My pack mate’s ears turned red, his usual stoic face flushing. Spencer and I shot each other a disbelieving look.
“Bear?” Spencer asked.
“She thought she was being followed. She came to me for safety, asking me to pretend to be her boyfriend.”
She ran toBearfor safety? He was a good choice, far better than most, but women tended to avoid him like the plague due to his scarring. If this little omega had walked up to him brazenly, I was sure he was smitten. His usual demeanor seemed to have softened.
“And your jacket?” I prodded.
“She was cold.”
I bit my lip. Part of me wanted to tease him, and part of me wanted to celebrate. Never in all our years as a pack had I seen Bear torn up about a girl.
Clearly, this omega was something special. Spencer had been focused on her for a few weeks, and now it seemed that Bear had also fallen into her web.
“Okay, I’ll keep an eye on her tomorrow. Email me all the info, and I’ll tail her,” I said, slowly standing and stretching.
“Already done,” Spencer replied. “You really should check your emails more.”
“Why would I do that when I have you to remind me?” I asked innocently, ignoring his glower as I sauntered out of the room to catch a few hours of sleep before I got to work.
I thought surveilling this omega would besomewhatexciting. She was a student, and by nature, they were constantly on the move. There’s an energy that comes with being immersed in campus life—running from one lecture to another, grabbing coffee with friends, or diving into late-night study sessions at the library. Flora… just stayed home.
I had spent all morning sitting in my SUV across from her front door. She lived on the sixth floor, according to the email Spencer had sent me. I’d seen the curtains twitch once or twice, so she was definitely in there.
Who spent their entire Saturday cooped up inside?
I understood why the pack we weresupposedto be watching did that. They had just welcomed a newborn, and they were completely lost in their baby bubble, learning about bottles and diapers and running on minimal sleep. But a young student who wasn’t settled down or mated? It didn’t make sense.
I had been hoping she would at least visit a coffee shop, so I would have anexcuse to stretch my legs and get myself a caffeinated beverage.
Caffeine addiction was putting it mildly when it came to my relationship with coffee. If I didn’t have several cups a day, I turned into a cantankerous bastard. Well, according to my pack mates. As much as I tried to convince myself that I could function without it, deep down, I knew that a life devoid of coffee would mean a life shrouded in grumpiness—a trade-off I was wholly unprepared to make.
I was making a mental note to stash a few energy drinks in my car when the door to Flora’s apartment building opened. I jerked my head up as she stepped out, wrapping a jacket around herself. Her hair was thrown up in a haphazard bun. She was wearing simple clothing, a pair of jeans and a plain T-shirt, but the jacket was what caught me off guard.
I recognized that leather jacket.
After picking up my phone, I snapped a subtle picture before sending it to my pack group chat.
Chase:
Look familiar?
Bear:
I told you; she was cold last night. I wasn't going to let her be cold.
Chuckling, I looked away from the screen to keep my eyes firmly on the omega as she moved farther away from me. Once she was a certain distance away, I flicked on the ignition, the engine humming to life, and cautiously eased the car onto the road.
Bear quickly followed up his earlier message with another.
Bear:
She’s wearing it again?
Chase:
I guess she likes your stink.
