Page 131 of Switch Heater

“Hunt, we can’t just cut these people,” I hiss at her wide-eyed as the people we pass scowl at us.

“Yes, we can. Ryan and Augie are friends with the owners and called in a favor,” she whispers back, giggling.

We approach the door, grumbles, and complaints sounding off behind us. The beta at the door notices Hunt and lets us in immediately without a word, which sets everyone in the long line off, which he ignores and so does Hunt, as she drags me inside, the guys following close behind us.

Inside, the music is thumping, bodies rolling and shaking on the dance floor. The bar has a crowd around it in the back, the omegas and betas ready to have a great night and to celebrate by bringing in the New Year. Hunt leads us to a table in a darker corner that’s empty and we settle into our seats, River and Kian sitting on either side of me and Hunt and Gabe beside each other.

“Alrighty,” Hunt says, clapping her hands together. “Drinks first, then dancing!”

“I’ll get them. Just tell me what you want,” Kian volunteers, already standing back up from his seat.

We give him our drink orders, Hunt telling him to get some tequila shots after she tells him what she wants, and he heads to the bar with a kiss to mine and River’s cheeks. I watch him walk away and push his way through the crowd to get to the bar, a smile painted on my lips. He’s so damn handsome tonight, his black-framed glasses firmly in place, hair perfectly styled and pushed back. He’s wearing a light pink button up, with a bright yellow bow tie and khaki pants that hug his thighs nicely. I adore that he is unapologetically himself.

“Gods, you guys are so cute that it’s sickening,” Hunt gags, making me laugh.

“Shut your face! Gabe, you remember how disgusting Hunt and her guys were back at the Center?” I ask, pulling my eyes away from my beta and looking at my other best friend.

“Oh, absolutely. Completely revolting,” he smirks, Hunt sticking her tongue out at us both.

“Oh, you two shut the hell up. River, how do you put up with her?” she asks him, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

River barks out a laugh, squeezing my thigh under the table.

“Sorry to say this, Hunt, but it’s more like how does she put up with me? I’m more of the brat in this scenario than she is. And when she is being a brat, I just take her to the nest and fuck it out of her.”

I choke on my spit, looking at him with wide eyes and my lips parted on a gasp when I can finally breathe again. “River!”

“What, Little Bird? It’s the truth,” he says, looking at me with humor sparkling in his eyes and his lips tucked behind his teeth as he sucks in his laugh.

Hunt sighs dreamily and rests her head in her hand, looking at us with a soft smile.

“You two are so freaking adorable. And that is the perfect answer and resolution, too. Always. Maybe I should ask my alphas for an omega?” she muses, tapping a finger on her chin.

Gabriel howls with laughter and I’m not far behind him. Hunt with an omega? Yeah, right.

“What?” she asks indignantly.

“You know damn well you’d never let another omega near those alphas of yours, Huntleigh Adams,” Gabriel tells her, cackling.

“I bet I could do it,” she says determinedly, a scowl on her face as Gabriel laughs harder.

“Ugh. What do you know?” she finally grumbles, rolling her eyes and pouting.

Before I can say anything else, Kian arrives with a server who has a tray full of our drinks and several shots balanced in one of her hands. Kian takes his seat back beside me as the woman sets the tray in front of us and leaves. Hunt passes out shots to each of us, minus Kian, before raising hers up in a toast.

“To great friends, a fabulous year, and being some badass motherfucking omegas!” she declares.

We clink our glasses to hers and throw the tequila back. I grimace, my face twisting at the burn as the sweet liquor slides across my tongue and down my throat. Hunt cheers and hands us another and we all down that one as well. Kian is the only one not drinking, instead sipping on water and eyeing our surroundings like a hawk.

I lean in to whisper in his ear, “You can’t have fun with your mates if you don’t relax some, sugarplum.”

He grins, turning his attention to me. “Just checking for any suspicious-looking people, Starlight,” he says.

“Uh-huh. Well, have you seen any?”

“Nope. All clear.”

We grin at each other, and I want to kiss him, but Hunt interrupts before I can lean forward and do just that.

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