Chapter 13
Flora
The next morning, when I rolled out of my nest, I couldn’t help but smile as I got ready for the day.
The night before had been so utterly out of my comfort zone—but so worth it. My whole body still felt languid, even after I woke up. Who would have thought amazing sex could put me in such a good mood?
I had secretly dreaded going to the club, but I’d mainly gone to prove a point to my creepy, stalking asshole. Thankfully, I hadn’t seen him all night, at least not that I was aware of, and had instead enjoyed a wonderful time with Chase.
I was actually kind of sad I hadn’t gotten his number. The whole point was to have a one-night stand, but I wouldn’t be opposed to a repeat, since my body felt more relaxed than it had since I started college.
Maybe that was the secret to doing well—have regular sex so you feel relieved and ready to take on the world.
Humming to myself, I walked to class, stopping by the coffee shop to get myself a little treat. As I took my drink from the barista, I couldn’t deny I was a million times perkier than usual.
Fun coffee in one hand, my phone in the other, I decided to text Summer.
Flora:
Last night was the best.
Summer:
So you went home with the hottie?
Flora:
Yes, I did, and it was the best decision ever. Thank you for pushing me to do it.
Summer:
I’m so glad it went well. I won’t lie, there was a moment when I was worried he was a crazy man who kidnapped you when you didn’t text me first thing this morning.
Flora:
Sorry, I kind of slept in. After all, I was up late.
Summer:
Don’t you dare apologize. I’m going to live vicariously through you because I didn’t get to take anyone home!
Unfortunately, Summer’s status as a single mother greatly restricted her sex life. Not many men were okay with a baby being in the house when they were trying to get freaky.
It was their loss. Summer was a sweet, caring omega who anyone would be lucky to date.
She was naturally good in a way I couldn’t quite describe.
I doubted there was a mean bone in her body.
There was an innate goodness about her, a quality that was hard to put into words.
I considered myself incredibly lucky that our paths had crossed through Summer’s need for a tutor.
Part of me thought about telling her about my predicament with my potential stalker.
I genuinely believed Spencer was harmless—well, other than the fact that he made me inexplicably wet and that I wanted to climb him like a tree, even though he was a creep.
She was already so busy between classes and caring for her son that I didn’t want to add to her worries. If she knew there was even a chance someone had been in my apartment when I wasn’t there, she’d have me packing my bags and staying at her place before I could blink.
I was overreacting. Or, at least, I hoped I was.
Spencer didn’t seem like he would hurt me. The omega part of me liked him far too much. Maybe my instincts were clouding my judgment. Maybe he was a psycho killer, and I was doing myself a disservice by ignoring it.
Despite the nagging voice in the back of my mind urging caution, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him.
Either way, I sat through class, chewing on the end of my pen, humming lightly to myself, happily reliving the events of last night, and trying not to think too hard about the library kiss.
My last class of the day just happened to be advanced statistics.
The class I shared with Percy Garnett.
The one that Spencer often made an appearance in.
A small part of me debated cutting class. I was ahead with the reading material and knew what we were covering in the lectures. It wouldn’t hurt my grade if I played sick for one day.
It also helped that omegas got a lot of sick days because of their heats.
Betas weren’t given the same privilege—if they missed too many classes, they got into trouble.
An omega could simply say they’d had a surprise heat or were experiencing other omega-related symptoms, and the university would mark it as an authorized absence.
But I didn’t want Spencer to dampen my good mood. Outside the building where the advanced statistics lecture was held, I stood straighter. After the events of the previous night, I felt amazing, and I was going to act as such.
Like the freaking phenomenal omega I was.
Spencer had no right declaring himself my keeper. I was going to do whatever the hell I wanted, even if he broke into my apartment and kidnapped all my delicious junk food.
I was still slightly bitter about that.
After taking my normal seat, I pulled out my notes and started reading through them. I was probably reading the same line for the eighth time when Percy entered the classroom. He smiled at a few students, waving at one or two of them, before walking to his usual spot at the back.
Where was his shadow?
There wasn’t another alpha following him like there usually was.
Chewing on my lip, I tried to subtly look around the room. Now, I hadn’t been watching the comings and goings of Percy Garnett religiously over the last few months, so maybe he didn’t always have security.
Then again, if what Spencer had said was true, and Percy had crazy fangirls, it would make sense that he always needed security.
The rest of the class passed in a blur, and by the time Professor McCreevy wrapped things up, my unease had grown into a tight knot in my stomach.
As soon as Professor McCreevy dismissed the class, I grabbed my bag and hightailed it out of there.
I’d barely turned the corner when a hand wrapped around my arm, dragging me sideways. My hand was already reaching into my bag to grab my taser when a familiar peppery scent wafted over me.
“Spencer,” I hissed, glowering at him. I was sure he hadn’t been there.
He smirked at me. “I offered to wait outside today,” he explained. “You smell like another alpha.” His voice was tight.
So, I hadn’t bothered to shower that morning. The smell of sex had probably faded, but given how close Chase and I had been, I was sure his scent lingered on me.
“Yes, what of it?” I said, cocking my head to the side.
For some utterly bizarre reason, I wasn’t scared. I was merely grumpy. The way he’d confronted me was an intrusion into my space. Why did he care who I smelled like?
Spencer’s face flickered through a myriad of emotions before finally settling on what I could only describe as disgruntled.
“I don’t like it,” he finally said.
“Well, thankfully, you don’t get a say in it,” I pointed out, pulling my arm back.
He let me go, staring down at me in confusion. My mood soured further at the thought that Spencer believed he had the right to parent me or dictate my choices. It seemed ludicrous to me. I didn’t listen to my mother; there was no way in hell I was going to listen to him.
“No, that’s where you’re wrong,” he growled. “I do get a say in it.”
“Do you need to see a doctor? This level of delusion is actually kind of concerning.”
“Hey, Spencer, is everything okay?” a male voice asked from behind me.
I turned to see Percy Garnett, his bag slung over his shoulder, looking between us with confusion.
Spencer cleared his throat. “Everything’s fine here. Shall we head back?”
Percy nodded, still looking unsure. “Sure.” He hesitated. “Hey, Flora, isn’t it? How did you find that last paper McCreevy assigned?”
“The one on differentials?” I asked. Percy nodded. “Honestly, I hated it, but there are some really good textbooks on the basement floor in the library that helped me.”
“Which textbooks?”
“Give me your phone, and I’ll write a list in your notes app.”
A smile broke out across his face. “That would be amazing, thank you,” he replied, handing his phone over without a second thought.
Throughout the interaction, Spencer stood to the side, thunder written all over his face.
“Hopefully those help,” I smiled, passing Percy’s phone back.
“Thank you,” he nodded appreciatively.
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you next week,” I said with a smile before wandering off without a second thought for the grumpy alpha glaring at me.
The stalking bastard didn’t deserve a goodbye. As I turned on my heel, I could feel his piercing gaze burning into my back. It was both unsettling and oddly satisfying.
With each step, my heart raced a little faster. I could almost hear the low growl of frustration escaping his lips.
Let him stew in it.
On my way back to my apartment, I took a slight detour. Well, not that slight—it took a half-hour bus ride to get where I wanted to go, but the old hardware store was just what I needed.
“Hello, miss. How can I help you?” the elderly man behind the counter asked as I entered. He had graying hair and kind eyes that immediately put me at ease.
“Hi, yeah, sorry to bother you. I was hoping to pick up a deadbolt for my door. I live off the university campus and wanted to have a little extra security,” I explained.
The older man nodded appreciatively. “Smart girl,” he said.
“Now, there are a few things I’d recommend.
First would be reinforcing your current lock with longer screws.
” He moved from behind the counter to a wall full of various small parts and hardware I wouldn’t have been able to name in a million years.
“Is that complicated?” I asked. While I was determined to improve the security of my apartment, I wasn’t exactly a handyman. I was much more likely to harm myself than to make my place more secure.
He chuckled good-naturedly. His rich, buttery scent was comforting and warm.
It was the kind of scent that put you at ease.
“No. I’ve learned over the years not to recommend anything overly complicated to the students who come in.
All this requires is undoing the four screws and replacing them with longer ones. ”
“Oh, I’m sure I can do that,” I said, perking up.
“And you want a deadbolt?”
“That’s right—something I can use from the inside so nobody can get in when I’m home. You never know who had keys to the door before you,” I said, trailing off.
He shook his head. “Say no more. I completely understand. Do you have a drill?”
“I don’t. I was hoping to pick up a cheap one,” I said. “If they’re too expensive, I can always use brute force,” I added brightly, not wanting to admit I was broke as a joke.
“Well, you’re in luck. I’ve got one you can have for free.”
“Oh no, I can’t ask that,” I said, waving my hands.
“You’re not asking—I’m offering,” he replied. “I’ve got a few guys who give me their old tools when they upgrade. So, I give them to people who need them. I’ve helped a few university girls improve their security. Also, if you talk to campus police, they’ll often install deadbolts for you.”
I had thought of that. “Unfortunately, I live off campus, so they’re not too eager to help.” Campus police tended to focus on the more central campus buildings, not those who lived just off campus.
The kind old man huffed. “That’s ridiculous.
Just because you live a little off campus shouldn’t change a thing.
In my opinion, they shouldn’t let girls live off campus at all for safety reasons.
Does that make me sound like a sexist pig?
” he asked, his brow furrowing. There was no malice in his tone, only pure concern.
“Not at all.” I giggled. “It makes you sound like you care about people’s safety.”
“I do,” he agreed. “I’ve got a granddaughter a few years younger than you. You can bet your backside that when she goes to college, I’ll deck out her dorm with every security measure known to man.”
“She’s a lucky girl.”
“Oh, she doesn’t see it that way.” He laughed.
Twenty minutes later, I was on my way home with a secondhand drill, a deadbolt, and a new set of screws. He’d talked me through everything several times and told me to come back if I needed any help.
The advice he had given me was solid, and I was easily able to install the deadbolt. After sliding it closed, I smirked to myself and settled down in my nest, feeling safe for the first time in ages.
There was no way Spencer would be getting into my apartment now.