Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
OLIVIA
Physiologically, I haven’t changed. It’s not like the blow job altered my DNA. That would be a scientific marvel. Omega swallows cum in breakthrough gene-editing discovery. No. None of what’s occurred changes the course of human history and science, but it’s fundamentally changed me.
Or perhaps the BJ was the catalyst to a more confident version of myself.
My skin fits a little better. Walking up to the pack’s door feels right. The excitement and desire buzzing through my skin is delightful, and I’m eager to chase this high. To see what else I’m capable of.
Tonight is another date with Sawyer. Hayes is working on a restoration project at the shop, Wilder has a few tattoos on his schedule, and Liam went to see Cici. I’m sad the pack isn’t here, but it’ll be nice to have some one-on-one time with Sawyer.
He opens the front door and releases a low whistle.
His gaze slowly roves over my dark blue, V-neck T-shirt and all the cleavage on display, down my body and black athletic leggings, which are like a second skin.
The alpha visibly gulps. It’s not like I’m in some elegant dress or sexy nurse costume, but he makes me feel as if I am.
Sawyer’s scent twines around me, and his focus lifts to my face. I’m no makeup genius, but I managed to get eyeliner on without looking absolutely ridiculous, and my hair is half up, the rest of it hanging in loose spirals down my back. “My, my, my. Olivia Wellington, are you trying to kill me?”
I chuckle. “So my hypothesis was correct? You like the outfit?” When he said to wear something I could do activities in, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew I wanted to look cute.
“That is the understatement of the year.” He clears his throat and subtly changes his stance, as if making room for something.
I tuck my lip between my teeth to keep from asking if it’s his arousal. My habit of wanting to know every detail of how I affect the guys might ruin the mood. But I’m pretty sure it’s his cock.
Oh my god. I have to stop thinking about his dick. Crap. I’m thinking about it again.
A deep, seductive laugh pulls my attention. “What I wouldn’t give to know what’s making your scent so delicious.”
“Nothing,” I lie with a rasp.
“Hmm.” He reaches for me, fingers curling around my forearm so he can slowly drag me toward him, giving me time to resist. Who are we kidding?
We both know I’m absolutely gone for this pack.
I glide toward him with an eager flush crawling up my neck.
“Hello, beautiful.” He kisses me before I can respond, stealing the little sigh that slips out of me and groaning as I slot my body against his.
“Hi,” I whisper when he breaks away.
“We should go.”
“Do we have to?” I ask, batting my eyelashes. “Our hypothalamus are running the show, might as well let them finish it, right?”
“I have no idea what you just said,” he admits, marking me with his scent before kissing me again. “But I’ve been planning this for a long time, and as much as I’d love to see if you’re ready to take my knot,” he says with a pained groan, “I want to take you on this date.”
“Date first, knot later?”
“You don’t have to promise that,” he says quickly. “I’m not rushing you.”
“Oh, my sweet, sweet alpha.” I mark his cheek and rub my nose against his. “I know you’re not, but I think I’m more than ready. Desperate, even. I’ve been thinking about your kn—”
His hand on my mouth cuts off the rest of my words. “Please don’t say those things until after the date, okay?” His voice is rough and deep.
“Yes, alpha,” I murmur against his palm.
He looks away, features pinched in pain. “Okay, we need to go.”
I don’t have to ask. This time I can see why he wants to leave. The outline of his erection is hard to miss, and I can’t help wondering how much it hurts. To have his omega right here and willing but to still deny himself. “Are you a masochist?"
“What?” he asks with a shake of his head. “No, that’s not my vibe.”
“Just checking.” At least I won’t have to figure out that kink on top of everything else, though I am curious . . . I’ll research it later.
“Come on, beautiful omega. You’re going to love this.” Sawyer shuts the door behind him and takes my hand. My stomach flutters in response, and lust turns to curiosity. What has him so excited?
We park outside of Topgolf and I side-eye him. “We came here with Henry in high school.”
Sawyer grins. “Yup, and you kept blushing every time I told you good job.”
My heart gives a heavy thump. I had no idea he noticed. “Things were so different back then.”
“How so?”
I shrug. “You didn’t look at me how you do now.”
“First of all, you were underage. Second of all, I always thought you were pretty, and third of all, even if we were the same age, you were too smart for me.”
“Are you calling me stupid now?”
His eyes widen. “What? No, that’s not what I—”
“I’m kidding!” Shaking my head with a laugh, I watch his eyes narrow. “I only meant, as far as I knew, you were interested in . . . omegas more like my mom.”
He recoils. “Ew, no.”
“Fine. But omegas who were more omega-y than me.”
His features pinch with frustration. “Liv, I thought you realized by now that you’re plenty omega-y for me.”
I exhale. “Right. Sorry, I don’t know why I said that. I guess I’m still wondering if I’m good enough?”
“Your mom is literally the worst.” He shakes his head. “Listen to me,” he barks, forcing my attention to his face. “You are gorgeous. Smart. Sexy. The perfect omega. Say it.” His command washes over me.
“I’m gorgeous. Smart. Sexy. The perfect omega.”
“Good.” He leans across the console and captures my chin in his hand. “Now tell me who you belong to.”
The command strokes down my spine and wrenches the words out of me. “Your pack.”
“That’s right, Liv. So if you insult my omega again, I’m going to be upset.”
“What happens when you’re upset?” What? I can’t help asking, even if I’m racing toward trouble.
“I’ll fuck you until you forget every single doubt your mother planted in your mind.”
My lips twitch, even as my core tightens. “That’s a lot of fucking.”
He nods. “Who’s my omega?” he barks.
“I am.”
A smirk cuts across his face and he kisses me.
“Now you’re getting it.” He hops out of the car, opens my door, and tugs me against his body.
The chaste kiss he places on my lips leaves me thirsty.
He’s been taking great care of me, but with that slow, careful attention has come a long-lasting, almost painful need.
I adore that the pack has been moving at what they think is my pace, but I’m suddenly ready to hit fast forward.
Once we get inside and to our station, Sawyer picks out the easiest game and goes first. I perch on the stool at our high-top table, snuggling into my jacket and crossing my legs and watching his powerful form.
His broad shoulders and muscled forearms work as he finds his stance.
Positions the driver. Inhaling, he twists his torso and brings the club down.
The ball flies through the air and hits the first target.
My mouth falls open. Holy crap, he’s really good.
The guys next to us clap for him, and I go next, grabbing my driver and heading to the green. “How am I supposed to follow that?” I tease Sawyer.
“Do your best. This target is close.”
Exhaling, I nod. This should be easy, but I haven’t golfed since I was on the high school team, and even then, I only joined because my mother insisted I learn because my pack would expect it.
I can hit a ball, but I can’t hit a ball.
Clearing my throat and steadying my frantic heart, I set the ball up and position my feet.
Here goes nothing.
I hit the ball, frowning as I watch its trajectory. The ball barely grazes the target. Well, that wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great. My form is a little rusty too. Shaking my head, I head back to my seat so Sawyer can take his turn.
“That was great.”
I give Sawyer a look. “Don’t lie.”
“I’m not! Hey, I mean, you didn’t throw the club.”
He swings again, hitting the target with practiced ease. Now he’s just showing off.
We go back and forth, and drive after drive, the alpha makes the golf balls soar. He’s not the best one out here tonight, but he’s pretty damn close.
Soon enough, my inner perfectionist rears her head, and on my next turn, I exhale and test my grip on the club. I recall everything our coach told us, fix my feet, and then swing again.
“Yes!” Sawyer shouts as my ball arches and hits dead center.
All right. Now we’re getting somewhere. I turn back to him, grinning. I didn’t do as well as he did, but I did okay.
“I remember how competitive you were the first time we came.” He kisses me before grabbing his driver and setting up. I watch him take his turn, sipping on my lemonade and enjoying the show.
That is, until a woman appears. Her scent is faint, but her eyes are on Sawyer like she knows his body and wants to taste it.
She’s everything my mother wishes I would be.
Her nails are done. Her makeup is perfect and covers every blemish.
Her hair is glossy. Lips plump with filler. She’s the ideal woman.
My hackles rise.
She gives me a judgy once-over but bypasses me and goes directly to my alpha. My eye twitches as her hand finds his shoulder.
“Liv,” Sawyer says with a laugh, turning around and immediately stepping back. “What the fuck?”
“Oh, hun, don’t be like that,” the woman purrs, arching her spine so her boobs thrust out. “I thought maybe you and I could hang out again. I’ve been so . . . lonely.”
Anger boils my blood, and somehow I’m out of my seat, closing the distance between me and them. As Sawyer’s gaze finds me and widens, he skirts past the woman and catches me around the waist. My forward momentum makes my feet swing forward as he hauls me back.
“Easy, baby.”
“She touched you,” I practically snarl.
“Who is this feral bitch?” the woman asks.
Dead. She’s dead. First she touched my alpha, and now she’s calling me a bitch? I’ve never been a particularly violent person, but I know a dozen ways to dissect a body, and she will feel the wrath of my scalpel.
“You need to leave,” Sawyer says, voice cold and hard.
Her perfectly manicured eyebrows lift. “Are you serious?” She looks at me, confused. I’m nothing like her. I didn’t even straighten my hair or go to a lot of trouble with my makeup for this date. I’m so plain in comparison.
My scent sours even more at the thought.
“Leave. Now,” Sawyer demands.
Her spine snaps straight and she growls. “I was willing to learn how to take a knot for you!” she screeches.
The guys next to us burst out laughing, and one calls, “You can take my knot!”
She screams as Sawyer’s alpha bark forces her body to move, ranting about how he’s missing out and how she regrets sleeping with him. Every word she says slams into me. Maybe a chainsaw is better than a scalpel? It would certainly be more efficient.
Sawyer’s arms are tight bands around my waist, and his mouth finds the shell of my ear. “How mad are you?”
“Do you know how many ways there are to dissect a body?”
I swear the alpha laughs.
Narrowing my eyes, I spin in his arms and glare up at him. “Is this funny to you?”
He sobers, but there’s a sparkle in his gaze. “Her pissing you off, no. You getting stabby over someone trying to claim your alpha, hell yes.”
“She touched you,” I growl.
He hums and buries his head in the crook of my neck, breathing in my scent, which is coated with anger.
“Fuck, Liv. You have to know I’m yours.” He kisses up the column of my neck.
“There’s no one else I want. You’re the only omega I’ve courted.
” He trails his lips back down my throat.
“And you’re the only one I’ve ever wanted to mark.
” His teeth nip my pulse point, and I gasp, anger dissolving as he soothes away the ache with a swipe of his tongue.
“I can’t be upset when you do that,” I complain.
“Are you upset?”
“Only jealous,” I admit. “I’d be upset if you humored her.”
He lifts his head. “I’d never disrespect you like that.”
My chest warms and my scent sweetens. “I know, alpha.”
Swallowing, he looks around. “Do you want to take your turn?”
I shake my head, pressing harder against him. “No.”
“Do you want to go somewhere else?”
“Home.”
His expression flickers with disappointment. “Okay. Yeah, let me close out, and—”
“Your home,” I correct.
As understanding flashes, his hands glide up my back and tip my head back, his lips crashing into mine in a hungry kiss. Our tongues tangle and the world falls away until a round of raunchy cheers erupts next to us.
Sawyer pulls back with a gasp and guilty look. “Shit. Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I smile up at him. “Take me home.”