Chapter 11
MAEVE
Everyone knows, and it’s not because Ivan or I tell anyone.
They just know.
I was off all weekend, so when I come back Monday, Piper and Blair both stare at me, slack-jawed.
“What?” I demand, attempting to look annoyed when I enter the rescue, iced coffee in hand. It comes off more as a loopy smile, and Piper is the first one to break.
“What. Happened?”
Even Alvin looks perplexed, tilting his head and rushing up to me when I lean over the reception desk to chat with my friends. He’s always liked my scent, but now he licks my wrist vigorously with his sandpaper tongue.
I open my mouth to lie, but Blair crosses her arms, looking at me expectantly.
“There’s only supposed to be one person in reception at a time,” I say weakly, knowing that none of us ever follow that rule.
“You didn’t even cover your hickey properly,” Blair chides. “I’ve taught you how to do that, you know. I even bought you the right color corrector!”
I grimace. “I thought I did,” I grumble.
Piper leans over in her chair, placing her chin in her hand. “It was Ivan, wasn’t it?” she says, her eyes wide with delight. “He was whistling when he came in this morning. Whistling.”
I’m not surprised. Ivan spent all weekend at my place, most of the time naked in my nest with me. When we were clothed, we started our book club, finishing the first three chapters of the cozy cat mystery book.
“Just don’t tell Avery,” I whisper, and Piper barks out a laugh.
“You’re right. You’re going to have to tell him,” she says, appearing even more delighted. “I’ll talk him down if he panics.”
I groan. Avery has always been protective of me, and knowing him, he’ll grill Ivan with probing questions until I die of embarrassment.
Blair looks thoughtful, though. “I wonder if we should implement some employee dating policy,” she murmurs. “With a special clause for scent matches. We never had to worry about that before you!”
Both my friends are tickled, and while I’m happy they’re supportive, I don’t need them fretting about me.
“Just don’t tell Mari, yet,” I say. “She’s going to make a big deal out of it.”
Piper raises a dark eyebrow. “This is a big deal,” she says. “So, what, you’re dating, now?”
I nod. “Yes. He’s my scent match.”
“Oh my god!” Piper screeches, and Blair smacks her playfully on the shoulder, shushing her. “Scent matches? You scent matched?” Piper whispers.
I nod again, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “It was awesome,” I breathe.
Blair’s blue eyes soften. “I’m so glad, Maeve,” she says. “He’s a good man.”
With my friends’ seals of approval, I beam.
I keep the smile on my face even when I clean the litter boxes in the kennels with Blair’s help.
“Hey,” she says. “I want to tell you something.”
“Hmm?” I gently pluck Bean off the counter when he bats at my hair and place him in the cat tree.
“I’m proud of you. You didn’t run away from it like Piper and I did. You’re very brave.”
I frown. Piper and Blair both had terrible circumstances before they had their current packs.
Piper had come from an abusive situation, and Blair’s ex pack had passed away in a car accident.
When they found their scent matches, they weren’t ready to accept them, because they had suffered a lot beforehand.
Watching them finally end up with their packs made me happy.
“I wouldn’t consider myself brave,” I correct her, but she shakes her head.
“You are, Maeve. You’re very courageous, especially after everything you’ve been through. I’m truly happy for you.”
“Okay, once I wash my hands, I am definitely hugging you,” I tell her, and she laughs.
“If you need any advice, supplies, or anything at all, you let Piper and me know, okay?”
“Hmm. Actually, I think I could use your advice.”
Blair is the most level-headed one at Furs and Purrs. Piper is great too, but she is a little headstrong and will back me or Blair up no matter what, even if we’re at fault.
I want an objective perspective.
Blair raises an expectant eyebrow.
“I like Logan,” I blurt.
There’s a moment of silence. “Okay, we really do need some type of HR department,” Blair sighs. “Anyone else in your potential pack? And hopefully they don’t work in the same building as you?”
Well…
I shift on my feet, smiling at the thought of Fang. “This third one is a bit complicated,” I murmur.
“Oh, so there is someone else. Try me. Nothing you can say will faze me.”
“Uh…my guitar professor?”
Blair goes still for so long that I’m concerned.
I decide to backtrack, already bracing for a lecture. “I mean, obviously—”
But then she bursts out laughing with a hearty cackle. “Oh my god,” she laughs. “Your brother is going to be so mad.”
“Why are you laughing? I wanted your objective advice!” My voice tapers off with a bit of panic. “A lot is happening right now.”
“No, you’re right,” Blair says. “I’m sorry. It’s just so different from what Piper and I went through. You are going after what you want and are honest about your feelings.”
I nod, still wary.
“With the guitar professor…” She chews the inside of her cheek, looking thoughtful. “That is definitely an HR violation. Honestly? I don’t know if it’s the best idea.”
To my surprise, I whimper, a needy, shameful sound directly from my inner Omega.
Blair’s eyes widen. “Oh. Hi, Maeve’s Omega. Speaking of objective, when is your Heat due?”
I shrug, embarrassed. “A couple weeks or so? Nothing too close.”
“Right, but the scent match could complicate things,” Blair says knowingly. “Especially when you’re working next door to Ivan and Logan.”
As if on cue, my stomach flutters, and I make a face.
“Exactly,” Blair says, noticing my reaction. “You have a lot going on.”
“Well, what should I do?” I ask. “I have class after my shift.”
“Go to your class, silly. Even if you have a crush on your guitar teacher, so what? Are you going to jump him or something? Bare your mating gland and make him bite you?”
The idea isn’t an unwelcome one.
She must see something on my face, because she makes an unhappy noise. “Don’t do that. Go to class, and beforehand, load up on scent blockers and chew some gum. You’ll be fine.”
I nod. “Okay,” I sigh. “Okay. I can do this.”
“You’re there to learn and find a creative outlet,” Blair adds. “Not pine after the professor.”
Maybe I should have asked Piper instead.
A small part of me had hoped that Blair would tell me it’s a great idea to go for it, to support my attraction to Fang.
But I understand why I shouldn’t acknowledge it.
He’s my professor, my brother’s colleague, and I’m not taking the class to find an Alpha.
“I’ll get over it,” I say, ignoring the sinking feeling in my gut.
Some people don’t even get one scent match, and I’m over here pouting because I want another Alpha that isn’t even my scent match?
Fang isn’t in the cards for me. He’s there to teach me music, and nothing else.
Ivan kisses me goodbye, grinning against my mouth.
“Have fun at class,” he says knowingly, and I roll my eyes.
“Maybe today I’ll finally pick up the guitar,” I murmur as we stand in the parking lot of the clinic. “As long as I don’t flunk the theory test.”
Ivan helped me study. We even watched videos together breaking down the fundamentals of music, and I’m still confused.
“Hey. You are not going to fail.” He takes my shoulders gently.
“I dropped out of college before,” I tell him sadly. “Maybe I’m just not meant to learn new things.”
The words are like acid on my tongue. They sound eerily similar to what my parents said once Avery told them I quit school.
I haven’t bothered to talk to them in years, and Avery is the only sibling with minimal contact. I don’t need to hear anything they say.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Ivan presses his forehead to mine, and I inhale his Alpha scent. Apples and caramel fill the air, and I relax in his hold. “That’s not how that works. You know that.”
“I just want to learn to play music and serenade the cats,” I whine. “Why is that so difficult?”
He chuckles, then presses a quick kiss to my lips. “Maybe you could ask for private lessons.”
I snort. “I can’t imagine how expensive that is.”
“We’ll figure it out. One step at a time, baby, and the first step is getting into your car and driving to campus. Then, you can show me everything you learned tonight.”
Ivan is spending the night at my place again—there’s no way I can stand to be away from him for too long due to the recent scent match.
Every moment in his presence is a balm to my soul, and his scent is more addicting than ever.
“More nesting supplies should arrive tonight, too,” he adds cheekily. “I can set it all up for you before you come home.”
My face flushes, and I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face.
“You said you already had supplies for me,” I say, after he admitted this weekend to stocking up on nesting blankets before we even scent matched.
Maybe I should find that intimidating, but with Ivan, I just laughed in delight when he told me.
He’s been wanting this as long as I have.
“You can never have enough nesting supplies,” he confirms. “You told me that yourself.”
He tenderly kisses my forehead, and I sigh.
“You’re going to do great,” he says.
It’s the same thing he says in his text thirty minutes later when I arrive back on Luna Community College campus.
My rented guitar case is slung over my back, and a black studded messenger bag contains my study materials and assignments.
I scent Fang before I even make it to the music building, and I wonder if I should just turn around and go home.
Even across campus, my body’s reaction to that spicy leathery Alpha scent is intense.
My mouth waters, and I follow the aroma across campus, past a long field of grass dotted with benches.
Alpha. Alpha. Alpha.
I’m in a trance, Blair’s advice completely forgotten.
Now that I’ve found one scent match, it’s like my Omega is trying to find as many as she can, even if that potential match is my guitar professor.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
I’m almost past the grassy area when there’s a rustle in the bushes, and a black void shoots out from the foliage.
My eyes widen as a rather large cat sprints across campus, startled by my presence. It runs past the science building and zooms around a corner, startling a few of the students.
I freeze, Fang’s scent all but forgotten.
Even though I’m frozen, there’s an urge to spring into action.
Who was that cat?
It ran away so fast I couldn’t tell if its ear was clipped, indicating it had been spayed or neutered.
What if it’s pregnant?
What if it’s hurt, and no one has been able to do anything about it?
Can I get Blair or Piper here in time?
I’m stuck standing in the middle of campus, my heart racing and stomach churning in fear.
It’s the same strange panic I experienced when Bean was sneezing, and Alvin’s eye was squinty.
It’s a sense of uncomfortable urgency that grows worse with every second, fueled by racing images and thoughts that aren’t entirely rational.
I force myself to move, each step heavy as I make my way to the music building, heading up the steps.
That peppery leather scent only grows, and I follow it to the music room, ready for class.
But the double doors are closed, and I frown when I see the paper sheet taped to the door.
Introduction to guitar cancelled—will resume next week.
My face falls.
“It’s only the second class,” I murmur, disappointed.
I had studied my ass off, nervous but willing to take the theory test if it meant I could finally learn some basics about the instrument.
I huff, walking past the room and down the hallway, my inner Omega pouting at the loss of seeing Fang.
Maybe by next week I will get over his scent.
My Omega scoffs at me as I pull two sticks of gum out of my pocket and pop them into my mouth, the minty taste overwhelming.
It doesn’t block the delicious Alpha scent completely, but it’s enough to take the edge off.
For now, at least.
I’m going to need to invest in an industrial-size carton of this stuff to get through guitar class going forward.
With a sigh of defeat, I trudge down the hallway, frowning.
But as I pass an open door, I catch a glimpse of dark hair and pale skin, and freeze.
Fang is in his office, frowning while staring at a pile of papers.
Yet his head snaps up when he sees me, and the frown disappears when he meets my eyes.
“Hello, Maeve,” he says, grinning.