Page 186 of Alphas Like Us

“Thanks.”

“I like him, by the way,” Beckett tells me honestly. “Farrow, he’s really good foryou.”

My eyes almost grow.Is this letter magical orsomething?

Charlie says to the table, “Does anyone have any sheep they’d trade forbrick?”

“Fuck, you can take all my sheep for wood or wheat,” Sullisays.

I walk away and tune out Charlie’s response. My bare feet pad along the deck, and I slip through the sliding glass doors. Entering the main saloon, this living room area is quiet and dimly lit. I thought I’d find my brother and sisters here, but all three aregone.

I ascend winding steps to the second-floor where there’s a stretch of cabins. In the hall, I slow down at a door, muffled voices filteringthrough.

“Love you too, Luna,” Xander says, his breath caught short again. A giant part of me wants to go inside that cabin and fix this. But he made it clear that he wanted space, and I think I should give himthat.

I pass their door, and then another one at the end of the hall swingsopen.

Rowin emerges from hiscabin.

He’s really the last person I want to run into right now, but I try to be casual; in my head I’m taking solace in the fact that these next few days will be his last with myfamily.

“Hey, Rowin,” I say, still on course to Beckett’scabin.

“Hi,Maximoff.”

And I feel his blue eyes travel all over my body: my bare chest, my abs, my arms and legs, my dick. It’s making me more aware that I’m barely covered in a skin-tight bathing suit. And I’m used to eyes pressing on my body. Ogling and gawking, all normal for me. But not from my man’s ex-boyfriend.

I glare. “Can you not do that?” Not only am I fucking uncomfortable, but I can feel just how badly this would pain and enrageFarrow.

Needing to move forward, I don’t wait for Rowin to respond. I just rotate to the door on my right, and I grip the knob to Beckett’s cabin. I turn—it’slocked.

Great.

I suddenlymarbleize…

I sense his presence encroaching my space. But my brain shrieks,there’s no way, there’s no damn way this is happening.My brows knit, and I slowly check behind myshoulder.

Rowin slinks up on me, seemingly so rapidly because my reflexes lurch in shock. His intrusive gaze is tearing off my swimsuit, his hands dangerously close. I whip around at the same time that his hands sink on either side of thedoor.

Trapping me for a tense beat while his mouth tries to near mine—I shove his chest with all my goddamnstrength.

His back thumps into the wall, disbelief widening hiseyes.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I glower, winded and pained like I’m currently running the ultra-marathon on the roughest fuckingterrain.

“Come on,” Rowin says like I’m oblivious, and he tucks a piece of his deep auburn hair behind hisear.

My eyes scald, probably bloodshot, and ten tons of brick compound on my chest. “Stay the fuck away from me.” How I’m not slamming my fist in his jaw, I don’t know. Rage is my go-to feeling, but I think…I think I’m in a lot ofshock.

His face contorts in indignation. “I like you, and you’re intome—”

“No, I fucking hate you,” I spit out, my skin crawling. I’m about to tell him that his ass is going to be flung off this yacht, but he takes a step forward and I raise a warning hand. “You come near me, and I’ll break both yourkneecaps.”

I’m yelling internally, my ribs concaving around my lungs and shrinking my fuckingbreath.

Farrow—he’s not here.I love him so damn much that I can already feel the pain he’ll feel from this moment. But for some reason, I only wish he were right by my side. Maybe because I know he can carry the weight with me. I know he can bearit.

“Come on,” Rowin repeats. “You and me would fit more than you and him. You’re kind, considerate and sweet, and he’s…” Our heads swerve as a cabin door cracksopen.