Chapter Two
I set up my phone at the edge of my bright-teal-colored mat. It's at the perfect angle to catch all of my movements when class starts. Until it does, I go ahead and hit record while doing my stretches. I never know which part of the video I could use for posts. Sometimes I'm able to break them down and use multiple parts for different days. I put in my earbuds that are already playing a soft beat, low key song. One of my favorites. It's easy to zone out while I start my stretches.
By the time that I'm done, the once empty room is full, all but a couple open spaces to my left. Trying to not be a nuisance to people, I always position myself in the back of the room when I'm recording. There are too many variables involved in getting people on camera.
Sitting in the cobbler's pose with my soles flush against each other, I watch as the last couple people walk through the door, including the instructor. My eyes stray over to the last man who'd come in as he strolls to the back corner. He seems to always be in at the same time as me. We must be keeping the same kind of schedule. Let's be honest, too, he's very easy on the eyes. Nothing I'd ever complain about having to look at three days a week. He can't be taller than five foot eleven or more. His jawline is sharp enough to cut glass and clean enough to appear that he just shaved mere minutes ago. There's an absence of lines on his face which means two things. One, he's probably less than thirty. Two, he likely doesn't smile very often. The air around him is pure alpha. I don't need to be close enough for his scent to figure it out.
I try not to make it obvious as I continue to watch him pull his hoodie over his head, revealing a snug, white under shirt and making his dark-brown hair wave with the motion. I have the strangest desire to run my fingers through it to check and see if it's as soft as it looks.
As he begins stretching, his head starts to turn my direction, so I jerk my gaze back to the front, feeling my cheeks warm slightly. I'll definitely have to edit that part from my video later. Talk about the secondhand embarrassment I'd give my viewers. On second thought, I imagine tapping my chin with my finger. A good cringe video would be a perfect change of pace and give them something a little new.
As quick as the thought has come to me, I breathe it back out with the first pose the instructor puts us into. For an hour, I empty my mind of all things and relax into the feeling of my muscles pulling taut with each new pose.
By the time that we're finished, my body and mind both feel rejuvenated. Stopping my recording and my music, I pack all of my things away before rolling my mat up and strapping it to my bag. I take my time doing so, leaving me to be one of the last to leave. When I step out into the hall, a board across the room catches my eye. More so the flyer that's being hung by one of the employees.
"You're hiring a new instructor?" I ask the woman about my age as I make it over to where she has started to walk away.
She gives me a once over that makes me want to recoil. A corner of her mouth pulls up in, what I'm assuming, is supposed to be a polite smile, but is more a sneer. "We are, but we're only accepting applications from people with...certification or experience."
A few of the stragglers overhear her as they walk by, and one of them giggles. My face feels warm again as my body is just the opposite. Even my hands have gone cold and clammy. Not a moment later, I feel a warmth at my back, and I'm overtaken by the scent of a spicy aftershave.The expression dies on the girl's face, and she quickly hightails it away from me.
I turn just as a voice says, "Don't listen to her. Or anyone else for that matter. If you want the job, then apply for it.
I glance over my shoulder to confirm what I kind of already knew. The voice belongs to the alpha from the class. If I'd thought he was breathtaking from afar, being this close to him feels like he's pressed a pause button in the air around me and froze time. Even my breath stills in my chest. Which might be for the best because it gives me time to compose myself for a second or two before sucking in a lung full of his heady alpha scent.
"I actually have good credentials for the job," I tell him, feeling the need to validate myself to him for some odd reason as I turn to face him. I don't say that I've been doing yoga for the past eight years. Nor do I admit that I've got a ton of followers that could possibly bring in more clientele. Somehow, I doubt it'd matter if I did anyway.
He gives me a curt nod. "Unquestionably. Otherwise, you wouldn't have asked."
And with that, he sidesteps me and strolls out the front door without so much as a peek back. Unfortunately, he's thrown his hoodie back on, but that doesn't mean there's nothing else to ogle. His shorts are skin tight and do a great job showing off his muscled thighs. The alpha hits leg day for sure. Or, maybe he's a runner.
I'm still watching him as he steps off the curb into a sleek, expensive-looking black car. Not until he's pulling away do I register the snickers coming from the two women behind the counter. One of them being the snobby application lady. Steeling my nerves, I lift my chin a smidgen as I walk out. It's been a long time since I let anyone make me feel inferior, and today won't be breaking that streak.
Of course, it might help if I had a sleek car to climb into and drive off in, too. Alas, I do not. I've always wanted one, but cars cost a lot of money. When you're living paycheck to paycheck, something like that is a luxury, not a necessity. One of the main reasons I chose to come here to North Five University is because of how close everything is. Literally, anything a college kid needs is within walking distance. If I need something beyond that, there's always Uber.
One of the great things about walking, too, is that it gives me time to ponder. After the way I was treated today, I can't help but wonder if there is another yoga place close. Is the reward worth the risk, though? Say I find another place, that'll mean giving up my eye candy and possibly never seeing him again.
Honestly, that might not be such a bad thing after all. I don't know what's gotten into me lately, noticing all these alphas that I have no time for. I've been sworn off anything serious for as many years as I can count. As many as my mom's been telling me how my sperm donor alpha ditched her once she got pregnant with me and I was old enough to understand beyond the scope of just not having a dad or a pack to raise me. Asshole better hope that we never meet. I'll have a few choice words for him, and not a single one of them will be ‘Dad.’ Especially with the spiral that mom has gone down after the accident.
Pulling me from my thoughts, I stop at the crosswalk and push the button to walk just as the sleek, black alpha's car pulls up to the light. The windows are slightly tinted, but does nothing to hide the people inside. His face looks as unemotional as I've ever seen it as his passenger passionately expresses whatever he's talking about with his hands. With dark-brown hair, if it wasn't for his tanner complexion, he could pass for a relative of the driver.
That's all I get to see before the walk sign flashes, letting me and the few others standing around know that it's safe to cross. I grab my bag's strap on my chest and look both ways out of habit before setting out. I try my best to keep my eyes forward and act like I have no other care in the world.
I fail miserably.
As soon as I'm almost directly in front of his car, it's like my eyes have a mind of their own and glance over. Our gazes instantly lock onto each other, letting me know that he was already watching me. The alpha might've had a weird hold over me when we're in the same room, but out here where we are practically worlds apart and I have fresh air to my advantage, I award him the same look as any other man I'd catch staring. I lift my chin a bit and one side of my lips pull up in a half grin. One of his eyebrows arch, and he gives my body a once over, obvious enough that I literally watch his gaze drop to my toes and crawl back up again. Then, that's it. I'm past his car and the light is turning green letting him carry on his merry way.
Maybe I will look into different locations for yoga after all. At this point in my life, the very last thing I need is any kind of distraction. Relationships are not even close to being on my to do list...probably ever. I'm likely the only omega that has never wanted a pack, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Those thoughts sit fresh in my mind for the rest of the week. Even when Professor Brent tries to get my attention a few days after our first encounter. I never let it get past a quick hello, much to his disappointment seemingly.
By the time Thursday rolls around, I'm mentally shut down from blocking everything out all week, and I'm ready to get my first shift at the bar over with. One of the good things about it is that I don't have time to think about anything other than dancing and serving some drinks for hours.
Slipping into some skin-tight, faux-leather pants and a top that's more of a vest than a shirt, I let my hair down out of the messy bun I've had it in all day and paint my eyelids and lips. When I'm done and standing in front of the mirror, I almost don't recognize myself. I look older, but only just enough to drive people wild. Almost as wild as my hair looks with its voluptuous waves hanging down past my shoulders.
My phone dings, and I pick it up to find a notification for my Uber saying they're here. I don't need anything other than my keys and my phone so I stuff them both in my pockets before grabbing a light jacket and heading out.
As instructed, my ride waits on the curb, and as I get closer to the car, a cute young guy named Palmer, according to the app steps out to come around and open my door for me. "Billie?"
"Yeah, thanks," I tell him as I slide into his car.
His smile is sweet as he says, "You're welcome."
When he shuts the door, I'm surrounded by his beta spearmint scent that makes me want to breathe it in deep. One of the best things about the app is that it gives the option to choose what kind of driver we want. I guess because some are more comfortable one way or another. Most of the time, I don't bother picking an option. However, with the way that the beginning of my week went, I didn't want to be in close quarters with an alpha and stressing out before heading into the bar. So, tonight I took the easy way out and chose to have a beta driver.
A small decision that seems to be paying off as his scent is relaxing. Even as he gets in the driver's seat and turns the music up a bit before pulling out of the parking lot. I really hate the ‘Chatty Cathy’ drivers who want to tell you their whole life story or know yours as they're driving. It's been so bad before that I've had to put my earbuds in just to get a moment of peace. Lucky for me, Palmer isn't one of those. It's a quiet twenty minute ride, no conversation or awkward silence as the music from the campus station plays through his speakers.
We pull up to the bar, but I don't give him the chance to step out and open my door this time. "Thanks a lot. I appreciate you."
"No problem," he replies over his shoulder.
I pull out my phone as I'm stepping out, so that I can adjust the amount on my tip for him. I leave him the same as what it cost for the trip. Worth every penny for it, too. A short trip in his car has gone a long way in making me feel more relaxed than I have all week. It'll be worth it to check later to see if special requests can be made for drivers, too. Never had a reason to until now.
Of course, the moment is fleeting as soon as I step foot in the bar. It's crowded tonight with still more people wrapped halfway around the building waiting to get in. With my phone still in my hand, I raise it and hit record to start a video from the back of the mass of bodies. The lights flash over their heads and across the bodies of Trinity and Fran already dancing on the bar. It's loud with people shouting to be heard over the music. Perfect conditions for a promotional video. The girls look good from back here, too. Trinity is tiny, but still easy to see as her platinum-blonde hair flashes with the lights every time she spins. Her hot-pink halter top, mini skirt, and cowboy boots match the pop country twang of the song playing perfectly. Fran is on fire, too. The leopard-print tube dress she's wearing really sets off the dark tone of her skin. They look like sirens up there, only beckoning people to their death through dance rather than song. Kind of makes me wonder if that's how I'm seen.
Satisfied after twenty seconds of recording, I start making my way through the throng of people as I switch over to the bar's account and post the video with some hashtags and a caption saying this is the place to be this weekend. Ever since I started here, Ross, the owner, pretty much handed all of the social media stuff over to me. Dude barely had the ancient site that no one uses anymore still functioning. Once I told him how many followers I had and begged him to let me be the bar's social media manager, he agreed to try me out on a trial basis and only because he knew I needed it for my resume. Once the bar's online presence doubled and so did the customers, he started paying me for it.
Squeezing between two guys trying to yell orders across the bar to Ross, I hop up and slide behind it. I quickly stash my phone and keys in the basket before turning around to grab the orders for the guys I'd heard shouting. It's a quick trade off of drinks and cash.
"How's it going, Billie?" Ross asks, voice raised enough to be heard.
"Going to be a good night," I yell back. It's the same conversation we have every night I'm here. Same words, different day.
I let the vibe of the bar suck me into it, swaying as I fill a few more orders. Then my song comes on, and I abandon Ross to the craziness. Jumping up on the counter between Trinity and Fran, we fall easily into step with one of the dances we've done together for months now. A few body rolls, hip swinging, some quick footwork, and a drop or two to our knees and the people are getting louder and pushing forward a bit as though they're trying to get a better look. They know better than to get carried away because Ross will toss their asses out, but that doesn't stop them from letting the intoxication most of them are feeling to get a little wild.
As the song rolls into the next one, Trinity jumps down behind the bar to help serve and after a few songs, she and Fran trade out. Then it's my turn again.
The first person I see as my feet touch the floor is my Uber driver, Palmer. Closing the distance between us, I call out loudly, "I hope you aren't drinking and driving."
I don't know what inspires me to flirt with him, but I blame the high of the bar that I'm riding.
His smile lights up his face. "No, I was just hoping to get a soda if you have it."
The skepticism is in my expression, and I can't help it as I grab a glass bottle from the cooler underneath the counter and hand it to him. "I hope this doesn't mean that you're my new stalker or anything."
Shaking his head with that smile that hasn't gone away, he passes me a five dollar bill, saying, "Hundreds of drunk people all in the same place is good for business."
It's my turn to laugh before moving on to help other customers. The next time I look down the counter, he's gone.
Hours go by in the blink of an eye. I manage to get a good video of us dancing where the only thing visible is our legs and the patrons. At the end of the night, I post it as a tease for tomorrow night. The video from the beginning of the night already has thousands of reactions and comments.
After the last person leaves and the doors are locked, Ross counts the cash out before handing us all five hundred each.
"Damn, we really did have a good night," I tell him, stuffing my share in my pocket.
He snorts, still counting. "You can say that again. We were wrapped around the building all night."
"Need help with cleanup?" I ask.
"Nah," he says, like always. "The crew will be here shortly."
"Thank God," Fran sighs. "No offense, Ross, but I'm pooped and my feet hurt."
We all laugh, knowing good and damned well that we're all feeling it, too.
Hopping up on the counter, I slide over to where Fran and Trinity wait. The latter offers, "You guys are more than welcome to share my Uber tonight since we're all going to the same place."
"Carlston is actually already waiting for me outside," Fran admits. "Thank you, though."
"Ohhhh," Trinity coos, heckling her.
"I'll take you up on that," I say, stopping it before Fran starts offering details like she's done before. I'm not a prude by any means, but at three in the morning and dead on my feet, the last thing I want to be doing is chatting about someone else's sex life. Especially an alpha like Fran. Some of the stuff she's told us before is pretty intense, and once she starts, she doesn't quit.
Once we're outside and I take my first breath of fresh air in hours, I feel some of the tension leave my shoulders. It's going to be a night where I pass out, and I'll be lucky to make it back to the dorms before I do. I'm exhausted.
I blindly follow Trinity over to where a car sits idling. It isn't until I've slid into the backseat that the scent hits me and my head jerks up to find a gaze meet mine in the rear view mirror.
"Are you stalking me?" Palmer asks, grinning.
A laugh bursts out of me and I can't stop it if I wanted to.
Trinity looks confused as she looks from me to him. "Am I missing something? Do you guys know each other?"
"He was my driver earlier," I fill in.
"Oh, gotcha," she says relaxing into the seat. "I always call Palmer to drive me home. He's literally the best."
For whatever reason, his name leaving her mouth gives me chill bumps and makes my face go warm. I sit back and close my eyes to avoid them both. The last thing we need is my scent to go crazy in this small car with my emotions running high. Spearmint fills my head and it seems to be the only thing I can think about. Every now and then, Trinity's sharp floral scent mingles with his and makes my head spin. But, twenty minutes goes by quicker when you fall asleep and that's just what I do.