It wasn't necessarily dominating behavior, but Echo held still for it anyway. Papa was an Alpha, and she'd seen him stare down everyone from fellow writers to impertinent waitstaff at restaurants. She was still holding the bag containing her art supplies.

"Not everything is how it seems on the surface," she said evenly. She turned her head to catch the other woman's eyes, then lifted her shoulders in a shrug. Her nose wrinkled as the longer-haired woman's scent carried.

"I don't think you're exactly like everyone else, either."