9. Lakelyn
CHAPTER 9
Lakelyn
My stomach dips as his fingers play with the loose strands of my hair. I was inches from feeling his soft pouty mouth on mine. And I’m having a hard time thinking about much else as he blows over his Peanut Butter Chia.
The unspoken connection between us is like electricity. I can almost see it connecting us. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Just like the rest of the population, I grew up on fairytales of finding your scent match, of being whisked away into the perfect life full of love and happiness. They don’t mention that betas don’t get that.
That’s just a harsh truth you learn when you grow up and don’t present as either alpha or omega. A beta’s place in the world is in the background. Never living the fairytale. Maybe if a beta is lucky, they will be brought into a pack as a companion. As someone that will keep their head during a rut or heat. More like a loved servant than part of the actual pack.
I’ve never been interested in that role.
And unlike some of my friends, I’m not an alpha or omega chaser. There are plenty of both. Right this second is the first time I’ve ever understood why.
Chad’s lips curl up into a smile, and he says something. I blink and shake my head, attempting to clear it.
“I’m sorry, what?”
He chuckles and pointedly dips his eyes to my Chia. “You haven’t touched your drink. If you don’t like it, we can get you something else.”
“The drink’s fine.” My voice is steady, but my chest tightens as I zero in on his lips. My teeth graze my lower lip, capturing it for a moment before I let it go, my heart hammering at what I’m about to say. “I still want to kiss you.”
His lips part slightly, his breath hitching just enough for me to notice. Without a word, he sets his drink on the table and pats the open spot beside him in the booth. The unspoken invitation sends a rush through me, and I quickly slide out of my side and then next to him, my pulse thrumming in my ears.
Turning to face me, his eyes lock onto mine, his expression soft but intent. His fingers lift, barely grazing my hair as he brushes it back over my shoulder. The faint touch sends shivers down my spine as his hand ghosts up the side of my throat, tracing a line that makes it hard to breathe. When his palm finally cups the side of my face, I lean into it instinctively.
“Before I kiss you,” he says quietly, his voice rough around the edges, “I need you to know…I’ll read into this.”
The vulnerability in his words wraps around me like a warm embrace, and my chest tightens for an entirely different reason. I lift my gaze to meet his, letting my feelings spill into my smile.
“Good,” I whisper.
In slow motion, he leans forward, his other hand coming up to cup my cheeks, as if I’m something precious. As if I need to be handled with care.
His fingers trace the side of my face, and every nerve in my body comes alive, like they’ve been waiting for this exact moment. His touch is soft, almost reverent, and the tenderness in his eyes makes my heart twist in ways I didn’t think were possible.
I can’t breathe, can’t think past the fact that he’s about to kiss me. His lips hover so close to mine, and everything in me is drawn to him, like he’s the only thing that exists right now. The world outside this booth fades away, and all I can hear is the sound of my own heartbeat.
When his lips finally touch mine, it’s not just a kiss. It’s slow, careful, like he’s testing the waters, like he’s making sure I want this just as much as he does. The warmth of his mouth against mine sends a shiver down my spine, and I melt into him, my whole body reacting to the softness of it.
It’s gentle, but it’s like everything in my soul shifts, clicking into place in a way I’ve never felt before. Like this— this —is what I’ve been missing, what I’ve been waiting for. I can feel it in the way his hand cradles my cheek, in the way his thumb brushes over my skin as if to say he’s in no rush, that he’s willing to take his time.
And then, like a thread pulling tight between us, something deep inside me snaps, like a connection I didn’t even know was there. My heart stutters, and I gasp softly into his mouth, feeling that shift in him too. He feels it. I know he does, because the second it happens, his grip on me tightens ever so slightly, his lips pressing just a bit more firmly against mine.
I’ve never felt anything like it—a kiss that feels more than just skin-on-skin, like it’s touching something deeper, something sacred. My head spins as the world tilts, and I feel it everywhere—this warmth spreading from my chest, curling through my limbs, making me feel whole in a way I can’t explain.
When he finally pulls back, just enough to rest his forehead against mine, we’re both breathing a little harder. My eyes flutter open, and he’s looking at me like he felt that shift, too. His thumb brushes my cheek, the barest touch, and the look in his eyes is so full of something raw and vulnerable that my chest tightens all over again.
“Did you feel that?” he whispers, his breath warm against my lips.
I nod, my throat too tight to speak. What was that?
He presses his lips against mine again. The same connection as before burns through me. This omega is mine . I can feel it soul deep. We are meant to be together. Talk about reading into things. Dang, I have our whole future mapped out in my head.
When he pulls back and blinks down at me, I can almost hear what he’s thinking. Or maybe I’m just putting what I’m feeling onto him. Can you fall in love with a single kiss? I don’t know. And I definitely don’t want to seem like an obsessed omega chaser by bringing it up. It’s best to ignore it.
Either way, I don’t have time to dwell on it, because the next time the door opens, the cool mountain air brings in Mason. He strides across the floor to the counter like he owns the place, one hundred percent comfortable in his own skin, his arms bare to the cold evening. He doesn’t see us as he places his order. Chad follows my stare and lifts his brows.
“The protective friend ,” he says, a slight edge to his voice.
Chad’s words are loud enough to capture Mason’s attention, and he turns his head almost in slow motion toward us.
His gaze narrows on us, ping-ponging between the small space that separates Chad and I.
It makes me feel like a kid with their hand caught in the cookie jar. The memories of our conversation from the other night has me dropping my eyes to my untouched Chia. I know Mason remembers what I said.
The knowledge practically shouted at me from his eyes. And why does it make me feel guilty? I'm not cheating on him. Hell, you could even say I’m doing what he suggested…letting a relationship happen naturally.
Yet, as he steps up to our table, I suck in a breath that isn't lost on Chad, and that makes me feel worse.
“Lake?” Mason says, his voice tight and accusing with just my name on his lips.
Chad pins him with a steady, calm look. “Can we help you?” He runs his thumb across his lower lip as a smile pulls at his mouth. It's not a kind one. The challenge’s clear even before he adds, “We're a little busy, Alpha .”
Chad drops his arm around me and pulls me against his side. Then plants a kiss to my temple, exactly like Mason did at the diner that first day.
Holy cow.
If Mason were anyone else, I would be sure the warning growl that rumbles from him at Chad’s words and actions is full of a jealous possessiveness.
For me.
“I wasn't talking to you, Pretty Boy.”
A smirk curls up Chad's lips like a cat who has captured a canary. “You think I'm pretty?” He tilts his head to the side, his eyes dropping to Mason’s booted feet, then slowly gliding up and over his jeans and tank top. He meets his glare, the smile growing wider. “You're not my type, Alpha .”
“Oh, I don't make enough money for you?” Mason practically snarls the question, and I can feel my eyes go wide. He's normally laid back and friendly, this is definitely not either of those things.
In a rush, I slide out of the booth until I'm on my feet. “I need a quick word with Mason,” I tell Chad. Then I secure my fingers around Mason’s wrist and drag him out the front door.
As soon as we're outside, I spin on him. “What the heck was that?”
He ignores my question, his eyes darting over my head, most likely finding Chad inside through the large front window. His jaw clenches, and he turns his glare on me.
“What are you doing, Lake?”
“Are you serious right now? What does it look like I'm doing? I'm on a date. That you're ruining.” I cross my arms over my chest and press my lips together.
It takes everything inside of me not to turn and glance at Chad to make sure he's still there. That would probably turn Mason into a full caveman, and I'd end up bouncing on his shoulder until he had me safely back to my apartment.
“Good,” he snaps. His hand runs over his hair, and he grips the back of his neck. Inhaling loudly, he drags his eyes over me, and I feel it like a physical touch. “I can smell him on you. Mixing with your own scent. Jesus .” He exhales, and it sounds as if he's being tortured by it. Goosebumps skate down my spine as my body responds. He never acknowledges my perfume. “You can't fuck him, Lakelyn.”
My mouth drops open in shock, and my entire body revolts at his words. He doesn’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do. “No? Watch me.” I slip past him before he can react, and I'm back inside, across the room to the booth. I hold out my hand. “Want to go someplace a little more private?”