Though slight of frame, he was tall and athletic. She could see him dominating a tennis court or soccer game, but there was something beneath all that. His perfection contained a flaw that wasn’t readily obvious. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but his extraordinary good looks weren’t offset by the unease she felt in his presence.
“Hi, I believe we met before. I’m Kevin,” he told her.
She tried to hide her discomfort, instead extending a hand in greeting.
“Aileen Venegra. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Likewise. We didn’t get much of a chance to chat last time. I take it that you are new to the clan or are you here as the guest of someone?”
He was coy. She could see that. There was no doubt that he already knew very well who she was. She had been with Yakov the last time they had met. He had introduced them. Even if he didn’t remember who had introduced them, word would have gotten around quickly that Yakov had been spending a lot of time with a woman from outside their own clan. There would be questions, some of which she had already experienced from other guests. They all wanted to know how she and Yakov had met or how long they had been seeing one another. Some asked if it was serious. There were pre-agreed to answers to all this, of course. They had met at a work function a few months ago and it had been love at first sight. It was very serious.
“She’s my guest,” Yakov boomed from over her right shoulder, before she could answer.
So, they were back to him not letting her speak for herself, then. He seemed to be okay with her speaking to some people, though. Kevin would certainly be on the latter list. No way was Yakov going to risk allowing unmonitored conversation. She might say something that made Kevin suspicious and that was not going to work into the plan very well. Yakov was a micromanager, even in personal affairs.
“We’re all your guests,” Kevin observed.
“Yes, but I actually want her to be here.”
“Now, Yakov. So many of the people here would be hurt by that statement.”
“Perhaps, if it were intended toward any of them besides yourself.”
Kevin laughed, blowing off the insult lightheartedly. “You say the nicest things to me, Yakov.”
“Who brought you to my gathering? I’d love to thank them.”
“You know who brought me.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You wouldn’t have invited her unless you wanted her to bring her adoring better half.”
“Right. Anyway, we have other guests. Enjoy yourself,” Yakov said dismissively.
“Oh, I will,” Kevin replied, but they were already walking away from him.
“Just as arrogant as ever. You see why I can’t let him take over here, don’t you? He cares for no one but himself. He would run this clan into the ground, and that’s the better of the outcomes I suspect he’d bring to the table.”
“But he’s not married either, is he?”
“No. No yet, but it is only a matter of days now. The wedding is in two months. They’ve planned some large, over-the-top extravaganza at the Grand Hotel in the city.”
“How wasteful,” she commented.
“Wasteful?”
“Yes. I’ve always found weddings like that to be a waste of money that could be put to better use. Most couples would do well to marry simply and use that money on the things they need to start their life together. Instead, they go into debt right off the bat.”
“Seems rather cynical. I thought all women wanted their beautiful day,” he said with a sideways grin.
“Not all women,” she replied.
“Yakov!” a shrill voice called out, ruining what had been otherwise an almost pleasant moment.
Aileen looked up to see a leggy blonde, the sort that could be found on the cover of a men’s magazine. She was all porcelain and plastic, with an unhealthy slathering of makeup two shades lighter than her artificially tanned skin. Like Kevin, she came across as self-involved and arrogant. They made the cool, reserved Yakov look like a people-person.
“Selina. Have you met my girlfriend, Aileen?” Yakov asked.
“Girlfriend? This is new. So unlike you to settle for one,” she purred, looking down her nose at Aileen.
“Well, you know how it is, when the right one comes along, you forget all about the rest,” Yakov replied. “Surely, you know all about that, with your wedding just around the corner.”
“Oh, heavens yes,” she replied, looking back toward him without so much as a greeting to Aileen, other than the slow examination her eyes did of her, sizing her up as a threat to her prowess as an Alpha female.
No doubt, she had recognized her as an Omega and discounted her as any real threat. For some, being an Alpha was seen as an advantage. So, they had a few less children. They made up for it in their aggressiveness. They were well suited to be what humans would call a ballbreaker in the corporate world and a soccer mom in the suburbs.