Chapter 2

Riley

Is Liam seriously asking me who Linda is?

"Are you kidding me right now?" My eyes feel like they are about to bulge out of my head. "Or did you forget about Lina the second you dumped her inside the restaurant? Or was it when you were busy screwing that other woman that Linda's name slipped out of your little head?"

Unbelievable! A guy like the one before me probably has plenty of women to choose from, but to forget the one who treated him like a king? Is he serious?!

Linda has been more devoted to keeping Liam happy than herself. She has sacrificed so much for him, and now he acts as if he has already forgotten her name?! Is he playing dumb right now, or is he just that much of an asshole?!

Liam looks at me as if I'm crazy. A wide variety of emotions flashes past his face: anger and confusion, rage, curiosity, but eventually, his face finally settles on amusement.

"Oh-my-god..." Laughter slips through his lips, but he quickly covers his mouth when I give him a death glare.

"What's so funny?" I demand.

My mate smiles, tilting his head to give me a glimpse of his pearly white teeth. "That you called MY head little. The irony in that is just pure gold. Darling, you're tiny and not very clever. Tell me, little one, do you always act like a brat to strangers, or is this a first?"

Something within me snaps. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

I growl at him. "Just because I'm smaller than you doesn't mean that I'm less intelligent, and you can't call me tiny! I see it as an insult!"

"Woah," my mate up his hands in a mocking display. "I never said you're less intelligent!"

I bore my eyes into his and mutter to the wind. "You hinted at it..."

"Well, maybe omegas are less intelligent; I wouldn't know. You are the first one I've ever spoken to," my mate admits. "There isn't an omega in my pack. I see it as cruel bullying and decided not to have an omega."

"Because you see it as cruel bullying?" I question. "Excuse me, but whether or not there is an omega is up to the alpha."

"Exactly."

I stare at him, and every hair rises to stand on the edge of my skin. My mouth is turning dry. "Uh... Linda didn't say you were an alpha..."

My mate bites back a laugh. "Since I've never met this Linda in my entire life, I'm not surprised."

I squint my eyes. "Are you still playing dumb?"

My mate sighs and then aims a disarming smile my way. "Sure, whatever floats your boat, sweetheart."

My anger rises. "Do you think that just because you are beautiful, you can act however you want? I bet you think you can smile your way out of anything, huh? The worst part is that it probably works for you with your accent and good-for-nothing looks. But even beautiful people get bitten by karma sometimes!"

I see the anger flare in his eyes. It scares me, but I stand my ground regardless of the shivers slipping down my spine.

Crying is for the weak, and I refuse to show myself as vulnerable as I'm sure this alpha is hoping for, and I won't let him win.

"Haven't anyone taught you not to taunt someone you literally wouldn't stand a chance against in a fight?"

I swallow. "Is that a threat?"

My chest is heaving. I'm waiting for my mate to say something. Right now, he is simply staring, roaming his eyes over me.

He sighs.

Without a word, my mate steps forward. He is fast—I yelp when he pushes me against the back of the building. I drop my bag in response and inhale at seeing my chances of surviving slim down to none.

First, I'm scared, but it's replaced with frustration when my mate peers down at me. I'm pinned to the brick building by his broad chest and his muscular arms resting on either side of my face.

I laugh bitterly, not meeting his gaze. "Wonderful. You can't win this argument with your head, so instead, you rely on your size. Go ahead, beat me. Show me what a big man you are."

"No, that's not it." He says calmly. "The rogue has been checking you out for quite some time, and I'm letting him know you aren't alone. You see that homeless man?"

Since I don't believe him, I decide to follow his gaze. There is no chance in hell he would help me. He has already made it clear that he thinks less of me.

"Is that so?" I ask cold-heartedly before gasping at what I see.

The homeless man from earlier is glaring at us, lifting his nose into the air to leave. It seems he was waiting outside of the building for someone to attack. It's not uncommon for rogues to rape poor omegas or other rogues.

"You're welcome," my mate says, smiling softly. "And no, you don't have to thank me, even though I can think of a few ways to show your gratitude."

I shriek and move away from him. He laughs behind me, and relief floods my chest when I spot Linda walking out of the restaurant.

"Oh-my-god!" Linda is running up to me. "I thought I had lost you! You have answered none of my phone calls!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry—"

"Holy shit..." Linda says, with a dreamy expression on her face. Her eyes are heart-shaped. "Who is your friend?"

"Friend?"

Oh.

No.

Please.

Did I get the wrong person?

Shit!

Light dizziness overwhelms me, especially when my mate steps forward to peer down at me. The amused look on the stranger's face takes a toll on my pride—I hate him seeing me like this.

"I take this is the famous Linda?"

After what feels like an eternity of humiliation, I lick my lips. "This is so damn awkward..."

Linda is fixing her blonde hair and pushing forward her breast in her pushup bra. She is beautiful, but my mate keeps his eyes on mine, not even interested in Linda.

"Uhhh..." Linda giggles. "Who are you?"

Amusement is glittering over my mate's features, but not the good kind—he looks like a wolf, one out for revenge. "My name is William, but some call me a giant asshole."

Fuck. Me.

Did I hear that right?

William.

HIS NAME IS WILLIAM!

I think I'm close to having a heart attack. My pulse is competing with my racing thoughts. I can't breathe normally, which William notices as I glimpse him choking a laugh.

"Well, thank you, William, for finding Riley. For a moment, I was worried she had found Liam. Um, Liam is my ex-boyfriend," Linda nervously laughs when she realizes she has shared too much information. "Thank you again."

"Liam, huh..." William mumbles.

I facepalm inwardly. Fuck me—this is the most embarrassing moment of my life, the most surreal one too! This guy had the same clothes Linda described; therefore, I assumed he was Liam!

Shit, I yelled at him too!

Why do I always let my emotions get the best of me?!

I pray to the moon goddess to let me sink through the ground.

My cheeks are burning, and I can physically feel William smiling. I refuse to look at him. I'm not giving him the pleasure of seeing the violent blush covering my skin.

"Well..." Linda laughs a little. "Should we head back inside to eat dinner? I'm feeling better now." Her eyes widen slightly. "William, do you wish to join us? You're a friend of Riley, right?"

I inhale.

Say no.

Please.

William studies my burning face. His blue eyes seem to shelter deep thoughts. But eventually, he speaks.

"I guess you could say that," William turns around to walk away from us, but suddenly he stops. "Riley is a good friend. Hold on to her. She stands up for her friends."

I freeze.

Was that a compliment?

Linda nods but looks more confused now that William is leaving. After he jumps into a cab, Linda looks down at me. Her eyes are sparkling like the stars, making me question her rationality—I can't believe how fast she got over Liam; I find it scary.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a hot friend?" Linda asks. "He smelled powerful too."

I roll my eyes. "Friend? Whoever do you mean?"

"Um, the gorgeous one who just jumped into a cab? Hello, why haven't you introduced us yet? Hiding a friend like that is almost a crime. You obviously can't have him as an omega, so why not set me up with him?"

For some reason, I'm suddenly pissed at Linda.

I'm not interested in William, attracted to him thanks to the mate-bond, yes, but I would never admit that aloud.

He is also an alpha, and, therefore, he is out of my freaking league. William wouldn't accept me as his mate.

Yet I feel slightly hurt by Linda's words. Telling me that I obviously can't have him; why does that bother me?

Whatever, I've ruined my chances, anyway.

I sigh. "Please, let's just go back inside. I'm hungry." I peer down at my bag, still lying in the middle of the street. "And let's not forget my bag."

"But—"

"Uh-uh," I hush her. "Food."