Page 11 of Tempted By the Alpha Outlaw

“Can you pass the rolls, Kate?” River grumbles, barely looking up from his plate as he half-heartedly spears a piece of broccoli.

“You snooze, you lose,” Kate replies, popping the last roll into her mouth with a dramatic flourish.

“Kate,” Mom warns. “There’s more bread in the kitchen if you’re still hungry, River.”

He slouches further in his chair, muttering something under his breath, but he doesn’t make a move to get up.

Lucy, sitting next to me, giggles at the exchange, her little feet swinging under the table. “River’s always hungry,” she announces, as if it’s some grand revelation.

“Teenage boys are a bottomless pit,” Dad says with a chuckle, reaching over to tousle River’s hair. River ducks away with a groan, but even he cracks a reluctant smile.

“Better that than stealing the last roll,” I mutter pointedly, aiming a look at Kate.

Kate shrugs, unapologetic. “Survival of the fittest, Maggie. You’d better get faster if you want to keep up.”

I huff out a breath. “I don’t know if stuffing your face with rolls is the thing you should be bragging about.”

Kate snorts. “Speaking of fittest…” she adds after a beat, her tone syrupy sweet in that way only a little sister can manage, “any exciting new mechanics in the den today?”

Her words land with the subtlety of a grenade, and I feel my face heat instantly. “What are you talking about?” I ask, trying for casual but failing miserably. My voice pitches higher than I’d like, and I busy myself cutting Lucy’s meat into smaller pieces to avoid meeting Kate’s knowing grin.

Kate smirks, triumphant. "Oh, come on. Everyone saw the way you were looking at him during Reyes’ introduction. Don’t play innocent."

"I wasn’t looking at anyone."

"You were staring," she singsongs, leaning back in her chair. "Like,reallystaring."

"Kate," I warn, but my voice lacks the usual authority. My brain is too busy replaying the moment Colt warned me how dangerous he could be, his eyes locked on mine, his voice low and rough as he said my name.

What did he mean? I can’t stop speculating…and I’m dying to find out.

"Was he handsome?" Lucy pipes up, big brown eyes wide. She’s holding a forkful of mashed potatoes halfway to her mouth, completely captivated by the conversation.

"Lucy!" I groan. "Eat your dinner."

"But was he?" she presses, clearly not ready to let it go. "Like a knight? Or a prince?"

"More like a pirate," River mutters, poking at his stew with disinterest, though I catch the hint of a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Scruffy, dangerous-looking. Totally the pirate type."

“River,” I hiss, my gaze snapping to him.

"What?" he says, raising his hands in mock innocence. "I’m just saying. He looked cool."

“Cool isn’t always a good thing,” Mom cuts in. The table quiets slightly as her gaze lands squarely on me. “That man looks like trouble, Magnolia.”

"Mom," I groan, sinking a little lower in my chair. "I barely know him."

"And let’s keep it that way," she says firmly, setting her fork down with purpose. "This isn’t about you, starshine. It’s about the pack. A man like that doesn’t just wander into a den like ours without a reason, and until we know what it is, you need to be cautious. You’re an omega, Magnolia. That means you’re a target.”

Her words settle over the table, heavy and impossible to ignore. I glance down at my plate, my appetite evaporating.

I know she’s right—on paper, at least. But it doesn’t stop the small flicker of defensiveness in my chest.

"Magnolia’s a good judge of character," Dad says, offering me a small, reassuring smile. “She’s been looking out for this pack since she was old enough to walk. If she thinks he’s alright, then he’s alright.”

"She doesn’t know him," Mom shoots back. “And neither do we. This is a pack, Magnolia. We don’t just let anyone waltz in and earn our trust overnight."

I swallow hard. "I wasn’t planning on—" I start, but she cuts me off.

---