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Liam saunters over, slinging an arm around my shoulders. He eyes the man with a smirk. "Hey, big bro. Not boring Zoe with your work stories, are you?"
"We were just talking, Liam."
"Sure, sure," Liam says, rolling his eyes. "Because you're such a sparkling conversationalist." He turns to me, grinning. "Don't worry, babe. I'll rescue you from Mr. Dullsville here."
I feel a flicker of annoyance at Liam's dismissive tone. "Actually, we were having an interesting chat—"
"Come on," Liam interrupts, tugging at my arm. "There are way cooler people you should meet."
The man's expression darkens. "Liam, maybe you should let Zoe decide for herself."
"Oh, lighten up," Liam scoffs. "Not everything has to be so serious all the time. Live a little!"
The tension between the brothers is palpable. I glance between them, torn between my curiosity about the man and my obligation to Liam as my date.
As Liam leads me away, I can't help but glance back at the man. He's watching us go, his expression unreadable. I turn back to Liam, trying to focus on the introductions he's making, but my mind keeps drifting back to that moment at the buffet table.
"This is Derek," Liam says, gesturing to a gruff-looking man tending the grill. "He's our host tonight. And over there is Ryan, our pack alpha."
I nod politely, trying to keep track of names and faces. A question burns on the tip of my tongue, and I can't help but ask, "What about the guy I was talking to earlier? By the buffet?"
Liam's expression sours, his tone dripping with annoyance. "Oh, that's just Marcus. My brother. He's the pack beta."
I raise an eyebrow at Liam's reaction. "Just Marcus? He seemed... interesting."
Liam rolls his eyes. "Trust me, he's not. He's a total buzzkill."
As Liam continues his introductions, his casual dismissal of his brother and the way he interacts with the other pack members strikes me. It's as if I'm seeing him clearly for the first time, and I'm not sure I like what I see. The charming facade seems to slip away, revealing someone more immature than I'd realized. I find myself wondering if I've misjudged him all along.
I nod politely, trying to keep track of names and faces. I find myself gravitating towards Sarah, the woman I was introduced to earlier.
"First time at one of these gatherings?" Sarah asks, settling next to me.
I nod, relieved to have someone to talk to. "Is it that obvious?"
Sarah laughs softly. "Only because I'm in the same boat. I'm Sarah, by the way."
"Zoe," I reply, then glance around, voicing a concern that's been nagging at me. "I get the feeling I wasn't supposed to be here."
Sarah hesitates before responding. "I think... it's more that Liam wasn't supposed to bring anyone without asking first. But don't worry, everyone seems glad you're here."
I feel myself relaxing a bit at her reassurance. "Thanks."
"So, how did you meet Liam?" Sarah asks.
"Would you believe me if I said he was a walk-in client at the salon where I work? He came in for a trim and left with my number."
Sarah chuckles. "That sounds like quite the meet-cute. How long have you two been seeing each other?"
My smile falters as I consider how to answer. "Oh, we're not really... I mean, it's just casual. We've only been on a couple of dates."
Sarah nods, and I'm grateful she doesn't pry further. "I see. Well, I'm glad you came tonight. It's nice to have another 'outsider' to talk to."
"I'm here with Lucas," Sarah explains, her gaze drifting across the yard. I follow her line of sight to a handsome older man talking with Ryan and the man from the buffet table. As if sensing our attention, he glances over, his eyes meeting Sarah's. The warm smile that spreads across his face is unmistakable.
"Ah," I say, noticing Sarah's reaction. "The silver fox. Nice catch."
Sarah blushes visibly. "He's... yeah. He's pretty amazing."
