Finn returned with a large platter filled with roasted chicken, buttered vegetables, warm bread, and chocolate mousse in two glass cups. He tapped his knuckle against the window of the car. Vael looked up from his phone, stood, and slid the door open just enough to take the platter. He took the food and closed the door.
Vael turned and handed the platter to Vessara. She took the platter from him, and then a small smile appeared on her lips. Vael did not smile back. He sat down and continued typing on this phone.
The plan's layout looks great. Hopefully, it's good enough to impress Alpha Marcus.
Theon replied.
The Beta of the Crescent Pack just sent me a text now. It seems Alpha Marcus would like to work with us.
That's great. Now I can rest easy.
"We" can rest easy.
Theon added a puppy eye emoji.
Vessara began to eat. She picked up a piece of chicken with her fingers and bit into it. As she chewed, she let out a soft moan. It was a sound of genuine relief, the kind a person makes when they are hungrier than they realized.
Vael looked up from his phone. He watched her for a moment. She was focused entirely on the food, tearing small pieces of bread and dipping them in the chicken sauce. She ate, the smile still not leaving her face. He glanced back at his phone without saying a word to her.
After a few minutes, Vessara had eaten about half of the meal. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then placed the platter on the empty seat beside her. She looked at Vael.
"Thank you," she said. Her voice was steady. "Is it okay if I drink some water?" She pointed at the polished console with a mini refrigerator.
Vael stood up and walked to the small refrigerator. He opened it. Inside were bottles of soda, cans of beer, and five small bottles of water. He picked one of the water bottles, twisted off the cap, and handed it to her.
Vessara took it and drank. But instead of swallowing smoothly, she coughed, almost choking. The taste of it was hard as it burned her throat. Her eyes watered. She pulled the bottle away from her mouth and stared at it. She coughed again, then looked at Vael.
"Is this water?" she asked.
Vael took the bottle from her hand and brought it to his nose. The smell hit him immediately. It was vodka. He cursed under his breath. He remembered that one of the bottles in the minibar had cracked earlier. So Ares had drunk from it and emptied the rest of the alcohol into an empty water bottle and left it in the refrigerator.
He turned back to the refrigerator to get a real bottle of water. But before he could pick one, Vessara went to him, reached over, and snatched the vodka bottle from his hand. She put it to her lips and drank again, a long swallow. Then another.
Vael crossed his arms over his chest. He did not try to take the bottle from her. He just watched her finish the last of it.
"Have you ever had alcohol before?" he asked.
Vessara did not answer. She lowered the empty bottle and placed it on the floor. She walked back to the seat and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"No, I've never drunk." She replied in a quiet tone.
"You just made a stupid mistake," Vael said. His tone was flat.
Vessara looked at him. She shrugged. "Don't be such a bore, we wolves don't get drunk easily. And maybe it won't be a bad idea to make more mistakes." She bit on her lips. "Just for tonight."
Vael did not respond to that. He sat back in his seat and picked up his tablet from a compartment. Theon had sent him a file on an architectural structure, a new building project that required his review. He opened the file and began to scroll through the blueprints.
"Are you ready to leave?" he asked without looking up.
"No," she said. Her voice was firm.
Vael looked up at her. "Why?" He asked.
"I like it here. It's quiet…and I don't have to talk to so many people." She admitted.
He returned his gaze to the tablet. "Or you're scared he'd come back for you."
Vessara leaned back into the seat. "I doubt he would come for me, not after what you did to him." She answered.
Vael did not respond.
After a few minutes, Vessara began to feel uncomfortable. She yawned. Then she yawned again, louder this time. Vael looked up at her. She shifted on the couch, trying to get comfortable, but it didn't work. The alcohol was settling into her system.
"Do you attend parties like this?" Vessara asked
Vael focused on the tablet. He did not respond.
Vessara tried to lie on the seat but gave up on the mission. "Perhaps you are an architect? Do you own a house?"
Vael said nothing.
"What are you? A businessman? Oh! Let me guess…You must be a philanthropist…or a savior. Or—" She let out a low belch. "Sorry about that. Do you like chicken? And what's your favorite meal for breakfast?" Her words were slightly slurred.
He still did not answer. She huffed, a sound of frustration.
"You're ignoring me because I am an omega, right?" She pointed at him. "I get it. But do you know that an omega doesn't always have a choice?"
Vael looked up from his tablet. "What is your name?"
She shook her head. "No. I'm not telling you."
Vael put the tablet down on his lap. "Do you have someone to call? Someone who can come get you?" He asked.
She laughed. It was a short, bitter sound. "I do. But if they found me like this, I would be dead by morning."
The words hung in the air. Vael studied her face. She was not joking. She looked down at her hands.
"I don't want to go home," she said after some seconds had passed.
Vael picked his tablet back up. "I'm leaving the party soon."
She looked at him for a long moment. The alcohol had made her eyes glassy, but there was something else in them now. A kind of calculation. Or maybe just desperation.
"Take me with you," she blurted.