My mouth releases a low breath. “Cindy, I really don’t want to fight with you right now.”
“Please.I want to apologize. And I think we should talk about things.”
I bite my lip, knowing that all I want to do is wait for my mates so we can talk things out, so I can explain to them why I kept our connections a secret. But Cindy is my oldest friend, and despite our little disagreement earlier, I don’t want todismiss her. “I’m waiting for the guys to get back from Alpha Xi, anyway. Where do you want to meet?”
She grins. “There’s this restaurant not too far from campus. I’ll send you the address.”
We hang up and Sam’s text chain flashes on my screen once more. Something gurgles in my gut, but I know the guys can wait. This talk with Cindy has been long overdue, and I think it’s time that I get all of my burdens off my chest. So I can start anew with my pack.
FORTY-SEVEN
Playing: “Wish That You Were Here” by Florence + The Machine
I’m tryingto keep my head on straight as we enter Alpha Xi. The party is in full swing, and even though we want to be literally anywhere else right now, we can’t deny that Opal might have come here looking for us. Our house was dark and empty, and her cell phone has gone unanswered for the past few hours. I fear that if we don’t find her soon, Sam will rip someone’s head off, so I have to stay clearheaded and find my omega before that happens.
Thatcher is beyond confused. After he got out of his game, we pulled him aside and told him about our rescue mission. He’s just as determined to find Opal as we are, but we may have purposely left out a few details.
Neither of us knows if Opal is scent matched with Thatcher. That uncertainty leaves us in a dangerous position on what to tell him, because I don’t want to get his hopes upagain if it isn’t true. I know how heartbroken he was to discover we weren’t scent matches. No matter how good things have turned around for us, I can’t let that happen again.
Still, he’s helping us all the same. And when we find her, I hope he discovers that he has a scent match, but not before then.
The place is more crowded than usual because of our team winning the championship game. I can’t even muster up the energy to celebrate because all I can think about is the sadness I saw on Opal’s face. She really believed that Sam was rejecting her, and that breaks my heart down to its seams.
And ifI’mfeeling that way, I can’t imagine how Sam is feeling. He hates losing control, and I can practically feel him beating himself up over the mishap. I look over to see him looking down at his phone, his text chain with Opal still unanswered.
“I still don’t understand,” Thatcher says, scanning over the bodies assembled due to his height advantage. “Why are we looking for Opal? What happened?”
I can barely think with the loud music and conversation taking over the area. “We will tell you soon, I promise.”
As soon as I say it, there’s a commotion in the kitchen. Sam closes his eyes in frustration, willing someone else to arrive who can deal with it, but I squeeze his shoulder in support.
“Go, you two look on that side and take care of whatever happened. I’ll go this way.” I point toward the other side of the house.
Sam looks torn, like he really doesn’t want to deal with his frat brothers’ stupidity right now, but I just nudge him. “It doesn’t make you any less concerned for her. Go take care of it. I’ll meet up with you soon.”
After they leave, I venture to the other side of the fraternity. The room where they normally handle meetings is packed,people dancing and grinding up against each other. When I come upon where the radio sits, there are less people, but it’s still crowded. An array of scents fills the space, and all I want more than anything is to smell her fruity, floral scent again. It was the most unique and intoxicating aroma, and without it, I feel cold.
I search room after room, but there’s no sign of her. When I get back to the pathway, my shoulder bumps into someone, and I turn to see a brunette beta with a gleam in her eye.
“Sorry,” I mutter to her before turning to leave.
“It’s fine, Kit.”
My face turns back to her to see that she’s looking at me expectantly. With caution, I tilt my head in her direction. “Do I know you?”
She scoffs. “I’d hope so. I’ve only been your scent match’s best friend for most of her life.”
Something tickles at the back of my brain. “I’m sorry, I… still don’t know who you are.”
The mystery woman seems irritated by that, but she cools it with a weird smile. “I’m Cindy.”
The lightbulb finally goes off. “Oh, shit. Hi! It’s nice to meet you. We’re actually trying to find Opal right now. Have you heard from her?”
Her lips purse. “Oh, you didn’t know?”
My patience is wearing thin with this beta the longer our interaction goes on. I’m not sure what’s going on, but her tone doesn’t sound kind, and this doesn’t seem like the kind of person my omega would be close with. I cross my arms across my chest and wait for her to keep talking.
“Well, since your pack didn’t want her, she had to find someone else,” Cindy says nonchalantly. “So, she’s on a date?—”
