Chapter 56 #2
I turn in my seat, blinking, only to realize that there is now an Atlas-shaped hole at my side, a glaring emptiness in the space where he had been only a few seconds ago.
Somehow, I’m simultaneously intensely aware of him and at the same time stunned into a groggy stupor—clearly, to the point where my senses are dulled and sluggish. It’s a problem.
“Hi!” An animated greeting catches my attention as a human ray of sunshine bounds up to me.
“You must be the infamous Wren?” The Beta, who looks to be only a few years older than I am, with bright magenta hair and a very cool septum piercing, quickly shrugs into a purple coat before sticking out her hand.
“That’s me.” My shy smile is part nerves, part hesitance at the concept I might be infamous and what the hell I could be considered infamous for in a place like this.
“Great to put a face to a name. I’m Charlotte, but everyone calls me Coco.” Her grin is broad and unreserved. “Your work on the Wagging Tails Instagram is darling.”
“You’re too kind, but I appreciate the vote of confidence. Thank you.” I nibble on my bottom lip.
“Confidence, you certainly have.” She gives me a little pat on the arm. “Gotta say, you’re made of tough stuff, girl.”
“What do you mean?” My brow furrows slightly.
“Considering who you’ve been sitting next to?
” Her laugh is light and airy, she waves a hand at the vacant chair behind me, before shaking her head as if in awe of something I’ve done.
“Truthfully? That Atlas Palamo might be easy on the eye, but he’s kinda terrifying.
Real serious type, that one. And let me be so real right now, he doesn’t ever sit with anyone at these things. ”
My cheeks warm. “Oh… umm…” I look around, perplexed.
My immediate reaction is to downplay the situation, because the last thing I need is for more scrutiny around how we know each other.
“Well, he’s my brother’s best friend, he’s probably feeling obligated.
.. you know how it is…” At the same time as I mumble my way through the excuse, Coco’s phone starts chiming.
Before I can thoroughly freak out about what else to say, I realize, to my relief, she’s sighing and briskly swiping away notifications, not even looking at me.
“Sorry that I can’t stick around for a proper chat, I’m already behind schedule for this afternoon’s beginner skate lessons at the rink as it is.
” She puffs out her cheeks and rolls her eyes.
“Coco is running late? A shocking turn of events. Call the Sheriff. What’s new?
They know the pooches are my priority this afternoon, so they can lace their skates and start warming up without me. ”
“Do you volunteer at the ice rink? You might know my housemate? Nikita?”
She tosses her head back and belly laughs.
“Oh god, every time I dare start to forget how much I absolutely adore that this place is teeny weeny, something like this pops up. You know Keets? Omega scholarship… right? That girl is a riot. If you two are friends, then we absolutely need to all get together and go out for dinner, pronto. I’ll get your number next time we’re on the same shift, and let’s set it up.
” With a chuckle and a wave, she heads in the direction of the door.
“Sounds good to me.” I wave back.
“Wren?” Another voice catches my attention, causing me to spin on the spot.
An Alpha I’d pick to be somewhere in her mid-forties, with copper hair worthy of an Olaplex advert—complete with perfectly styled shoulder-length blowout—floats into my line of vision.
Her high-waisted slacks, cream turtleneck, and camel peacoat combination is straight out of the exude corporate badass lookbook from whatever stylist she must enlist the services of.
This woman looks capable of single-handedly commanding a board room, the school PTA, and the Wagging Tails board of trustees, without breaking a sweat.
No doubt, she manages to do so with immaculate lipstick, and all before noon, too.
I’d bet she’s got a reputation for being ten steps ahead of anyone else in the room at all times.
“Hi… I’m so sorry, I feel like a complete newbie here, not knowing anyone.
” I extend my hand with an apologetic duck of my head for not knowing any faces or names, when they all seem to know who I am.
“Wren Murphy, it’s a pleasure,” I say, wondering if I should, in fact, be foregoing the handshake, dropping into a curtsy, and tacking on a ma’am.
“Patricia Braun.” As she warmly shakes my hand, I can’t help gaping a little at the beautiful gold wedding band and matching antique diamond ring adorning the hand wrapped around her phone.
Definitely an heirloom. The gold watch peppered with diamonds clasped at her wrist is also absolutely worth a small fortune.
Is this woman the closest I’ll ever come to meeting royalty?
“Lovely to meet you.” She adds. “I’ll echo Coco’s compliments on the work you’ve been doing with marketing and promotion of the shelter, also.”
“Oh. Wow. Uhh. Thank you.” I breathe in staccato, forgetting practically every word in the English language. This woman is awe-inspiring while also being more than a little terrifying.
“Trish? Can I grab you for a minute before you take off?” a voice calls out from the front door, and I see it’s Linda who beckons the woman over.
“Ahh, no rest for the wicked.” She winks, then breezes away, but not before adding, “Keep up the good work. You’re a wonderful asset to this place.”
All of this leaves me entirely at sea, so I decide to slip outside and hurry to where Atlas had parked.
Even though it’s cold, I’m prepared to face chattering teeth and numb fingers while waiting for him to reappear.
Although my hunch is correct and my assumption that he’s already escaped to make his way out here proves true.
He’s sitting in the front seat, with the engine running, typing on his phone.
When I get closer, he hops out wordlessly, coming around to open my door for me… again.
My belly does that little swooping thing… again.
When I get settled in the passenger side, I’m more than a little relieved that the seat warmer is already on and toasty after the chill of the dog shelter’s warehouse.
The return trip to Theo’s place is filled with only the music playing through the speakers once more, and a whole lot of unspoken questions that I can’t seem to bring myself to raise.
So, I sit quietly, scrolling my phone as he drives, and all the while my body does weird drunken pirouettes and cartwheels.
I don’t know what to do about any of it.
All I know is that I’ve got the strangest claiming sensation yelling at me on a constant loop when it comes to being in close proximity to Atlas.
The confusion of why I can’t seem to hold back from glancing at him subtly, in an attempt to see if he’s affected in any way, is driving me to distraction.
Yet, he’s a steel fortress. Totally impenetrable. Cool as you like.
It’s exactly the same mask he wears on the field that is firmly set in place. Professional. Powerful. Potent.
Where Connor and Theo are concerned, it makes sense for me to feel possessive and all needy Omega.
But with my brother’s best friend? My thighs press together as I recall the library and our kiss in the kitchen, and hope to hell that I don’t cause total embarrassment for both of us by perfuming.
One thing is for certain: my brain and body are going through the most dramatic split possible.
I’m worried that my pre-heat hormonal roller coaster is making me detect a spectrum that doesn’t usually exist. Kinda like how dogs can hear frequencies that humans are ignorant of.
I squirm in my seat, ongoing minutes of agonizing silence ticking by, until I can’t take it any longer.
“Did you know insects can see in ultraviolet light, but we can’t?” I blurt out, twisting the sleeves of Connor’s giant hoodie that I’m swamped by. “They see different patterns on flowers than we see with the naked eye. It helps them know exactly where the pollen is.”
Heat races up my neck and explodes onto my cheeks.
What the fuck am I even trying to say?
Am I flashing a sign toward my nether region that says Omega slick, get some right here!
“Yeah… I watched a documentary on it once.” My mouth keeps moving, even though I’m screaming at myself internally to zip it and quit it. “Looks like a runway for bees to buzz on in and find exactly what they’re looking for. The source of the honey pot, so to speak.”
My heart is racing.
All I can do is rub clammy palms over my thighs.
When I dare to glance across at Atlas, he briefly gives me a bemused expression in return, before turning his attention back to the road.
Yeah, me and him both. I’m just as fucking confused by the words pouring out to fill the awkwardness of this quiet ride and try to distract my body from betraying me.
We’re nearly at Theo’s, and I decide it’s now or never to keep pushing for answers I may never get, but I’m going to try my damnedest to, regardless. “Why are you doing all this? The driving me around? Following after me today?”
He doesn’t respond, just pulls up in the driveway, parks, and cuts the engine.
“I’ve told you that you don’t have to. Honestly, I mean it,” I say.
Atlas gets out, and in an Uno-reverse of how our morning started off, he crosses the front of the vehicle. I watch on, somewhat dumbfounded, as he walks around to open my door for me.
I persist with my questions the second he comes back into earshot, even if he’s stonewalling.
“And I don’t want you to resent me because you’re babysitting me out of duty to Connor.
” Swallowing heavily, I feel damp on my lower back, sticking my T-shirt to my skin as I follow him toward the house.
“Or my brother,” I add hastily as he gestures for me to squeeze past him while he holds the front door open.
One glance, and it’s apparent neither Theo nor Connor is home yet. I’ve texted with both of them today, and they expect to be back in about half an hour or so.
“In case it’s not already obvious, the thought of being a burden makes my skin crawl.”
“You’re not.” Atlas finally speaks. His voice is a little gravelly sounding.
“Why do I feel like the opposite is true?”
“That’s not the case at all.” He shakes his head.
“Then explain it to me?”
“Wren…” He sighs and keeps walking away from me, headed for the kitchen. So, of course, I follow after the stubbornest, most frustrating Alpha in existence.
“Help me understand.”
“We—” He scrubs a tattooed hand over his mouth. “You’re not a burden. Renfro and Brennan want you to be safe. End of story.”
I frown.
He won’t look me in the eye.
“This is complicated. I’m painfully aware.” Letting out an exasperated noise, I perch on one of the stools at the kitchen island and rub my temples. “I’m already breaking rules where WFU is concerned, so I’m saying plain and simple, you don’t have to get tangled in this.”
“You’re presuming I don’t know my own mind to make decisions.”
“Of course not.” Feeling flustered seems to be my default around this Alpha. “I’m just saying… I’m capable… on my own.”
Atlas rests both palms on the counter, head hanging down. Drawing my focus to all those sculpted muscular planes and bulging shoulders.
“I don’t want you to put yourself at risk because you’re too busy worrying about the likes of me,” Atlas murmurs, and the way he says it, deep and rumbly and with all too much care hidden behind that tone, catches me off guard.
“I could say the same for you too…” It’s absolutely no chore to give him a soft smile. “And yet…”
“And yet?” His focus sharpens.
My exhale is filled with fluttery nerves. “I feel like… this… us…” I gesture a forefinger back and forth. “It’s different from what I have with Connor and Theo. In case it’s not obvious, I want to get to know you, Atlas Palamo. And I guess, I’m hoping that maybe you feel the same way?”
A sudden coldness settles across his eyes, and I don’t know why.
“You think it’s different?” He practically snarls the word.
The visceral reaction, combined with a dramatic dip in his register, isn’t what I expected at all. Such a harsh expression, paired with an even harder tone, leaves me taken aback. I’m so confused, tossed about like a cork in an ocean of Atlas’s hot and cold routine.
“Do you really think it’s wise for us to get to know each other?
I’ve got plenty of friends, Wren Murphy.
” As his upper lip curls, he slides right up to me, enormous and muscled, with such a heady scent of wild orange and bonfire pouring off him, it leaves me in danger of swooning.
“Don’t forget all the reasons why I can’t get involved in this little getting-to-know-each-other experiment you seem insistent on pursuing.
The team. Your scholarship. Your brother. ”
Staring back at him, mouth hanging open, I realize he’s rendered me not only speechless, but breathless, too.
As I stay frozen, head tilted back to look up and meet his fierce gaze, it takes my brain far too long to realize the position we’ve ended up in.
He’s towering over me, standing between my knees, holding onto my legs, big palms spanning each thigh, with the size difference between us more apparent than ever.
Omega and Alpha. Alpha and Omega. There’s only him filling every inch of my vision, and I’m not sure if it’s my imagination playing hopelessly cruel tricks on me, but I feel his thumbs sweep back and forth on the inside of my knees ever so gently.
My breath catches in the back of my throat.
His chest rumbles with a dangerous noise.
And then he’s gone.
Just like the night we kissed, Atlas vanishes.
This time?
This time, I suspect he truly is angry with me.
This time, everything feels unsettled, highly charged, disorienting at the core of whatever that exchange was truly about.
This time, I suspect he’s gone for good.