Page 36 of In Control

“Home.”

He follows me towards the door.

“Sophia, there’s been a misunderstanding–”

The professor growls and I glare at him.

“There’s no misunderstanding. Your packmate is an arsehole and I’ve no interest in landing in the middle of whatever shit this is.”

I storm out of the kitchen, but neither alpha follows me, in fact I can hear them continuing their argument, both their voices fierce and raised. A minute longer and punches will probably be thrown. I’m not here for that.

A door opens in the corridor and Gabriel pokes his head around it. He’s dressed in grey joggers and a soft t-shirt and he looks even more delicious.

“Going so soon?” he asks with a twinkle in his eye.

“Yes.” I peer over my shoulder towards the kitchen, where a bang rings out. “You need to sort out your alphas.”

Gabriel’s eyes flick that way and I keep walking straight into Liam’s bedroom. I tug on my jeans, grab my coat and my purse, and let myself out the garden doors.

It’s drizzling and by the time I reach the end of the drive my hair and face are damp. I rub the sleeve of my coat over my wet eyes and walk some more. At the main road, I call a taxi and tell it to take me straight to Rosie’s.

* * *

Rosieand I met as undergraduates back when we were both studying Physics at Crestmore College, but while I stayed on for my masters and PhD, Rosie moved in with a pack and landed a job at the International Space Agency. We don’t see as much of each other as we used to – she’s living some domestic dream, home every night with four of the hottest alphas in this city, while I’m still out trawling bars and nightclubs searching for something meaningful.

I feel like a fucking failure compared to my friend, but she’s still my bestie. The person in the world I go to when I need a cuddle and some sense talked into me.

The cab drops me at her front door, a townhouse up near the river, and I knock on the door, sweeping back my damp hair while I wait for an answer.

It’s Rosie herself who answers the door, dressed in a pair of snuggly looking pyjamas. She was obviously planning on a lazy Sunday with her alphas, one I am about to unceremoniously gatecrash.

“Soph!” she says, flinging her arms around my neck and dragging me into the hallway. The hallway is littered with kit bags, pairs of trainers and piles of books. “I wasn’t expecting you!” She squeezes me tight, then leans back, taking in my damp appearance. “Is everything OK?”

“Yeah … no … can we talk?”

“Of course.” She grips my hand and drags me down the hallway, meeting one of her alphas, Seb, at the bottom of the stairs.

“Everything all right?” he asks, also examining my slightly dishevelled appearance. I’d never usually show up without makeup and in something obviously worn yesterday. He frowns. “Did something happen, Soph?”

Rosie smiles up at her man with affection. “If you need him to go and break some jerk’s neck, you know he will.”

“Just say the word.”

“No, no necks. Maybe you could bang some heads together …”

They both peer at me with curiosity.

“We need tea,” Rosie tells Seb, “and also those cookies Ollie brought home yesterday.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Seb kisses her cheek and something twangs in my chest. I follow Rosie up two flights of stairs to the loft room that is hers. Although by the looks of things it’s been invaded by her alphas too. It’s obvious they all sleep in this giant, airy room together. That twinge in my chest seems to grow stronger. I can’t even find one person who wants to be with me, not one I want to be with too, anyway.

I sigh and flop down on the floor, leaning back against the foot of Rosie’s bed. She drops down beside me and rests her head on the mattress, twisting to look at me.

“So is everything alright, Soph? I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

I take her hand between mine, resting it in my lap. “You’re all settled now and you don’t need your wild friend rocking up and disrupting everything.”

“I love when my wild friend rocks up and disrupts things. I wish she’d do it more often.” She knocks her forehead against mine. “Besides, now I’m a bonded woman, I need to live vicariously through you.”

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