Chapter 7 #2
His voice was deep and growly, and Camelia's skin tingled as she turned to face James properly.
She hadn't heard him enter the kitchen behind her, and her heart rate jumped as he took the beer from her slack hand.
He set the stubborn top against the edge of the counter and, with a sharp blow from the heel of his other hand, popped the top off neatly before he handed it back to her.
Camelia licked her lips, mumbling, "Thanks. You didn't have to do that."
"I didn't take you for a beer drinker." Evan entered the kitchen as well, the swinging door closing behind him and muffling the sounds of the party beyond.
His blue eyes were looking at her curiously, and Camelia forced herself to lean back against the counter casually even as her heart rate spiked again.
She was alone. With two Alphas and nobody else. Again.
"And I didn't take you for someone who stuck your nose in someone else's business, so I guess we're both wrong," she replied, flashing an easy smile that felt all too forced on her face.
Her heart was pounding, and sweat started to prickle on the back of her neck as both of them looked at her, Evan slowly advancing until he was standing on her left, James on her right.
No way out. No way through. Their full, undivided attention. Dangerous.
"This doesn't seem like your scene," James said, his voice low.
The observation was keen, and Camelia quirked an eyebrow at him as she lifted her newly opened beer bottle to take a long draw.
She didn't miss the way both Alphas zeroed in on the movement of her lips, her throat, and her stomach clenched.
An unwitting warmth started to gather between her legs, both confusing and infuriating her.
You are not turned on by these two. They are douchey and posturing and they are Alphas, Camelia. You need to get away before they smell...before they sense...
"You're one to talk," Camelia retorted, meeting James' gaze steadily even as her body screamed for her to get out. "You looked like you were under attack the moment that you walked into the house."
James' eyes narrowed, but Evan chuckled, breaking some of the tension.
"Didn't realize that you were paying such close attention to us, baby," he said.
The endearment was mocking, and Camelia turned her attention to him, glaring as her grip on her bottle tightened.
She could feel James' eyes burning into the side of her head as she faced off with Evan, but she ignored the way the intense attention made her feel, the arousal that was starting to itch between her legs and whisper for her to take care of it.
She ignored the tiny, dark part of her instincts that thrilled at having the undivided attention of the Alphas. The part of her that wanted to drop to her knees, spread her legs and beg for them to fuck her right then and there, to claim her.
"Don't call me that," Camelia bit out, more venom in her voice that strictly necessary as she shoved the horny, dangerous thoughts away.
Fuck, what's the matter with me?
The smile on Evan's face widened as he realized how he was getting to her, and he stepped forward, even closer into her space.
Energy crackled between the two of them, and Camelia couldn't look away as his face became the only thing that she could see.
Her instincts blared with alarm and anticipation as she felt James closing in behind her, boxing her in.
Evan leaned a little closer, and his scent filled Camelia's nose as she glared at him. "Then what would you prefer I call you, baby?" he murmured.
Fuck. Camelia swallowed, then forced herself to lift her drink to take another draw, her hand shaking slightly. Evan's gaze dipped to her mouth, the blue darkening as a drop escaped her mouth and rolled down her chin. Camelia saw his hand twitch as if he wanted to reach out to touch her.
"Ev..." James' voice was low with warning, but he pressed closer, his clothing brushing up against Camelia's back. The brief contact was like an electric shock, and Camelia couldn't stop the tiny whimper that escaped her.
"I would..." she said, her voice embarrassingly low and throaty. She sounded...needy, as if she were about to beg one of them to fuck her. Or both of them.
The door to the kitchen slammed open as two giggling girls - not Gammas - entered, swiping new sodas before turning to exit again.
They didn't give Camelia or the two men a passing glance, but the interruption was like ice water on all three of them.
Camelia let out a shaky sigh, and the warmth at her back disappeared as James stepped away.
Evan didn't move, though, looking down at her with the same intensity as before. It was different, now, though. Almost accusatory as he looked down at her, as if their reactions to her, the way that they were behaving were all her fault.
Camelia smiled sweetly up at him, setting down her beer and placing her index finger in the middle of his chest, pushing him back.
The tiny contact zinged up her arm with an intensity that shocked her, but she forced herself to ignore it as she said, "I would prefer you not call me at all, asshole. "
She turned and forced herself to walk smoothly out of the kitchen, sweeping the party and finding Aria easily.
She was talking to a couple of Betas, guys that looked like they were hanging on her every word, and she approached, tapping Aria on the shoulder to get her attention. "I'm heading out, okay?"
Aria's eyes widened. "But we've only just got here! I'm sorry for leaving you, I wasn't thinking..."
Camelia shook her head, ignoring the annoyed looks that the two boys were sending her way as she offered her friend a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. I'm not really one for the party scene."
Aria nodded, reaching into her pocket and fishing out her keys. "You can take my car back. I'll get a ride with one of the girls, if you're good to drive?"
Camelia took the keys with a flicker of gratitude, nodding. "I only had one beer. I'm fine. Thanks."
Not waiting for an Uber meant that she could hightail it out of the party right then rather than waiting for a ride, and as she walked out the front door, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Evan and James standing near the doorway to the kitchen, both of their gazes fixed firmly on her as she, for lack of a better term, fled.
She ignored the burning sensation their attention left as she exited the house, and rubbed the back of her neck to dispel the tingles as she found Aria's car and climbed in.
No more parties for her. That was far...far too close.