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Oliver looks down at me with a quizzical frown. “What do you mean?"
I gesture at the street behind us as we enter the colorful restaurant. “This town. There's got to be something dark beneath the surface or a seedy underbelly or something, right?"
Grey chats with the host, leaving us hovering in the waiting area.
Oliver chuckles. ”I mean, there are certainly assholes and the occasional crime like shoplifting or joyriding, but no, this is pretty much all there is."
Enzo stands on my other side and his expression is nothing but pure understanding. “I get it, you know."
We’re interrupted for the moment as the host leads us to a table towards the back of the place next to the window looking out over the town.
Once we’re seated and have our menus, I turn to Enzo. "Get what?"
His smile is sad. ”The mistrust. I didn't grow up here either, and it took me a while to believe these people are genuine too. I kept waiting for the inevitable. For people to show their true colors. But so far, it hasn't happened. There's something about this place. The people who live here are happy to. Some escaped shitty situations like me, others were born and bred here like Oliver and the brothers, raised to be decent people. If you stay here long enough, it'll stop feeling like such a novelty. It's actually nice seeing the place through your eyes, getting the reminder. I started taking it for granted after being here so long.”
Oliver smiles over my head at Enzo. ”It's why it's taken him so long to agree to the bonds. He had a hard time believing I want him when I have an alpha."
Enzo shrugs. “The betas I grew up around were considered useless. Or placement holders until an omega or alpha came along."
I shake my head in disgust, so tired of shit like that. “That's a pretty common practice everywhere, unfortunately. My town is like that too."
It's why the changes I've been fighting for are so important. They don't just help omegas, they'll help betas too. Even alphas won't be losing anything, they just won't get to have the complete monopoly on power. They'll have to share it rather than hoard it.
There are some extreme factions who want to subjugate alphas the same way they've done to us, but that only breeds more division and hate.
Other countries have managed greater equality. There's no reason we can't as well.
I dig into the chips and salsa as we wait for Callan to arrive, unable to resist the smoky bite of this dip. It's one of the best salsas I've had.
"Can you buy this by the bottle?" I ask.
Grey nods. “Yes. We can get some when we leave to bring back to the house. We don't have any right now."
Callan appears behind the free seat. “Hey guys. Sorry. Thanks for waiting for me."
"How'd it go?" Grey asks.
Callan slips into his seat, still in his scrubs. “Good. Much easier than we expected. I'm still on call in case there are any complications, but I don't think there will be any."
Oliver beams. ”Excellent. We've only gotten through half the town, so there's still plenty of fun to be had."
Enzo grimaces. ”Sadly, you missed the bookstore."
Callan actually pouts. “Oh, hell. I'll have to take Aurora there on a date alone some time soon then."
"I'll go back there anytime. It was amazing."
His smile is heated. “It's a date."
I shiver a little at the smolder in his eyes, looking back down at the menu in my hands and fighting the blush trying to rise on my face.
Thankfully, no one calls me out for it, and the conversation returns to small talk and arguments on the best dishes here. I adored those birria tacos Grey brought me weeks ago, so I plan to get that again, even though those came from a food truck.
I also fully plan to sneak bites of everyone else's meals.
Enzo and Oliver’s legs brush against mine under the table, and I try to ignore each touch along with their scents, focusing instead on the smells of spiced meats and seared vegetables. It all makes my mouth water.
I say an immediate yes to the waiter when he asks if we want the house sangria. Anything to take the edge off this desire constantly pumping through me when I'm around this damn pack.
