21. Hannah
Hannah
T wo more days have passed since the whole finding-out-I-have-scent-sickness-and-also-Charlie-is-my-scent-match debacle, and I have to admit, I'm feeling better than I thought I would.
Their scents in my nest have helped me sleep the best I have since I moved out here, and even now, as I'm finishing styling my clients hair, I find myself humming under my breath.
I've had some time to think about how I feel about the rest of my alphas keeping Charlie a secret from me.
Secret might be a strong word. It's not like I had even spoken to Enzo and Noah more than twice.
When we were together, we were learning about each other, they wouldn't have any reason to bring up Charlie.
And really , it's been just a little over a week since Titus' party where we discovered the true scent match.
Am I going too easy on them? Maybe. But I'm really, really tired of fighting everything tooth and nail when the whole point of the scent match is for it to be easy. Well, easier. A giant neon sign that says, "Okay, you can stop looking! Here's your perfect match!"
I guess spotting the sign is the easy part. It's finding your way to where the sign is pointing without having your heart ripped out along the way that presents the challenge.
As I unravel the last tendril of hair from the curling iron and hold it briefly in my palm to let it set, I think about the sweet texts I've been getting from each of the guys the last two days.
Even Austin, since I asked Noah for his number so I could thank him properly for the cookies.
Noah and Enzo both said the same thing, that they hadn't set out to keep it a secret but they can understand how finding out how I did would make me wary.
Having my feelings validated helped me be more receptive to them, because really, I want this to work. I don't know what I'm going to do about Charlie, though. I don't see how I can ever be the center of a pack that he's a part of unless he promises to not try to get physical with me.
"You'd look cute with short hair too." My client, Hailey, a twenty-year-old omega, smiles at me from her seat, jolting me out of my thoughts. She had hair down to her elbows before this, but wanted a cute short bob that hit just above her shoulders. It suits her.
"That's sweet of you to say." I return her smile in the mirror before grabbing my hairspray dousing the curls. "I've actually been thinking of going shorter."
"You should!" She nearly bounces in her seat. "With the purple in your hair, it would look almost like an ombre effect!"
Glancing at my hair that's piled on top of my head in the mirror, I have to admit she's right. The way my brown hair is growing out makes it almost look intentional. My attention quickly shifts back to Hailey, and I grab my wide-tooth comb, carefully combing out her hair into soft waves.
"There," I fix a piece of hair in front of her face, "what do you think?" Handing her my hand-held mirror, I spin her chair around so I can see the back.
"It's perfect!" she gushes, turning her head this way and that to catch the different angles. "New look for a new me! I'm visiting the OMS for the first time tomorrow," she adds, her face lighting up with excitement.
"Good for you!" For the first time in years regarding anything to do with the OMS, there's nothing but sincerity in my voice. "Nothing like a good haircut to give you confidence."
After I whip the cape off her shoulders, she pays at the front, and I start to get ready to leave for the day. Hiking my bag over my shoulder, I catch another look at my hair in the mirror, and Hailey's words echo in my mind.
"New hair for a new me."
A me who stops running from her scent matches. A me who doesn't let her past define her future.
My eyes catch on Lilah's in the mirror, who had just put her own bag over her shoulder. The look on her face tells me she knows exactly what I'm thinking. I arch a brow at her. "You got anywhere to be?"
She shoots me a feral grin. "Not anymore, bitch. Come take a seat."
Four o'clock hits as I'm unlocking the door to my apartment.
Cutting my hair…it's crazy, but I really do feel like a new person.
Lilah ran some of my root color down into my pink to make the transition look even more natural, and by the time I left I had a chic, shoulder-length wavy bob with a brown to pink ombre effect.
I look hot.
A frown tugs at my lips as I enter the apartment, though. The fact that I'm not immediately wrapped in leather and tobacco, coconut and sandalwood, cinnamon and clove, and lemony-mint black iced tea makes my omega stand on edge.
Tossing my bag on the couch, I make my way to the nest and grab one of the guy's blankets. The scent is almost all the way gone. After not being around them all day, I can already feel the headache starting to set in.
My stomach twists as I send a text to Enzo.
Me
Hey, the stuff I grabbed from you guys doesn't smell like you guys anymore. Can we do a trade off?
Enzo
Of course. I'm more than happy to bring them to you, but would you want to come have dinner with us? That way we get the joy of your company, and you get to pick out the items yourself ??
Biting my lip, I think about his offer. I would really love to be in a place with all of their scents, but I'm not exactly ready to sit down at a dinner table with Charlie. As if sensing my hesitancy, another text from Enzo pops in.
Enzo
Charlie has a game tonight, so he will be out until late
Right. A game. For a basketball team that, if my brother is to be believed, he traded to with the purpose of getting close to me.
Okay, Hannah, you can do this. New me, remember? That means not bitching out at the first instance your sexy, older alpha invites you over for dinner.
Me
Okay, let me get a shower to wash off this de-scenter and I'll head over
Enzo
I'll see you soon
Smiling, I start to undress, and right before I go into my bathroom, my phone lights up with a text from Noah.
Noah
Princess, do you happen to know why Enzo just threw his phone on the couch, ran his hands over his face and muttered something about rubbing one out in the shower so he doesn't embarrass himself in front of the omega?
A giggle of disbelief escapes me as I stare at my phone. Is it possible the mere mention of me getting a shower was enough to get him hot and bothered?
Feeling daring, I type out my response.
Me
I'm not sure what you mean. All I mentioned was getting in the shower and lathering myself up so I don't have de-scenter all over me.
Noah
…fuck. Maybe Enzo had the right idea. I'll see you when you get here, princess.
My chest is filled with damn butterflies as I rush to the shower, eager to see my alphas.
By the time I'm pulling up to the giant mansion that is the packhouse, my nerves are all aflutter.
I tried to dress cute but comfy in a pair of skinny jeans, a cropped band t-shirt and a cardigan, but what if…
what if they had built up the scent match in their heads, and when they see me I don't live up to it?
No. No, Hannah. Stop it. One, maybe two, of your alphas had to go jack off because you mentioned taking a shower, and one of them liked you before he knew about the match.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. I can do this. They like me. They're attracted to me. This is my true scent-match. It should be impossible to mess this up.
A light knock on my window has me jumping out of my skin. "Oh, shit!"
I blink, and Austin's sheepish grin meets me. "Sorry!" his voice is muffled behind my window, "I just wanted to make sure you're okay!"
He steps back as I open the door and get out of the car. "Sorry about that," an awkward laugh leaves me, "just trying to give myself a pep talk."
His brow furrows and he looks like maybe he's seeing me for the first time. "Why would you—"
"Princess!" Noah's voice calls from the front door, and in the next moment cinnamon and clove envelop me as I'm gathered into strong arms and twirled around.
"Noah!" I laugh, looping my arms around him as he sticks his nose into the crook of my neck. Is this what it feels like to be wanted? Giddy and carefree, not a care in the world?
"Fuck, I missed you," he says, not moving his face, and I shiver as his lips brush my skin. "And you cut your hair. It looks sexy as hell." He really noticed I cut my hair in the five seconds it took him to get from the front door to me?
"It's only been two days," I smile as he puts me down and picks up a strand of my hair. "The haircut though, that was a few hours ago."
"It suits you," Austin says softly from next to us, and I find myself blushing under his gaze.
"Thank you."
"It doesn't matter if it's only been two days," Noah steals my attention back with a finger under my chin—something he seems fond of doing—and a light kiss to my lips, "I find myself missing you within ten minutes of you being gone."
"That's…" I trail off as I try to find the right words.
"Sweet?" He offers with a shit-eating grin.
"Excessive," I laugh, and he gives me a teasing pout, "but yes, also sweet."
Noah wraps a hand around my waist and presses a kiss to the side of my head. "Let's get you inside before our fearless leader accuses us of hoarding you."
A small laugh leaves me as we turn to see Enzo, leaning against the door frame with a small smile on his face.
"That's not the vibe I'm getting from him at all," I chastise, poking a finger in his side.
Austin falls into step behind us as we walk up to the house, and I try not to let it hurt my feelings that he wouldn't walk next to us.
"You're right," Noah admits, "for an old codger, he's a pretty great guy. We're learning to get along."
"Old codger?" I gasp, stepping back and swatting him on the arm. "Noah Jameson, you take that back."
He raises his hands in surrender, a delighted look of surprise on his face. "You like a little bit of silver with your fox, do you princess?"
"Of course I do, look at him," I can't stop the dreamy quality to my voice, and can't even find it in myself to be embarrassed. Only someone without eyes wouldn't find all four of my true scent matches drop dead gorgeous.
Enzo chuckles as he reaches his hand out to me, clearly having heard my last statement. "Hello, preciosa ." He rumbles as I step into his embrace. Leather and tobacco wash over me, and something in me settles.
Alpha.
Mate.
I glance over my shoulder at Austin and Noah, determined to say my next words without blushing. "And I also like a lot of tattoos with my hackers and ginger with my bakers." Noah lets out a belly laugh as I bury my face in Enzo's chest, letting myself melt into him.
"Hi alpha." I whisper into his shirt, and his arms tighten around me briefly before he releases me.
I try my best to act nonchalant and not hone in on Austin's expression to see how he reacted to my words, but I've never been good at playing it cool.
His face is as red as a tomato, and I have no idea if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
I guess we'll find out.