The Alpha’s Fight for His Omega by Jess K

Chapter 54

Winnie

“Hello, Winnie! Nice to see you!” Rebel holds up her glass for me with a big cheer. She has switched places with Logan to sit on my left side when I walk up to the table.

Alice, however, isn’t sitting down. She stands up from her seat and gets this sparkly look on her face before coming to hug me. “Winnie!”

“Hi!” I hug her back. “How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you?”

Before I can answer, Nathan speaks. “Here she comes, my biggest rival in love: Winnie. I swear there is a romance going on here…” he sighs but hides a smile.

“Happy to see you too, big guy,” I tell him and pat his shoulder. “Have you gotten thinner?”

He snorts. “Shut up! I’m working out harder than ever!”

I grin. “It shows—I’m just teasing!”

People around the table snicker, including Logan. I feel welcomed sitting by the large table the Plaza Hotel has assembled for us.

“Oh, and since you wondered, I’m feeling pretty okay,” I inform Alice and beam at her. “Mark won’t be joining us, though. He needed to take care of something urgent.”

“We saw,” Alice sits down beside me, grimacing. “But you’re fine, right? We kind of assumed it was a friendly date anyway.”

“Oh, it was,” my eyes flicker to Jake, whose cold expression turns less icy after hearing me confirm I’m not into Mark. Interesting…

“I

Jake was probably mad because I told him, “I don’t date nice guys, and then I went here with

you’re finally here, so can we move on with the celebrations?” Kelly, who I’ve never met before, says in a rather bitchy tone. “I would like

woman’s attitude,

her-I don’t know why Kelly

way, I shake away all negative energy and jealousy and focus on

***

I don’t know well aren’t with us. It’s Nathan, Alice, Logan, Rebel, Kelly, Jake, and me—the single girl who feels awkward not cuddling with anyone.

pregnant and got a babysitter, so she is cuddling with Nathan. He has called a cab already, and her legs are dangling down from his lap.

are doing shots. by the bar. And Kelly? She is drunk,

seems to have this idea that I can’t hear her. Jake is currently busy ignoring her. He called

my feelings. Mark said Jake and Kelly weren’t exclusive or serious, and I will take his word for it. So I wait. I

laugh, and have fun, and once Jake is alone, Rebel smirks at me.

my plans, and now even Logan is cheering me on. “Tell him

swallow thickly. “Okay, here

leave Logan and Rebel by the bar and set the course for the corner of the bar. Jake is talking to some girl, and my heart pounds faster

the same room or paying me attention. I’m already dizzy, and when he looks up and tilts his head, smiling, I almost bail. My stomach does this unwelcome flip, and

so awkward standing in front of him. The girl scowls at me and

who are you?”

an eyebrow at her, but Jake beats me to it by saying, “Winnie, my best

There you are!”

ground while the girl stares at us. I’m shocked. The girl is shocked. And once I place my hands on

can’t help but laugh. “What did

was rude to you,

chest speeds up. I’m speechless. I didn’t expect Jake to do that for me, and he makes a smug face as I stare at him. Eyebrows lifted, and

we are practically hugging. My hands are on Jake’s broad shoulders, eyes locked onto his face. I don’t know what to say or where to go, and his amusement