Page 68 of Who We Were

Seeing no other choice, I uncoil from my mini nest and stretch. “What girls’ day?" I ask, only serving to annoy Kate even more. I'm distracted once again when I catch Vincent's heated gaze on my skin peeking between my little tank top and pants.

She huffs and stomps her foot. "We planned this last week during your check in. Remember? Your dad was here, you came back in from your chat, and Freya was on speakerphone. We planned lunch at the yummy brewery a few miles away?"

The desire bubbling in my tummy dissipates at the mention of Freya.Why the fuck would I agree to that?!

"Stop," Kate demands, her short hair looking extra sharp on her collarbones today. "There's no reason to be nervous. Freya is really nice, I promise."

"But she's like..." I trail off with a wave of my hand as I trudge my way upstairs.

Kate follows with a laugh. "What? Amazing for being the reason the academy was found out in the first place?"

She's teasing, I know that, but it's also true. If it weren't for Freya and her mates getting into a shitload of trouble, her alpha professor missing after the school year,andhaving an OPS friend, we might never have been saved.

"You know," Kate drawls, "I'm like a celebrity too. Or celebrity adjacent."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, I know. Thanks to Remy." Their OPS friend is Kate's scent match. If it weren’t for Remy, I don't know if we would have ever been saved. Hell, so many omegasstillneed to be saved.

Freya and her pack sacrificed a lot. They didn't do any of it intentionally to get us help, but still, if it weren't for them and her alpha's connection to Remy? I shudder.

Kate brushes a hand along my shoulder when we come to my bare bedroom and dives into my closet, which is bursting at the seams with clothes thanks to my dad. Yes,my dad. We're working on things and the little warm light in my chest reminds me I'm not alone and that Idohave a father now. One that I am really hoping I can rely on.

"I know, Amaya," Kate says sympathetically from beyond the closet door. "But she's just like us, okay? Freya went through everything you did. I think it would be really great for you to meet her. She's like a mixture of you and me. A bit of a brat, like me, and sweet as a button, like you." Kate winks and I glare only for a pair of ripped jeans to hit me in the face.

Grumbling to myself, I catch the cropped T-shirt she tosses at me and snag some underwear from the dresser. "I'm not sweet as a button," I protest quietly, and slam the bathroom door shut just to prove a point, even if my ears cringe.

"Would you calm down?"Kate hisses at me and shoves a beer across the table. "Here, drink this."

I'm beyond freaking out at this point. Since Vincent's lips left my cheek, I haven't been able to calm down. Saying goodbye tohim, even if it is just for a few hours, feels like the end of the world.

My nerves about meeting Freya have gone on the back burner since I only have room to miss my alpha. I haven't told Kate yet. I don't want her to think I'm being crazy.

It's embarrassing.What adult woman can't be away from their man for a couple hours?!

"Amaya—" A beautiful blonde strutting up to the table cuts Kate off and my god, if her smile isn't the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

With a flowy black skirt and a tight gray long sleeve on top, Freya turns heads as she weaves her way through the tables. Her wavy blonde hair is a little longer than Kate's, and when she tucks a strand behind her ear, her highlights sparkle like gold.

Last I saw her, Freya's hair was basically white, and she wore what we all wore: dirty, baggy, ripped clothes. Seeing her with a purple scrunchie on her wrist and a bounce in her step, she's a vision.

A vision of hope.

'Omega?'

I nod inwardly at my own omega's confusion. It's odd seeing someone who went through everything I did look so happy. Kate is one thing, but seeing another person just like me doing better is a bit jarring.

Whipped cream and chocolate swirl around me when she reaches the table. It's a very sweet scent, but not terribly unpleasant. It might give me cavities if her scent were to spike.

"Hiiiii!" Freya titters, and Kate stands to give her a hug in greeting.

When they pull away, Kate gestures to me, but I stay sitting as she introduces me. "Freya, this is Amaya. Amaya, Freya."

My face flushes and a cold sweat breaks out on the back of my neck.This was a bad idea.

"It's nice to meet you," Freya says softly and slides into her own seat on the other side of the square table.

My voice is weak when I reply, "Hi."

I can feel Kate's worried gaze drilling holes in the side of my head, but thankfully Freya must see how uncomfortable I am because she picks up her menu and scans the list of beers.

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