Page 56 of Trick or Heat

“It’s still a little bit surreal⁠—”

“Wait a minute.” Mavin stops me, and during the brief silence I can almost see the face she’s making as the pieces slide into place. “You said ‘we met a pack.’”

“Yes, I did. Casey and I…”

I let the words linger, building up the suspense because I know it’ll drive my friend crazy.

I was right.

“You piece of shit, spit it out!”

I chuckle, finally getting to my car. I get in and turn it on, ready for the heat to thaw my skin.

“We have the same scent matches,” I finally say, ending Mavin’s suffering.

“Oh. My. God,” she says, and then she bellows out in laughter. “Holy shit, that must have been incredible to figure out. Are you serious? After all this time, the universe was just like ‘here you go, a solution to your problem.’”

I end up laughing with her, recognizing the absurdity of the situation. “Yes, it’s been wild, to say the least. Even after knowing that, I didn’t know how to process it! We ended up not talking for like five days while the guys courted both of us.”

“You two were always destined for each other,” she puts it simply.

I let out a relieved breath because I know it’s true. We may have had our doubts separately, but we knew what we were to each other, even if we didn’t have the bravery to voice it.

Meeting our guys allowed us that, and I can’t even imagine a world where we’re anything but each other’s now.

“So, everything is good? You two have figured things out?”

I nod before realizing she can’t see me. “Yes, we’re good. Bonded, actually.”

Her squeal this time is softer, more angelic. “I am so happy for you, Elsie.”

I don’t expect it, but my eyes prickle with tears. I am, too, happier than I ever expected. I can’t wait to get back to my pack.

When I walk into Casey’s apartment, my key in hand, I hear a rush of male voices coming from the living room. It’s something I’m still not used to, the heightened testosterone that comes with being bonded to athletes. They are always excited, their adrenaline pumping. It’s starting to bring out that same energy in me and Casey; the vitality of it is contagious.

That thought puts a smile on my face all the same.

As I venture closer, all their combined scents have me swallowing a moan. Brodie’s honey and bourbon, both sweet and piercing; Raivat’s nutty nutmeg and fresh fig; Casey’s warm and rich masala chai; DJ’s pumpkin eggnog that’s energy is just as jam-packed as he is.

That’s something I’ll never get tired of: scenting them, individually and together. It makes my omega so happy in my chest, the swirls of mixed scents so comforting and lulling that I could crawl into one of their sides and immediately ease into sleep.

I walk into the room, and the game pauses for a moment as they all look over at me, their eyes trailing over my body.

“Elsie!” Raivat exclaims. “Did you have a good day?”

“It’s over now,” I say, but my smile gives me away. “I’m just happy to be home.”

DJ then pushes Raivat’s shoulder. “You’re leaving me wide open! You’re on defense, fucking defend me!”

Casey chuckles as I sit beside him. At first, my instinct is to keep my distance like I have for our whole friendship, but then he hooks his arm around me and pulls me into his side. His skin is soft, and his clothing is smothered in his scent. I want to nuzzle right into it and inhale every remnant I can.

He kisses my forehead. “You’re cold. Was it bad today?”

“Fucking winter,” I mutter, nodding. “What are the plans tonight? Are the guys hoping to pull us away from our warm beds and go back out into that blizzard?”

He chokes on a laugh. “I wouldn’t call forty degrees a blizzard.”

“Thirty-two point five degrees, actually.”