Chapter Seven – Rourke #2
I neared the table, which was why I overheard the omega with strands of blue in her dark hair say, “Listen, before you two say a single word, you should know that you won’t be able to win me over.
Maybe you think I’m easy-pickings because I don’t have a sponsor with me, but let me assure you: I will not be having any conversations tonight in good faith.
I’m only here because I have to be, not because I want to be, so why don’t the two of you just get right back up and go find another omega to talk to? ”
Damn. I could see the alphas go rigid when she said that. They exchanged looks.
The omega wasn’t quite finished yet, though. “If you two don’t get up right now, you’ll just be wasting everyone’s time. And based on the fact that you’re wearing suits from three seasons ago, I’d say you’re already late.”
She sounded mean, like she wanted them to leave—and what would you know, she got her wish as the two got up and left. She was so fixated on making sure they left she didn’t even see me before she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
Was this omega really someone I wanted to sit down and talk with? I didn’t see a sponsor anywhere, which was very out of the norm for this place, it seemed. Then again, your typical run-of-the-mill omega was also meek and coy, not confident and firm.
But her scent was stronger than ever now that I was closer to her. A warm, sweet smell laced with peppermint.
Fuck it. Let’s see what she had to say about me.
I approached the table and took up one of the chairs opposite her. “Well, that was a little brutal. Did those two really deserve that?”
The omega opened her eyes as she straightened out. She took a few seconds to study me, and my inner alpha preened under the attention, as weird as it was. Her eyes were a light amber color, and even though they radiated a coldness, I was still drawn to them.
Hell, I wanted to throw this table aside and do things I definitely shouldn’t want to do to a stranger I just met in public.
Was this what Warren meant? That when you knew, you just knew?
The omega muttered, “If you heard what I said to them, you’re either haughty as hell to think I won’t tear into you, or you’re just morbidly curious as to how I’ll insult you.”
I couldn’t help it. I grinned. “Lay it on me.”
Her comeback was ready: “Does Delilah know you’re taking a break so early in the night? I’m sure your fellow waitstaff really need you.”
I glanced down at what I was wearing, then noticed the waitstaff bustling through the ballroom, bringing out drinks and small entrees of food. It was true: I was pretty much dressed exactly like them. Huh. That’s actually kind of funny.
I laughed. “Yeah, I guess I’m not one for fashion. But look at you. You’re wearing black, too. I think you’re the only omega here wearing that color.” She was wearing black too, probably the most simple-looking dress here—that wasn’t to say she looked bad.
Oh, no. The opposite, in fact. She looked damned good. So damned good it was hard to sit there across from her and act like I was fine. As it was, I had to tilt my head and breathe in deeply through my nostrils to get a full lungful of that delicious scent.
Damn it. I could feel her scent in every part of me, even parts of me that should not be coming to life while in public.
The omega looked at her own choice of dress. “Oh, yeah. All my nicer dresses were dirty, so.” She shrugged after that, clearly not caring either way. It struck me then how I was so drawn to her scent, and yet she acted as if she couldn’t smell me at all.
Did she find me repulsive? That couldn’t be. If her scent was this delicious to me, surely mine had to at least be acceptable to her.
“I like the blue hair,” I told her.
“Damn. Here I thought the blue would make you alphas think I’m unapproachable.”
I laughed and said, “You really don’t want to talk to any alphas tonight, huh?” The more seconds that passed, the weirder I found the whole thing. How on earth could she sit there and act as though she was fine?
I felt like I was losing my mind, and I just met her. I didn’t even know her name.
“Why do you care? My aunt send you here undercover or something?”
“Depends. Who’s your aunt?”
“If you don’t know who I am, then I am out of your league, big guy.”
I chuckled again before I said, “You’re fun. I like fun.” And I did like fun—but I also liked a challenge. This girl, this omega… there was something about her I couldn’t put my finger on. Not only was she here alone, but she seemed totally unaffected by me. How was that possible?
“Is that why you’re forty years old still looking for an omega?”
Ouch. Going for the low blow there.
I told her, “I’m thirty, for starters. And secondly, no.
I’m here because I promised my mom I would come to one of these things.
She’s been bugging the hell out of me to settle down for a while.
She’s been alone ever since my dad died years back.
I’ve been so busy with work lately that I haven’t had the time for much fun.
” She didn’t need to know the full story.
“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?” Her tone came off flippant and annoyed.
“Not at all. I just think you have the wrong idea when you look at me.”
She remained unimpressed. “And what do you see when you look at me?”
I wanted this to stay good-natured, but at the rate we were going, that would be impossible.
“I see an omega who doesn’t give a shit about what other people think, an omega who is probably used to getting her way.
Maybe a little spoiled. I see an omega whose only goal is to leave this ceremony without a single offer, an omega who’s so confident in herself and her ability to keep others at bay she doesn’t even care to have a sponsor watching out for her. ”
The omega didn’t respond, which was a first. She did not have anything to say to that description of her.
“Well? How’d I do? I bet you’re not speechless too often, so I’m going to assume I’m right.”
She was pissed off at that, muttering a harsh, “Congrats.”
“Why are you here if you’re just trying to scare everyone away?” It was the only thing I could think, the only explanation for her attitude. Other than that, this omega must have had a ridiculous amount of self-restraint to not act as if my scent affected her.
“Because unlike you, some of us don’t get a choice.”
I didn’t know what I thought she’d say, but I certainly didn’t expect that.
Though the words were laced in fury, there was a certain kind of sadness to them, too, and it was that sadness that made me say, “I’m sorry.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s right, all these rules and expectations for you omegas. ”
She frowned and rolled her eyes at me. “Like you really care.”
“I do. I actually work for Alabaster Security. Used to be strictly private security, but lately we’ve been dipping our toes into other things.
Rescue missions. Omega escorts. Even bought and renamed Solus Academy.
” I didn’t know why I was saying all of this.
Was I trying to impress her? Make her believe I’m not like the other alphas here?
Probably, but sad and pathetic as it was, I didn’t think it was working one bit.
Why would she believe me? I was a stranger to her. She didn’t know me, didn’t know if I was capable of lying outright to her.
She shot back, “Am I supposed to be impressed by your list? Sorry to say, I don’t give a shit. I don’t care what you do, and I don’t care who you are. You’re wasting your night at this table, alpha.”
Whatever it was, I couldn’t seem to take the hint. I refused to think she wasn’t as drawn to me as I was to her. That was simply not an option in my head, so I said, “I don’t know. Maybe I’m right where I want to be, omega.”
“I wish you would disappear.”
“Is that what you really want, or is that what you’ve told yourself to want?”
She seemed speechless after that, which told me there was more to this whole act than she was letting on. It might have pushed others away, but I didn’t think I was like any other alpha in this ballroom. To some, that would be a bad thing, but here and now… it was the opposite.
I leaned forward, wishing the table wasn’t between us when I told her, “I’m Rourke Cunningham, and even though you might not say it, I will: it’s good to meet you.”
She looked away from me. “Go to another table, please.”
“Is that you asking, or is that you begging?” I didn’t know why I said that. I shouldn’t have. It was too much. We didn’t know each other, and she wasn’t mine. She was a stranger—a deliciously-smelling stranger, but a stranger all the same.
The omega did not like that, not one bit. “I am a Dryers. I do not beg.”
I instantly recognized the name: a last name. An old one, one that I haven’t heard much about lately, if I was being honest. “Dryers, huh? That’s a founding family, ain’t it? I’m surprised you’re here alone.”
“I guess I’m full of surprises.” She sounded bored, like she was purposefully trying to get me to go away.
I supposed she was; she’d been trying since I sat down.
It’s clear this whole night was nothing more than a game to her, and yet that didn’t explain why I was so drawn to her while she acted as if I was as gross as the dirt under her shoe.
“Yeah, I bet you are.” I leaned back, and as I leaned back I couldn’t help but think about how far-fetched putting an offer in used to be. Now… even though this omega wanted nothing to do with me, I couldn’t help it; I wanted to put an offer in for her.
“You better not,” she hissed out the words like a snake.
“Better not what?”
“Please, the innocent act only works for someone like me. For you? Nope. You know damn well what I mean when I say you better not.”
“Maybe I don’t. Maybe I’m more stupid than you think I am.” I grinned.
The omega muttered, “You better not put in an offer for me tonight. I’m not going to accept any. You’d be better off putting one in for any other omega here.”