Chapter 25 Kady
TWENTY-FIVE
Kady
“Your scent match?” I cough, feeling like I’ve swallowed a ton of pills.
Although he’s only confirming what my body has been trying to fight, hearing it from his mouth makes it impossible to ignore any longer.
I carefully place Larry down on the sofa before I drop him. He happily curls up in a little ball, instantly falling asleep. The room feels like it’s spinning as my control slips.
A scent match is my worst nightmare, the shackles of fate drawing you to a mate and giving you no choice over your happily ever after. It dooms you to a life of knowing that no one could ever make you feel as happy as your match does.
“I’m sorry.” Hale steps back, a hand flying to his mouth like he spoke before his brain caught up. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. We’ve been meaning to talk to you about it, but it never felt like the right time.”
I look around at the others, my lower lip trembling. “What about the rest of you? Do you think I’m your…” I can’t even say the word.
Maybe they’ll disagree with Hale. Perhaps there’s another rational explanation for what we’re feeling.
Riven is first to nod, then he holds his head up high, his earlier hesitation gone as he responds with utter certainty. “Yes.”
“Calder?” I turn to him. “You’re logical. You don’t believe it, do you?”
My legs stay rooted in place, even though my brain screams at me to run. Getting away from them as fast as possible will stop me from having to face this.
“I was reluctant at first,” Calder admits. “But after what just happened between us…” There are a few curious glances from the others in the room, but he doesn’t acknowledge them. “I think Hale may be right.”
“Ezra?” I spin to him. So far, he’s been the quietest. “You don’t want an omega. You already told me that.”
Yes, Ezra will be the one to make the others see they’re wrong, won’t he?
“I never wanted to be bonded.” After a few seconds of consideration, Ezra answers, refusing to look at me. “I told them that you feel the same as I do.”
I look at it analytically, going down a mental checklist like a scientist. They smell good—out of this world good.
My body seems to react of its own accord when they’re around, like when I had the unexpected heat spike in the greenhouse.
Even being in their presence seems to raise my core temperature, and my heat cycles seem to have been all over the place since we met.
Yet all of this could also be due to stress, right?
“I think you feel it too.” Hale pulls me from my thoughts. “The connection to us. You’re trying to deny it, but this is stronger than you, Kady. It’s stronger than all of us.”
Could the Valen Pack really be my future?
“Spare me the lecture about scent matches being destiny.” Despite my emotions going crazy, I cling to my rational logic.
“Nothing is stronger than our free will. I’ve given other people control of my life for far too long.
I’m not about to let fate or amazing-smelling alphas dictate the rest of my life. ”
“You think we smell amazing, huh?” Calder leans back in his chair, looking even smugger than usual.
“When your head is done inflating, you should listen to what I’m saying,” I clench my fists, itching to smack the smirk off his face.
“If you’re looking for an omega to skip into the sunset with, that’s not me.
I come with baggage. I have dreams. Big dreams!
I don’t need a pack to step in and try to save me all the time.
I’ve worked too hard for too long to have some scent match come along, strip away my freedom, and ruin everything. ”
“We don’t want to change you, Kady.” Hale rubs his jaw. “We don’t want you to be anyone other than who you are. All we’re asking is for a chance. No pressure. No bonding. Just a chance to get to know each other better. After that, if you still feel like we’re not a match, we’ll walk away.”
“What?” Riven’s eyes bulge. “We’ll walk away?”
Hale nods. “If that’s what Kady wants.”
“And what if we all agree that we are definitely,” I wince, “a scent match?”
I’m still clinging to the slim possibility that we’re not, despite all the signs. It would be so much easier if we’d got it wrong…
“Then we’ll deal with that together,” Hale speaks calmly, as if this is the most simple, straightforward topic in the world. “As a pack.”
“So hypothetically, if I were to agree to this, where would we start?” I set my hands on my hips, regarding him. “A date?”
“How about a weekend away?” Hale suggests. “We were planning on going to visit my parents.”
I gape at him. “You want me to meet your parents?”
“Not if you don’t want to.” Hale laughs. “We have our own place there. It’ll be quick since we have to be back at SVU for Ezra’s classes on Monday. But after everything that happened with the Blandon Pack, maybe a change of scenery would do you good.”
“I have reading to do for my classes.” I think of excuses. “And I probably should write an article for The Valley Voice.”
“Bring your books. And I’m sure your editor can make an exception for you.” Calder winks at me.
Is going away with them a bad idea? They—well, most of them—believe I’m their scent match.
Despite a few flaws, they seem to be genuinely good guys.
But what if it doesn’t end well? Ezra and Calder could probably handle it, but there’s an innocence to Riven, and Hale is so kind-hearted.
Would it be easier to stop this now before it goes any further?
And even if we are scent matches, I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to bond with anyone.
Is that something they’d be okay with? Many alphas wouldn’t be.
“Fine.” Despite all my reservations, I still find myself nodding. “I guess one weekend away from the library won’t hurt.”
“Great!” Hale’s bright smile makes the faint freckles on his nose dance. “We can leave later today.”
“But I do have one condition.” I hold up my index finger.
“What’s that?” Riven asks.
“Larry comes with us.”
“I’m good with that.” Calder reaches over to pet Larry’s head. He’s still sleeping among their cushions.
“We love Larry,” Hale adds. “And we can take him to Dr. Otto, the local vet, while we’re there.”
I guess if our trip benefits Larry’s health, it would be remiss not to go.
“I need to go back to Stella House to pack,” I say, looking down at my sleeping bundle of joy. “Would you mind if—”
“Larry can stay with us.” Hale reads my mind.
“I can give you a ride,” Calder offers.
“I’ll drive myself.” I hold my hand out for his keys. “That is, if you trust me driving your car again.”
Calder doesn’t look thrilled as he reaches into his pocket to retrieve his keys, tossing them into the air and catching them quickly before throwing them at me. “If there’s a single scratch on my car, Sinclair, I’ll bill you for it.”
I make a perfect catch then swing his keys around my finger. “Deal.”
Hale checks his watch. “Meet back here in a few hours?”
I nod.
What the hell am I doing?
Sabs springs off my bed like she’s been launched by a catapult. “What do you mean, you’re going away for a weekend with them?”
I flip through my wardrobe of neatly pressed items. I have no idea what to wear, so I need to bring lots of options. I even toss in a few skimpy bikinis that I’ve never worn before pulling them out again.
“Hell no! You’re taking them.” Sabs throws them back in my suitcase. “You’ll rock those bikinis.”
I don’t usually like anyone else in my bedroom, but while packing, I really wanted their company.
“And you really don’t know where you’re going?” Delilah crosses her legs from her spot on my bed.
“Nope.” I pop the P as I inspect two cream-colored wool sweaters. They’re basically identical, but I decide to take them both anyway. “This is crazy, isn’t it?” I rub my temples. “Maybe I should see a doctor or something. This just isn’t like me.”
“You’re right, this is definitely not typical Kady behavior,” Delilah agrees. “But if these guys could be your scent matches, then you at least owe yourself the chance to find out.”
“But what if they are?” I voice my fears out loud. “What happens then? They’ll want to bond, and I’ll be tied to them forever?”
“I know your thoughts about scent matches,” Delilah replies, “but maybe you’ll feel differently after spending more time with them? The universe works in mysterious ways, bringing people together at the right times. This could be your moment.”
“Yeah, yeah, maybe the stars have aligned.” Sabs waves her arms around in an airy-fairy way, which earns her a cushion whack in the face from Delilah.
Delilah wags her finger. “When you find your scent match, Sabrina Maverick, you won’t be mocking me.”
“I can’t even find a heat buddy, let alone a scent match.” Sabs rolls her eyes. “Besides, scent match or not, you’ll probably have an incredible weekend with steamy sex and all the knots. I saw the hot editor at The Valley Voice, but what do the others look like?”
I throw her my phone so Sabs can inspect their profile pics on our group chat.
Delilah also cranes her neck to get a look. “There’s the cute Viking I saw you with.”
“We have Mr. Heartthrob Viking, Mr. Cute Animal Lover, Mr. Hotshot Editor, and Mr. Pretty Professor,” Sabs declares. “Which one of them has the double-knot?”
I stay tight-lipped. “That’s none of your business.”
Maybe I shouldn’t have given them both a rambling rundown of my history with the guys as soon as I got home. However, after weeks of holding everything inside, it felt surprisingly good to talk to them about it.
“Maybe I shouldn’t go,” I groan, collapsing onto the bed. “What if Ezra gets into trouble?”
Delilah rubs her chin. “I’m sure there’s something in the SVU rules about an exception for scent matches and faculty relations.”
She’s right, of course. I should have remembered that after all my reading.
“Who will even find out anyway?” Sabs shrugs. “It’s not like you’re going to be flaunting your trip all over social media. Breaking the rules and screwing a professor is pretty much every girl’s dream, right?”
“He’s never been my professor,” I point out. “He wasn’t even teaching here when we first met.”
“Faye is gonna freak when she finds out.” Sabs claps her hands in delight before her expression turns more somber. “In all seriousness, I think Del’s right. You have nothing to lose by going. The worst that can happen is you get some amazing sex then agree to go your separate ways.”
“Is that really the worst thing?” I bite my lip.
Delilah squeezes my shoulder, sensing my nerves. Her homey smell makes me feel more at ease, quashing my anxiety. “You’re worried about what will happen if they are your scent matches, aren’t you?”
“Sometimes I think you’re psychic,” I murmur. “But yes. I know you’ve always wanted to find a scent match, but as you know, that’s never been on my list. I’m scared of what’ll happen next and how it could change… well, everything.”
“If you are scent matches, who says anything has to change?” Delilah’s gentle voice helps slow my thundering heart. “From what you’ve said, they’re nice guys.”
“They got the Blandon Pack expelled from campus for you,” Sabs reminds me. “They helped you through heat spikes. They haven’t put any pressure on you, right?”
“Well, no.”
“Then it’s about time that you started living life, Kady.” Sabs does a ridiculous dance, twirling around and shaking her ass. “You’ve spent most of your time at college holed up in the library. You deserve to get out there and live a little.”
“Guys who want to bring you to meet their family aren’t usually knot-head fuckboys,” Delilah adds.
“They must care about you.” Sabs drops down onto the floor, leaning back against my bed. “And after so long trying to take care of yourself, will it be so bad to let someone else take care of you for a change?”
Delilah’s eyes widen in surprise.
“What?” Sabs laughs. “You’re not the only one who can give good advice, you know.”
“So you both don’t think it’s a crazy idea to go away with alphas I barely know?”
“They’re not exactly strangers,” Delilah replies. “And if you aren’t having fun, I’m sure you can ask Warren to send a helicopter to come get you.”
I scoff. “Yeah, he and my dad would love that.”
Since my most recent outburst, Dad has been giving me the cold shoulder.
He cut off a few of my cards and reduced my monthly allowance.
I get the sense he’s testing me to see how long I’ll last until I come crawling back for more money.
I’d expected this, so I’d saved for a rainy day and made wise investments.
A fresh wave of doubt sweeps over me. “Maybe I should take some assignments to work on while I’m away.”
Sabs groans. “Haven’t you already finished your assignments that are due months from now?”
“Well, yes,” I sigh. “But there are more due after that.”
“Let loose!” Sabs jumps up, rooting around in my underwear drawer. After grabbing a lacey bra, she flings it in my face. “Live a little! Have fun!” She returns to my dresser to find the pair of matching panties. “And definitely take these with you. They’re hot.”
I swipe them from her then throw them in my bag. “Well, I think that’s everything.”
“When you get back, we’ll have to meet them,” Delilah comments. “If it goes well.”
“I doubt that’ll need to happen.” After spending a few days together, I’m sure they’ll realize that they’ve got it wrong. “Don’t hold your breath.”
“We’ll see.” Delilah’s brown eyes twinkle as she adjusts her cute pink ribbon hairclips. “There’re some muffins cooling that you can take for the journey.”
“What?” Sabs face falls. “You’re letting her take the muffins?”
“You took the last batch for your volleyball team, remember?” Delilah calls her out.
“They were great motivation.” Sabs smiles. “I’ve never seen some of the girls move as fast as they did to grab one.”
I laugh, excitement bubbling in my belly as I zip up my suitcase. Perhaps the girls are right. This trip could be exactly what I need, no matter how un-Kady-like it may be.