Page 12 of The Alpha: Part One
"That's alright, the kid's ready to rejoin his pack. Aren't you, kid?" I turn my full attention to the young alpha. I don't mind posturing when I need to, but he's got no chance with her, anyway, and he knows it.
"Yeah," he says, giving her a wide smile but flicking his eyes back to me. "It was great hanging out. I'll see you around, Desir'ee."
After he takes his leave, I sit down in his chair, adjusting my posture into a power pose and spreading out to take up space. This is all about the show, and I'm the focal point. Any other time, I would have offered one of the twins the place at the table. She's their omega, one of them should be sitting at the table; but it's a bigger power move if I sit. It makes it look like they've just been waiting for me to join them and now we've come as a unit to stake a claim on our omega. It just looks better for me to be the one sitting at the table.
"No," I smile across the table at Desir'ee, "he won't. How's your night going, sweetheart?" My god, now Alex is speaking through me.
"I'm..." she starts, her eyes darting from mine to each of the twins at my sides, "not sure." A different scent fills the air. Still anxious, incredibly anxious, but also interested. Hopefully that will work in our favor.
I give her my best smile, feeling my cheek brush against the bottom of my eye patch. "Well, let's see if we can't fix that. My name is Seth Pratchett. I'm from the East Coast. You already know Ben and Michael. Would you mind introducing me to everyone else, Desir'ee?" I want to see who she introduces first. If she introduces the older alpha before she introduces her brothers, I'll know exactly how concerned about him I need to be.
"These are my brothers, Mateo and Lucas," she nods at the alphas on her side of the table. "This is David, he's with the Walters pack," she waves a hand toward the friendly alpha sitting on the other side of the table. She doesn't introduce the older alpha at all. Her brother, the oldest I think, sighs deeply, and I force back a smile. Talia would like her.
If she doesn't care to introduce him to me, I don't care to introduce myself to him. "Nice to meet, y'all." Trent would be so proud. I'm beginning to wonder how much of Kaleb's pack's vocabulary and mannerisms are going to linger or become permanent, I guess the darlins, sweethearts, and y'alls are answer enough. "I got here a little later than I wanted to. Have you already placed your dinner order, Desir'ee?"
"I'm not very hungry," she says.
One of the twins snorts and the other scoffs.
"I did order cake, though," she adds quickly, her gaze again flicking between them.
"Well," I hum, giving her another half-smile, "I'm starving. Would it be alright with you if we had dinner with you?"
Her eyes widen, but she nods. "Okay. Yes. That would be okay."
The air sours, the older alpha's discontent with being blatantly ignored and his attention disregarded is obvious. He can just sit there in his stink, because he doesn't get my attention until Desir'ee gives him hers. "I've never been here before, darlin. Would you mind ordering something good for me?" I look back at the twins. "You guys hungry?"
Ben, I think it's Ben, anyway, is smirking, but Michael answers for them. "We'll get something later. Do you need a menu to pick something for Seth, or do you already know what he'd like, Desie?"
Fuck me. It's all I can do to keep from laughing. He just handed her a loaded gun with that question, perfectly setting her up to say something wonderful if she has the guts. Which, of course, she does.
"I know what he'd like," she says, after an audible gulp. Then she shakes her head slightly and waves over a server. The air turns even more and we all collectively continue ignoring it.
The server greets her with a smile. "What can I get for you, Miss Romero?"
"Hi. Could you bring Alpha Pratchett," she tilts her head at me, "enchiladas suizas."
After the server leaves with the order, I smile at Desir'ee again. "Thank you. That sounds wonderful. I'm sorry if I interrupted your conversation. I know I wasn't invited to sit at your table, I apologize for that, too. I was just too eager to meet you after Ben and Michael told me about you, I hope you don't mind, too much."
"Actually," the older alpha finally speaks up, "you did interrupt. We were congratulating Desir'ee on her recent graduation and discussing her future. Where are you from... Sam, was it?"
I could laugh at his attempt at intimidation. "Alpha Pratchett. East Coast Council."
"You mean representative," the older man chuckles, the alphas standing behind his chair smirking along.
I spread my hands out on the table in front of me and really look at him for the first time. Older, not weak, not out of shape, graying hair, no stubble, sharp suit, definitely throwing arrogance and sideways energy around like a shield. He and my father would have gotten along just fine. That thought brings a slight snarl to my top lip. "I mean what I said. I sit on the East Coast Council. And I doubt you'll have anything to do with Desir'ee's future." I stare at him for another second or two before I pointedly look away from him and back to Desir'ee. "It looks like you've been playing around with a slice of red velvet cake. You don't like it, darlin?"
"My name is Alpha Elijah Lopez. I'm with the Flores pack," the older man interrupts before she can answer me.
I look over at him, hopefully for the last time. "I don't give a fuck." I glance back to Desir'ee, "apologies. I shouldn't be so crude at the dinner table."
"You disrespectful assho – " Mister Lopez starts, but I cut him off.
"Are you really going to sit there and insult a councilman? An East Coast Councilman here under gracious, and roomy, protections from the Head of the WCC? More importantly, you've disrespected an omega too many times to be overlooked. Why are you even sitting here? That kid had a better chance with her than you do."
He gapes at me for a beat, but gathers himself quickly, puffing up his chest and looking down his nose. "Desir'ee should be grateful to have my pack's attention. Alpha Flores asked me to hold this seat until he arrives tonight."
"Did Desir'ee invite your pack to her table?" Everyone else might be afraid to ruffle this asshole, but he means exactly shit to me.
