SKYE

The fact that Soren fainted when he saw me told me more than he probably wanted to reveal. I knew he still felt something for me; otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted like that. It must have been a huge shock if he actually passed out. But what did that mean for me, for us?

I had only been working at the company for a few days, and now we were going to be on the same team, with him as my boss. It was a recipe for disaster, but what could I do? I had to stay professional; I couldn't just fall in front of him and confess my feelings.

Everything had to happen gradually, naturally. Maybe I had to earn his trust again, maybe I needed to work my way back into his life. I was ready for that, to fight for him, even against that beta he seemed to be with now. I was determined, but I also knew I had to be extremely cautious.

Above all, I should avoid talking to him because that could trigger a cascade of unpredicted, intense emotions, grievances, and who knows what else—totally unexplored territory.

During this week, I got lucky and managed to quickly rent a small studio apartment close to the company building. I could get there in just five minutes. I was working half my hours for Nathaniel like before, and between 9 am and 1 pm, I was an intern for DevApp. I stayed in the office for the whole workday like everyone else, but Winter allowed me to work four hours for them and the remaining four for Nathaniel.

This arrangement suited me. During that first week, I was given very simple tasks to familiarize myself with how the company operated, and now I was going to be assigned to a project that Soren had been working on for a while—a large application for the ByteBites company.

I felt a mix of excitement and stress, completely different emotions from the ones I'd experienced over the last few months while staying at my parents' house. My nervous system seemed almost overloaded by the intensity and abundance of all these new stimuli. I couldn't even say I was particularly happy because there were just too many mixed feelings that I wasn't able to separate from the overall turmoil reigning in me. I was filled with both fears and hopes.

That day, I sat at my desk, staring at my screen, struggling to focus. Maybe Winter was right to be worried that it would be hard to keep personal issues separate from work? I forced myself to concentrate for almost an hour. For some reason, when lunchtime came, I decided to head down at the same time I had seen Soren there previously with his… freaking new boyfriend.

This time, though, I got another shock.

I went to the cafeteria and found a secluded table. I saw Soren and that little beta guy enter, and they immediately started looking around. Soren, without much subtlety, pointed me out. The little beta locked eyes with me. I didn't look away—our gazes firmly met. They both went to the line and eventually stopped glancing at me. I could see they were discussing something, but even from that distance, I could tell the conversation was tense.

They grabbed their trays and found a table, thankfully at a good distance from me. Still, if I sat up straight, I could see them. They kept talking and didn't look my way.

After a while, it seemed like their argument got more intense. The little beta raised both hands and started gesturing wildly. Suddenly, he stood up. Soren rose too and grabbed his hand, like he was trying to stop him, but the beta pulled away and said something loudly—though I couldn't hear it from where I was.

The beta turned away from Soren and started walking—right toward me!

I froze.

Oh, wow.

A confrontation?

I hadn't expected this, wasn't prepared for it. I was always terrible at improvising, usually letting my emotions do the talking for me.

The guy came over and stopped in front of me. After a moment's hesitation, he sat down, staring intensely right at me.

"I'm Liam," he said.

I didn't answer. I had already guessed that. I just watched him in silence, quite intensely—that's for sure, trying to gauge what Soren might find attractive in him.

The guy was really unassuming, the kind of person you'd have to look at twice, maybe even three times, to notice at all. His face was very… normal—neither ugly nor handsome, just unremarkable. He had straight, strawberry-blonde hair that hung in loose strands around his face, almost reaching his shoulders. He also wore glasses that hid his pale eyes, which I would describe as the color of cappuccino. His eyebrows and lashes were light, similar to Winter's, but with more of a reddish-blond shade. His nose was slightly upturned, which some might find cute, but also a bit childlike. His lips were small, delicate, and light pink, which only added to the impression that he was very young. He didn't seem twenty-two—more like eighteen. Freckles were scattered across his cheeks and nose like tiny golden dots.

On top of that, he was very petite for a beta, with the typical height of an omega, narrow shoulders, and bony arms that he now had clenched into fists. He wasn't my type, and I was amazed that Soren had decided to be with him. Liam didn't seem like someone who would match Soren's taste, and he surely wasn't in Soren's league.

One time, Sean showed me Anton's picture in secret, and the guy was quite a looker; muscular, tall and handsome. So if that was Soren's type, what was going on here? But maybe there was more to it? I hoped to find out soon enough.

"I'm curious why you decided to work here," Liam said.

"Straight to the point, huh?"

He made a face. "Obviously, we both know you didn't seek employment here because this company is so great."

"You're right, that's not the reason."

Liam's freckled face paled slightly. He pursed his lips.

"You're not even going to try to hide your intentions? Not even pretend?" he asked.

"No, I'm not. I got this job because I missed Soren, and I wanted to see him, if only one more time."

"And that's it? You're not trying to win him over?"

"Wow, this conversation is getting really intense, Liam."

"Getting a job here is an intense move on your part."

"Look, I've only been here a few days. Soren and I haven't seen each other in months. I don't want to make any plans right now, and I definitely don't want to discuss them with you. If Soren wants to talk to me, he can, and I'll tell him everything then. But why would I discuss it with you?"

"I'm his boyfriend," he said, with a strange, almost forced confidence in his voice.

"Congratulations. I envy you that status. I've never been granted that honor, despite asking for it."

"You're really obnoxious."

"Me? I'm not the one who stormed over here and started the confrontation."

"But I'm not the one who got a job at the company where your boyfriend works, trying to steal him away right under your nose," he shot back.

I shrugged. "You don't know what my intentions are at this point. I only told you I wanted to see him. You're making up the rest, and I'm not going to tell you anything more."

He clenched his teeth. "Can you at least promise me you won't try to win Soren over?"

With some effort, I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. "Does Soren know you talk about him like he's some prize to be won? Soren is a person, and he makes his own decisions."

"You can influence anyone's decisions, one way or another. Don't be naive; you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Wow, are you speaking from experience? Is that how you manipulated him? Pressing subtly but consistently for years, molding his will? Doing things for him so he'd feel obligated?"

His face flushed red. "You know nothing about me! I… love him!"

"That makes two of us." We locked eyes in a brief stare-down, but I decided to put a stop to it, "Look, this is becoming very uncomfortable. I'm going to have to ask you to leave my table and go back to yours. This conversation is over."

"You won't get out of this that easily—"

"Oh, but I will. Be patient. Life brings answers. Actions speak louder than words," I said, throwing out a few clichés just to annoy him, but keeping my face totally calm.

"We'll see how this all ends. Just be careful; that's the only advice I can give you."

"Thanks for the tip."

There was a moment of silence. Liam stared at me like he wanted to murder me with his eyes. Suddenly, he tilted his head and said, "I'm not surprised you miss him so much, though. Soren fucks so beautifully. I love to watch him come when I pound into him."

I looked at him coldly, knowing—in every cell of my body—that he was lying. No idea why, but I just didn't believe him.

"If Soren actually were into petite betas, maybe I'd believe you, but I'm not going to fall for that. You know what Soren really likes?" I narrowed my eyes, staring at him.

If he wanted to play this game, he was going to get a taste of it.

"Do you know how he comes? Just a few strokes from me, my lips on his pretty nipples, and he lets out this soft, sweet moan, then he climaxes. He loves it. He loves being touched. He loves being kissed. He loves my tongue in his clenching hole. Every inch of his skin was on fire under my hands…" I leaned in as I spoke, intentionally whispering with an erotic, sultry tone. I knew this would provoke him.

Liam's face turned a furious shade of red, his nostrils flaring, his lips quivering. He definitely didn't like that—at all! He clenched his fists and growled, "Stay away from him, or you'll regret it. I promise you that, right here and now!"

I laughed loudly, leaning back in my chair. "Don't you feel it already? Soren and I… we're meant to be. That's how I see it, even if he doesn't believe it."

Liam's energy became incredibly cold and calm when he spoke again. "I'll say it one more time: stay away from him, or you'll regret it."

Then he stood up and smiled—a smile like a shark's, with eyes that remained still.

"Enjoy your meal, Skye."

He turned and walked away.

As he turned his back to me, I couldn't help but glance at his ass—the one Sean had praised so highly during a convo with me and Soren in the college cafeteria. It was obvious that Liam's butt was the result of lumbar lordosis, with the typical curve in the lower back that made his buttocks more pronounced. Still, I doubted it added Liam any attraction points, at least from Soren's point of view. I was pretty convinced—he wasn't Soren's type, good ass or not.

During the entire time this childish exchange went on, Soren sat at his table without looking in our direction, his hands pressed to the sides of his head, as if he were battling a migraine. He gently massaged his temples, perhaps trying to push the pain away. When Liam sat across from him, Soren didn't even lift his head. He didn't acknowledge him.

I already knew I wouldn't give up. Never. Even if it took my whole life. I knew it sounded like something a madman would say, like someone with an obsession. But I didn't care. I just… didn't care.