Chapter 30 Kabobs
Kabobs
Aurora
It’s a few more days until I feel like I can get myself together enough to go out. I put on a matching set of cobalt blue shorts and a cropped sleeveless top. I put on makeup and wear heels.
This is a great idea.
I’ll go out. Meet someone. Then, totally forget about my horrible, dead father and my lifelong crush on Locke and his beta, the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.
I take myself to an art gallery opening I saw a flyer for.
There are cheese platters and mini pancakes.
I fill up a plate and walk around the small white room filled with people.
They smile and nod. There are some minor conversations.
A few girls compliment my outfit, and I do the same to their cute clothes (a patchwork dress with pockets!), but there isn’t any sort of spark.
I hear about a few other galleries opening tonight in an “art crawl” situation, so I head to the next one.
A college-aged boy with curly brown hair and round glasses is eager to talk to me about the art. He smiles sweetly at me. He’s tall and approachable.
He accompanies me to the next gallery and chats the whole time about what he studies at the college and which subjects he finds the most fascinating.
He asks if he can take me to a late-night kabob place, and I accept. It’s not that late. Only 9:00 pm. I’m not having a bad time. It’s not a good time. But it’s not a bad time.
It’s a regular time.
Maybe I need more regular times.
Maybe dragging the man who my inner omega thinks is her scent match by a leash, biting his arm until he bled for me, and leaving my father alone in a room with a man-eating tiger is not the best time.
Kirby or Clayton or whatever his name is may be a nice guy. He’s an alpha. So, there’s that.
“Anyway, those are all the classes I’ll be in next semester, including the clubs. Oh! I forgot my weekly poker night.”
Fuck, I wasn’t listening. Why did he tell me all that?
“Cool,” I say, and he seems satisfied.
Buttholes, this is the worst. I stare at my platter of kabob and sigh. I’m not hungry. I’m uninterested. I hate being here…
My phone buzzes in my micro YSL bag. Thank god! A distraction.
I fish it out and see that an unsaved number has texted me. I unlock my phone and read what it says while I play with the chain on my bag.
Unknown number: Hey, Ro, it’s Mads. I got your number from Locke’s phone. I just wanted to know if you’re ok. I heard the news. Also, I hope everything went well with your mom. Let me know if you can talk.
My acrylic nails click against the metal chain of my purse as I blank completely out.
I can just…text Mads? He didn’t fall off the face of the planet?
He exists just a text away? The omega in me stirs to life.
She wraps around my insides like a cat in heat.
Mads. My Mads. Would he send me a picture?
Aurora: Hello, Mads. God, I’m so happy you texted me. I missed…
I delete the text and start again.
Aurora: Hello, Mads. Yeah, he’s dead. It’s kind of surreal. My mother left before I could see her. It’s for the best. How have you been?
Mads: I’m sorry you didn’t get to see her. Where are you living now? Are you ok? Can I send you something?
I roll my eyes because he didn’t answer my question.
Aurora: I’m fine. I’m in a hotel for now. Will you send me a picture of yourself?
I put the phone face down on the table and look up at Clive. My smile drops. He looks kind of upset.
“It’s rude to be texting someone while out with someone else.”
“Kevin, I don’t know you. I’ve had a long day, and an old friend just texted me.
I’m more interested in that conversation at the moment.
You are welcome to leave if you can’t entertain yourself.
” I think he says a few things and accuses me of being rude.
I don’t know. I take a few bites of my kabob and sip my lemonade, waiting for Mads to text me.
Kurt is gone by the time I get the next text. I was probably rude. I’ll have to work on that.
It’s a selfie.
Oh my god.
Mads is in a small apartment kitchen, smiling at the camera. Oh, his pretty bleached hair is a little grown out. I bet I could do his roots for him, if I were with him. Look at his gorgeous smile. I save the photo and then make sure it backs up to my cloud storage.
Aurora: You look good.
Mads: Thank you. I’m on some new meds, and have a really good physical therapist. They are helping.
Aurora: Where are you?
Mads: We are in the apartment the Soto alphas had. Most of Cadi’s things are still at her old place, and my stuff is in storage. We are working on a new place and will hopefully move in soon. This apartment is small. Oscar sleeps on the couch.
The idea of a pack lead sleeping on the couch barely makes any sense to me. Also, all of them are in some tiny apartment makes me want to giggle. It’s obvious they like each other a whole lot. He mentioned Cadi’s name. The omega. The reason I can’t keep him or Locke.
I text back Mads and tell him how funny I find it all. But then I delete it.
Aurora: I hope you have a bed. They’re not making you sleep on some cot, are they?
Mads: Haha, no. I’m in a bed. My own bed. Cadi rotates between us.
Aurora: Even the couch?
Mads: Haha. No. Oscar sleeps best alone. They spend their time in other places. They spent the night in a hotel, just the two of them, last night. Locke fell asleep in the lobby because he missed her so much.
Mads: Should I really be telling you this?
I wonder if that last text was mostly to himself. But I want to hear every last word.
Aurora: You’ve mentioned her a lot.
Mads: Being in a pack is strange. I feel like I can’t separate myself from them. I didn’t mean to talk about them at all. I wanted to know about you.
Aurora: I want to hear everything you want to tell me.
Mads: Me too, Ro. Everything.
I smile at my phone and then look around the small shop.
I’m totally alone. The windows are steamy from the kitchen on the back.
For the first time in weeks, I feel so much better.
My body doesn’t feel so tight. I run my hand over my stomach, relishing in my body feeling like it’s in one place and not scattered about the universe.
Aurora: Would she talk to me?
I don’t know why I ask this. I wasn’t exactly even thinking it. She just feels like this ghost haunting me, and perhaps I want to put a voice to the ghost. A face. Something.
Mads: Do you want me to arrange something? I could give her your number.
Aurora: No.
I type so fast before I change my mind. No. No. No. What if she thinks I like her? Or hate her! Or would have anything to say to her!
It’s all bad.
I drink the rest of my lemonade and hide my phone screen from myself.
Cadi has three alphas and a beta. She sleeps in their beds every night. She doesn’t need some girl bothering her.
My phone buzzes, and I immediately pick it up.
Mads: I’m going to do it, anyway.
Aurora: Fine.
Mads: :)
Aurora: When are you going to do it?
He doesn’t reply. I clean up my tray and walk back to the hotel. Mads texted me tonight! I feel lighter than air.
I get back to my room and get ready for bed.
I go over the entire conversation over and over again.
I wonder if he was smiling as much as I was.
I love that I can now picture them. I can see Locke sleeping in the lobby of that hotel.
I can see Mads in his bed, hoping the omega sleeps with him that night.
It’s very difficult to picture a man like Oscar taking the couch.
He’s a powerful alpha.
He stood up to my father. Negotiated twice with him and won both times, walking away with two of his alphas. And now he sleeps on a couch.
While I brush my teeth, I think about Kol. He hated me. Every time he looked at me, he looked like he had just eaten something bitter. I think the only time we interacted, we exchanged some insulting words.
What are Mads and he like together? Do they love each other? Who does Kol love? These questions will be the death of me. I want to know everything.
I climb into bed under the cool covers and check my phone.
There’s a text from an unknown number.