Page 20

SEVENTEEN

Playing: You’ve Got the Love by Florence + the Machine

“I love this song.”

My attempt at conversation floats in the air as I try to distract myself from the proximity of the scents in the close space.

I’ve never thought of men driving as attractive before, but watching Uriah maneuver the steering wheel is doing something foreign to my body.

I’m staring at the veins protruding from his forearm when Ciro responds from the backseat.

“You look how this song feels.” Ciro leans forward. His scent is thick amongst the alphas, making the air around me even more tantalizing. It also makes me wonder why I didn’t think this man was my scent match. It’s so painfully obvious now that it’s embarrassing.

“What does that even mean?” Kendall jeers with a giant smile on his face. “Are you drunk already, Ci?”

“It makes sense in my head,” he defends, pushing his friend playfully.

Uriah’s voice cuts through everything else. “You have the same aesthetic.”

I look over at him and my lips twitch at the sentiment. There’s something so mysterious about him, but also so serene. It’s interesting. His eyes stay on the road, his muscles seemingly relaxed.

“Uriah’s really into music,” Ciro says.

“Oh? What kind?” I ask, giving Uriah my attention. He looks partially uncomfortable, like he isn’t used to talking about it.

“Alternative rock and lo-fi. I think that’s what you would call it,” he forces out, like gritty words through his teeth. “I’m not very good.”

“Always the humble grump,” Kendall teases before looking at me. “He’s very good. His band’s actually practicing tonight.”

My eyes widen. “You’re in a band?”

The inner adolescent in me wants to squeal. I always had a thing for men in bands, but I keep that tidbit to myself.

“Yeah,” he responds, still seeming unsure. “Sorry it has to be tonight. I wanted to join you guys but it’s hard to schedule with the others and they’re all free.”

I’m surprised by this apology. “There’s no need to be sorry. I hope you have a wonderful time.”

I see his lips twitch like he wants to smile, but they fall back into a line.

Just as the song changes, Uriah pulls up to our location. It’s already riddled with people and the music is loud, along with the chatter that can be heard from every nook in sight.

I wonder briefly where we are. We’re certainly not at Alpha Xi. Which makes me sigh with relief that I probably won’t see Der… er, Dickwad.

I laugh to myself that Rory’s found a way to correct me even in my thoughts.

Uriah parks and turns to look at his pack mates. “Don’t get too fucking crazy,” he warns. “I’m trusting you guys.”

They both scoff at him. “Yes, yes. We’ve already heard your threats.”

I raise my eyebrow slightly as they hop out, leaving us alone.

“Thank you for driving us,” I say in earnest.

“Of course.” His voice is gentle. His cleansing scent lights me up in a way I can’t humanly comprehend. His eyes fall to my lips. The tension between us heightens as he stares at them, and I wonder if he’s thinking about kissing me.

After a few more seconds, he shakes away whatever thoughts were going through his head before giving me a small smile. “I’ll see you soon, Stacia.”

I return his smile before hopping out and joining Kendall and Ciro. They both look so happy to be here with me, their expressions showing adoration in the most minimal of ways. But damn, those ways really mean everything to me.

We make our way towards the crowded abode as I look at them with bemusement.

“What did you guys mean by ‘threats’?”

They laugh and give each other knowing looks before Kendall answers. “Uriah is the most protective of us?—”

“Try very overprotective,” Ciro adds.

“Yes, very. Ciro and I can get a bit… wild at these things. He just wants to make sure we keep you safe.”

Ciro gives my shoulder a soft squeeze. “Which we will, but he can get a bit compulsive when it comes to reassurance. It’s kind of a mechanism of his. Words of affirmation are definitely his main love language.”

I quickly make a mental note of that.

Ciro gets called over by someone, motioning that he’ll be right back before I turn to the alpha beside me. His hair is messy and his green eyes shine as he takes me in. I can’t get over how handsome he is.

“Maybe I want to get wild, too,” I joke with a huff, which makes them chuckle.

“We’ll still have fun,” Kendall reassures me. “We might just keep the wild nights to a minimum when it’s just us, though. When the other two are here, we can really let loose. They like being needed in that way.”

“Oh, and you don’t like being needed?” I tut at him.

He cocks an eyebrow at me and leans in. “I like being wanted .”

I blush from the implication. “In what way?”

His eyes hold mine before soaring over my face and landing on my lips. He smirks, but there’s no arrogance in it. It’s more like he can’t believe he is this close in proximity to me.

Well, fucking same .

His scent spikes immensely at whatever image he just conjured before he meets my eyes once more. Before he can respond, Ciro hops back in like he never left.

“We need shots. And then I’m taking you to dance, my beautiful doe.” He takes me by the hand, leading us to the house.

I try to hide my smile as we are absorbed by the crowd, but it’s pointless. I’m already so far gone for this pack, and there’s no stopping it.

Dancing with Ciro is quickly becoming one of my favorite pastimes.

Regardless if it’s fast paced or sensual, being in Ciro’s arms and basking in his cheerfulness brings me a form of peace that I thought I lost a long time ago.

If I weren’t already tipsy, I’d feel emotional over the unexpected merriment flowing through my veins.

Instead, I just stay in the moment with him, letting him lead my body song after song.

We quip back and forth, both appreciating the small touches between the deeply hedonistic ones.

He already feels like my best friend… one who has the most intoxicating spiced rum scent I’ve ever inhaled.

When an especially sensual song comes on, my back ends up against Ciro’s front.

His arms are around my waist, while my left arm is draped upward so my fingernails can scrape along his scalp.

I never pictured myself as someone who could shamelessly grind on someone else in the middle of a crowded room, but the way we are pulling pleasure from each other with the most miniscule of movements leaves stars behind my eyes.

I don’t want the sensation to stop, nor do I want him to stop whispering praises into my ear.

I just want to continue in the free fall as this beautiful beta keeps his arms wrapped around me and kisses my neck in tangent with our movements.

As our bodies mingle into one, I feel the sudden sensation of being watched.

The realization causes my half-lidded gaze to search the room before I meet the voyeur’s gaze.

Kendall is leaning against a wall, looking relaxed as ever, drinking from a red cup.

His eyes are plastered on me. They’re glazed-over, roaming my body as he takes a sip from his drink.

I’m half hidden behind other dancers, but I wish I wasn’t.

I want him to see all of me, see the way his pack mate is winding me up for a fall.

When his gaze comes back to my face, our eyes meet and a sexy smirk finds his lips. I’ve never wanted to kiss someone more.

We hold eye contact until the song changes and the house music forces Ciro and I to change our rhythm once more.

The fleeting moment stays with me. His lustful gaze is permanently scorched behind my eyelids.

As the current song comes to an end, Ciro spins me out of the makeshift dance floor.

We laugh as we make our way back to Kendall.

He’s in the same spot, still clutching the same cup, but now someone he knows is talking his ear off.

It causes this slightly annoyed expression to appear on his face, which makes me giggle under my breath.

The guy doesn’t notice his disdain, and as we get closer I realize that he’s ranting about honey bees.

“—we do deliveries, as well.”

“Deliveries?” Ciro questions, and by the way his smirk turns up, I suspect he’s trying to provoke Kendall even further.

It works, as the blond alpha glares at him before shaking his head. “Ciro, please don’t. I need some fresh air.”

“No, I want to hear about these deliveries,” Ciro jeers back, barely containing his laughter.

I get the feeling that Kendall doesn’t get annoyed very easily, so this is amusing to Ciro.

“Then you can stay here and listen to Bradley speak about it, and Stacia and I can head outside,” Kendall counters before interlacing his fingers with mine.

Ciro tsks at him and then looks at me with a hopeful expression. “Why don’t we let our omega choose for herself?”

Our omega . My stomach flutters.

I choose not to get involved and become pliant. “I am not getting in the middle of this. I’ll go wherever I’m dragged.”

Kendall nods once. “Good, so it’s my way then.” He looks over at the beta who was discussing bees and gives him a friendly smack on the shoulder. “It was good talking to you, Bradley.”

I realize Bradley must be on his way to being drunk, because he doesn’t notice the dismissal and turns to Ciro.

“Anyway, we don’t really trust others to transport the honey, so we?—”

Ciro’s panic is notable, his amused smile turning into a grimace. “Nope. I was only joking, man. I don’t really care. How about you go talk to…” He looks around before pointing somewhere. “ That pretty girl about it.”

I don’t see what Bradley does because Kendall is now dragging me out the back door. When Ciro catches up to us, he’s shaking his head.

“That was your own fault, Ci,” Kendall laughs, and I’m happy to see his famous smile back and bigger than ever.