Page 10 of Switch Heater

“Rip. You’re going to find them. I know it.”

I’ve heard it so many times it takes immense effort not to roll my eyes. I smile at her instead and hug her tight.

“Come on, before my name gets called, and I’m not out there. I don’t want to make a bigger fool of myself than I already have. Talk about embarrassing.”

We smile conspiratorially at each other and walk back to her pack, giggling along the way. We make it back to our table, and just in time.

“Ripley Jacobs. Currently not being courted by any packs due to... incompatibility issues.” Director Khan gives me a sharp look as I walk toward the stage.

My lips pinch together so I don’t wholly flay the director alive. What an asshole. I know that I’m a bit of a stain on the Center’s impeccable matching rate, but I don’t see how that’s my fault. I just didn’t want to settle, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

I didn’t know they’d be announcing things about us during this, much less announcing to the entire room that I was the only one fucking alone. I growl under my breath, keeping my steps steady.

I can feel the weight of Syn and Kian’s stares in the audience, but I keep my eyes straight ahead and fight the urge to look for them again. The director continues, and I wish a hole would open and swallow me whole. He sounds like he’s trying to auction me off to one of the unmated packs in attendance, and I could die of embarrassment right now.

Remember how I said I didn’t want to say that things couldn’t get worse for me tonight? This is why. Because, clearly, it sure as fuck can.

“Ripley is an avid reader and lover of many genres of tv and movies.” Director Khan chuckles, and the rest of the room joins in.

My face flames in embarrassment as I finally make it to him. I know sometimes lone alpha packs will come to the ceremony, hoping they find a potential omega. The graduating omegas aren’t the only ones in attendance tonight. Once we leave here, the younger omegas will mingle with the alphas looking for their omega in an attempt to find a match with so many around. I feel like a piece of meat as the director continues to list a few more hobbies and interests of mine and how well I did in my schooling before and after coming here.

I need to get off this stage and out of the spotlight right now. My face and neck are flaming. I feel like a joke. This has single-handedly got to be the absolute worst birthday of my life. I don’t think I have ever been more humiliated.

I look out into the room and see Hunt and Gabe grimacing at our table. They can tell how painful this entire experience is for me.

Just as the director finally wraps up informing everyone of my business, I look back toward him and shake his hand swiftly. I hope I never see his stupid face again. I grumble to myself the entire way back to my table, bobbing and weaving around the other people and not paying attention to my surroundings.

I run into a hard, muscular chest four tables away from my own. Strong arms wrap around me before I can fall on my ass and embarrass myself further.

Sea salt and ocean air smack me in the face, not entirely unpleasant. I could cuddle up to this alpha and fall asleep blissfully. But that’s all it does for me. It doesn’t make me feel tingly or anything. No perfuming tailspin. It’s just nice. Subtle.

I pull away from him and grimace. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” I laugh lightly and look up at the alpha that saved me from falling flat on my ass.

The man in front of me is slightly attractive, in a dangerous way. His scent doesn’t exactly match his looks. Dark hair and eyes. Robust and chiseled jaw. His nose has a slight crook, indicating it’s been broken in the past. A scar runs through his left eyebrow, ending past the bottom of his eye. Kind of like... Well, Scar from the Lion King, if I’m being honest with myself. It only adds to the dark and dangerous appeal he exudes. This alpha probably has dozens of omegas vying for his attention.

Good looks, a pleasant, comforting scent to bury their nose in. He smirks at me, mistaking my perusal of him for interest. While his good looks and his smirks might work on anyone else, it doesn’t work on me. I can recognize there’s something off about this alpha. His grin is a little too sharp, putting me on edge. The scent might make me feel cozy and safe, but everything else about him makes me uncomfortable.

“That’s okay, Little Omega. You can always make it up to me.” He grins at me with straight white teeth, but it feels almost feral.

Wrapping a finger in a piece of my hair, he tugs slightly, causing me to wobble a bit in my heels. There’s something not right about this man.

I want to roll my eyes at him calling me ‘little omega’. It didn’t bother me when Kian did it, but I don’t like it coming from this alpha. It makes me feel gross. Besides, I’m of average height and build. I’m not little. The way he says it makes me feel dirty. Not in a good way, either.

I give him a tight grin, tugging my hair from his grasp. Turning around for a quick escape, I feel his eyes as they run down the length of my body. I hear him inhale deeply close to the back of my head, causing me to stiffen up. He groans, and my spider-omega senses kick in. I don’t think I want to be alone with this alpha. The urge to flee is strong.

Clearing my throat, I turn back to him and try to make a clean escape. “Ah, I’m sorry. I’ll have to decline that very, uh, lovely invitation. If you’ll excuse me, I should return to my friends.” I give him another tight smile and go to walk around him.

His large hand wraps around my upper arm and clamps down. I start to really get nervous and my skin crawls at his touch. Not because I can’t protect myself, but because he’s significantly larger than I am in every way. Stronger. His hand dwarfs my arm. I’m pretty sure he could snap it in half before I could blink if he wanted to. Everything in my brain tells me I need to get far away from this alpha, but I’m frozen to the spot as his grip tightens on my arm. I wince but show no other outward signs of discomfort.

His scent is deceiving. This is not a good alpha. While his scent makes me think of warm summer evenings on the beach as the waves roll in, comforting and kind, his demeanor says something completely different. It promises pain and terror and an innate need to get away. I feel sorry for any omega that ever gets caught in his web.

“Ripley, dear.”

My breath seizes in my lungs at the sound of my name falling from her lips. Oh, sweet Mother of the Moon. I could listen to her say my name over and over again. I glance to my left and see her getting closer to us, her stride purposeful and confident. She walks with her back straight, chest out, and a ‘back the fuck off’ vibe surrounding her as makes it to where we’re standing off to the side of the dance floor.

Syn cuts her eyes to the alpha’s hand on my arm, narrowing them before her sharp eyes collide with his. They spark like flint on steel as they latch onto him with disdain. She glares at him, a low, threatening growl sliding from her throat, and suddenly, my arm is free.

“This another one of yours, Syn? I thought Pack Kingston already had their omega. Or did that not work out?” He mocks her with a derisive smile.

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