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She snorts her denial. “No.”
So, I may be a liar.
But aren’t we all?
chapter
two
I know you have no reason to believe me at this point, but, I swear, I’m really not a jealous person.
However, watching my best friend nuzzle noses with the country’s premiere quarterback-slash-heartthrob? Knowing they’re mates? Seeing the utter contentment and joy all over both of their faces?
If envy turned people green, I’d resemble the lime floating in my margarita.
Declan Howard lingers over Meg for a long moment before tossing her a cocky grin and standing up straight. He skirts his eyes over to me, letting a bit of chagrin into his expression while he moves toward the grill.
“Sorry, Remi. Had conditioning early this morning, and I didn’t get to see Meg before I left.”
I wave him off, trying not to let my phony smile pull too tight. “You guys are adorable,” I say, then gesture around their lavish lanai. “And this is your house.”
Meg snorts, adjusting her bikini top. Looking at her, I realize my pastel sundresses and frilly swimsuits contrast with my darker complexion every bit as much as Meg’s black straps stand out against her paleness.
I didn’t know my parents, but the ethnic ambiguity they passed on to me created a surprising mix of traits. Brown skin with hazel-y blue eyes. Black hair that’s curly, but fine. Not to mention my designation, which is rare enough on its own since only one-in-ten people end up becoming omegas.
“I’m glad you’re cool with the PDA,” Meg mumbles, grimacing. “Because I also missed Theo this morning, and if the vibes he’s sending through the bond are any indication?—”
A loud whoop cuts in as her enormous tight-end alpha tears out of their house and bolts right to her.
Naked.
Well, basically naked. He has boxers on, I think, but it’s all sort of a muscular blur of hairy, blond energy.
“Theo! Don’t you dare?—”
Meg squeals as he hauls her into his thick arms and spins her in circles. It only takes two lumbering steps for him to reach the pool’s edge, plunging them both into the aquamarine water.
I watch the evening sunlight reflect on the surface, feeling all sorts of wistful. The truth is, I’m happy for my best friend. She’s an incredible person who deserves all of this happiness more than anyone else I know.
The truth is, I am also sick to my stomach with how much I want what she’s found.
It’s been eight months since she met her pack, and I’ve mostly moved through my negative emotions. There were times when I struggled, constantly thinking it wasn’t fair. Meg never wanted alphas of her own or life as the center of a pack, yet that’s exactly what she got. Whereas I always wanted my own alphas, my own family?—
But no one ever wanted me back.
“Hello, Remi!”
I recognize Dr. Archer Monroe’s voice before I squint my eyes open and find him standing at the end of my lounge chair. Ever the respectable man of medicine, he has a layer of sunblock on his dark skin and a perfectly appropriate pair of red swim trunks to cover his lower body. The upper half remains frightfully bare.
Meg is a great friend, so I doubt she’s ever told her alphas that they’re basically the first men I’ve ever seen partially-naked in person. It’s overwhelming for me, visually; but thankfully, their bonding eliminated any possibility that I might find one of them attractive in any meaningful way.
Now, whenever one of them is close enough for me to smell, I pick up on Meg’s underlying signature, and my body gives a big, fat no thank you.
Smiling back at Archer, I lift my hand in a shy half-wave. “Hi!”
Why am I so awkward?
Ever since Meg moved in here, visiting her feels like going to a friend’s house in middle school and not knowing what I should say to her parents. Especially when Ronan is around. Because that alpha is all kinds of intimidating.
