Chapter 7 Kady
SEVEN
Kady
I stop to catch my breath, relief spreading through me after being trapped on the packed dance floor. There were too many people walking up Main Street and chatting outside Club Knotty to linger there. I exhale deeply, letting the air fill my lungs, when...
Crash!
Out of nowhere, a crack comes from above, then a gigantic object falls from the sky. I’m too stunned to make a sound, simply standing and gaping as a large heap lands with a splat on top of a jack-o-lantern. Chunks of orange pumpkin flesh spray all over my clothes in an explosive mess.
“Shit!” I wipe a glob of goo from my cheek while the mass at my feet makes a deep groaning noise.
Thankfully, the pumpkin cushioned their fall, but what the hell were they doing hiding up in a tree in the dark on Halloween in the first place?
Throat constricting, I reach into my purse to grab my pepper spray, holding it out in front of me. All sorts of situations run through my mind, especially the worst-case scenarios, and memories of my father telling me that I’m an easy target.
I leap back when the big lump stirs. Seconds later, a hooded figure rises to his feet, swaying slightly. Are they clutching a telescope in their arms?
“Freeze!” I wield the spray. “If you try anything, I’ll blind you!”
The person raises his arms in defeat, his hood falling to reveal a Thor-like, gorgeous man. His long blonde hair is tied into a scruffy bun, and he has the most piercing blue eyes I’ve ever seen. And then I’m hit with his scent…
It’s a refreshing change after being near the Blandon Pack. Clean soap with cool mint and fresh eucalyptus. It’s subtle, but damn.
I mentally shake myself, keeping the spray pointed at his face. It doesn’t matter how good he smells or how nice he is to look at, he could be a serial killer.
“S-s-sorry,” Arms full, he drops his chin to wipe his forehead against his sleeve. “I was—”
“Creeping around in the dark?” I jump in. “Waiting to stumble across a lone, vulnerable omega? Or do you just prefer to watch?”
His mouth opens and closes.
“What are you doing here?” I feel like I’m cornering a criminal after a big chase. “Are you even a student?”
“Y-y-yes.” He gingerly places his telescope on the ground before reaching into his jacket pocket. “My student ID card. It’s right here…”
“Slowly,” I instruct, my heart pounding, squeezing my thumb lightly on the trigger mechanism in case he tries anything.
Most alphas would laugh in the face of an omega who was facing off against them. But if he has bad intentions, he’s about twice my size and could easily overpower me. However, his hands shake as he rifles around for his wallet.
He pulls a card out then holds it up. “See?”
I step closer to inspect it.
Riven Grove. Not someone I’ve heard of or seen around campus before, and an alpha who looks like Riven would definitely have attracted attention.
The Valley Voice runs a regular feature rating the most eligible packs on campus—it’s vapid and shallow, but it’s super popular.
Riven would definitely have made the list, looking like a Hemsworth cousin.
“Why have I never seen you around before?”
“I’m n-new here.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “I just transferred. This is my first week.”
I arch an eyebrow, still unconvinced. “And why are you skulking around at night with a telescope?”
I rack my brain, rattling through all of the SVU policies. There should definitely be a clause in there about not creeping around. Maybe I’ll mention that during my next chat with Dean Rivers.
“There!” He points up at the sky over my shoulder, a dreamy expression washing over his features and his shoulders slackening. “See?”
“Nice try.” I don’t look away from him. “But I’m not taking my eyes off…” A brilliant green ball of light streaks across the sky behind him, leaving a dazzling trail behind them. “Oh.”
“Look!” He drops to his knees, scrambling to assemble his telescope. “It’s a meteor shower. The first of its kind in fifty years.”
“That’s why you were here? To look at the sky?” I lower the pepper spray. “Can’t you do that, you know, anywhere else?”
He ignores me, muttering to himself while he extends the legs of the telescope and points it up at the sky.
“Hello?” I wave my hand. “I’m still talking to you.”
He’s in his own world, tinkering around with the knobs, mesmerized by the meteors.
“Do you know the difference between meteoroids and meteorites? People easily confuse them. Meteoroids are still in space, only becoming a meteorite when it hits the ground. You really should take a look.” He looks up at me hopefully. “It’s incredible.”
I shouldn’t, right? My logical brain screams at me to call campus security to report him for skulking around.
An alpha with a telescope could be snooping on omegas leaving Club Knotty and looking for a chance to exploit them, but there’s almost an innocence about Riven.
He looks at the stars with such genuine excitement, and his scent is so… inviting.
“I’ve still got my pepper spray,” I warn him.
“You can sit down.” He removes his coat then lays it down on the grass. “It’s the least I can do after scaring you.” He spins the telescope in my direction as I lower myself to the ground. “Take a look.”
Gingerly, I bend forward to peer through the lens. “Wow…”
I’ve traded the sparkling strobe lights of Club Knotty for the dazzling skies, all my thoughts about the Blandon Pack immediately melting away.
“It’s amazing, huh?” His wistful, deep voice vibrates through me as he gazes up.
“You still didn’t answer my question.” Serial killers have ruses. Maybe this is one of his? Lure an omega into a romantic setting, then bam! “Couldn’t you have watched this from your dorm room?”
“I don’t live on campus. This is the highest elevation I could get to. I mapped out the coordinates and tracked the shower’s movements to get to this exact spot.”
“Does this mean you’re not a creepy stalker or crazed killer?”
“What?” He gasps in horror as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him. “No! Of course not! I only wanted to look at the stars.”
“Next time you want to look at the stars, maybe you should think a little more carefully about what being up in a tree in the middle of the night could look like?” I relax slightly but don’t fully let my guard down.
From my hours spent analyzing criminal trials, Riven’s reactions appear to be genuine. In fact, he seems to be more afraid of me than the other way around.
“I’m going to put my spray back in my pocket, okay?” I tell him. “But you should be warned that I’m a Hapkido black belt.”
He winces. “Noted.”
We sit in silence, taking turns looking at the sky through his telescope. Though being in his presence is oddly comforting, I struggle to suppress a shiver. I should have chosen a warmer costume.
“You’re cold,” he states matter-of-factly.
I jump as something toasty is draped around my shoulders. A blanket. A blanket that smells so fucking delicious and of him. Damn, why do I keep running into strange alphas with delicious smells whenever I want to be alone lately?
“I should probably go,” I say, although I don’t make any immediate effort to move.
“Stay.” It’s not a command but an invitation. More than that, it’s an invitation into his own private world. His blue eyes twinkle, the light in his eyes mirroring the magnificent shooting display. “You don’t want to miss this.”
Against my better judgment, I stay where I am, pulling the blanket tighter around me.
When I catch myself musing over how his scent would pair perfectly with my fluffy blankets back in my nest, I mentally scold myself before my thoughts spiral.
What’s wrong with me? Maybe those cranberry cocktails were stronger than I thought.
An omega’s nest is their sacred space, and I spent a long time curating mine until it was exactly the way I want it. I’m ultra-protective and don’t let anyone else near it. So why the hell am I even thinking about the Viking god look-alike and my nest? It must be his scent. Why is it so enticing?
I steady my breathing. Stay calm, Kady. I’m ultra-conscious of his enormous, muscled shoulder, so close to mine but not quite touching.
I catch a slight hint of my perfume as my body betrays me.
Luckily, Riven doesn’t comment or overtly react.
He keeps staring at the stars, mouth slightly open in awe, completely oblivious to the fact that my panties are now damp from being wrapped in a blanket that smells like him.
Usually, an alpha would go absolutely feral at a whiff of an omega’s perfume.
Instead of feeling grateful for not capturing his attention, insecurity rises to the surface. Doesn’t he like me?
He offers me the telescope. “Do you want to look again?”
I pull myself together, shaking off the silly voice in the back of my head to concentrate on the glimmering dots against the inky blackness. The distant music coming from Club Knotty feels so far away. This moment of calm is exactly what I needed.
“Perfect.” Riven’s husky growl gives me goose bumps, but in a good way. He clears his throat. “Isn’t it?”
I hum my agreement as he reaches for his backpack and takes out a thermos. When he opens it, the sweet aroma of hot cocoa mixed with rich toffee caramel wafts through the air, warming my insides.
“Would you like some?” He smiles shyly. “It’ll help warm you up.”
“No, thanks.” I deny myself the pleasure, despite the delicious smell. “I don’t accept drinks from strangers.”
He takes a long swig then tilts his head to the left, studying me like I’m a math equation he’s trying to work out. “Why?”
“The usual stuff.” I can’t help but squirm under his penetrating gaze. “It could be poisonous, drugged, or…” I realize I sound ridiculous, especially after seeing him drink it.
“I just thought you might like some.” His shoulders slump as he quickly stashes the flask out of sight. “I always bring cocoa with me when I’m out in the cold.”