Chapter Thirteen
Anathea
I had to ask the question. All day, he didn’t look at another omega. And believe me, they tried ad nauseum to get his attention. The waitress at the diner bent over and practically shoved her boobs in his face.
Then again, who could blame her? Not me. Elias’ charm and smile were contagious. And when he looked at me, I felt like the only omega in the world.
And big bonus points, he only looked at his phone to answer texts from Carter and Jayden. Texts about me and my welfare. Also to tell him that they were jealous of the time he was getting with me.
Enough to make a girl blush from head to toe, and I tested that theory several times.
We were sitting on a park bench, people strolling past us as I waited for his answer.
“Anathea, today is whatever you want it to be. I’ll take whatever it is you want to give me.”
“Then it was a date.” Our day had been wonderful and the most fun I’d had in a long time. No pressure. No expectations. Just me and him and letting the day lead us where it may.
“I hoped you would say that.” He ducked his head. Elias? Bashful? “When you first came into the clinic, I took one look at you and hoped that you were available. So beautiful.” He tucked a stray hair behind my ear.
“Is that all I am to you? A pretty face?”
That earned me another smile from Elias.
“No. Not at all. It enhances your inner beauty. Your strength. Your courage. Your steadfastness. You stood up for what you believed and against a life that would have had you in a cage and you chose yourself. All of you is beautiful.” My wolf forced a growl out of me and he laughed. “Ah, I bet she’s lovely as well.”
These three would have my head in the clouds if I wasn’t careful.
“At the clinic, your smell…it felt like my whole body came alive.”
Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and tucked me against his torso. “You weren’t the only one affected. It was hard to let you leave but I want to earn your trust, no matter how long it takes.”
I sighed. “I do have trust issues. But you are nothing like the alphas I was betrothed to.”
“We will never let them get to you. Even if you don’t choose us, we will always have your back.”
We stared at each other for a moment and the air charged between us. My gaze dipped to his lips, so full and inviting.
“I don’t want to push you before you’re ready,” he whispered.
“Maybe I’m ready.”
He moved closer. So close that I could see the details of those lips. His skin. The cleft in his chin.
I wanted to see all of him.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“Right now? I want you to kiss me.”
“Thank the goddess.”
He leaned in and brushed his lips across mine, and a thousand fireworks exploded behind my now-closed eyes. I reached for the front of his shirt to pull him closer.
His phone rang. Our bubble burst.
Fuck me.
“I’m so sorry. It’s Jayden. Again.” He pressed the phone to his ear. “What?” he barked into the phone and then mouthed sorry to me and some people passing.
He listened for a few minutes and then put them on speaker. “You have to ask her. Not me.”
“Ask me what?”
Jayden and Carter decided to speak at the same time.
Elias rolled his eyes. “Jayden, you called, so you ask.”
“We wanted to have dinner with you, Anathea. Elias is hogging you. We can pick up something yummy and meet you at your apartment if that’s okay?”
I chewed my lip. “I suppose that would be okay. What are you picking up?”
Carter spoke up. “Anything you want, darlin’. We eat anything that’s not moving.”
“Chinese?” I asked. “I can pay for my share.”
Jayden chimed in. “Absolutely not on paying, but yes on Chinese. What dishes do you love?”
Elias ended up texting them my favorites. Crispy beef and peppers. Honey chicken. Beef fried rice, and apparently that wasn’t enough because Elias prodded me to order more.
I added egg rolls and pineapple chicken, and only then was he satisfied.
“This was a great date. Thank you,” I said.
Elias took my hand and held it the whole way home. He also made sure he was on the street side as we walked.
I couldn’t help but think they were too good to be true.
Or maybe I would let myself believe that I was worth a pack treating me this way.
“I’m so glad. I hope there are many more.”
I did too.