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

It hits me then that Jake was probably mad because I told him, “I don’t date nice guys, and then I went here with Mark. He must

have been so confused, thinking I was a

hypocrite.

with the celebrations?” Kelly, who I’ve never met before, says in a

drinks.”

blinks in surprise, seemingly confused by the other woman’s attitude, before she finds words.

looks at me questioningly. I shrug at her-I don’t know why Kelly dislikes me. Unless Jake told her about me or

I shake away all negative energy and jealousy and

have

***

anymore, but getting drunk at a bar. The hockey guys I don’t know well aren’t with us. It’s Nathan, Alice, Logan, Rebel, Kelly, Jake, and me—the single girl who

not cuddling with

is drunk out of her mind. She is finally

got a babysitter,

Nathan. He has called a

are dangling down

are doing shots. by the bar. And Kelly? She is drunk, clinging to Jake’s

this idea that I can’t

He called a cab for her. That, my friend,

perfect for me.

Mark said Jake and Kelly weren’t exclusive or

I order

fun, and once Jake

smirks at

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

know he

swallow thickly. “Okay, here

the bar and set the course for the corner of the bar. Jake is talking to some girl, and my heart pounds faster and faster. Can I do this? Yes.

in the same room

stomach does this unwelcome flip, and

forward.

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

mouth.

are

but Jake beats me to it by saying, “Winnie, my best friend!

There you are!”

while the girl stares at us. I’m

him like a monkey, she

laugh. “What did

closer, voice all soft. “She was rude to

I’m speechless. I didn’t expect Jake to

makes a smug face as I stare at him. Eyebrows lifted, and a huge grin.

beating really fast.”

as if my brain just now realizes that 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