Dakota drops into the chair across from me, one corner of his mouth quirking into a sly smile. “What about gorgeous betas?”
Without hesitation, Alex slides a steaming plate across the table toward him. “I’ll serve you,” he says with a grin. “Especially, since you were such a good boy this morning.” He winks, and Dakota’s smirk sharpens.
The beta picks up his fork, spinning it lazily between his fingers as he shoots a look at Tadeo. “Hear that? I’m a good boy. You’re not.”
Tadeo just laughs under his breath, shaking his head like he can’t be bothered to rise to the bait. His smile lingers, warm and crooked, as he finally fills his plate.
I want to ask what happened this morning, but it feels like it might be personal or naughty, or both.I hate that I slept all day.Knox woke me up a little after noon, made me a quick lunch, then we were in the car and headed to the clinic.
“Eat up, Sky,” Knox murmurs in my ear, his voice low and warm against my skin. When I look at him over my shoulder, those dark green eyes are sparkling down at me, making my heart flutter. “Open.” He lifts a fork, waiting for me to obey.
My mouth parts without thinking, and he slips the fork between my lips. Flavor bursts across my tongue, rich and savory, and I can’t stop the soft hum that escapes me.
Knox lets out a low, satisfied growl, the sound rolling through his body and into mine. “Good girl.”
Heat coils low in my belly, and suddenly, I can’t wait for dinner to be over.
After Dinner
Knox
The sink’s alreadyfull when I roll up my sleeves. Greasy plates are stacked haphazardly, forks tangled together like they’ve gone to war. Alex hands me the sponge without a word, as the water grows hot, steam curling up into my face.
On the other side of the house, I can hear Dakota’s low voice, softer than usual, edged with that sly sweetness he pulls out when he’s trying to make someone laugh. Skyla answers with words I can’t catch, but from the rise of her tone, it’s light. Maybe even happy.
The sound of them chatting while she takes her bath knots something in my chest. Our sweet girl has survived hell. She’s been marked over and over and over again by a violent, unhinged alpha. But she’s safe now, and I’ll burn the fucking world down before I let anyone hurt her again.
Alex snorts as I finish cleaning a plate then hand it to him. “Jesus, Knox. You scrape at dishes like you’re trying to skin them alive.”
“Gotta make sure they’re clean.” I grin sideways at him, suds dripping off my knuckles. “You want food poisoning?”
He dips his fingers into the stream running from the faucet, then flicks a bead of water at me. “I don’t want to do dishes at all. It’s Dakota’s turn.”
I chuckle, low and easy, letting it roll out. “First of all, Dakota can’t be trusted near wet glass. Last time, he broke two plates. And second, he’s in charge of Skyla now. He’s got a lot of chores after dinner.”
“Fair.” Alex shrugs, drying the plate with exaggerated care, like he’s showing off.
We fall into an easy rhythm—scrub, rinse, wipe, dry—working our way through the pile of dishes.
After a few minutes, Alex starts humming to himself, swaying as he works, but my mind drifts. I can’t stop replaying Skyla’s doctor’s appointment. How fragile our little omega looked in Dakota’s oversized clothes, swallowed up by the fabric. And how scared she seemed—and apparently it was for a good reason.
The second Dr. Mara pulled me into the hallway, she launched into a long speech about Skyla’s hormones being out of balance. The fingerstick showed that the omega’s hormones were dangerously low, indicating that her last heat hadn’t been in months, and it didn’t seem it was going to happen any time soon. The doctor conveyed how concerning that was, but it was Skyla’s rejected status that really scared her.
“Her mental bond with her old pack is already severed,” the doctor said. “It’s only a matter of time before the fallout hits her full force.” She stared me dead in the eyes, making sure I understood. “For omegas, their mental bonds are a lifeline. They anchor them, regulate hormones, emotions, everything. Skyla got used to her pack being in her head, andnow she’s all alone. Omegas like that are at high risk for illness, death, or even?—”
A soapy dish slips from my fingers, clattering loudly against the soaking pan beneath it.
“Break all the dishes you want.” Alex shoots me a playful glare. “But if I’m still stuck on dish duty, so are you.”
I try to grin back, but the thought of Skyla maybe wanting to hurt herself sits too damn heavy in my chest to play along.
“Hey.” Tadeo strides into the kitchen, and I seize the distraction, turning to look at him.
His rolled-up sleeves and loose, crooked tie make the alpha look like he stepped straight out of some brooding romance drama. He’s all dark hair, smolder, and has the faintest scowl.
“Everything good?” I ask as he shoves his phone into his pocket.
Tadeo exhales sharply through his nose, rolling his eyes as he tugs his tie even looser. “Yeah. My boss wanted to verify some numbers.” He shakes his head.“A veces me mata, carajo.”His accent slips thicker when he’s annoyed, Spanish curling through the words like smoke. “Sometimes it’s like I’m the only one who knows how to add in that place.”
