I knew knotting her was the best and worst idea I’d ever had. As soon as we kissed, I knew she was mine. Hell, I even half-tried to back away, sensing that this is something we should talk about first. But how could I deny my scent match when she was pining? Her captivating blue eyes cracked my soul open, staring up at me, filled with a pain that only I could take away.
Her scent is intoxicating, and the sex… Holy shit. It was beyond words. It’s the kind of connection I’ve only heard about. A connection that alphas and omegas spend lifetimes trying to find. Although I never thought Ezra—fuckboy of the century—would be the one to have found her and brought her here. Fate works in weird ways.
She senses our connection too, I’m sure of it. I detected the shift in her body language. During sex, the sounds she made, how her body bended to fit with mine, and the way she melted into my arms when we were done. But from her quickness tochange the subject, her inability to meet my gaze, and the way she apologized for her own natural instincts, it’s clear she’s reluctant to face it.
Her situation is complicated. While I want to ask a zillion questions to find out everything about her—not just the big stuff like why she has a fake pack but the small stuff too, like what toppings she likes on her burger—I have to go slow. She’s obviously not ready, and with a connection like ours, it’ll be worth the wait.
Still, it took all of my self-control not to declare my undying loyalty to her while we were knotted together. If I say too much, I’ll scare her away. And we can’t lose her.
Moving slowly to not wake her, I slide out of bed, bending down to tuck the covers up under my sleeping omega’s chin to keep her warm. A small smile crosses her lips as she snuggles down into my pillow, breathing in deeply before settling into a sleep, like my scent is helping calm her.
Her scent has dulled a little, hinting that her heat may be dying down or that it could have been a heat spike rather than a true heat. However, we can’t take any chances. My alpha instincts have gone haywire, catapulting my desire to protect her, to care for her, and to give her everything she needs.
I tiptoe to the door and through to the kitchen, where Ezra is unpacking a bag of groceries.
“I got everything you’ll need.” He’s unloading special omega protein bars and drinks. “I’m going to head back to?—”
“You’re not going anywhere,” I growl.
I can tell he’s taken aback. Usually, I don’t like giving orders. Though I’m their leader, I want my pack to make their own decisions. However, while our omega is so vulnerable, he’s not going anywhere. What if she needs us again?
Ezra frowns. “What do you mean?”
“Things have changed.” I run a hand through my messy post-sex hair. “Are the others back?”
“Riven won’t be long, but Calder’s still tied up at the office.” Ezra tilts his head. “What’s wrong? Is she okay?”
“She’s my scent match.” I feel it deep in my bones. “Our scent match.”
Ezra recoils like he’s been kicked in the gut.
“You don’t get out much.” He laughs nervously, clumsily shoving items onto the wrong shelves. Ezra doesn’t know how to handle emotions. He pretends he doesn’t care because it’s easier for him. “Having good sex doesn’t mean that she’s your…” He winces. “Scent match.”
“You feel it too, Ezra.”
“She’s…” He blows out his cheeks then exhales in a huff. “Different. But that doesn’t mean she’s our scent match. You’re getting ahead of yourself.”
“I’m not.” I cross my arms. “I can feel it. The protective buzz in my veins tells me she’s ours. Or she will be.”
“You don’t even know her.” He hisses the words like venom. “Besides, have you even spoken to her about how she feels about packs? Because I have.” His jaw hardens. “She doesn’t want one. She doesn’t believe in designation bullshit. That’s probably why she was pretending to be with those other jerks. She’s so desperate not to have a pack that she’ll fake it with anyone.”
A lead weight drops in my stomach. “Scent matches aren’t the same, though.” I counter, more for my benefit than his. “They’re inevitable.”
“I’ve spoken to her more than you have.” Ezra slams the fridge door closed, making it rattle. “She’s strong-willed. You won’t change her mind, so just forget about it, okay? You had good sex and helped an omega out. Why does it have to mean more?”
“She’s our omega, Ezra,” I lean toward him, enunciating every word. “I’m telling you, I can feel it.”
“You’re a romantic, Hale.” Ezra’s nonchalance is really starting to piss me off, and I don’t get mad often. “She won’t be interested. Not in us. Not in a pack.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
Ezra raises an eyebrow. “Have you told her your theory yet?”
“Well,” I splutter, “not yet.”
“Wouldn’t you have told her if you were really convinced this was real?” He paces away. “If I’m under house arrest, I’m going to do some lesson planning.”
I’m hot on his pursuit, following him into the hall, fists clenched by my sides.
