So, I tell her the story. Every little thing that’s happened since I got here. The scent on my first day of class that sent me spiraling into my first heat, meeting Paxton the very next class day, the notes from my neighbors and my suspicion that Paxton might be a part of that pack. By the time I’m done with the story, I’ve already parked at the craft store.
“You sure don’t waste any time, Rosie girl.” Mama cackles, drawing the attention of my dads. I groan, not ready to have this conversation with them. At least not until I know for sure what’s going on. Luckily for me, she shoos them away before they can join in on the “let’s interrogate Posey” train.
“Mama!”
Her laughter finally dies down enough for her to ask follow up questions. There’s a big part of me that’s desperate for her approval of these men, even if I don’t technically know them myself just yet. “Posey, I’m thrilled for you honey. Meeting a scent match in your second week?I shouldn’t be surprised, you’ve always attracted good fortune with your kind heart.”
My brain does a record scratch. “Hold on, what do you mean a scent match?”
Her responding tone is more serious. “I can’t know for sure since I wasn’t there to see your reaction and I wouldn’t be able to scent him like you can, but what you’re describing sounds like a scent match, Rosie girl.” She pauses. “When you smelled his scent, what did it make you feel?”
All the same feelings come rushing back when I imagine Paxton’s sugary sweet saltwater taffy scent. “My omega was already freaking out when I saw him walking towards me, but then I caught his scent and it was like my body lit up. I felt this deep seatedneedto bury my face into his neck so I could inhale his scent directly from the source. And being around him was as easy as breathing even though we’d just met. It felt like I had known him forever.”
I can hear the smile in her voice as she speaks, and it’s almost enough to make me forget I’m about to make scarves for four strangers I’ve never met. “My darlin’ girl, what you just described is exactly how I felt the first time I met your fathers. I caught their scents and that was it. We went on two dates before moving in together.”
I balk. “Mama!”
“The rules are different for scent matched packs, Posey. But you don’t need to feel any pressure to be me. If Paxton is your only match and you’re ready to move forward that’s great. But if what you suspect is true and you have three other matches out there waiting to meet you, I would encourage you to take things at your pace. Don’t let them pressure you into anything. Just because they’re your scent matches doesn’t mean you areobligatedto be with them. Do you understand me?”
“I hear you.” I whisper, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. “Hey, I need to run in and get some more yarn, can I call you later?”
“Of course! Call me anytime, day or night. You know that. We love you so much, and don’t forget to send pictures of your latest creations!”
“I love y’all too, Mama. Bye.”
Letting out a heavy breath I ignore the trembling in my hands and exit the car, determined to get what I came here for. If I really do have four scent matches out there, I’m praying Paxton is one of them. My omega is already attached, and all I can do is hope he really is a member of the sweet pack next door.
I’ve been trying to come up with a plan to “accidentally” run in to Posey all weekend, and so far I have come up with exactly nothing. I don’t know her class schedule, who her friends are, or what she does for fun besides crochet, so other than knocking on her front door and begging her to give me the time of day, I’m at a loss for ideas.
Now it’s Monday, and I have classes all day. So even more time until I can meet her. It doesn’t help that my first class of the day is with Jude, who’s been even more of a raging alphahole than normal. I get that he has some weird hangup over omegas right now, but to completely dismiss Posey after only meeting her once is extreme, even for him.
Wait, she’s in one of Jude’s classes!
Holy shit, I can’t believe I forgot about that. I wonder which class it is. Maybe I can transfer into that class? This is a prerequisite I’ve been putting off for way too long, but I would spend another entire semester here if it meant getting more time with my future wife.
As soon as I walk into my morning bio class, I smell her. Apples and honey with a potent undertone that screamsmine. This is Jude’s first class of the day, so I know the scent is fresh. Which means she’s more than likely in this class with me.
Thank fucking god.
Sure enough, as soonas I look out into the room I spot my pink haired angel. Immediately, I see that Pax did not do her justice. She’s more than just beautiful, she’s fucking ethereal. She draws the gaze of everyone around her without even trying, seeming completely oblivious to the attention she’s garnered by simply existing.
When I spot the open seat next to her, I scramble through the rows, desperate to reach that vacant chair before someone else can. I’m aware that I probably look like a fucking lunatic, but ask me if I care. None of these people matter to me. Not the teammates I see sitting on the opposite side of the back row looking at me like I just grew two heads, not the girl who made up a rumor about hooking up with me last year sitting in the front row, and not even Jude, whose frosty glare I can feel like ice on the back of my neck.
I couldn’t care less what they think of me. In this moment, all I can see isher.
When my ass hits the seat my breaths are coming in harsh pants like I just finished a marathon, but the smile on my face is so wide it hurts. I did it. For a few seconds, all I can smell is my own heavy scent that exploded the moment I scented my omega. I’m in damn good shape and normally wouldn’t be perspiring from such a short burst of exercise, but the anticipation of finally meeting Posey has had me in a cycle of anxious sweating all morning, which does nothing to disguise my heightened scent.
I’m about to offer an apology for not wearing or bringing scent blockers until I turn and see my girl staring at me with stars in her gorgeous blue eyes. And is that?—-
Hooooly fuck.
Her scent is drowning us right now. Didn’t she just go through a heat less than a week ago? How is her scent so damn potent?
Someone behind us snickers quietly, and that seems to finally snap her out of whatever trance she was in. “You…I…woah,” she murmurs, cringing as an embarrassed flush colors her face and neck.
Suddenly all of the eyes on us don’t feel so harmless. My alpha lets out a low, warning growl aimed at all of the guys seated around us, including Lucky, the school’s big shot quarterback and one of my best friends. At this moment, my alpha isn’t capable of differentiating between friend and threat. Not while Posey smells this fucking edible. I’ll have to ask Jude about seating Lucky as far from her as possible.
Just in case.
