14. Hannah
Hannah
" Y ou're sure this isn't too slutty?" I frown at Cady on my phone that's propped up on my nightstand before looking down at myself.
The dress I'm wearing barely covers my ass, but damn my legs do look amazing.
"Enzo is…well, he's sophisticated. He doesn't need me dressing up like I'm going clubbing. "
"Hannah-Banana, you look hot as fuck." Cady's little head nods on the screen, and then she elbows Titus, who's sitting next to her and scrolling on his phone. "Ty, tell her how hot she looks."
I roll my eyes. Doesn't she realize her alphas only have eyes for her? Exactly as it should be.
Titus doesn't even look up from his screen. "Hannah is a floating head to me, angel. Yours is the only body I notice."
"Good answer." I smirk, and step out of frame to go to my rack of clothes and find something else to wear.
My brows pinch as I flip through the clothing, my eyes settling on a knee-length, deep plum dress with faux-sweetheart neckline.
The short sleeves and collar are a slightly see-through nylon of the same color. Classy, but still a little daring.
"How's this?" I ask, stepping back in front of the phone once I've changed.
"Ooooh," Cady squeals, hopping up from her seat excitedly. "That's the one. That's the one that's going to make us sisters-in-law—"
"It's not the dress that's going to do that, angel." Titus gently chastises her, making warmth unfurl in my chest. The same way it would when Kieran would stand up for me. "That's going to be pure Hannah. Enzo's already half in love, I'm sure."
Cady's expression turns serious as she nods. "You're right." Then she turns to me. "Hannah, just…don't hold yourself back, okay?"
Swallowing roughly, I nod. "I won't. I promise."
We hang up and I finish getting ready. Forty-five minutes later, my hair is done in loose waves, my make-up is conservative but sultry, and my black pumps give me the confidence to hold my head high.
A knock on the door has my heart pounding in my chest. I shouldn't be nervous. This is Enzo. Dashing, sophisticated, but so obsessed with me he got his hair cut six times in three weeks. He liked me before he knew we were scent matched.
I can do this.
…Right?
His eyes darken when I open the door, and if I weren't armed with my scent-blocking panties, we'd both be choking on peaches and brown sugar.
Enzo looks absolutely mouth-watering in a button up shirt with the top two buttons undone and a sport coat.
Dark wash jeans wrap around his muscular thighs, and his hair looks amazing (go me), and his leather and tobacco scent wraps around me like a sensual embrace.
One hand holds a beautiful bouquet of flowers, filled with pink roses, lilies, and tulips.
"Hannah," his voice is rough as he takes me in. "You look absolutely stunning."
My mouth is dry as I gape at him for a moment, and I know my face is flushed when I nervously tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "So do you."
The blush is hard to see under the caramel tone of his skin, but I swear it's there as he gives me a flustered smile and sticks the hand with the flowers out. "These are for you, I…I should have asked you what kind of flowers you like, but I saw these and—"
"They're perfect," I cut him off, taking the bouquet from him before sticking my nose in it and inhaling deeply. "Thank you." My voice chokes, and I wonder if it's obvious to him I've never been given flowers before.
It's not like alphas that fuck you through your heat are inclined to provide you with floral arrangements.
Though, for some reason, I have a feeling that Enzo would, if he were ever in that position. He's classy like that.
"Come inside for a moment. Let me just grab a vase to put these in," I say to Enzo, smiling as he steps in and shuts the door behind him. His dark brown eyes widen as he takes in my apartment, and I realize I've essentially just invited him into my nest.
You know, since my apartment is exactly one room and a bathroom.
Inviting an alpha into your nest is a pretty big deal, and I just…did it. All nonchalant. Like it's something I do all the time. The moment I invited my scent-matched alphas into my nest was supposed to be special, and I just ruined it with my stupid tiny apartment.
Try as I may to stifle the omega whine growing in my throat, my cheeks burn in mortification as the sound rips free. He's trying to properly court me, and here I am, inviting him into my ramshackle nest like some kind of trashy—
"Hey, hey, Hannah, it's okay." Enzo's soothing voice caresses my skin, and that's when I realize I'd been hyperventilating, my chest rising and falling rapidly as my heart nearly pounds out of my chest.
It's not enough to calm me though, and my eyes screw shut tight, the overwhelming feeling that I'm screwing everything up taking over. "I—I'm sorry, I—"
" Omega ," his voice, not quite a bark, has my eyes snapping open and my body freezing.
Alpha , my omega recognizes him, his dominance, and suddenly I'm stuck in his trance.
A predator.
And I'm the prey.
But how is it that I've never felt safer?
"It's okay." His hands grip each of my arms, and he bends to look me in the eyes. His voice swims with sincerity as he speaks to me gently. "It is a beautiful nest, omega. What a good job you did, making such a pretty nest. I know that you're not trying to take me to bed."
My shoulders relax.
He understands.
He knows.
He doesn't think I'm a bad omega.
My omega practically sags in relief as my breathing slows. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. The way his touch surrounds and grounds me is a sensation that I've never experienced. "There's a good girl, take a deep breath for me."
The way my insides light up at the way he says "good girl" is a feeling I don't want to examine too closely at this point in time.
Instead, I focus on the feeling of absolute safety in his arms. How?
I haven't felt this since…no. I won't let myself think of Charlie while I'm being embraced by my alpha.
A shuddering breath leaves me, and he pulls back, nodding in satisfaction. "Good girl. Are you okay?"
Despite having mostly calmed down, my voice wobbles slightly. "I'm fine. I'm sorry. I just—"
" Reinita, " his voice is gentle as he lifts a hand under my chin. "There is no need to apologize. I should have realized this was your nest as well." Then his eyes darken slightly. "The moment that you truly invite me into your nest will still be just as special as you intended."
I suppress a shiver at the unsaid words. When I truly invite him into my nest, it will likely be for actual sex. And while I'm no blushing virgin, I've never had sex outside of my heat, unless you count the few times Charlie and I explored each other as teens.
It's not like I hadn't considered inviting an alpha into my bed, but it's not exactly safe for an unbonded omega to be shopping for alpha dick by herself.
Suddenly glad that I never brought another alpha home, I smile at my scent-match. "Okay," my bottom lip tucks under my front teeth, and Enzo wastes no time tugging it out with his thumb. "Thank you. Should we…should we head to dinner?"
"You don't need to thank me either," he gives me a knowing look like he can tell this is a conversation we'll be having often.
"I am your alpha, if you'll have me. It's my job to make sure you feel secure.
Now. Let's get these flowers in some water and then we can head to dinner.
" He gently grabs the bouquet of flowers from me, heading into my small kitchenette like he's been here a million times.
A small smile quirks at my lips as I watch him go through the cupboards, finally finding a pitcher that I use for iced tea sometimes, and he fills it with water before placing the flowers inside. Watching Enzo…he was made for this. Made to have an omega to take care of.
But am I worthy of that role for him? Doesn't he deserve someone that hasn't been rejected so many times?
I try to force the thoughts from my mind as he comes over, holding his arm to me for me to take. " Reinita ," he says, waiting for me to grab his arm.
Grasping his elbow, part of me doesn't care if I'm worthy to be his omega. I want to soak up every ounce of attention while I can. Before I inevitably do whatever caused the other twenty-three packs to leave me.
Dinner was amazing. Enzo took me to a high-end Mexican restaurant, Flores y Fuego , and we ordered the most delicious tamales and he didn't balk when I got a margarita.
What? I was still semi-stressed out over what had happened back at my apartment and needed some liquid-relaxer. It worked.
He told me more about his childhood, how he grew up with Titus, and how he'd always had a great relationship with Titus' mom.
He shared how he was a federal agent for the Omega Crimes Bureau the last fifteen years, and now he's ready to settle into a routine with his job at the university.
He didn't mention anything about his previous pack though, or his other scent match.
I trust Enzo, but…why wouldn't he tell me about any of it? He either figures I know already because of Cady, or…well, I guess that's not really something that you bring up on the first date, even though the scent match makes it feel like we're further along than that.
It's not like I divulged anything about the other twenty-three packs, so I can't really blame him.
He never asked why I was an unbonded omega at twenty-nine when most omegas find their packs before they turn twenty-one, and I never asked why he was a forty-two year old packless alpha, despite his obvious tendency towards caretaking.
I had, however, shared about my childhood, what it was like suddenly gaining three step-siblings who weren't my biggest fans. The way Cady and I went to each other for everything. How when she moved here, it was like we had never been apart.