

“Tati!” Casey grabs my arm as I pass her backstage, her grin wicked. “Girl, whoever that Alpha was? She looked like she wanted to eat you alive.”

I force a laugh, shaking my head as I slip past the other girls and head toward the dressing room. My heart’s still racing, my thoughts tumbling over themselves as I push open the door—

And freeze.

Because Carleen’sright there.

She’s leaning casually against one of the vanities, arms crossed over her broad chest, a wild, dangerous grin pulling at her lips. Her brown eyes are sharp, locking onto me the second I step into the room.

“Alpha,” I breathe, my voice barely audible over the chaos of my heartbeat.

I start to say something else, something witty or sarcastic—somethingTati-like—but before I can get a word out, Carleen pushes off the vanity, crosses the space between us in two long strides, and crashes her mouth against mine.

Her hands are firm on my waist, pulling me flush against her body as her lips claim mine with a mix of hunger and devotion. It’s not just a kiss—it’s a statement. It’s ownership and promise and something so deep it makes my thighs press together as I swallow back a moan.

My fingers clutch at her blazer, holding on like she might slip away again if I let go. Her scent surrounds me, that fresh rain blooming around me, and it fills every crevice of my chest until I feel like I might burst. When she finally pulls back, we’re both breathing hard, our foreheads pressed together.

“I thought I’d be jealous,” Carleen says softly, her voice low and rough around the edges. “Watching you up there, dancing in front of everyone, letting them see you like that.” Her hands slide up my sides, her thumbs brushing against my ribs as she tilts her head, her gaze boring into mine. “But I wasn’t,” she continues. “All I felt was pride. Because that was you, sunshine. My Beta, up there—dancing, free, and so damn happy.”

My heart stutters in my chest and my breath catches in my throat.

Her Beta.

Those words repeat in my head, over and over, until I can’t stop the grin that breaks across my face. “YourBeta?” I whisper, my voice trembling slightly.

Carleen nods, her lips curving into a softer smile this time. “Yeah, Tati.Mine.”

And then she kisses me again, slower this time, softer—but just as deep, just as sure.

The sound of the other girls in the dressing room finally breaks through—soft gasps, scattered laughter, someone muttering,“Get it, Tati!”

But I don’t care.

I don’t care about anything except the way Carleen is holding me, the way she’s looking at me like I’m the most important thing in the world. When she finally pulls back again, her voice drops into something softer, something a little more deviant.“If you’re a good girl tonight, sunshine… we can cuddle in your little nest later.”

Oh.

Oh.

My scent shifts immediately, growing sweeter, thicker, like melon in the height of summer. I swear my knees nearly give out as I scramble to pull away and start gathering my stuff, my hands shaking as I shove clothes, makeup, and random accessories into my bag. Carleen laughs behind me, a mixture of a chuckle and her Alpha purr, and it only makes me move faster.

The other girls are still giggling and whispering, but I’m already halfway out the door, bag slung over my shoulder and my heart pounding so loud it’s all I can hear.

“See you at home, sunshine,” Carleen calls after me.

I don’t stop, don’t turn around—I just bolt for the exit, my face flushed, my heartracing, and my scent still sweet in the air around me. But despite the chaos in my chest, one thought rises above the rest:

I’mhers.

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