Page 33 of Pack Rivals, Part One

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Are you saying it isn't a date?"

"Not if you don't want it to be. We can go as friends."

"Friends," she repeats suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. "Then you wouldn't mind it if my aunt and my cousin tag along."

It isn't exactly what I had in mind. But if it means I'm allowed to spend time in her company, then I'm not going to turn this down.

"No, not at all."

She looks a little taken back at my easy capitulation.

Her cousin on the other hand bounces up and down. "Really?"

Hey, if it meant I could spend time in her company, I'd invite her entire extended family along, Great Uncle Joe and second cousin Cindy alike.

"Really," I confirm.

"Then give us five," the cousin says, jumping from her seat and grabbing Bea's hand before she has a chance to protest.

They disappear inside a bedroom and I'm left with the aunt while they mutter and squeal behind the closed door.

The aunt closes her magazine and slides it onto the top of the coffee table. The apartment seems even smaller and shittier than last night, especially with the setting sun streaming through the streaky windows.

"This is all very new for Bea," her aunt says.

"I can imagine," I say, holding my hands behind my back and lifting my chin as if I'm under inspection at the military academy all over again. I have a feeling that if I want to win Bea over, I'm going to need to win her family over too.

"She doesn't understand how things work between omegas and alphas. Goodness gracious, she doesn't really know what it's like to be an omega."

"I'm prepared to be patient," I assure her.

"I'm more interested to know if your intentions are honorable. I don't want you screwing with my niece."

What can I tell her? My intentions are not honorable. Anything but. The thoughts swirling through my mind all day have been dirty as hell. Nothing I'd be prepared to share with the girl's aunt. And as for screwing around? That's exactly what I want to do.

I go for a diplomatic answer.

"As I told Bea, I want to get to know her."

The aunt screws up her shrewd eyes as if she's attempting to peer inside my head.

Luckily, the bedroom door swings open and Bea and her cousin come to my rescue.

She looked good in my sweater. She looks even more delicious in what she's wearing now. A pale blue dress with spaghetti straps and a flared skirt that finishes above her knees.

If she were any other omega, I'd be ordering the family members out, and marching her to the bedroom.

But I'm in this for the long game. I'm in this for the win.

"You look beautiful," I tell her. Then remember I have to win the rest of the family over too. "Both of you," I add, peering at her cousin in a tight black dress.

Bea fiddles with the hem of her skirt and I'm going to have a hard time not playing with it myself.

"Are we ready to go then, ladies?"

"Sure are," the cousin says, giving the omega a little push.

I offer out my arm, not to Bea, but to her aunt, which has the desired effect, all of them sighing under their breaths.

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