Page 18 of Pit Stop

My fingers go into my ears again and I shake my head. “I refuse to do this. You’re not the one I want to speak to about this.”

He sighs and then lets out a small laugh. “Fair enough. I’m done. Just…stay away from him. Really. If you two get involved, then all your dreams…”

I nod my head and he does the same, moving away from me slowly, turning his head to give me one last glance over his shoulder.

“I get it. You’ve said enough.”

I had no idea he felt this way about Maverick. Gods, he talks about him like he’s garbage, like it’s abhorrent that he lives in the poorer part of town. I don’t like that at all.

And Forest is not one to talk. He still lives at home with Dad and me.

Judgmental dick.

I’ll make sure to tell him that next time he opens his mouth about Maverick again.

But I can see his point about me ending up tied down to someone, stuck here for ages. I’m never going to earn a high-powered career if I settle as someone else’s bitch. And that’s what omegas always end up as.

I step into the kitchen to make myself a smoothie and feel my ass twinge as I go. It’s sore from the constant fucking Mav’s big dick gave it the past few days. The way it’s been stretched and used.

I’ll need a week to recover, at least.

As I pull out the ingredients with a yawn, my phone chimes, and I glance down at it.

I want it to be Maverick, but I don’t have his number. It’s just wishful thinking.

I fucking wish he was the one messaging me.

But it’s not him. It’s Delphine, a friend I met in an English class, and she wants to know if I’d like to attend a poetry slam tonight.

Sounds wretched but also very chic, so of course I say yes. It’s either that or stay inside and possibly have another sex conversation with Forest, or gods forbid, my dad. At least my dad has avoided me since yesterday, and I dread the thought of him trying to speak to me about it.

Fuck it. I’m not staying in and waiting for someone else to try to talk to me about heat cycles. I hurry out of the house,smoothie in hand and drive myself over to the other side of town, to a small coffee shop that hosts a variety of interesting events.

Every Wednesday morning, they host a yoga class where you’re aided in finding your inner wolf, and then one night a week they host a wine and sip event. Last week, we all painted wolves howling at the moon while drinking far too much. Don’t ask me how I got conned into going to that one. But to be honest, as much as I grumble about it, it’s nice. I may say it’s not my vibe, but I enjoy it, deep down.

Tonight, the poetry theme is all about expressing your feelings about your inner wolf. Truthfully, I’d rather we just forget our ancestors and move on with our lives. But then again, our ancestors are why we’re like this—alphas and omegas. And then the lucky ones, the betas—a man or woman not tied to or obligated to anyone. Rob is one of those.

Must be nice.

I, however, will be tied to an alpha for the rest of my existence. Because as much as we want those toys to work during heats, I’ve heard they don’t. We need more. We need actual alpha males with their big dicks and their pheromones. So many pheromones.

The thought of Mav’s scent wafts over me and I shift on my feet. I can feel myself growing slick just from imagining him, the way he smells, the way he feels.

It’s an issue. One I really need to fix. Because Forest has made himself clear, and as much as I want to rebel, there’s a very good reason he’s warning me away.

I know he wants what’s best for me and Maverick, and I’m not here to ruin friendships. Or my future.

I sigh and push my way into the small coffee shop, the dim lighting setting the stage for some real angst.

If Mav could see me here, he’d be so damn smug.

“You and your books, Skye. Such a nerd.”

I straighten my shoulders and adjust my glasses. Well, I may be a nerd—he’s not wrong about that—but apparently, I’m hot enough to get Mav off. Many times, in fact. He didn’t seem to be struggling through the rut. He seemed to enjoy himself even.

Yes, that’s a fact I’ll try to remember.

I make my way up to the coffee counter. I don’t need to be thinking about him while people croon on and on about their inner wolves. That’s not a thing I need to be doing.

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