Page 51 of Pack Rivals, Part One

"Hindsight sucks." Hardy grins. "We all make stupid decisions, no use beating ourselves up about it."

"He was definitely my most stupid decision – so far anyway."

I glance back out to the dancing waves, wondering if these men are just like the water. Tempting yet dangerous.

They all wait expecting me to say more. But I don't feel like divulging the story about Karl, with all its hurt and humiliation. I don't exactly come out looking great.

My gaze lifts higher, to the horizon, marveling at the way the sky merges with the water so it's hard to tell where liquid ends and air begins. Then something catches my attention. Dark shapes skipping up through the surface before diving back down.

"What's that?" I ask, shading my eyes and pointing out to the horizon.

Angel follows my gaze. "Looks like a pod of dolphins."

"What?" I grin, my mouth pulling into a wide smile. "Dolphins."

"Looks like it," Silver agrees. "They like following our boat when we sail out there."

"Really?" I ask, wondering if I was too quick to dismiss that boat trip after all. "Can you swim with them?"

"Yeah, they're pretty friendly. One has a crush on Angel. It won't leave him alone every time he jumps in the water."

I laugh. "That sounds so cute."

"If you're a good girl, I'll introduce you," he says and I quickly avert my eyes back to the dolphins skimming across the water.

"So if it's not safe to swim here," I ask, "where is it safe?"

"Further up the coast at North Beach. We'll take you there now if you want."

"I didn't bring my swimsuit."

"You don't need a swimsuit." Hardy smirks.

I roll my eyes with a smile. "Space," I remind him.

"Sorry, just fucking eager to get you out of your clothes, Omega."

Angel smacks his packmate around the back of his head and I laugh again.

Skinny dipping with three alphas. Maybe the new Bea, when she's ready, when she finally emerges from her cocoon, will be up for that.

13

Connor

Axel wantsto take the omega to some fancy restaurant in the center of town. But I know that's exactly the kind of thing that Pack Boston would do. Besides, I hate those dead-awful formal dates. Sitting in the middle of a restaurant like you're on display, watched as you attempt to make small talk with an omega who only really wants to be bonded and given a nest in a big fuck-off house.

No, if she needs to be wooed with fast cars and pricey menus then I don't care about the stupid competition with Pack Boston; I'm not interested in pursuing this omega. I'm tired of all the pampered princesses and glittery gold-diggers.

Axel says this girl is different. Well, let's see if she is.

Let's see if she'll balk at a picnic up here in Cedar Park. No fancy menu. No laid-out table. No waiters. Just us and the view down to the ocean.

The girl insisted on meeting us up here, which is a good sign. No demands to pick her up. Not that Axel's pleased about it. He tried to convince her it wasn't safe and when she wouldn't relent, spent the entire morning muttering under his breath.

"You're not seeing this the right way," he tells us. "New omega in town, only just presented. She's going to have every lowlife alpha pursuing her. I don't like the idea of her wandering about on her own."

But the girl wants to bring herself and she's not ours to command. He's going to have to suck it up.

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