Desired by Alpha Mate

Part 2

"You're wasted," Nina grumbled, trying to grab the glass from her friend's hand.

Expecting it, Ahana yanked it out of his reach, pushing it to her lips and taking a long gulp. The vodka burned down her throat, making her nose scrunch, barely able to swallow. It was a bad idea, getting it without mixing anything sweet.

But she's already a couple drinks deep, a pleasant thrum running through her body. The omega felt loose and light, glancing down every few minutes as if to confirm that she's still in her heels.

"I have to say, I'm starting to get concerned," Her friend continued slowly, leaning up against the wall. "I don't think I've seen you drink this much...or ever actually. What's going on?"

Lucas Costa. That's what. The name that haunted her dreams. He was in the same room as her. After two long years. In flesh, complimenting the dress he gifted her.

It must've been mistaken, confused, her brain altered by the pill she had before coming to the party. The exhaustion of overworking the week before must have been catching up to the omega. Tormenting her unreliable eyes and melancholic memories with the bittersweet reminder of Lucas, her ex husband.

Yet, her eyes were glued on him. Unable to tear away from the sight of this person, following his every move with an unfathomable curiosity, a desperation to find anything that could assure her that she was imagining the Alpha. That this was all merely an medication induced illusion, but if that were the case, why was this person staring right back at her as if he'd just been caught, discovered— his face pale, the same way she assumed her expression mirrored.

For a split second, she thought about her husband from the past within those widening eyes, so briefly that if Ahana hadn't been staring so intensely she would have missed it. It was gone as soon as it appeared in the back of her mind, the memory replaced by the ugly days that led up to their separation.

Her soft expression quickly morphed into a deadly scowl that became all the more menacing when noticing the slight smirk that unexpectedly lifted a single corner of his mouth, forcing her gaze to quickly avert. Ahana blinked several times to escape the hold this electrifying rift between them caused.

"If you stare at him any longer he would think you want to go home with him."

Ahana spluttered following her friend's line of vision and finding Lucas. Of course she would think that. It's very natural for anyone with a common sense to find Lucas attractive and assume every woman in the room is head over heels.

"I do not!"

"Found him charming, did you? I can work my magic..."

Ahana rolled her eyes at Nina's wriggling brows, a devilish smile tugging at her lips. If only she knew the past they shared. There was no way the omega told had the courage to recall it. At least not in front of the person who played a huge role in sabotaging it.

"No thank you."

Nina made a noise. "Why not? I have never seen you date anyone like ever. You rejected Richard as well."

"Do not say his name or he will appear."

"I am serious, Ahana! Please give this man a try. If I weren't engaged I would be all over him right now."

At that, the omegas eyes immediately travelled to the size of a rock sitting snuggly around Nina's finger. She got engaged last year to an Alpha she's dating for over four years. They both were working to save up for their bonding ceremony and honeymoon so stayed in different parts of the town.

"I am sure you would have."

Nina made a noise in the back of her throat, "Do not make fun of me! Go and do something about it."

"Something about what?"

They both jumped at the sudden voice appearing behind them, a breath whooshing out of Ahana. It's Teja, one of the commi-chef and probably the most sought after Alpha in the resort. Every unmated omega had eyes for him and it was obvious.

Teja had sharp features, greyish brown eyes and jet black hair parted sideways and artfully falling over, full lips and thick accent. Not only that he was also very easy to talk to. Ahana couldn't keep track of the times he gave her leftovers from kitchen and simply sat down with her at the end of their shift to listen.

"You scared me!" Nina slapped his arm, her eyes automatically going to the watch around her wrist. "How could Richard is not on your ass for being an hour late?!"

The Alpha smiled at Ahana before leaning against the wall, a drink in his hand.

"Because I am charming?"

Nina rolled her eyes unable to deny that statement when she noticed their manager walking towards them. She straightened her back, taking the glass from Ahana.

"Richard is on the way!"

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Teja said under his breath, taking a sip of the whiskey.

The omega clenched her fingers into a fist. After getting a buzz, the last thing she wanted was to interact with her boss. He would rightfully call out on her behaviour.

Releasing a breath, Ahana cleared her throat, furiously wetting her lips as Richard came to stand in front.

"Enjoying the party, ladies?"

"We were." Teja grumbled under his breath, hearing a snicker from Nina. It was not a whisper.

Even if Richard heard the comment he didn't react on it. Technically he had little to no authority when it came to kitchen staff. They had a different incharge.

"Everyone is asked to gather in the private meeting room for a brief session with our new owner. Get moving."

"But...it's a party." Nina exclaimed.

Ahana's eyes searched for Lucas in the crowd and he was nowhere to be found. Of course.He must have arranged for this meeting to torment her even more.

"I am aware Miss Nina but we have duties and responsibilities we must attain..."

"Which meeting room is it?" Teja interrupted and for which Ahana was thanking him in her head. There's only so much of Richard she could hear before her head started hurting.

Richard fumed at that, "Room 1045."

"Got it boss! See you there."

He did not give the Alpha any chance to linger any longer. Ahana shifted awkwardly on her feet when she found Richard's eyes on her before he left.

"What is his problem?" Nina huffed, rushing to keep the glasses on the side table. "He hates fun."

"Come on! Let's go." Teja nudged to Ahana who stumbled a bit. The effect of alcohol was slowly taking over her, paired with the sudden drowsiness.

"Umm...I will be right back you guys go ahead."

Her friend immediately understood what she meant and twisted her lips, taking a step closer.

"Are you sure? I can come along if you want." Nina insisted.

The omega looked at the service bathroom an alley away from the main event hall. It will only take her a minute. "It's fine. I got it."

"Okay! See you."

Nina dragged Teja away while Ahana could catch a hint of their conversation, mostly the Alpha questioning her friend why they were the only ones leaving.

***

Splashing cold water on her face, the omega leaned against the sink, blinking her eyes at the water droplets clinging onto the lashes. It was so reckless of her to get drunk. The throbbing in her temples was still there, light and persistent.

"You can do it!" She muttered to herself while staring at the mirror before she stepped out.

Lucas was the only one in the room.

She opened and closed her mouth at finding the Alpha sitting on one of the stools, back to the bar to instead facing the door direction, with an amused raise of his brows. The room was devoid of any staff, not even the bartender behind the bar. How could they not show up for the meeting?

For training the new recruits, the bar space in the meeting room was still kept intact.

Knowingly, Lucas manspread, long legs splitting to plant firmly on the floor as arms lifted to rest along the bartop he leant against. It was obvious he wasn't really paying attention to anything aside from the way the dress hugged her and looked beneath the colored spotlight. There was an unashamed lustful daze to his stare.

Ahana cleared her throat, the hazy feeling rushing through her. She opened and closed her mouth several times, palms feeling sweaty. "W-Where is everyone?"

The omega was surprised that she had the courage to get the words out and didn't simply say it in her head. Maybe practising it for several times had its perk.

"I have no idea."

"Okay!"

She made her way to the empty stool far away from Lucas, well three seats away and took a seat.

His eyes burned into the side of her face, scrutinizing her with an unruly smile that was best she couldn't see, because had Ahana, it would have sent her to knees in a heartbeat. Would have had her wobbling knees giving out, only, not from fear.

The omega avoided the other's pointed stare as she fixed her hair, tucking it behind her ear. Suddenly the old painting in front of her appeared interesting, the chip at the edge of wall adding to it. The longer she stared the more she wished to go back to being ignorant, blissfully unaware of the man sitting next to her.

"So this is where you have been hiding?"

"Do I know you?" She countered,

immediately picking up on the subtle grit of his teeth when his jaw flexed against the dim glow of the bar, the way his fingers flexed on the glass before balling into tight fists despite the intrigue in his eyes.

"Are we really playing this game, baby?"

Lucas only further infuriated her with his breathless chuckle, a reaction she hadn't been expecting at all. A shiver ran down her spine at the causal slip of endearment as if they are still mates. He broke the bond. She recalled with a tight press of lips.

"I don't think it's proper to talk that way with an employee, Mr Costa. I don't know how it works elsewhere but this is Blue Moon Resort."

"And I am the new owner."

As the realisation dawned upon her it made her freeze for a long minute. As if Richard hadn't already introduced him as the new owner. Still the words coming out of his mouth made a difference.

Flustered, the omega looked away and stood up. She was wrong. There was no way the omega could handle being in the same room as him.

"I would say it was nice to see you again, but I think we both know neither of us would mean it." She forced a smile, resisting the urge to meet his eyes, she turned on her heel, the ache of her desire weighing her down—a purgatory of emotion weighted on her chest.

Two steps is all she was able to achieve before Lucas swiftly grasped onto her wrist, stopping the omega dead in her tracks. Ahana didn't need to look back, she would actually crumble in a heap of mess if she did. Lucas refused to let go as she attempted to tug her hand back. Having no other choice she spun around and faced him with an impatient stomp of her foot.

"Unhand me!"

"No"

"I want to go, sir."

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you."

"You can't keep running away forever."

"You bet?" Ahana fought back.

"I can smell the drink on you, ba-Ahana. You are not walking into that meeting room like this. Let me take you home." The Alpha said, calm and collected, his tone leaving no room for argument.

***