Page 23 of Trick or Heat

He hangs up before I can say another word, and then I’m standing there, my arms crossed as I wait.

My mind spins the longer I wait. Who is this guy? Why does Elsie want him here so badly? Is he an alpha that she had a fling with? Does he even want to help her, and if so, why wasn’t he here to begin with?

I’m interrupted from my thoughts when there’s a soft knock on the apartment door; quick little thumps that have me hurrying to open it.

The man on the other side looks just like his picture with Elsie, except a lot softer than I was expecting. His stature is lean, his cheeks full and his lips pink.

And then I get a hit of his scent, the notes sweet and full of power. Omega.

And not just any omega. Another scent match.

I pull the distinctive scent in deeper, recognizing the sweet and spicy tea from my childhood. It’s the same aroma that would fill the kitchen whenever my grandmother would visit from West Bengal.

My limbs relax, the scent making me feel at home.

The omega’s eyes widen as he looks at me, coming to the same realization as he scents me back. For a moment, we’re at a standstill, completely quiet and staring at each other, but then he steels his spine and speaks.

“Where is Elsie?” His eyes flash with concern as he shakes the moment away. I realize then that this is no ordinary omega. Here we are, discovering we are scent matches, and yet all he can worry about is Elsie. His own desires and urges are being pushed to the side, all to take care of his friend.

My stomach warms with that thought. I feel major respect for him that overrides my selfish instincts. “In the room,” I say, turning my back to head that way but he barrels past me, determination now glowing in his scent.

I pause, a realization poking at me as I watch his back retreat down the hallway. This omega loves Elsie, and that hits me in waves that I didn’t expect.

TWELVE

There are very few things in the world that scare me.

Hornets, cannibalistic cults, the possibility of a real zombie apocalypse, waking up one day with amnesia in the middle of said apocalypse.

And yes, The Walking Dead influenced a lot of these fears.

But other than zombies and evil bees, most of my worries are centered around Elsie, the light of my life, which is why I darted right out of my apartment the second I hung up on that alpha.

He sounded nice, but my instincts were roaring inside me. A little bit of jealousy, too, I have to admit. He sounded manly, mature. He sounded like everything I knew deep down that Elsie needed.

That doesn’t mean that it hurts any less.

I illegally speed to her apartment, because all I can think about is her being in distress and not being there to help her. My sweet Elsie, with her soft and sensitive heart. I imagine her crying, her cheeks soaked with tears, and my foot puts more pressure on the gas.

I should have been there. I should have stayed with her to make sure she was okay, that the guys were trustworthy.

I swing my car into a parking space, not caring about the weird look her neighbor gives me from her apartment balcony, and then head up to her door. Something stops me in my tracks as I go to put my key in, the one she had made for me. We have keys to each other’s places, but today is a different circumstance. There are alphas in there, hopefully protective ones rather than possessive, but I need to be cautious.

So, instead, I knock softly on the door. It takes less than twenty seconds for it to open.

The alpha on the other side makes me lose my breath. His shaggy black hair falls into his face flawlessly, his jawline as sharp as an obsidian’s edge. Not to mention, I can see his lean muscles straining underneath his T-shirt.

My mouth gapes. Oh my god, he’s hot.

He’s not who I would expect my best friend to choose, but he looks kind, and I guess on an app like Heat Seekers that wins over all else.

Good for you, Elsie.

My nostrils flare. The soft subtle indulgence of nutmeg assaults me, causing me to clench my fist at my side. The sweet and nutty spice causes me to lose every string of thought. Then there’s this colorful fruitiness that I can’t pinpoint, the scent flamboyant and rich like tiny purple seeds bursting on my tongue.

This alpha isn’t an ordinary alpha, he is my scent match… and he’s here to help Elsie through her heat.

I steel my spine, wiping away any shock from my face. I can’t let him see that he’s affecting me. I may be an omega, but today is not about me. Whatever notion that my designation wants me to have, like dropping my guard and running into his arms, can’t happen. I have to focus on what’s more important, and that will always be my best friend.