“With the mood I’m in, no.” I sigh. No need to dump a whiny, drunk omega in her lap, though she’s helped me pick up my pieces for as long as we’ve been friends.
When I first moved to Nashville with nothing but the clothes on my back, I found a job in a retail bank and worked on Cozy Bear Blankets until it replaced, then doubled my income, and now I rent this house, right next to her apartment complex, all within a year of me being here.
“Tell me what’s wrong?” She says, patting the seat next to her. I drop into the seat, head in my hands, as all my emotions come to the surface.
Since moving away from my parents and the Fallon Pack, it’s like my emotions run much more freely now. Too freely, in fact, and I can hardly control them.Twenty-two years of holding back and appearing perfect has taken a toll on me, and I just can’t do it anymore.
My eyes meet her hazel ones, and I just crumble. Sipping my orange soda between each story of the two incredibly smelling alphas that came to my store and how I’ll probably never see them again.
“Those were your scent mates,” Ollie says with a sly smile on her face. I don’t know what for, since neither of them was interested enough to stick around or ask for my number. Maybe I am destined to be alone.
“Yeah, maybe, but it doesn’t matter anyway, since I’ll probably never see them again.”
“You’re gonna give up just like that? Come on, Noa, that doesn’t sound like you.”
“It’s not about giving up, it’s about being realistic.” I shove a handful of sour candies in my mouth, hoping the sting of the tart taste will distract me from the pain in the back of my throat from holding back the whine that is desperate to escape.
“Realistic? When is meeting your scent match ever realistic? It’s all passion, awkward entanglements, and obsession,” Ollie says dramatically, and we laugh. However, my laugh is painful and sounds like I’m choking a bit.
I can’t help the doom and gloom weighing me down inside. Even with Ollie’s infectious laughter, I can’t pretend I’m alright tonight. I’ve never had aman, let alone two, take over my mind like this. It’s scary.
Oh my goodness, is this how stalkers are born?
“It would help if I had any hope of seeing them again.”
“You said Thorne was a hockey player? I could make that happen,” she says, like it’s so easy. As if it’s obvious and I’m stupid for not seeing it. Whoa, wait,slow down, Noa.Gosh.
“And be like every other puck bunny there, hoping to score a hockey player?”
“Are you going to let your pride get in the way of finding your scent match? I thought that was your dream! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you have to jump on Noa, figuratively and literally,” she winks, which makes my face hot.
I may have a real shot at a future with more than one scent mate. Maybe Ollie is right. I can’t let my one shot go down the drain.
Even though being in a relationship scares me, I can’t let one awful experience dictate my life.
CHAPTER SIX
NOA
Coming to work on a game day is always exciting. Despite the impending doom sitting in my chest, I am determined to have a good day. Especially since this morning, I received an email that would change game days for me for the next five years!
My designs for the Scented Scorpions merch were approved, with slight adjustments to the logo, but overall approved.
I spent the morning before opening fluffing the display blankets and making sure the colors set beside each other match.
Warm hues are on the right side of the store, and cool hues are on the left. It makes it easier to find coordinating colors this way. My store is like one giant color wheel.
Today is a walk-in only day; no appointments.These days are the most worrisome. I have no idea who will walk through my doors and how I’ll interact with them. This part of owning a business—creating the sale in person—is the hardest bit.
No more am I in the comfort of my home behind a screen. I’m minutes before opening, and my heart races in my chest as it does every day I open. Hiding behind the register for a moment, I apply some lotion to my skin. It’s been so tight. A constant itch accompanies being hot all the time. It has to be my heat, and it means I’m losing time to prepare forthat.
The bell rings, and my attention shoots to the door. I don’t remember unlocking the door. I haven’t even turned the scent blocker humidifiers on yet.
Oh shoot,I have to turn them on fast before… before I–I shake my head as a smell hits my nose. What? No, I whip my head to the door; their scent swarms me from across the store. Strong and undeniably making a flame light up my core. Oh wow. Again?
A third scent match? In one week?
I inhale—white chocolate. A heavy white chocolate fills the room. As it gets stronger, the more I need to turn on the humidifiers with scent-blocking spray to cancel out the scent, but I can’t get myself to move. This scent tells me it’s another alpha. Three Alphas? Can three alphas even get along? Would three alphas like me enough for all of us to be together?
