She sits down beside me. “Not all betas are the same.”
“I don’t feel it, though. The energy, the outgoing, vibrant, sporty vibe. I’m too aware of alphas. Of their scents. Of… myself.”
“Then you are an omega,” Gigi says. “Only you know what you are.”
“My parents think I’m playing pretend.”
“But we know better, don’t we?”
“I sure hope so. Sometimes I doubt myself… but the feeling never changes. That’s a sign, right? That it’s true?”
“We can only be sure of what is true to us,” Gigi says.
“I have wise friends.” I smirk. “Hug attack!”
She squeals when I tackle her and hug her to my boobs. “Help!”
“Scream louder. Some of the neighbors haven’t heard you.”
She giggles. “Oh, yeah, baby, harder!”
I almost fall off her laughing. “Now we’re talking.”
But that reminds me of sex with Ryder and Atticus, it reminds me of Zach kissing me and running away, and it makes me sad.
Gigi gently pulls back. “You’ll need a new job. I’ll ask Ronin,” she says, “if they need someone at Ink and Shadows?—”
“No. Not there. I can’t bear the thought of seeing Ryder every day,” I admit.
“Oh, of course.” Her face falls. “What about the gym?”
“Perhaps. Zach had been about to ask... oh no. Zach works there.”
Gigi huffs. “No stress. We’ll find something else. I’m certain of it.”
Me, too. I’ve always been able to find small jobs and get by until now. There’s no reason to let what happened dampen my spirits.
“I don’t get it,” I whisper. “They never promised me anything. I went in with my eyes wide open. Sex. Being friendly. Nothing more. So why am I so upset?”
“You like them,” she says.
“Yeah. I always thought I had a good taste in people, but it looks like it’s shit when it comes to men.”
“It’s a matter of luck, Coco.”
“Luck?” I open my eyes very wide. “You mean, I have to depend on the law of probabilities and the universe’s goodwill?”
“Yes and no. The only thing you can do is to never give up. Never stop believing that soon you will find the perfect pack.” Gigi tsks. “Let’s face it, girl. You want a pack. Three lone wolf alphas wouldn’t have done it for you anyway.”
That’s right. That’s the right spirit. The spirit I need to embrace so that I can move on with my life.
“Unless...” Gigi gives me the side-eye. “Don’t tell me you were the one who pushed them away because you think they’d reject you? Because you’re insecure?”
“Of course not!”
“And you’re sure they didn’t have the same issue?”
“Insecurity? Them?” I scoff. “No, this is on me. I was gullible. Naive. And stupid. It won’t happen again.”
