Where are you?
Me
Picked up shift, why?
Pax
Nothing, just thought you’d be home. See youtonight?
Me
Yep
I should feel bad about lying to my brother, but I’d bet just about anything he already knows what I’m up to. We’ve never kept secrets from each other, but I’ve also never been jealous of him before, so this is all new territory that I am going to have to learn to navigate on my own so I don’t create issues within our pack because of my jealousy.
I’m practically skipping up the library steps when I arrive, more eager to get to my post than I can ever remember being. If Harold was here I’d never live it down. Which is exactly why I offered to cover for him rather than just casually being in the library at the same time as Posey. Plus, I’m hoping being in an official uniform will help her trust me a little bit faster and differentiate me from my brother in her mind.
During a typical shift, I sit on a stool by the front door and make sure no one without a student or faculty I.D. comes in, but today I locked the library doors so only someone with a student I.D. can get in and am making rounds on the second floor, patiently waiting for my omega to arrive and admiring the architecture. Harbor University has some seriously wealthy backers and it shows in the grandiosity of the buildings themselves. If you didn’t know any better you would think you’d stepped into Trinity College and not some little hamlet on the East coast.
The moment Posey steps into the room the energy changes. It’s like my entire being is attuned to her scent and even though I’ve never seen her in person, I recognize her right away. I have listened to Mack and my brother talk about this girl non stop fordays, and not once did they do her beauty justice. Every eye turns to her the moment she walks in, and a fierce possessiveness rises in my chest. A growl threatens to escape, but I smother it ruthlessly. There’s already one feral alpha-hole in pack Madden, Posey doesn’t need another one.
My darling little flower disappears beneath the balcony, so I take a moment to breathe and devise a plan as I slip back down the stairs. I’m worried between Paxton, Mack, andmyself it’s going to be too much and she’ll try to avoid us all. I am even more worried that Jude is going to scare her off with his shitty attitude. It feels imperative that we endear her to us before that happens.
I’m so lost in my thoughts the light footsteps don’t register until it’s too late. I run smack into someone and barely manage to catch her by the elbows before she falls down the marble stairs. “Holy shit, I am so sorry. Are you okay?”
“No,I’msorry. Mama taught me to watch where I’m going but I thought I saw you from downstairs and figured I’d try to surprise you. Guess we both got the surprise.”
My heart stutters in my chest, a purr rattling out immediately when I realize exactly who I ran into. She clearly thinks I’m my brother, but when she tilts her head, I wait, curious to see what she’ll say.
“You’re not Paxton.”
I like how she says that. She’s not asking, sheknowsI’m not Pax. Her immediate recognition douses some of the raging inferno of jealousy that’s been burning in my chest. I shake my head, smirking. “No, I’m clearly much more attractive.”
She snorts before immediately covering her mouth. “I’m sorry, that was so rude. I just thought it was funny because obviously y’all are twins.”
Her nervous rambling makes my smile feel more genuine. I hold out a hand, trying to disguise the tremble in it from how potent her scent is. My alpha is so on edge right now, one sideways look could throw me into a rut. “That we are. Parker Avery. The older, and again much more attractive, twin.”
She smiles brightly. “Posey Hale. I like your nose ring.”
I fiddle with it, immeasurably pleased she likes it. If she hadn’t I would have taken it out without a second thought.
Crazy? Maybe. But ask me if I care.
“So what brings you to the library today?”
She grunts, which is fucking adorable. “I’m looking for this dang book for my Biology class, and I can’t findit anywhere. There wasn’t anyone sitting at the circulation desk and I don’t want to upset Professor Carter if I have to ask him for more time on this assignment.” Her hands wring together, displaying her nerves and making me want to throttle Jude.
My elbow knocks gently into hers. “Guess it’s your lucky day then. I happen to know a guy who knows every inch of this library.”
Posey’s eyes go wide, a playful look on her face. “Well I guess I better go find him. Nice meeting you, Parker.”
My name on her lips sends a shiver down my spine and blood to my cock. The last thing she needs is to see me tenting my pants from her saying myname, so I angle my hips away from her and take her elbow, guiding her down the stairs. “You’re a sassy little thing, aren’t you?”
She smiles innocently.
There goes my dick again.
I’m sure if I wasn’t wearing descenter my scent would be engulfing us both right now, and I am acutely and irrationally upset that it’s not. How are any of the alphas here supposed to know she’s mine if I can’t drench her in my scent?
