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Selfish? Had I ever been selfish in my life? Never. Ever. Lydia knew this so why would she use that word on me?
“Please, Delcy? Pretty please with a cherry on top?” she begged.
I sighed.
She must have known she got me because she said, “There’s food.”
Food. The mere mention of the word caused my mouth to water and my stomach to rumble. It had been seven hours since my last meal at noon, and it had been light. Just a peanut butter sandwich.
I scrimped and saved to make ends meet, and food was always the last on the list after all the other bills were paid, and Grandpa's bills for care took the biggest chunk out of that. Even working six days a week at two different coffee shops still didn't help ease the financial burden.
I said, “Okay, I’ll be there soon.”
After Lydia had given me directions, I ended the call and headed to the elevator.
* * *
Here on the third floor, there were more artworks, and I found them more compelling than I wanted to admit.
Must be nice to be rich, with no financial worries and the ability to buy expensive artwork solely to display one's wealth. At least these particular paintings were for charity, all for a noble cause.
People were mingling around here, too, although not in great numbers. I walked past the main hall and then approached a door. Opening it, I entered a spacious passageway.
It was quiet here, and as I approached the opposite door, a couple strolled toward me. As they passed, the male glanced my way. The young woman appeared to be inebriated, chuckling and leaning onto the man. I felt myself stiffen until the duo entered the room behind me and exited.
I hurried down the corridor, anxious to find Lydia because that uneasy feeling that something was amiss persisted, growing increasingly insistent.
I opened the door that said Private Gallery and immediately felt a sense of regret wash over me. I felt like a deer caught in headlights as I stood there, frozen in place. My heart raced as I tried to figure out what to do next. I didn't want to be here, but I also didn't want to let Lydia down. I owed it to her to at least try to fit in.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to ignore the way my body trembled. It wasn't just the unfamiliar environment that made me feel so uneasy; it was the many pairs of eyes that were fixating on me. They were penetrating, as if appraising my worth.
I nervously darted my gaze around, seeking Lydia, Amanda, or Nora amidst the crowd. Just one familiar face would have eased my anxiety. But I couldn't find them anywhere in this opulent room. It was then that I realized I had unwittingly entered a den of lions.
Alphas! There were so many of them, exuding confidence and power in their polished attire. Not to mention their pheromones. The room was saturated with them. It was intoxicating. There were betas and omegas present, too, though in smaller number, and they were playfully flirting with the alphas.
Unable to tolerate being the focus of attention any longer, I hastily turned on my heel. I was about to make my exit when a deep voice uttered, “Leaving already?”
I turned around to face a man in a tailored suit approaching me. With the alcohol in my body and my mind clouded, I made the mistake of lifting my gaze and meeting the man's eyes. I had violated my own simple rules, and I felt as though I was sinking, drowning, as panic overwhelmed me.
Tall, leanly built, and gorgeous with dark hair, high cheekbones, an aquiline nose, and sensual lips—this man was every girl’s fantasy.
I gazed at him, and I felt it, that electrical spark coursing through my body, and my heart began to race.
No. No. No. I didn’t want to feel anything like this, not here and definitely not with a man like the one standing before me.
He drew closer, and I inhaled a sharp breath, feeling woozy in an instant.
His scent. There was something oddly alluring about his scent.
“Why don’t you join us for a few drinks?” he asked.
I licked my lip and said, “I’m here looking for my friends.”
I tried to control the sudden surge of nervousness coursing through me while suppressing the enticing warmth that blazed within, but it was impossible. What the heck was wrong with me? Why was my body acting so strange lately?
Sure, this guy was obviously an alpha. It was evident from his striking appearance and the way he moved, with a regal gait that reminded one of a predator stalking its prey. But I shouldn’t react the way I was reacting since I had already taken my suppressant. I had encountered other alpha males before, and my body had never reacted this strongly.
No, that wasn't true. There were those two men who had entered Brewed Dreams nearer to closing time some time back and one of them again the next day and then every other day after that.
