Page 39 of The Forbidden Alpha

“Good morning, Gamma,” I said, forcing my voice to match her energy while my heart hammered against my ribs.

She winced, a playful grin tugging at her lips. “None of that ranked business in here. It’s Olivia. Only Odis uses the titles, mostly because he likes the way the syllables sound in his boring voice.”

Odis didn’t move, but his voice bounced off the walls of the terrace. “The titles are there for a reason—they were earned.”

Olivia rolled her eyes at me. “See? Boring.” She turned to Ethan, her hands on her hips. “Sabine’s offended you turned down her chicken and waffles, by the way. She’s currently taking it out on the sourdough in the kitchen. Put her in her place, Ethan.”

My stomach turned at the casual mention of another woman. Was Sabine a fixture in his life, or just another who’d filled my place? I’d be a fool to think the mate I’d never wanted wouldn’t have a trail of broken hearts—or willing backs—behind him.

“I’ll handle that later,” Ethan rumbled, leading me toward the table.

“Good choice,” Olivia said, nodding at me with a strange, knowing twinkle. Her shoulders dipped slightly. “Odis, stop acting like a gargoyle. You’re scaring her.”

The Beta finally turned, giving me a short nod, but there was a flicker of something respectful in his eyes. His gaze flicked to my lip and cheek, but like Olivia, he didn’t say anything about it—though his jaw tightened. “My apologies, Adea.”

“If you need anything—clothes, a weapon, someone to hide a body—you come to me,” Olivia added, sliding a plate toward me. She smiled, reminding me of a mischievous cat. “Clear?”

I nodded, her smile contagious as a strange warmth spread in my chest. “Clear.”

“Good. Three’s a crowd, but four?” She shook her head. “We’ll see you later.”

She grabbed Odis’s arm, and for a second, I saw the mask slip. He leaned into her as they walked toward the hall. Ethan chuckled as they disappeared, leaving us in the sudden, quiet of the nook. He slid into the seat across from me, his presence filling the quiet. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, finally leaning back in the chair as my shoulders dropped.

We sat in silence, but it was comfortable. He grabbed a waffle, covered it in sliced strawberries, zigzagged it with Nutella, and picked up a small glass pitcher. “This is their special syrup. It’s pure bliss.”

My gaze dropped, my lips parting. This was the first time someone had fixed me a plate since I was a child. My throat tightened. “I’ll take your word for it.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as the Mad King poured a healthy dose before sliding the food in front of me. Next, he poured liquid gold into a mug. The sharp, bitter scent of dark espresso making my eyes roll—the perfect contrast to the heavy sweetness. He slid the cup over to me and I wrapped my hands around it immediately, bringing it to my lips. I took a sip of the espresso and for a second, everything else melted away.

I smiled, placing it back on the table before I picked up my knife, hyper-aware of Ethan as he leaned forward, his green eyes locked on my face.

I took a bite, the sweetness exploding on my tongue, and a small moan escaped me before I could stop it. My toes curled as my eyes rounded. Ethan stopped moving, his gaze dropping to my lips. My face burned at the sound I’d made, my eyes rounding as his darkened with a look that made my skin pebble.

“Told you,” he said huskily.

My face heated as I nodded.

“How long have you known Gabe?” he asked as I bit into a strawberry.

“Ten years,” I answered. “He had already been at Half Moon for two years when they took me in at ten. We grew up together.”

He was silent for a moment, his fingers drumming the table. “He’s loyal to you.”

I smiled at that. “He is. He’s family, Ethan. You don’t have to worry about him.”

I swallowed, my heart racing. I needed to know where I stood in the wake of the women Olivia had mentioned. I glanced at the door, my jaw tensing. “My turn. Have you… been with a lot of women?”

He didn’t flinch. “I won’t lie to you. I’m no saint.”

A sharp pang of jealousy hit me—ugly envy rivaled any wolf’s possessive instinct. I looked at the waffle he’d zigzagged with Nutella just for me. The care in the gesture made the last ten years feel… wrong.

“And you?” he asked, his voice careful.

My chest tightened. I tried to think of an answer, but the memories were a tangled web. I thought of the way Shane used to look at me, the way his touches always confused me, and the times I had with him when no one else saw. Dealing with Shane was my normal.

But looking at the way Ethan sat across from me—giving me space to breathe—wasn’t lost on me. I saw the differences between them clearly.

“There’s only been one,” I whispered.