Chapter 39
Leo
“So…” I trailed off, my eyes locked on Lucy’s closed door. “That could have gone better.”
The alphas were silent, but their bitter, twisted scents said it all.
I ran my fingers through my messy curls and faced them.
Wilder and King had matching crossed arms, clenched jaws. A wave of insecurity hit me—they were so tall and broad and alpha—but I refused to let it drown me. Lucy was too important.
“We should talk.”
Wilder lifted his chin in what I assumed was agreement.
“Fine. Where should we go?” King asked.
I gestured at my shop. I wanted to stay close to Lucy.
We shuffled inside.
More awkward silence.
The alphas seemed even more lost than I was, so it was up to me to start the conversation. That was okay. I’d thought things through on the drive and knew what I wanted.
“When you came into my store to get Lucy flowers, I thought you were together,” I said, gesturing at King.
“I didn’t go to craft night because I was jealous.
I should have handled it better, and I won’t make that mistake again.
I’m not letting Lucy go, so the question is, are we going to court her as a pack? Or are you two stepping aside?”
They growled and I bit my lip against my smile. Alphas were so easy to provoke.
“Lucy is mine,” King snapped. “I had a work meeting last night that went long, but I’m not going anywhere.”
“Guess you’re stuck with me, then,” I said, cocking an eyebrow.
His gaze on me was so heated it almost made me blush.
We’d driven to my family’s home in near silence, King’s orange blossom scent and the crackle of tension in the air the only thing passing between us.
Maybe I was imagining it and this was all one-sided.
Either way, now was not the time to let my attraction to the hot alpha distract me.
I turned to Wilder.
He cleared his throat. “Didn’t expect I’d ever have the chance to be with an omega.”
“Why not?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Reasons.”
King groaned. “For fuck’s sake, can we all agree to speak in full sentences?”
I held in a laugh at the alpha’s dramatics, but Wilder apparently didn’t find it funny. He squared off with King.
“I don’t owe you shit.”
King took a step toward him. Alpha pheromones filled the air, making me both stressed and aroused. No time to examine that.
“Let’s tone it down.” I stepped between them. “Wilder, are you joining us in courting Lucy?”
He lifted his chin.
“Okay. If we’re going to do this, we need to show her we’re serious about her, and that we can be a pack. If that’s what she wants,” I tacked on.
“How are we going to do that when she won’t talk to us?” King asked.
I’d thought this through already. “Lucy is close with her friends. We’re going to ask them for advice.”