Page 94 of Pack Rivals, Part One

I watch her gaze follow Axel's around the room. I still haven't worked out how she knows me. It's been driving me mad. Usually, I would have done some digging on the girl. However, in this case, I'm worried I'll discover something about that dickwad ex of hers and I won't be able to help but pay him a visit. I've been waiting for my chance to ask her instead.

"Want to dance, Bea?" I ask her as a man engages Axel in conversation.

"Don't we need to find the Martins?"

"Later," I say. "Right now, I'd like to dance with you."

She peers up at me with those familiar amber eyes. How could I forget a pair of eyes like hers?

“And,” I add, leaning in to whisper in her ear, “I can’t stand that man.” I motion with my head towards the older man chewing Axel’s ear off.

“Who is he?” she whispers back.

“Don Cleaver. He owns Cleaver Pharmaceuticals. They’ll be at it for the next hour. Cleaver wants Axel to back him in his bid to be senator. Axel wants him to stop investing in anti-wrinkle shit and focus his business on finding cures for real illnesses.”

The omega watches the two of them talk.

“Axel’s right. He should be focusing on proper medicines.”

“I know, but he’ll never convince a man like Cleaver.” The man gives me the creeps.

"Okay then, let's dance," she says and allows me to lead her onto the dance floor where several couples are swaying to a slow song.

She wraps her arms around my neck and I rest mine on her hips. For a moment, we move silently to the music — some old melody about falling in love.

"Your eyes are the color of the ocean," she says, staring up at me. "I never noticed before."

"So they tell me," I say, fingers pressed against the base of her spine. "Bea," I say, eyes tracing across her face, "did we know each other?"

"No," she says, pausing and smiling. "I don’t think you ever noticed me.”

"I'm sure I did. How could I not?"

"I'm younger than you. You were this older and mysterious and …" Her cheeks warm.

I go to press her, needing to know more, wanting to assure her she’s familiar to me – but then someone falls into us and we're forced to break apart or land on the floor.

"Oh my goodness," the someone gasps, leaning against me as if I just saved her.

Melody Grande.

She's a single omega, queen bee of omega society and no is not a word she seems to understand. She's been trying to dig her claws into my pack for as long as I can remember.

The older man she was dancing with reaches for her arm. "Are you okay there, darling?" he says.

I know him from City Hall. His pack is involved in politics. They've been courting Melody for months but so far she's refused to make things permanent. She brushes him away.

"Just fine. Connor York here saved me." She looks up at me, addressing only me as if her dance partner and Bea do not exist. "I got a little dizzy there."

Inwardly, I groan.

"Too much champagne probably," I say politely, although I hear the annoyance in my tone.

"Maybe you could help me fetch some water and see me to a seat, Connor."

"I'm sure Max would be more than happy to help you, Melody," I say, referring to her dance partner whose frown is so deep you could float a boat in it.

"Oh," Melody beams at her partner, "Max has been dying to meet Bess all evening." She points to my dance partner. "Why don't we let the two of them get better acquainted and have a dance?"

---