Chapter 42 #2
“Oh my god. This is too good.” Her brown eyes dance, following me to sit at the opposite end of the sectional. “Who needs Alpha Island when we’ve got this going on?” She waves both hands in a wide sweep to gesture at me and the enormous living space.
That leaves me laughing and groaning in the same breath, tucking my feet beneath me. “Don’t make me cut you off and block your number.” I toss a cushion at her smug expression. “We need to actually get some studying done, not talk about my very boring and entirely uninteresting life all day.”
“Oh yes, how could I forget? Your sexcapades are like watching paint dry,” she tuts.
“So… we’re going to the Wolves’ next match this weekend, yes?
Because no way in hell am I missing an opportunity to watch you squirm.
” That thought apparently makes her snort louder.
“How’s big brother gonna handle this revelation about you shacking up with his besties and boss, anyway? ”
“Finch is a problem I’m gonna have to put in the too-hard box.” I shake my head. “We’ve all agreed it’s best to leave him unaware for now.”
“Okay, well, you keep on deluding yourself that he won’t sniff out your lies… and until that day, we’ve got your back.” Nikita giggles, still finding my situation highly amusing. “Isn’t that right, G?”
“Huh? Oh… yeah… sure.” Gabbie blinks at both of us, seeming distracted.
“Whatever you need, Wren. We’re your girls.
” Her voice is a little faraway-sounding as she settles herself onto a pile of floor cushions and rummages intently in her bag.
She’s been relatively quiet through all of Nikita’s prodding and prying.
My brow furrows, hoping it’s not because of anything I’ve done by getting myself tangled up in a pack dynamic so rapidly and unexpectedly.
I reach for my own textbook, and words bubble up. Maybe I’m trying to defend the situation, or over-explain, I don’t really know. Either way, I’m talking before I can stop myself.
“I don’t really know the exact details or logistics or whatever.
What I guess will happen is that Atlas is gonna put in an appearance when it suits him.
Makes sense, right? He’s busy and has got a lot to juggle already with training and getting ready for their next game day, so it seems ridiculous to expect him to drop everything and uproot his whole life all because of me.
He probably hasn’t had time to shift his stuff yet, so I can’t exactly go thinking he’ll be here in the blink of an eye. ”
When I finally manage to shut myself up and hold my textbook in front of my face, I peer over the top of the pages only to discover two sets of eyes fixed on me.
Nikita looks like she’s about to explode with smug satisfaction.
Gabbie looks at me with an ever increasingly startled expression as the seconds tick by.
“What?” I swallow heavily.
“Wait? Are you…” Gabbie’s mouth opens and closes, her highlighter poised midair above a page of handwritten notes.
“Am I what?” My squeak is too high-pitched.
Her green eyes flicker around the room before laser-focusing back on me. “Are you scent-matched with Ace, too?”
Nikita gasps and hurls the cushion back at me. “Bitch. WHAT? Do not dare tell me we’ve been sitting in this house while you’ve been withholding vital inf—”
“No! No!” I flop backward and drop the open book over my chest. “I’m not saying that… I just don’t even understand him, or what his deal is, okay? He’s complicated.” Puffing my cheeks out, I don’t even know how to explain any of this, or where to start.
“Well… uncomplicate it for us…” I can feel the intensity of Nikita’s eyes drilling into me.
“We had a weird little moment at the dog shelter. It was nothing. I helped him out with a reporter and stepped in to assist with an interview… and it just struck me as odd that I had never picked up on his scent before, no matter how often I’ve been around him.
But that day I did, except he was his usual brand of aloof and brooding and incapable of more than one-syllable grunts in my general direction. That’s all.”
“His scent?” Gabbie squeaks.
At the exact same time, Nikita laughs. “You’re shitting me?”
Letting out a breath, I heave myself back up to a seated position and give them both a look, chewing the inside of my cheek.
“Okay, ignoring whatever you might be thinking. The bigger issue is… I don’t know how to explain it…
I just picked up on a feeling. It’s like Connor is very… protective of him.”
“Well, they’re teammates. Makes sense for Scotland to be all about looking out for his buddies off the pitch. Did you say they were already roommates?”
“Yeah, maybe that’s all it is? But I don’t know, I assumed that Atlas might have opted to move in with Finch, or something.
Since he’s obviously not my biggest fan.
Then Connor just seemed to hate the idea of the two of them not living together.
He was quick to shut down any talk from Theo about finding a new roommate for Atlas.
Kinda insisted on him coming here without any other options discussed. ”
“Maybe he’s his good luck charm?” Gabbie furrows her brow.
Nikita nods. “Aren’t athletes all superstitious little creatures at heart?”
That makes me smile. “I mean, you already know about the jersey thing between the two of us. Finch went without shaving one season.” I shudder remembering the gross, bearded look he had going on for longer than should have been tolerated. He looked like he’d escaped a cult.
Gabbie clears her throat and highlights what looks like an entire page with methodical precision.
“You see? They’re just neurotic little hermit crabs of habit,” Nikita snorts, then her eyes flash with something decidedly impish.
“Better pray you getting a little action doesn’t become associated with them winning, or RIP your pussy.
” She promptly does the sign of the cross, then clasps her hands and tips her head to the ceiling.
“Or maybe pray that you do? A trip to Paris every match-day morning would be one hell of a way to prepare for kickoff. Now that’s the type of team spirit I can wholeheartedly endorse. ”
This time, I return the cushion in a weak toss back at her while dissolving into laughter.
“Better pray you don’t flunk this semester, more like it.
” I pinch the inside of my cheek with my teeth to hide my smile.
“Enough talk about my sex life, alright? More focus on studying. Ain’t no way we’re going to be Omega dropouts. Not on my watch.”