17. Jade

seventeen

Adrian pushes the trolley ahead of us. I'm moving slowly, my head whipping from side-to-side as I try to take in everything, but there is so much to see.

We've done the fruit and veg section, and I've decided to try three new fruits I"ve never seen before. The trolley is filled with food and snacks. Sven and Adrian handled the meat section after I picked up what was apparently for animals. I just grabbed it because it looked weird.

Now, we're walking down the aisle with toiletries. I pause when I see some familiar-looking boxes. There's just so many. How do people choose?

"Kandi?"

Kandi turns back instantly, following my gaze to the boxes on the shelf. Her smile and dimple comes out, and she bites her lower lip to hold back a laugh.

"All right, what are you doing?" Kandi asks, trying to be firm.

"They glow in the dark," I whisper. "Condoms that glow in the dark."

"Yeah, some of them."

"We can put them on and get them to have sword fights," I say urgently.

Kandi bursts into laughter, her head tilting backwards. "Now, there's an image."

"Oh, my, they have flavours. What do the ridges do? Can we get them?" I reach for the packets and grab one of each. Sven pauses behind us and snorts.

"Don't you have an IUD in?"

I look over my shoulder and narrow my eyes. "This is for experimental practices only. And how do you know that I'm on birth control?"

Sven shrugs. "Uh, okay. Hey, if you want to experiment, ask Kandi about her toys."

"Sven!" Kandi snaps. "Way to throw me under the bus!"

My head snaps towards the beta, who flushes and glares angrily at our alpha.

"Uncalled for Sven."

He shrugs and looks totally unrepentant.

"What toys?"

"Well, I mean… it's a tentacle," Kandi admits with a shrug and this adorable red stain on her cheek bones. "Seemed cool. Really fun. But, uh, yep."

I whimper. Staring at her, imagining her with this toy. I lick my lips and decide to just say what's in my head.

"I want to see. One time, I want to watch."

Kandi's eyes widen. "What?"

"Can I watch you? Next time? Please?"

"Hold on, you want to watch me get off?" Kandi almost whispers. Sven is leaning against the shelves, an expression of deep pain on his face.

"Yes."

Kandi scratches her arm and darts her eyes towards Adrian, who is casually leaning on the trolley and refusing to meet our eyes. He seems to be struggling to breathe properly. Sven's face is red, but he won't look up from his shoes.

"Uh, um… all right."

My body heats, and I stand there poised between throwing myself at her and not. In the end, I remember we're in a supermarket and resist.

"Okay, I'm good here," I say and carry my boxes to the trolley. Sven pauses and grabs a big bottle of lube and chucks it in.

"Addy, do you need anything?" Sven purrs.

Adrian glances at Sven and shakes his head, sharply. "I'm good."

There is something going on with Adrian. I don't know what it is, but it happened last night. He's being distant with Sven all of a sudden, and I'm not sure what's going on.

Sven is relaxing, like he's getting comfortable with my presence. I test this theory by walking up beside him. He puts a hand on my lower back without much thought, guiding me close to Adrian and Kandi.

Well, isn't this interesting?

I veer off away from him and, like a sheepdog, my alpha comes back and retrieves me, guiding me back to the safety of the pack.

I bite the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing out loud and catch Kandi's eye. She shakes her head at me, but when I do it again, she can't help but chuckle as Sven returns me like an errant lamb.

I prance over to her and hook my fingers in the back of her jeans. Her breath hitches, and she looks down at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you having fun?" Kandi asks.

"I am."

"Great. You and Missy are never, ever going shopping together. Just putting it out there now."

Sven and Adrian don't even look behind them as they both yell out. "Agreed!"

I pout, but I'm having too much fun to stay that way for long.

"Can we get a cat?" I ask as we walk past the cat food.

"No!" Sven snaps.

"Maybe," Adrian murmurs.

"Hell yes. Cats are cool," Kandi says happily.

I beam at her and stick my tongue out at my alphas.

"What about a bird?"

"No birds!" Sven vetoes.

"A puppy?"

Adrian pauses, a look of intense longing passing across his face.

I make a mental note. We're getting a puppy.

I rush towards something glittery and slip on a wet patch of floor. Sven is quick as lightning, gripping me tight and pulling me up before I hit the ground. I'm struck dumb by the sheer magnificence of my alpha. When he is mine, I'll never let him go.

"Are you okay?"

I'm lost in the concern in those hazel eyes. He's a very handsome man, my Sven. Even though he doesn't have any hair, he's got long lashes, and thick eyebrows, and a face that is incredibly handsome even when he scowls.

"And you have so many muscles."

Sven blinks. "She didn't hit her head. I don't know what's wrong with her."

Kandi snickers.

"You're just so pretty. All my pack is so pretty. Look at your lovely cheekbones. Who gets pretty cheekbones? You do, that's who."

"She's lost it. I didn't do it."

"I want you to kiss me again."

Kandi and Adrian watch with an intensity that I can feel.

"Alpha, please, kiss me again?" I whine.

He takes a breath and leans in, touching his lips to mine. It's quick, and then he's gone.

"When you kiss me properly, I may just die," I admit when he swings me up. He pushes me into Adrian and stalks out of the aisle. I watch him go, a smile teasing my lips. It will be harder for him to refuse now he can see how perfect our life could be together.

Adrian wraps an arm around my shoulders and guides me to the next aisle. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing. Very clever, but don't push too hard."

I stare up at him. "I just want him to see how it could be. Is that so wrong?"

Adrian strokes a hand down my spine, giving me whole body shivers. "No, it's not. It's good to see what we're passing up."

My face falls. I fight to ignore the urge to cry, and instead, force a huge smile. "Knowledge is power, my alpha."

"How are you enjoying shopping?"

"It"s wonderful. Can we do it again tomorrow?" I whisper, swallowing the tears that have strangled my throat.

This has been one of the best days of my life. It really has. Why am I so sad?