Page 22 of In Deep

“Yes.” His hand strokes my hip bone.

“As an experimental thing …”

“I’m bi, Rosie.”

“Oh,” I say.

We’re both silent, and then he asks, “That isn’t a problem, is it?”

“No.” Then a thought occurs to me. “Are you sleeping with any of your pack mates?” I still don’t understand how their pack works, if it’s all brotherly love or something more.

“Yes,” he says without hesitation.

“Who?”

“Duncan. ”

“Only Duncan?”

“Yes.”

“Does he mind you seeing me?”

“No. He’s pleased for me, pleased I’ve found an omega. That’s how our pack works. If Duncan wasn’t happy with our relationship, I’d quit it.” He tickles my lower back. “Are you OK with it?”

Do I have any cause not to be? This is only our second date. And I knew I was seeing a pack alpha. There was always a possibility he was sleeping with some of his pack mates.

“I don’t think so. But I don’t know. Two weeks ago, I didn’t even want to consider dating. Now I’m dating someone who already has a boyfriend …” I nibble my bottom lip. “And sometimes you invite girls around to hang out withallof you?”

“Yes, that’s also how our pack works. We enjoy sleeping with the same omega.” His fingers curl around my waist. “Is that something you think you’d be interested in, Rosie? I mean, if only for your heat.” He buries his nose in my hair. “I bet you smell amazing in heat.”

I freeze.

Heat.

With an alpha, it always comes down to the heat. Always. Always there at the front of their mind.

I lean my head away from him and twist around in his arms to meet his gaze.

A pack is the last thing I want. A bunch of alphas trying to control and constrain me. No thanks.

And, anyway, I couldn’t handle the stigma and the prejudice associated with being a pack’s omega. Don’t I already face enough of that as it is?

I have my dream. The one I tattooed on my wrist so I won’t ever forget. I don’t need more hurdles in my way.

Reach for the stars, Rosie. Don’t let anyone hold you down.

“One alpha is more than enough for me,” I tell him.

Chapter 8

He takes me on another date, and another, and he seems to know not to push me. As much as my body craves his touch, I’m still flittish. We both know if he pushes me too quickly, I’ll bolt.

I’m not ready to be someone’s girlfriend. Or an alpha’s omega.

Yet, this slow pace only seems to fan the flames between us. Every time he kisses me it’s with more passion, more urgency, more heat. It’s addictive. I want to be with him more and more. I’m becoming dependent.

A week passes and then another. And then he wants to show me the river. To take me out on a boat.