Page 51 of In Control

“Did what?”

“Went on a date.”

“I thought you hated dates.”

I hated them because there was a time when I couldn’t go out without someone somewhere recognising me and getting all up in my face. And after what happened that was too much.

“I never hated them,” I say. “I like to be wined and dined.” And spoiled and cared for and just fucking held.

I peer up at my alpha and then down the street, the shops and bars all lit up.

I can’t blame my alphas for it. It was me who pushed them away. And Liam especially has always needed companionship. It was no surprise he started dating outside the pack.

Hell, I told him to go right ahead.

He hooks his arm around me and pulls me in close to his side. “I like wining and dining you, Omega. We’ll do this again. Just the two of us.”

I smile against his divine-smelling shirt.

We turn into a side street and I realise he’s taking me to one of my favourite clubs. “Deep Slick?”

“Where else?” I squeeze his arms and wonder if this rare feeling of contentment is about to be blown apart by the intrusion of this beta.

I rarely feel content anymore. I’m always on edge. Something I try to keep hidden from the others. No one enjoys a tense little omega lurking around the place. Alphas want us smiling and flirtatious. We are here to make them feel good about themselves, or some such bullshit.

And with those thoughts, that momentary feeling of contentment shatters.

Liam halts at the door, perhaps sensing an inkling of my tension through the bond despite my shields.

“Are you sure about this, Gabe? I’m not pressuring you?”

“You know me, sweetie, always up for something new.”

He looks a little unsure, but I roll my eyes and push past the security.

The concierge gushes at me immediately as she takes our jackets.

She’s all ‘so good to see you’ and ‘you look fabulous’ and ‘I hear the latest production is a huge hit’.

Well, of course it is. Would be even better if I could choreograph the damn thing.

She leads us to our usual corner, somewhere quiet and hidden and heads off to find my favourite bottle of champagne.

“She’s not here,” Liam says, frowning.

“Of course she’s not, sweetie. Why the hell would she be early? She wants to make an entrance.” It’s what I would do if I were on a date. In fact, it’s what I did do the first few times the pack took me out, when they were wooing me.

Not that it took much wooing. There was something between the four of us immediately. I just have to keep believing it’s still there, somewhere underneath all the baggage and shit.

When the waitress returns, Liam takes the champagne bottle from her hand and pops off the cork, pouring me a full glass. Funny how even that little gesture of care has my stupid omega insides crooning.

We’re so fucking easy to please. It isn’t hard.

The bubbles irritate my nose when I take a sip and Liam chuckles at my screwed-up expression, kissing the crown of my head.

“You never fucking learn, Gabe. Slow.”

“You know I’ve never been good at that, Alpha.”

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