Chapter 7 #2
“Or it couldn’t be better.” She’s moved back to her side of the counter. “Maybe this is exactly when you need them. When everything else is chaos. To balance things out.”
“I don’t want them to see me failing.”
“They’ve already seen that, and they’re still here.” She picks up her towel. “Hannah, you can’t control when you meet your mates. Biology doesn’t care about your five-year plan.”
“Well, biology has shit timing.”
“Biology always has shit timing. That’s kind of its thing.” She’s grinning now. “But seriously. What are you going to do?”
“Avoid thinking about it until my brain stops screaming.”
“Solid plan.”
“Thank you.”
“That was sarcasm.”
“I know.”
I take a sip of my latte, desperate to redirect the conversation before Lily starts rewriting my entire life again. “Oh, speaking of disasters, I talked to Dad this morning. He said you bailed on Great-Aunt Martha’s Christmas dinner tomorrow.”
Lily freezes, lowers her gaze.
I level a betrayed stare at her. “How could you leave me alone at their mercy? At least when it’s both of us, the interrogation gets split fifty-fifty. Now it’s just me. Solo. Unarmed. Walking straight into a firing squad.”
She winces. “Yeah… about that. James’s friend has a wedding out of town, and we can’t get out of it. Sorry.”
“You’re abandoning me,” I accuse, pointing a macaron at her like it’s evidence in court. Then I devour the dessert.
“In my defense,” she says slowly, “I have a very real allergy to Great-Aunt Martha’s casserole and her personality.”
She’s quiet for a moment, and I can practically see the wheels turning in her head. That’s never good.
“I have an idea,” she finally says. “You might think it’s insane, but hear me out.”
“Your ideas are always dangerous.” I grab another macaron. “Does it involve me doing something stupid?”
“It involves you being smart.” She’s got that look now, the meddler’s glint, pure sin distilled into human form. “Take one of those hot bounty hunters to the family Christmas dinner tomorrow.”
I choke on my macaron. “Are you crazy? I need distance from the Alphas to work out my own feelings, not spend more time with them. I have to figure out what I want before I dive into their pack dynamics and scent matching and all that complicated stuff.”
“Or…” Lily is scrolling through her phone now, and I recognize that look. She’s plotting something. “You use this as an opportunity to get to know one of them better. Low stakes, supervised by Dad, plenty of distractions. See if he can handle our terrible relatives.”
“That’s not a selling point.”
“It absolutely is. If he can survive our family, he can survive anything.”
I’m about to argue more when she hits a button on her phone, and suddenly it’s ringing on speaker.
My stomach drops. “What are you doing?” I’m reaching for the phone, but she dances back, keeping it out of range.
“Solving your problem.”
“Lily, I swear to God—”
“Hey, Lily!” Chris’s voice comes through the speaker, and my entire body reacts. Heat floods my face, pools low in my belly, makes my pulse kick up like I’ve been running.
Damn it.
“Morning!” Lily is way too cheerful. “So, Hannah’s in a bit of a situation. She needs a date, or fake date, if you prefer, to a family Christmas party tomorrow night. Any chance you’re free?”
“Lily!” I hiss, lunging for the phone again over the counter.
She spins away, still grinning.
There’s a pause. Then Chris laughs, low and warm and amused. “Fuck me, I wish. But Kane and I are chasing a target two states over tomorrow. Won’t be back until super late.”
Disappointment crashes through me, which is stupid because I didn’t want him to come anyway. This is good. This is what I wanted.
So why does it feel like losing?
“Damn.” Lily sounds genuinely disappointed. “That’s too bad.”
“Yeah. I’m gonna need a rain check on that, though.” Chris’s voice shifts, goes quieter. Intimate. “Missing a chance to spend time with Hannah? That’s killing me right now.”
My face is on fire. My entire body is on fire.
“But,” Chris continues, “Noel’s free tomorrow. He’d be perfect for this. And between you and me, he’s been looking for an excuse to get more time with your sister.”
Noel. Who told me we’re scent matches and looked at me like he could see straight through every wall I’ve built.
I’m making frantic gestures at Lily, mouthing, Say no and Hang up, but she’s ignoring me completely.
“Perfect!” Lily is practically bouncing. “Noel’s great. Count it as a date. Though, fair warning, family gatherings usually involve interrogations. He might get grilled.”
“Oh, he’s great at improvising and making up shit on the spot. He’ll be fine.”
“I like his style,” Lily adds.
“So is Hannah there with you, listening?” he asks.
I freeze.
Lily looks directly at me, eyes sparkling. “Oh, yeah. She’s right here, practically hyperventilating from embarrassment and excitement.”
“Lily!” I’m going to kill her. Actually murder her.
“Hannah.” Chris’s voice drops lower, and suddenly it feels like he’s in the room instead of on the phone.
“I know you’re scared. I know your life’s a mess right now and you don’t think you need complications.
But here’s the thing, sweetheart. You’re a revelation.
I can’t stop thinking about you for five seconds.
So stop running. Let Noel take you to this party.
Let us show you what it’s like to have Alphas who actually give a shit. ”
My knees are weak. My brain is offline. My entire body is screaming at me to say yes, to give in, to stop fighting what apparently everyone but me knows is inevitable.
I can’t find my voice.
“Tomorrow night,” Chris continues. “Noel will pick you up, Hannah.”
Before I can even form a protest, Lily pops in with “Oh, I’ll text you the details. Dad’s going with them too.”
Chris lets out a low chuckle, the kind that rumbles like he’s actually amused. “An escort. Nice. Should he dress formally for the occasion?”
Lily waves a hand even though Chris can’t see the gesture. “Please. Dad is the least of Noel’s problems. My father is zen. A nap. A warm beverage. Great-Aunt Martha is the final boss.”
Chris snorts under his breath. “Sounds… fun.”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
“Okay, speak later, then.” The line goes dead.
I glare at Lily.
She stares back, grinning like the cat who ate the canary and then the entire dairy section.
“I hate you,” I whisper.
“You love me.”
“I’m reconsidering that position.”
“Too late. You’re stuck with me.” She’s already making herself a coffee, totally unbothered by the crisis she just unleashed. “This is perfect. You get to show your family you’re not some sad, single Omega, and you get quality time with one of your Alphas. Win-win.”
“He’s not my Alpha.”
“Yet.”
“We’re not dating.”
“You are after tomorrow night.”
“This is under Dad’s supervision!”
Lily leans her hip against the counter, eyes sparkling with unholy glee. “Just imagine their faces when you walk into the house with him. Tall. Muscles. Tattoos. That whole broody storm-cloud thing he’s got going on. I swear Cousin Patty might pass out. Or worse, try to touch him.”
“Lily.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You’re having way too much fun with this.”
“Oh, absolutely.”
“You’re forgetting the part where he knows nothing about me and they’re going to interrogate him like a firing squad.”
She grins wider, dangerously, gleefully. “Don’t worry. I have a plan for that. Leave everything to me.”
“That’s what worries me,” I mutter. I open my mouth to argue further, but the bells over the bakery door jingle.
Scot walks in.
My entire body goes cold. Lily stiffens beside me, and the warm, safe atmosphere of the bakery evaporates.
He’s wearing dark jeans and a black leather jacket. His blond hair is styled perfectly, and there’s a smug expression on his face that makes me want to throw my coffee at him.
Actually, forget the coffee. I want to throw the espresso machine.
“Thought I’d find you here.” He’s looking at me like I’m dog shit he stepped in. “You always run to your little bakery when things get tough.”
“What do you want, Scot?”
“Just came to deliver some news.” He’s leaning against the doorframe now, completely relaxed. Like he owns the place. “Packed up all your stuff from the apartment above the business. You’re not living there anymore.”
The words take a second to land. Then they hit me as though I ran into a mountain. “You did what?”
“Packed your shit. You can’t live in my building anymore.” His smile is cruel, satisfied. “The apartment is for Confetti and Meatballs employees only. You’re not an employee. So you’re not living there. Locks are already changed.” He steps back from the door and glances outside on the sidewalk.
Lily is already moving toward the door, and I follow her out on legs that feel numb. Outside, in front of the bakery, are my belongings. Garbage bags. Cardboard boxes. My entire life, dumped on the street like trash.
I can’t breathe.
“What the fuck, Scot?” My voice is shaking. “You went through my stuff? You had no right—”
“It’s my building.” Arms crossed, he looks so fucking pleased with himself. I want to murder him. “Don’t worry. You didn’t have much. Nothing interesting.”
“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?” Lily’s voice is ice. “A pathetic, vindictive piece of shit.”
“I’m practical.” Scot is backing toward his car—a sleek black BMW parked at the curb. “This is what happens when you make stupid choices, Hannah. Actions have consequences. Maybe next time, you’ll think twice before embarrassing someone who tried to help you.”
I’m shaking now, rage bubbling up. “You tried to force yourself on me! You got drunk and made a scene! You’re the one who destroyed everything!”
His grin widens. “Enjoy being homeless and jobless.”
He climbs into his BMW and drives off, and I’m left standing on the sidewalk, staring at my life scattered in the snow.
I feel violated. Exposed. Like Scot reached into my chest and ripped everything out. “That fucking asshole.”
Lily’s arms are around me, pulling me close. From anger or shock or both, I can’t tell.
“Hey. It’s okay. You can stay with us.” Her voice is fierce. “We’ve got a spare room at the house. It’s yours. For as long as you need. I mean, I would offer you the apartment upstairs here, but I’ve got tenants in there already.”
“This is too much.” My voice cracks.
She pulls back, hands on my shoulders, forcing me to look at her. “Fuck Scot. Fuck his uncle. Fuck everyone who doubted you. You’re going to prove them all wrong.”
Something shifts in my chest. The fear and humiliation start hardening into something sharper.
Rage.
Pure, focused, burning rage.
“You’re right,” I say quietly. “This is war now. And I’m going to find a way to destroy him.”
“That’s my sister.” Lily is grinning. “Now let’s get your stuff inside before it’s completely ruined.”
We start hauling boxes and bags, and I’m seething the entire time. Every soaked cardboard box, every ripped garbage bag, every item of clothing covered in slush, it all feeds the fury building inside me.
Scot thinks he’s won.
He has no idea what’s coming.