Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Well, the Christmas Village date went all fucking wrong. It was such an epic fail that today all I feel is hopeless. As I get ready for the charity event, I have to talk myself out of bailing no less than six times.
Kai never showed up last night, so neither did Bee. The guys and I called it an early night because of today's event, especially when I realized it was just going to be the three of us with Sable and her newly bonded mates.
If I’ve ever wondered what a newly bonded pack looks like, I got my answer last night. It’s horny. They look ready to rip each other's clothes off at all times. It’s amazing to see my best friend so happy, but holy hell, an hour into the night, and I was already choking on her scent.
Poor Nick and Benson looked like they couldn’t breathe.
I can’t imagine the scent of their brother’s mate is something they enjoyed all that much.
She’s my best friend, and I could barely handle it.
And her men? I found myself sniffing Nick’s fucking armpit just to get a lungful of something other than their pheromones.
Honestly, it’s probably for the best that Kai wasn’t there, because the contrast between Sable and her men, compared to how I was with Nick and Benson, was fucking obvious.
Sable assumed I was just being shy about PDA.
She’s not wrong, but it wasn’t for the reasons she thought.
I was being shy, but I was also really nervous.
I was so unsure, especially after seeing how touchy Sable is with her men.
How often they kiss her. The fact that they literally can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves.
I thought I’d be able to fake it once I needed to, but last night showed me how wrong I am.
We haven’t spent enough time alone, and I feel like I don’t know what their boundaries are.
If I lean in for a kiss, are they going to reject me?
Will either of them be okay with holding my hand?
Fuck, I feel like I’m losing my shit a little bit.
Sure, I was just a teenager when Kai and I dated, but fucking hell, the difference between then and now is clearly noticeable.
The three of us agreed that for this to look real, it needs to feel pretty real.
Yet, last night was such a disaster that even after weeks of public mini dates, we looked like casual acquaintances.
Not lovers. Not serious. Not obsessed. And definitely not convincing enough to help keep Kai at a distance.
After the charity event tonight, I’ll be talking to them both. Stella gets here Wednesday, and if something doesn’t change soon, then everyone’s going to see right through this whole charade.
I don’t even fully know what the issue was, but I felt like I couldn’t even touch either alpha last night. I wanted the entire night to go differently, but it didn’t. It feels like there’s more to my disappointment, but there’s no time to unpack it and figure it all out.
I’m flustered as I pull on my thick winter jacket and head into the kitchen to grab my keys. My car is already loaded with everything I need for the event, so all I need to do is drive down there.
My eyes land on the bundle of wilted weeds resting on the counter and the note beside them. I found them waiting for me last night.
I step into my hallway, ready to get back into my apartment and mope over the failure of fake-date night, when I notice something’s different. It takes a second, then I let out the biggest sigh as I realize that all the flower carcasses have been cleared out of the hall.
Fucking finally.
After the night I’ve had, it’s a relief. Kai must have at long last taken the hint after our conversation earlier.
I keep walking to my door, slowing as I see the small bundle resting just in front of my apartment. Dandelions. There are only maybe six of them, but they’re a rare find this time of year.
I swallow the sudden lump forming in my throat as I pick up the sweet bundle of wilting weeds.
There’s a note beneath them, which I grudgingly lift with them.
Holding them gently in one hand, I consider ignoring whatever is written in the note clutched in the other, but my curiosity wins, just like it always does, and I open it.
Plum,
The dandelions wilt once they’re picked, and there aren’t many left this time of year. I’m sorry they aren’t as beautiful as you deserve, but I’ll get you more in the spring.
–Kai
I shake the echo of last night away. I don’t have time to think about it right now.
This event is really important to the town, and I can’t miss it just because I would rather hide in my nest. I snatch my keys up and stomp to the door, but as I reach for the handle, I can’t move.
Sometimes being an omega is a real bitch. Sighing loudly, I spin back around, scoop up the delicate bundle, and storm into my room. My nest is hidden inside the back of my large closet, and the irresistible instinct to add these to my collection of comfort items can’t be denied.
I would literally spend all day thinking about doing this, so instead I give in and tuck them under an old t-shirt at the bottom of the pillow mountain. One I haven’t touched in years. One I was never able to throw away, no matter how hard I tried.
It’s probably still stained with my tears.
With that done, I’m finally able to leave.
“Taron is going to donate a ‘pizza and drinks night’ at the bar. He’s providing three drinks per patron that pays the admission fee and two slices of pizza.
The admissions fees will be donated, and he’s also going to donate fifty percent of the income of every drink purchased for the rest of the night after the first three,” Sable explains, her eyes lighting up with admiration as she watches her mate fill out the information card for the announcer.
“Wow, that’s incredible,” I reply, glancing down at my box of ornaments and feeling inferior as hell. If I sell each of these ornaments for ten dollars apiece, they’ll make two hundred dollars. That's pennies compared to what Taron is offering.
I charge twenty-five apiece, but this batch is exclusive for the charity, can’t be purchased through me, and is meant to be sold at a lower cost to encourage more sales. Still, could I have made more than twenty? Fuck, am I overthinking this?
“Right.” Sable swoons over her mate, then turns toward me as we move forward in line behind Nick, Benson, and Rhian. “Did they tell you what they’re donating?” she asks, and I shake my head.
I open my mouth to respond, shutting it when Taron appears at my best friend’s side. He pulls Sable in for a quick kiss before he heads off to his booth to take early donations as people sign up for his night.
“Sorry,” she giggles once he releases her, her eyes flicking to follow him for a few moments as he walks away.
She’s only standing in line to keep me company, since they got her checked in before I even arrived.
She made a ton of candles that she’s selling at a huge discount, with an exclusive peppermint candy scent.
“Don’t be silly,” I tell her, brushing off her apology. It took her a long time to get comfortable like this, and I won’t be the one to shame her for enjoying the love her men shower her with.
“Anyway, you know Tiffany is the event planner?” Sable asks in a derisive tone. Not that I blame her. Tiffany has always been kind of awful.
“Unfortunately,” I confirm.
“Well, she originally asked Benson, Nick, and Rhian to agree to be auctioned off for a date.” Sable scoffs, shaking her head in disapproval.
“They said fuck no. Instead, they’re donating a bunch of food for the holiday, and then this week, all the money they make from Benson’s pies is getting donated as well.
They’re going to take preorders today for Wednesday so they know how many to make before Thanksgiving. ”
“Benson’s going to have a lot of pie to make.”
“I’ve already been recruited to help. So have Rhian and Taron.
Colter was asked to be on delivery duty since he can burn water,” Sable tries to whisper, and her mate glares playfully at her over his shoulder.
He’s next in line, and as the brothers step away from the signup table, he takes their place.
Just like Taron did, Rhian swoops in for a quick kiss with Sable. Benson and Nick both smile at me but hover there awkwardly, seeming unsure what to do. I quickly look away from them, making it awkward as hell. As if it wasn’t already weird.
Why am I like this?
“Everything okay?” Sable asks, and I quickly nod.
I know she can tell something is off with me today, but I really don’t want to talk about it when I can’t tell her the truth. As much as I really fucking wish I could, I can’t, so I’m just going to suffer silently because there’s no one I can talk to about any of this.
“What’s Colter donating?” I ask, trying to distract her from my sour mood. The grin that lights up her face at the change in topic is both sweet and oddly mischievous.
“That was my idea. The box he’s holding?
There are calendars in there.” I glance forward and snort when the woman running the booth blushes bright red as she confirms the contents of his box.
Now I can guess why my bestie is grinning so mischievously.
“There are ten more boxes already set up at their booth.”
“Magnificent.” I chuckle, imagining the very stoic alpha posing with a fire hose in place of his… er, hose… Snorting, I shake my head. I just know she saved half of the images for herself.
“I wasn’t allowed to supervise the full photoshoot, but I do know that the photographer had a fucking blast. She’s a mated beta in her sixties.
” Sable giggles, and I grin, just imagining the men of our fire department prancing around her half naked.
“There’s a very lovely variety in there, but I was only allowed to see October,” she says before adding in a whisper, “Colter’s month. ”
“Allowed?” I ask, frowning. Sable shrugs, cheeks turning pink.