Page 44 of In Doubt

“I didn’treadit. I’m an alpha. I live with a pack of alphas. I feel it in my very soul.”

I gape at Jake in amazement. Did I really hear those words right? I know he said something similar last night. But now I’m beginning to suspect he really believes it.

His jaw is tight and the older man is experiencing what it’s like to meet one of those fearsome alpha’s stares. He’s obviously not as well practised as I am because I see the man gulp, a bead of sweat pearling on his bald scalp.

“Yes, well,” he turns to me with a pat smile. “I think we can spare you a digger to break the ground on the trench.”

“Thank you,” I say, keen to keep him on side.

“You two will be responsible for working it though. And if you find anything–”

“We’ll come straight to you,” I say with what I hope is a winning smile. I motion with my head towards Jake, thinking we’d do best to leave asap, before the chief archeologist can change his mind, and before Jake takes a swipe at him.

Although, why do I care? If the guy lost his temper for real, then that would be the end of his career and a clear path to that coveted research spot.

“Jake?” I nudge, when he doesn’t move. I don’t want him to lose his temper on my account, though, and the funny feeling is I think he is angry on my behalf. Maybe that is a silly idea. He is probably upset on behalf of alphas and omegas generally. The prejudice we endure can be irritating to say the least. Either way, I can’t seem to let him blow this, even if it would help me out.

Sia is right. I’m too nice for my own good sometimes. Well, there are worse things to be.

I rest my palm gently on Jake’s elbow and his gaze flicks to mine, the anger seeming to drain away. “Let’s go get started,” I say with a grin.

His gaze falls to my mouth and that memory of last night floods my mind, with it a warm buzz through my body. I drop my hand away and hurry to the door.

Why is everything so complicated when it comes to this alpha?

12

Aiden

The four of us – me, Jake, Dylan and Giorgie – huddle in a speck of shade watching as the teeth of a digger rake through the pale earth.

“You really think you’ll find something here?” Dylan asks. We’re some distance from the top of the temple searing through the sand dunes, or the other archeologists at this site beavering away in their trenches. It turns out, despite Giorgie’s obvious annoyance when she first realised that we were tagging along today, we’ve proven quite useful, helping Jake and Giorgie to measure out exactly where they think the digger should work. They haven’t been assigned anyone else to help them and it definitely required more than two pairs of hands. Especially when those two pairs of hands belong to an alpha and omega who can barely make eye contact today.

It’s almost fucking comical. You’d think by the way they are acting they’d done something incredibly sordid with each other last night, not simply nearly kissed each other.

That’s if Jake’s being completely upfront with us. But I think he is. It’s usually pretty obvious when an alpha and omega have been up to that kind of shit, they absolutely reek of one another.

The omega just reeks of herself. That sweet juicy scent that reminds me of watermelons.

Shit, I love watermelon. I can devour the things, my fingers all sticky and my face all wet. Reminds me of eating pussy. And eating pussy is one of my favourite pastimes.

My eyes roam over to the omega. She sits cross legged, leaning slightly forward to secure a better look at the digger’s work.

The woman is fucking cruel. I swear her scent is even stronger today. Jake is right. It wouldn’t hurt to use some goddamn blockers.

I peer at Jake and surprise, surprise, his eyes have also wandered to her.

All that talk about concentrating on the job at hand and I’m not sure he can. But I know how much he wants that place on the professor’s team. Our plan for the next few years is dependent on it. Levi has a trial with the Studworth Rugby team in a month and as long as he’s fit, they’ll snap him up. Jake will secure his place on the research team. I will find a job in the city, and Dylan will set up his business. Our pack will be secure and settled in Studworth for the next few years.

Just as long as Jake doesn’t blow it now. In that, he’s going to need our help.

I meet Dylan’s eye and raise an eyebrow, jerking my head slightly in Jake’s direction.

Dylan nods slowly, in the way he does when he’s thinking. He scrapes his hand over his mop of curly dark hair, then jumps to his feet.

“This is going to take a while, right?” he asks Jake, who drags his gaze from the omega.

“Err … yeah, an hour probably.”