Idon’tevenknowwhat kind of music she likes. The car is far too quiet, which is letting all the bullshit that just happened stew. I doubt Ash is a lover of classic Metallica, but some noise might kill the awkward silence.
The car’s too hot. But she left her coat in Alexei’s box. I stuffed her into one of Beckett’s old hoodies from a go bag I keep in the trunk, and that’s… distracting. Her in Beckett’s clothes is distracting. I’m not going to think too hard right now on how much that turns me on.
I steal another glance at Ash. She’s just sitting next to me, picking at the frayed edge of the cuff of the hoodie.
“You warm enough?” I ask, bringing the heat down a notch before I break out into a sweat.
She nods, still staring out the window. We drive in silence for another mile or so. I check the GPS. We’re almost there.
“What exactly does it mean?” Ash’s voice is so soft, I almost miss it beneath the hum of the engine. “The scent match thing.”
I exhale slowly, buying myself a moment. “A scent match is…” I search for words that won’t frighten her, or me. “It’s a biological compatibility. Stronger than average attraction. Nothing mystical.”
“Does it mean I belong to Pierce now?”
Alarm bells are ringing in my head like a fucking cartoon. Beckett’s in love with her. Pierce is her scent match. And I’m… I don’t know what the fuck I am. But none of that really matters. I have to force my fingers to relax before I crush the steering wheel.
“You don’t belong to anyone, Ash.”
“Beckett…” She lets his name hang in the air. She pulls the cuff of the hoodie over the tips of her fingers and brings it to her nose. It’s clean, but it still probably carries his scent.
“You don’t belong to Beckett either,” I say, not sure where her head is at. “You’re your own person who can make any choice she wants.”
That sentiment is one hundred percent true, but it doesn’t stop my pathetic inner alpha from jumping up and down begging her to please, please, please choose us.
She looks down at her hands. “But Pierce…”
“Pierce reacted like an asshole because he’s Pierce,” I say, allowing a hint of exasperation into my voice. “Finding your scent match is intense. It bypasses a lot of rational thought. But it doesn’t give him, or anyone, the right to make your decisions.”
We stop at a red light. What the fuck do I do here? I’m supposed to be the logical one, the planner, and I don’t know what to do next. We need more time.
“You have all the time you need,” I tell her softly. “No one’s rushing you into anything. No decisionshave to be made tonight.”
The light changes, and we drive the last few blocks to her address. The neighborhood is decidedly working class, and most of the houses have seen better days.
“Is this it?” The GPS brings me to a rundown house with a small front yard, a fence wrapped around it, a gate leading down the drive to a garage.
“Did he win?”
“Uh… Ash. This is 2026. Alphas don’t have dominance fights over omegas anymore where they fight to the death and one wins the omega as a prize. I told you. You have all the power here. The fight had nothing to do with it."
“What?” She cocks her head and looks at me.
“That fight wasn’t about claiming you as a prize.” Not really, anyway. “Pierce doesn’t think he won you in a fight.” I fucking hope he doesn’t.
She narrows her eyes at me, but a smile plays about her lips.
“You’re dumb. I meant Beckett. Did Beckett win the hockey game?”
“Oh.” I snort. “That makes more sense.” I pull out my phone and search for the game results. It’s a 3-2 Scorpion win. I turn the phone to show her.
“Thank you for the ride.”
“Anytime,” I say, and I mean it.
She hesitates, then leans across the console. Her lips brush mine. The kiss ends before I can respond, before I can pull her closer.
“Goodnight, Liam,” she whispers against my mouth.
