Page 10

“Oh, did she now?” Odie side-eyed Ellie, who was looking anywhere except at her with a guilty look on her face.

With timing that couldn’t have been more perfect, Cy stepped out of the hall with her face in her phone again.

“Well, isn’t it the Alpha we were just talking about.”

Cy came to a screeching halt, slowly looking up from her phone, and glanced around the room.

“What are you blaming me for?”

Odie smirked, then looked down at Ellie. “Go on. Remind her.”

Ellie grimaced but spun around enough so Cy could see her sign fuck.

“Oh, and?”

Odie facepalmed while the rest of us laughed.

“You should see what else I taught her to sign.” Cy shrugged. “Besides, you can’t tell me she doesn’t know how to sneak around or bark orders like you, so fuck you.” Cy signed the last part, then took off running around the wingback chairs and flung herself onto the large couch when Odie lunged for her with a smile on her face. Alphas, man.

Time went on, Odie disappeared a few times but always popped back in, Ellie and I learned more about sharks, and Cy, although physically present, was ignoring us. All in all, it had been a peaceful and slightly amusing—I looked over the back of the couch, checking the time on the clock—two hours, meaning I had at least eight hours before it was appropriate to bitch about needing breakfast. That small snack was well gone from my stomach. The only thing keeping me from getting hangry was the protein I assumed Cy put in the smoothie.

Ellie beat me to the whining though, refusing to wait until morning. Her stomach growled loudly enough for me to hear it, and she kneeled on the couch, half hanging off the back, and complained. “I’m starving. Feed me.”

I raised my hand enough to half-assedly sign, Me too.

“You two are in luck,” Odie started. “I have been smoking some salmon and brisket and have some sides cooking on the grill out back.”

My mouth watered at the mention of smoked salmon. I hoped she made enough because I could devour one all by myself.

“But—” There it was. “It won’t be done for another hour or so because someone was late getting back from the store.” Odie gave Cy a pointed look, but she ignored it.

Alphas. No matter the sex, they forgot to not let the Omegas in their lives move into hangry territory.

“Who doesn’t like a midnight snack?” Cy said as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

“Someone who never had dinner in the first place. Feed me now.”

“Ellie—” Odie said, exasperation filling her voice.

“Don’t ‘Ellie’ me. I haven’t eaten since yesterday! Lucinda didn’t keep edible food in the house.” I snorted, knowing that she had downed her fair share of snack food this afternoon, but I wasn’t going to burst the food bubble if I could get in on being fed as well.

I leaned up enough to see the frowns on their faces. It didn’t mean they didn’t believe Lucinda and Gerard, but it gave me hope that someone besides Ellie was on my side, even a little.

I can make a snack.

“Don’t you dare,” Cy nearly growled from her spot on the couch, which was only a few feet away from me.

“What’s that about?” Ellie asked me with her face scrunched up in annoyance.

I’m not allowed to put carrots in my mouth.

“I don’t know what you just said, but I’m hoping it’s not how it looked.”

I turned bright red and slapped my hand over my face.

I take it all back. Having a teenager around was going to be the death of me.

Chapter 6