Chapter 8 Kady
EIGHT
Kady
Riven’s clean scent still clings to my sweater.
I slept with it wrapped around me, his scent providing a calmness against the chaos of my thoughts.
My brain still buzzes with questions. Where did he come from, and why did he transfer mid-semester?
Unable to shake my curiosity, I decide to use my access to The Valley Voice archives to do a little digging about the hot alpha who fell from the sky.
I plan to leave Stella House before Delilah and Sabs wake up.
After being reunited, I decided to come home early, but the two of them were out until close to five.
I heard them stumbling in, Sabs singing at the top of her lungs while Delilah tried to wrestle Persephone House’s entry to the pumpkin carving competition out of Sabs’s hands, despite Sabs insistence that it would help us win. I doubt I’ll see them before midday.
I approach my getting ready routine the same way every day.
I don’t have a long routine, but I favor quality products and spend time carefully massaging in my moisturizer before applying extra concealer under my eyes.
I apply a light layer of mascara to make the edges of my eyelashes curl then scoop my hair up into a high ponytail before looking at my phone to re-read Devon’s message.
DEVON
I can’t even imagine what kinda shit you’ve gotten into, girl! Are you sure you know what you’re doing? Just say the word, and I’ll take the article down!
I quickly load up The Valley Voice blog. We have an entire page dedicated to courting announcements—it’s similar to how people used to announce engagements in newspapers in times gone by.
My stomach clenches when the photograph of me and Tyler dancing together fills the screen. I frown, inspecting it. If you were to look at it objectively, the smile on my face indicates I’m happy. I guess it’s good enough.
Seeing it online makes it so much more official, but combined with other students antics from the Monster Masquerade, I don’t expect it to blow up too much.
I’m sure there’ll be more exciting things to report on after such a huge party.
Something salacious always seems to happen on themed nights—a cheating beta exposed, a football player making a fool of himself, a hockey player trying to bite during a one-night stand…
All of that will cloud the announcement of me and the Blandon Pack. Or so I hope.
I pack my bag then head out, making sure I’ve got the print-out of my application for the editor role with me.
The deadline is tomorrow, but after adding some finishing touches and checking it over for the third time, I’m ready to turn it in, and I want to hand-deliver it to Leah personally.
Usually, I’d have handed it in earlier, so I already feel out of my groove.
However, with everything else going on, I had to ensure it was my best work.
And now that my dad will stop hassling me about finding a pack, I can really throw myself into my studies and role of TVV editor—if I’m successful.
ME
Just seen the article. Thanks, Dev. Heading to the office. Want me to bring you a coffee?
Seconds later, Devon sends me a picture of him cozied up against a muscular guy’s chest with the message:
DEVON
I’m getting more than caffeine this morning…
I roll my eyes. Despite some people finding Devon’s appearance intimidating, he has no problem picking up guys and he rarely goes home alone at the end of the night.
He claims that his special piercings help him seal the deal.
Although he’s happy being a lone alpha, he’s rarely spoken about whether he wants to find an omega partner one day.
While many alphas are happy to date betas, some still experience a biological yearning to find an omega.
Unfortunately for him, male omegas are so rare that I’ve never actually met one before.
ME
Have fun!
I sling my backpack over my shoulder then set off. The carnage from last night is evident in the street from discarded pieces of costumes to ghosts hanging listlessly off trees and even a few rogue shoes. Margie will have it cleaned up by lunchtime.
Although campus is eerily quiet, there are more carts and bicycles whipping around than usual, delivering food.
A few students are sitting, white-faced, nursing coffees while attempting to eat a few bites of some of the “hangover cure” breakfasts.
Some of them are still in costume, presumably having stayed up all night.
“Want one of my new wok boxes?” Mei calls through the open door of Noodles and Chill when she sees me. “I made extra sesame tofu with a kung pao sauce, and I know how much you love your crispy wontons. I’ll even pop in some of my new bao buns. It’s a special recipe.”
“Sure,” I cave. “That sounds delicious. I’ll take one for Leah too. I’m guessing she’s already upstairs?”
“She arrived an hour ago.” Mei shakes her head. “There’s also—” She doesn’t get a chance to finish her sentence as her assistant requests her help. They talk quickly in Cantonese as she boxes up two gigantic portions and hands them over. Chinese food to start the day is one of my guilty habits.
The delicious smell stalks me as I climb the stairs to the office.
However, the moment I reach the landing, another scent hits my nose.
A scent far more delicious and mouthwatering than what’s in my hands.
It smells like summer has rolled up to the office—warm lemon, a zesty twist of crisp apple, and the comforting steadiness of driftwood that’s just been washed ashore.
I push open the door to find Leah and an alpha mid-conversation.
I inhale sharply, his scent filling the entire space and making it hard to think straight.
I try to shut my nostrils off, reminding myself that I need to act professional.
If someone is here at this ungodly hour the day after Halloween, they may be a source.
Then I notice Leah’s desk. Usually, it’s littered with papers and empty coffee cups, but this morning, it’s completely bare.
“Leah?” There’s a cardboard box in her arms, piled high with her possessions. “What’s going on?”
“Kady.” Her eyes widen in surprise. “I didn’t think anyone would be here this morning.”
I put the food down on the nearest desk. “Is everything okay?”
The alpha she was speaking to keeps his back to me, so all I can tell is that he’s very tall—around 6’2”—wearing jeans and a white T-shirt that highlights his golden, sun-kissed skin. Although it’s a basic outfit, it’s obviously well-tailored, hinting that it’s expensive.
As Leah shuffles from one foot to the other, my internal warning alarm blares like crazy. What is she hiding? “I’m leaving SVU earlier than expected. My transfer came through already.”
Disappointment has me frowning. “You were going to leave without saying goodbye?”
Devon and I had started planning a farewell party, and I’d already spoken to Delilah about baking a cake that looks like a newspaper with a custom headline.
“It was a sudden thing.” Her eyes don’t stray from her shoes. “I’m sorry, Kady. Really.”
“Do you need any help moving your belongings?” The alpha finally speaks in a no bullshit tone.
“I think I have everything,” she replies curtly.
Her lips purse, the way they always do whenever she disapproves of something.
She heads past me then pauses, turning back to face me.
“It’s been a joy to work with you, Kady.
You’re talented. And for what it’s worth, this isn’t how I wanted it to happen. ”
Is she talking about the new editor role? Has she put in a recommendation? It’s SVU tradition for the current editor to select their replacement.
“What do you…?”
I lose my train of thought as the alpha places a shiny placard on Leah’s desk. It’s embossed with his name: Calder Soren, and underneath it, “The Valley Voice Editor.”
“Good luck, Kady,” Leah murmurs.
I’m speechless as she scuttles out of the office without looking back.
Calder Who-Gives-a-Shit-Bighead Soren leans against his new desk and smirks. Yes, actually smirks like he’s already made himself at home!
“Calder Soren.” He holds out his hand, drawing my attention to his tanned perfectly defined muscles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
My eyes bulge, crossing my arms in disbelief. “You’re the new editor?”
His hazel eyes hold my gaze as he arches an eyebrow, almost teasingly. “So the plaque says.”
“Did you apply for the position?” I ask. “The deadline for applications isn’t until tomorrow.”
“There was a change of plans.” He runs a hand through his medium-length, light brown hair that’s slightly wavy, giving him a stylish beachy vibe.
How can he breeze over this like it’s nothing? I spent hours writing and revising my application. Leah even said I was her first choice.
Anger bubbles inside of me. “A change of plans that was out of Leah’s control?”
“I can assure you, I have more than sufficient credentials for the job. I’m majoring in investigative journalism. I believe you’re,” he sniffs, “studying law?”
“You’ve researched me?” This just keeps getting better and better.
“I might have taken a look at Leah’s list of potential candidates.” He shrugs. “I hope this won’t sour our professional relationship.”
“Some of us worked really hard for the editorship.” There should be rules against this. “You’re a stranger who has just shown up out of nowhere. It’s up to Leah to pick the new editor. It’s SVU tradition.”
He simply stares at me, a small quirk tilting his lips, so I continue. “I can show you the paperwork where she recommended me, if you’d like?”
Again, nothing, his hazel eyes sparkling. “How did you do it?” I pin him with a furious glare. “Did you blackmail her? Give her money to buy your way in? Charm the dean with your stupid flippy hair?”
His arrogant smirk deepens. “Leah got her transfer faster, isn’t that all that matters?”