Page 40 of Rocked By the Alpha

He leans forward on his chair and cuts himself a slice of the birthday cake, right through spiderman’s eye, licking red icing off his thumb. “Jeez, I haven’t decided yet.”

Luckily, he’s saved any further interrogation by the kids who come bounding over, demanding that Jayden be allowed to open his presents.

By the time Ash and Layla show up, there’s a huge pile of demolished wrapping paper in the middle of the garden with presents scattered everywhere and his other sisters and nieces and nephews have already left.

Ash’s arms are full of present — bigger than the gift West bought. Asshole!

“Layla! Ash!” Darlia says, jumping up as Jayden runs in, grabs the present and sprints away. “Jayden! Come back and say thank you!”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Layla says, watching the remaining children, his nieces and nephews, scampering about the yard. “I’m sure he’s exhausted after the party.”

“Hyper more like. Here, take a seat, both of you. Karl get them a drink?”

“Beer?” Karl asks them as he lumbers to stand.

“Just a,” Layla pauses, “soda for me, please.” She turns to look at everyone as she sits on a seat next to West’s sister. “I’m still learning American.”

“How are you finding it here?” Darlia asks her. “Are you settling in okay? Not missing home too much?”

“Oh, there’re bits of home I miss. Like custard creams and Yorkshire pudding. But I love it here. The sky is so blue and the sun is so warm.”

“You want some cake?” Darlia asks them.

“It’s got a ton of sugar in it,” West says, “might give you a high.”

Darlia glares at him and passes two slices Ash and Layla’s way.

“I lived on boiled cabbage and watery mince growing up. I’m getting my fix of e-numbers and sugar now to make up for it.”

“Boiled cabbage!” Darlia pulls a face.

“Layla’s parents were pretty strict,” West explains.

Layla digs her fingers into the sponge of the cake. “They didn’t tell me a lot of stuff they should have about being an Omega. I still feel like I’m finding my way. Which isn’t exactly ideal when you’re being photographed every five minutes.”

“West has a new Omega,” Darlia says, nudging him with her foot. “Is she in the spotlight, West?”

Ash’s face snaps towards him. “A new Omega? You never told me.” He pauses, his eyes sweeping across West’s face. “Is that where you were the last few days, you dickhead?”

“Ash!” Layla says, jerking her head in the kids’ direction.

Ash turns to his girlfriend. “He told me he was getting dental work.”

West shrugs. “Didn’t want you assholes being dicks about it.”

“Why would—”

West turns to Layla. “One time I was seeing an Omega through a heat and I made the mistake of telling the band about it and they had pizza delivered to the house every hour for the whole of the two days. Even in the early hours of the morning. I mean, I ignored the deliveries, but the buzzer kept going off time and again. Never got invited back by that Omega.”

Ash grins at him. “We thought you might be hungry.”

“Asshole!”

“So who is she?” Layla asks.

Darlia makes quote marks with her fingers. “Someone we know of.”

“Ohhhh.” His friends all go quiet, obviously trying to work it out. It’s in that moment that he decides he’s going to tell them.