Page 13 of How to Lose a Pack in 10 Dates

Aimee

“O kay,” Lex says, slamming her wine glass down with enough force to make the table wobble. “Start from the top. And don’t you dare skip the part where you slept with Jace fucking Callahan in his SUV.”

Zara sighs dreamily. “I still can’t believe that you slept with him.

We’re talking about the same Jace Callahan, right?

” she asks. “The Alpha of Callahan Fitness? The one with the arms like steel beams and the ego to match? The guy who posts shirtless deadlifts and ruins my entire will to live every time he pops up on my feed?”

“We are,” I sigh, swirling my fork in my pasta. “And I was going to tell you sooner.”

“ Liar ,” they say in unison.

“Okay, I meant to tell you both already,” I amend, grinning. “But I got distracted by the full-body muscle cramp that comes from being bent in half by six-foot-four of pure alpha instinct and a voice that calls you ‘ baby ’ like it’s gospel.”

Lex screeches and smacks the table. “I KNEW IT . You walked in here with the smug, freshly-knotted glow of an omega who got absolutely railed by an alpha who has quadriceps the size of my entire personality.”

“Oh my god,” Zara groans, covering her eyes. “This is insane. You lost your reborn virginity to Jace Callahan. Did you see the photo of him in the omega rescue charity calendar?!”

Lex gasps. “I remember that one! He was the November spread! The one in the gray sweatpants!”

“The very same,” I nod solemnly. “And let me tell you: he’s even better without them.”

Zara makes a strangled sound. “I have church in the morning.”

“You’re not even religious,” Lex snaps, leaning closer. “Aims, you have to tell us everything . Did he talk during it? Did he growl? How long did he last?”

I lean back, theatrically wistful. “He lifted me into the backseat, then practically threw my leg over his shoulder like I was just another piece of gym equipment he knew how to break in.”

Lex slaps my arm. “ Alpha gymnastics . Floor routine: you. Beam routine: your backseat survival skills.”

I laugh so hard I nearly snort wine out of my nose. “I swear, his SUV steamed up so badly we could’ve filmed a nature documentary on pheromone-induced weather systems.”

“Was he good?” she prods.

“ Good ?” I repeat. “He was insane. And he was so attentive.”

“You do look like you’ve been worshipped,” Zara mutters. “I’m honestly a little jealous.”

“Same,” Lex nods. “So: did he knot you?”

I shoot her a look. “Do you think I’d be walking straight if he had?”

“Fair point,” she laughs, while Zara grins and shakes her head. “I feel congratulations are in order for this.”

“Me too. I am no longer a born-again virgin, and I am thrilled, ” I laugh, raising my glass. “Praise be to alpha-stacked delinquents with filthy mouths and surprisingly polite aftercare.”

The girls both clink their glasses against mine. “To finally getting laid,” Lex beams.

I smirk and take another bite of pasta. “There was also the date with Cam.”

“Richardson?” Zara perks up. “He’s the high school History teacher, right?”

“Mmhm. He took me to a fancy restaurant in the city. He wore a button-down and everything. He smelled incredible, and was super sweet. He was even a little nervous. He’d clearly rehearsed half the night—and then accidentally started quoting Wes like it was a TED Talk.”

Lex leans in, fork frozen mid-air. “Wait. Isn’t he Wes’s brother ?”

“Technically, they’re stepbrothers,” I explain. “But they’ve been in each other’s lives since they were, like, seven. Their parents split after a couple of years, but they still say they’re brothers. Pack loyalty or trauma bonding—maybe both.”

Zara raises a brow. “Step brothers? Is that, like, the same dad?”

“No,” I laugh, rolling my eyes. “They’re not actually related. Cam’s dad passed away when he was tiny, though, which leaves the infamous Knight Senior. Alpha of the Year—at least, if the category is Bonding With No Intention of Following Through .”

Lex practically chokes on her drink. “ No .”

“Oh yeah,” I nod. “He bonded with Wes’s mom first, got her pregnant, then dumped her.

There was another straight after her, and then he bonded Cam’s mom.

He dumped her too, obviously. Had a few more omegas in between and after—honestly, by the sounds of it, he was on some kind of personal World Tour.

No respect, and no stability for his son, either.

Just pheromones and paperwork, apparently. ”

“That’s so fucked,” Zara mutters.

“Right?” I say. “Once you know who raised him, it’s suddenly no real surprise that Wes has a superiority complex the size of Manhattan and Cam has a snack drawer organized by emotional category.”

Lex hums thoughtfully. “Honestly, that really does explain a lot.”

“ Anyway ,” I continue, gesturing with my fork, “Cam brought up a chinchilla I never owned, and also said I like cult documentaries and hate coriander. Which, yes , accurate; but it’s like I could literally feel Wes whispering in his ear through a shadowy earpiece like some deranged pack puppet master. ”

“Oh, he’s spiraling,” Lex wheezes. “I hope he’s throwing things.”

“Jace told me he’s been extra snappy the last few days,” I say smugly. “Cam set up a group chat between the four of us, and that apparently tipped him over the edge, too. I’m talking visible-vein-in-forehead energy.”

“You’re in a pack chat ?!” Lex drops her fork. “That’s full infiltration, babe. You’ve breached the inner sanctum. You’re basically the fourth roommate now.”

Zara’s watching me warily. “That’s... kind of intense, Aims.”

“It gets better,” I grin. “Cam invited me to the pack house tonight. He said they’re making dinner and wanted me to come hang out.”

Lex makes an unholy noise.

“Wait,” Zara says. “Are you—are you actually going?”

“Of course not,” I say, all faux-innocence. “ We already had dinner plans, but they didn’t know that. I said I was busy.”

“I’m obsessed with this,” Lex beams. “You should always leave them wondering.”

“Well, Wes made some sort of snarky comment in the group chat—you know, the whole ‘ not every omega needs to be the center of attention ’ thing that some alphas do—and I just hit them with a sad little ‘ouch’ and went quiet for an hour. Now the other two are all guilt-ridden and sending me ‘thinking of you’ gifs.”

Lex full-on snorts. “You’re diabolical. I love it. You should sleep with all of them and then ghost them like a haunted omega apparition.”

“Oh, I’m not done.” I lean in, dropping my voice. “I’m going to give it a few more days; and then, once I know I’ve got Cam and Jace completely whipped—like, fully smitten, unable to function without me—I’m going to take them up on their offer.”

The girls blink at me expectantly, waiting for the punchline.

“I’m moving in.”

Zara chokes. “ You’re what?! ”

“I’m going to infiltrate the pack house. From the inside. ”

Lex is already roaring with laughter. “You’re a menace.”

“No. I’m a redecorator ,” I grin. “One pink pillow at a time. I'm talking fairy lights, fluffy throws, pastel mugs that say things like ‘Live Laugh Knot.’ I’m going full sugar-scented domestic warfare.”

“Oh my god ,” Lex says, wiping her eyes.

“I want to see how far I can push Wes before he loses it,” I say dreamily.

“How much he’ll tolerate for the sake of ‘pack harmony.’ Like, will he let me hang framed chinchilla art?

Will he endure glitter-covered Post-its on his protein powder?

Or will he finally snap and throw a scented candle at the wall? ”

“Does it matter?” Lex grins. “Either way, you win.”

“ Exactly ,” I say. “He gets humiliated in his own kitchen, and I get revenge.”

Zara sighs, trying not to smile. “This is a terrible idea.”

“And yet,” I say, stabbing my salad triumphantly, “it feels so right.”

Zara sighs and leans her elbow on the table. “Just… be careful, okay? It’s easy to say you won’t catch feelings, but if you’re going to be moving in, then you’re going to be spending a lot of time with them.”

I glance down at my napkin, twisting it between my fingers until the fabric starts to fray.

“Real talk,” she says, reaching over to grab my hand. “Are you sure this is just revenge? Because, Aims… you have a tendency to get attached. And this isn’t exactly low-impact exposure therapy.”

“I know what I’m doing,” I say automatically, straightening my spine.

“Do you?” she presses, softer now. “Because Wes is one thing, but this pack? These guys clearly like each other. They trust each other. You’re not just playing with him—you’re stepping into the middle of something much bigger.”

How can I be so sure I won’t catch feelings? I don’t know.

Maybe because I’ve spent the past four years actively trying not to feel anything at all. Maybe because I’ve trained myself to turn attraction into performance and connection into control.

Maybe because the only bond that ever meant something to me—the only one that ever threatened to break me—already did.

I look up and force a smile that feels a little too bright. “ Yep . Operation How to Lose a Pack in 10 Dates is fully operational. And I mean it: I know what I’m doing. I’m not going to fall for them.”

Lex watches me, mouth twitching. “Sure. And I’m definitely not going to text my ex tonight just because he posted a thirst trap at one of Jace’s gyms.”

“You better not,” I practically growl. “Ian Walmsley is a loser, and you know it. I thought you had him blocked.”

“This isn’t about me!” Lex quickly announces. “Forget I mentioned him.”

Zara leans closer, her eyes narrowed at me. “Be honest, Aimee. Are you… excited ?”

I pause, thinking on it for a beat, and god : I hate that I am.

This is supposed to be a game. Payback .

The strategic dismantling of the man who walked away from me like I was nothing.

But every time I make Wes suffer through my scent—every time Cam gets flustered or Jace voice notes me something filthy while pretending it’s about protein intake; every time I feel wanted, seen, chosen —it feels like a flex.