2. Mathew
2
Mathew
Listening in on Caleb, Riley and Vera from the office was interesting. Since my pheromones couldn’t betray my location and the three of them were way too focused on each other, they had no clue I was there.
Most of what they were talking about, I already knew, like what kind of work Erika’s pack does, partially from what Caleb told me and the rest from working together with them these last couple of weeks. But, when it became about how they met me, I couldn’t stay hidden longer, I had to get involved.
It felt too weird to listen to them talk about me, while they had no idea I could hear every word. And it’s important for Riley to know what kind of pack members she’s getting herself involved with.
She doesn’t have the best impression of me, and I don’t know if this last conversation has made it any better. How is it that she seems to find fault with me all the time, with everything I do?
I know we’re in the same line of work and I know I’m at least a couple of years younger than her, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m doing. That doesn’t mean that she has to keep picking on me all the time.
It’s frustrating, but it doesn’t look like she’s doing it out of malice, she does it because she cares. She cares about other people and that they’re treated ‘right’. If she did it to be mean, it would have been so much easier to get angry with her, but right now, getting upset with her would only make it seem like I’m sulking. Which I’m not.
Caleb stands up, keeping Vera tucked against his side as he looks at everyone. “I’m off to bed. I suspect we’ll have an exhausting couple of days ahead of us, and I would like to be well-rested.”
“Same.” Jorge yawns. “And the sooner this day is over, the better.”
“Are you off to bed too?” I touch Vera’s cheek and she nuzzles into my hand, nodding. She’s barely awake as it is, all comfortable against Caleb. “Okay. Good night.” I lean forward and she gives me a soft kiss.
Then Caleb wraps his empty arm around me and pulls me against him, kissing me long and hard, leaving my body full of energy and need, his cock pushing against my hip. “Are you sure you’re not joining us?” His voice is a low rumble and my dick strains in my boxer briefs at the promise in his words. He’s clearly much more awake than Vera…
I slowly shake my head, I’m too on edge to even think of going to sleep right now. Having a couple of orgasms in the shower with Jorge and Vera took care of the sharpest sensations, but that’s all it did, it didn’t calm my mind down.
“Okay. I’ll see you when you’re ready.” He gives me another kiss, a softer one this time, and then I get a second kiss from Vera, who struggles to keep her eyes open.
“Night, Riley.” Caleb nods in her direction as he tucks Vera against his side more, keeping her safe, and walks into the house.
I turn to Jorge, who smiles and wraps his arms around me, holding me tight for a couple of moments. He feels very different from Caleb, since he’s not as tall or as broad as the older Alpha, but that doesn’t mean I feel any less safe or less protected in his arms. It’s different, but just as good.
He kisses me slowly, letting me relax in his warm embrace, before he looks at me seriously. “Don’t stay up too late. You’re really going to need your sleep after the evening we’ve just had.”
“I know. I’ll come up soon, I promise.” I nuzzle his neck, taking in his cedar pheromones. “My brain just needs to calm down a little more.”
“Good.” He lets out a soft laugh. “Now, I’m going to follow the other two, before they get up to stuff without me.” He winks and then looks at Riley. “You too. Don’t stay up too late.”
Riley lets out a laughing huff as she waves him inside. “I’m pretty sure I should be the one saying that to you, as I don’t think you’re planning to go to sleep any time soon.”
Jorge laughs, happy, content, as he saunters inside, making sure I get a good look at his ass before he disappears through the door. Tease.
The garden immediately becomes quiet, filled only with the sounds of the wind through the leaves and the chirping of the insects that use the cover of darkness to find someone to fuck and continue the species with.
It’s just Riley and me now, which makes me nervous, so I start wandering further into the garden.
The grass is warm under my feet, tickling my skin, as the air is filled with the scents of flowers and plants. I love being in the garden at night, it’s so calming.
I stop under one of the apple trees, reaching up to touch the lowest branch as my eyes follow it to the leaves at the end.
The flowers have already disappeared, which means that hidden between the leaves are mini-apples that will grow to full size over the summer. I love watching fruit grow, I love watching all plants grow. I grew up in the city, so until I came here, I never saw much greenery.
Riley’s rose scent intensifies as her soft footsteps come closer, stopping behind me. “Did you plant this garden yourself?” Her voice is warm, making my heart race.
“Not the trees, they were already here. But I put together the rest.” It kept me busy while I was trying to make sense of the new world I was suddenly part of. Designing and putting together the garden was one of the few ways I could truly relax at the time.
“It looks great and I’m sure it looks even better during the day.” She’s now right next to me.
Even without her heels, she’s taller than me, which I realise I like a lot. I always thought I liked Alphas my height, like Jorge, but with Caleb and Riley around, I realise I might actually have a thing for taller Alphas too. Though, maybe only for some taller Alphas...
“Do you dislike me?” The question leaves my mouth without me even meaning to ask it.
Riley’s pheromones flare, filling with a moment of confusion before they settle on ‘unsure’. “Dislike? No. I’m... cautious. I don’t trust people very quickly. And while I’m sure Jorge, Caleb and Vera are right in trusting you, I barely know you. I know of you, and most of those things don’t really make me keen to trust you. But I don’t know you . I don’t know who you are in private, who you are when the world isn’t following your every move.”
I nod slowly, glancing her way, looking at the way the shadows play over her face, making her appear intense and almost ethereal at the same time. She’s stunning. Even if she wasn’t my scent match, I would probably have tried to get her in my bed.
She moves nervously under my gaze. “I’m sorry. I don’t know if that makes any sense. People say that I think too granular, that things aren’t so complicated as my brain makes them.”
“I understand what you mean. What would you like to know?” I take a deep breath, trying to keep my heart under control. She’s strong and vulnerable at the same time. She scares me and makes me want to protect her in equal measures. I start perfuming, though I don’t think Riley notices it.
She lets out a low laugh that makes my dick jump as she looks at me, meeting my gaze in amusement. “It’s not that simple. I have no idea what questions to ask. And you know as well as I do that asking the right questions is key to getting the right answers.”
“No questions at all?” I slowly reach out to her, desperate to touch her. Even if she doesn’t fully trust me, that doesn’t stop me from wanting her and wanting her bad...
She turns, taking my hand in hers. “I am curious about one thing...” She eyes my neck.
“Which is?” My voice has gone hoarse and I can’t keep my eyes off her lips.
“What are your pheromones like? I can smell all of the others, but I don’t think I’ve smelled yours yet.” Her voice drops and her pheromones fill with desire. Even if she can’t smell my pheromones, her body responds to them all the same.
“Would you like to try?” I tug on our entwined hands, making her come closer. “They’re not very strong, but if you get close enough, you should be able to smell them.”
That makes her pheromones spike even more and the next moment I’m pushed up against the tree as Riley wraps me in her pheromones and body at the same time.
Fuck, she smells and feels so good. Her body isn’t as soft as Vera’s, but it still turns me on so much. I slide my arms around her waist and feel every muscle in her body move as she puts her nose against my neck.
Instinctively, I start perfuming harder, slivers of my scent escaping from me as I roll my hips against her. The more I’m turned on, the stronger my scent, so she should be getting a good whiff of them now.
“Oh. Fuck.” She lets out a low moan. “Wisteria. That smells so good and suits you perfectly.” She leans even closer. “It’s for the best that I couldn’t smell you in the restaurant, I would have dragged Vera and you to the bathrooms and fucked you there and then. Proper etiquette be damned.” She chuckles deeply.
I rub my nose against her neck, making her dark red rose pheromones flare stronger. “I wouldn’t have had any complaints if you’d done that.” I slide my hands lower, grabbing her ass, pulling our hips together. She feels so fucking good. “If we hadn’t been in such a public place, I would have fucked you the moment I laid my eyes on you.”
“Maybe next time.” She kisses my neck, slowly going up to my jaw. “I do have another question.” Her voice is filled with lust and I can’t help rolling my hips against her, almost like I’m dry-humping her.
“Yes?” Fuck. I want her so much.
“What happens if I do this?” She nips at my lips before carefully tugging on one of my lip piercings.
I tighten my arms around her as I let out a moan, my head starting to spin from need. Then I push closer and kiss her, quickly deepening it, so I can play with my tongue piercing over her tongue and this time, her moan vibrates through my body.
Fuck. I want to push her up against the tree and fuck her. And then I want her to turn us over and fuck me into the ground until there’s nothing left of either of us.
I want her so badly, it’s making it hard to control myself.
The last time I felt like this was the day Vera went into heat, but that’s not possible. I’ve just been in heat, and if I’m pregnant, I shouldn’t be getting another heat until after the baby is born.
It’s probably just the exhaustion combined with meeting a new scent match.
That must be it.
She interrupts my thoughts as she rubs up against me, not breaking the kiss as she slides her hands lower and grabs my ass. Oh, fuck, yes.
Yes, please. Yes.
Then, something pulls my attention. I have no idea what it is, if it’s a sound or a smell, but it sets the hairs on my arms on end and Riley and I still at the same time.
Something’s wrong.
I have no idea what, but something is really wrong.