2. Chapter 2 #4
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ronan look over as he stood guard by the end of the table.
His alpha instincts must be off the charts with how natural it was for him to watch and guard.
I cleared my throat, realizing that I’d been so enraptured by Elias that I’d practically ignored his pack mate.
Maybe this was why no one wanted me at parties.
“And do you work on the genetic research as well?” I asked the massive alpha, who gave me a small tilt of his lips, which on him must pass for a smile.
“No. I run a private security firm.” He said, and my eyes widened. He certainly looked the part. “I leave the brains to the other two.”
Elias chuckled, and I blushed. The big one (as I called him in my head) seemed to be gentle with me, despite looking like he could crush someone with just one bicep.
“Private security?” I repeated. “That sounds much cooler than my job.”
Ronan's eyebrow lifted slightly. “Depends. I took a step back and really manage from afar now. But when I was in the field, it was hit or miss. Sometimes it would be boring. And other days, when I got a nice injury, I’d prefer to be in an office. And now I am.”
“Did you ever have to do anything dramatic? Like jump out of a helicopter?” I asked. The corner of his mouth twitched.
“No helicopters. I once chased a naked billionaire through a hotel lobby, though.” He said, his lips curling up more.
I couldn't help smiling. For some reason, I'd expected the giant alpha to be intimidating and impossible to talk to, but there was a dry sense of humor beneath the stoic exterior.
“See?” Elias said. “This is why we don't let him handle public relations.”
For a brief moment, everything felt easy.
I was in my element, which just so happened to be far away from my family.
But just then, the atmosphere shifted. The people around us went quieter, and I looked up.
Hunter Vale was walking toward us, with Arabella following just behind him.
She didn’t look pleased to see where he was going.
Even knowing who he was, I wasn't prepared for the effect he had.
He wasn't as physically imposing as Ronan, but there was something commanding about him.
He seemed easily confident. And for one horrible second, I remembered calling him irrelevant, directly to Elias. Hunter stopped beside the table.
“Arabella, please meet my packmates. This is Elias and Ronan.” Hunter said as Elias stood to nod. Ronan gave a gruff acknowledgment. Arabella curtsied - yes, curtsied - as if she were an actual princess.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Arabella,” Elias said, and Ronan made a noise in agreement.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Arabella said in a sweet voice.
“What he said,” Ronan grunted, and I had to freeze my face to stifle a laugh when I caught Arabella’s look of confusion and annoyance, which she quickly switched to a charming smile. Then Hunter's gaze landed on me, and I immediately forgot how to breathe.
“Hunter, this is Ivy, the mysterious sister we were talking about,” Elias said, and I looked at him with shock. People knew who I was? Hunter’s eyes softened as he took me in.
“Ah, yes, Ivy. I was wondering when we’d meet the daughter of the founder of Nestwell Aesthetics.
” My jaw dropped. The fact that this pack even knew who I was, let alone was waiting to meet me, was a foreign notion to me.
They even knew the history behind Nestwell Aesthetics - they knew my mom founded it.
Before I could respond, Arabella appeared at Hunter's side.
“Hunter,” she said brightly, sliding into the conversation. “I was just telling everyone how thrilled I am about our newest launch campaign.” Hunter glanced toward her politely.
“Were you?”
“Yes.” Her smile remained perfectly pleasant, though she shot me a look that meant I’d be hearing an earful later. “Though Ivy probably isn't familiar with most of the business side of things. She prefers staying in the lab.” I felt myself shrink, my shoulders hunching instinctively.
Hunter's eyes moved back to me, and to my surprise, he seemed intrigued. “Really? In my experience, the people in the lab are usually the ones doing the most important work.” He said. I felt my face heat at the compliment from this powerful alpha.
“Ah, something we agree on,” Elias said with a smirk. Arabella's smile tightened.
“Well,” she said, flipping her hair with a sigh, “Even the smallest contributions still add up. Dinner is almost ready, shall we head over?” She asked, tugging at Hunter’s arm and giving a flirty glance to Elias and Ronan.
“Yes, we should,” Hunter replied, then, to my utter shock, offered me his arm. “Ivy, would you do me the honor? I’ll be the envy of every man in this room with the two most beautiful omegas on my arms." Then he winked. Winked!
I tried to hide my shock as I took his arm, standing and following him with a dazed awe, for once not worrying about the daggers Arabella was throwing at me.
Something about the way Hunter spoke made me wonder if he'd noticed exactly what she'd been doing.
For the first time since arriving, I found myself looking at the Vale pack a little differently.
Maybe they weren't what I'd expected at all. Maybe, I was wrong.