6. Eli
Chapter 6
Eli
I had too many papers due.
Who knew doing a PhD in statistics would lead to so many essays?
With such a killer workload, I had to buckle down and get some work done. As much as I adored my pack mates, I needed some peace and quiet to study. So, I had packed some snacks and taken a late-night drive to the library.
Micha and Charlie had been in the middle of a very enthusiastic Mario Kart tournament, and those two were loud when they played video games. There was shouting, throwing of popcorn, and it usually devolved into a wrestling match or two. They would have calmed down if I asked, but I didn’t want to spoil their fun when we lived close to campus, and it was an easy drive. Had it not been for the mountain of work I had to do, I probably would have joined them.
Our fourth pack mate, Storm, was god knows where, probably partying. He had yet to grow out of his wild-child phase, but I had a feeling reality would catch up to him soon. He was in the final year of his bachelor’s, after retaking two years and changing his major, and it was time for him to sink or swim.
Even if he sank, we would be there for him.
Pack was family, after all.
The library was deserted when I got there, so I wandered through the space for a few minutes, getting the lay of the land. I knew to avoid the loud party girls on the ground floor. They weren't studying—they were simply gossiping loudly—and I knew their incessant chatter while I was trying to work would infuriate me.
When I stepped onto the second floor, my entire body relaxed. I couldn’t explain it, but the tension left my shoulders, and I was breathing deeper.
Something about that floor just felt right.
Picking one of the large tables that was free, I put my bag down before going to find a few textbooks that would be useful. One of the books I wanted was up on the fourth floor. With a huff, I made my way toward the stairs.
The moment my feet hit the stairs, a weird sense of unease hit me, tension returning. Shrugging to myself, I continued up the stairs. Chalking up my weird behavior to alpha instincts, I hurried and grabbed the book, practically sprinting back down the stairs to the second floor.
There were a few students at the tables near me, but I didn’t take note of them as I pulled out textbooks and dove into my research. I put in my earbuds and turned on some classical music—it was my music of choice while I studied.
Time passed quickly; it always did while I was studying. My mind would get lost in the numbers, and I would be oblivious to most things around me.
I was turning to a thrilling chapter on percentages when a sweet scent hit my nose, making my head jolt up to find the source.
Vanilla and violet.
Sugary and warmth—it was the very scent that had enticed me to sit at that particular table, even though I usually sat on the third floor, where the chairs were significantly better. I hadn’t registered why I wanted to be on this floor, but now it was obvious.
Omega.
A very delicious-smelling omega.
Most of the tables around me had cleared while I was studying, and there was only one still occupied to my left.
She was definitely an omega.
She was sitting on the desk chair, legs crossed as she scribbled down notes from a textbook. Her hair was piled on the top of her head, a few auburn waves falling out. I couldn't make out her eyes, but I already knew they were beautiful, like the rest of her. She was wearing casual clothing, a pair of skintight leggings and an oversized hoodie.
When she wasn’t scribbling notes, she was chewing on the end of her pen—a behavior I would have admonished my pack mates for but was utterly adorable from her.
My body reacted to that smell, my jeans tightening almost painfully as blood rushed to my dick. I didn’t usually go gaga over omega scents, but this one was special. Had she been sitting next to me all evening? How had I missed her?
I turned back to my textbook, highly aware of the fact I’d been rudely ogling the omega. The last thing I wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.
In fact, I liked the idea of her being very comfortable in my presence.
Studying was a lost cause. I read the numbers in front of me, but my mind was retaining nothing. It was impossible, when all I could think about was that scent.
Every few seconds, I glanced up from my textbooks to check on her. She was completely absorbed in her work, chewing on her lip as she scribbled notes.
Would it be rude if I walked up to her and struck up a conversation?
I wasn’t the best-looking alpha from my pack, but Storm’s twin sister, Sunny, had informed me that I was “nerd hot” a few years ago, and that, combined with the attention I sometimes got from others, made me think I wasn’t too bad a catch.
The omega was beautiful, though. If I was dating her, there was no way in hell I would have allowed her out late at night to study solo. I wouldn’t dream of stopping her, even though my alpha instincts could be a pain and demand that. No, instead I would simply follow and study with her, fetch her drinks and bask in her presence.
Keeping my eyes on the equations I was supposed to be studying was proving a gargantuan task, but I was doing it. The possibility she would notice me constantly looking and think me creepy was a pretty potent motivator.
As I was reading the same page for probably the eighth time, someone next to me cleared their throat.
My head shot up, and I came face-to-face with the omega I had been doing my best to ignore. I pulled out an earbud, my heart hammering with excitement at the prospect of talking to her.
“Hi!” The word blurted out of my mouth before I could even take a second to think.
“I’m so sorry to disturb you, but can I plug this in here?” she asked sweetly, and holy fuck, her voice was like honey. I wanted to hear it again.
“Excuse me?”
“The power outlet on my table is broken, and yours is the nearest to mine, is that okay?” she asked, glancing at the two outlets on my desk, one that was charging my laptop, the other unused.
I wanted to bang my head against the table. I’d been so distracted, mentally rolling around in the sweetness of her scent and voice, that I hadn’t noticed her holding up a phone charger. Or heard what she’d originally asked, for that matter.
“Of course,” I said, pulling a few of my textbooks out of the way.
At my answer, she graced me with a dazzling smile that made my stomach turn over with nerves. What on earth was happening to me? Usually, I didn’t turn into a mess from a single smile!
The omega leaned forward, plugging in her charger. The cable was long, so it would easily extend to her desk. As she bent over the outlet, her scent hit me like a physical blow. The strong, sweet florals made my mouth water with desire.
I needed to say something, to engage her in conversation before she retreated back to her studying and I lost my chance. There were so many potential conversation starters that ran through my brain, but none of them seemed appropriate.
Asking her if she was here alone would be creepy, so I quickly forgot about that, even though I was curious.
Saying she smelled nice? Also creepy.
Everything that was springing to mind was borderline stalkerish, and she was going to run, screaming, if I opened my stupid mouth.
“Thank you.” She beamed at me as she righted herself, then made sure her phone was charging. “I need to be reachable, but I wanted to make the most of my studying time.”
“There is something peaceful about working so late at night.” My voice was calm, but my palms were sweating, and I was doing my best to remain calm.
“There is, isn’t there?” She smiled back easily, glancing down at my textbooks. “Though I doubt that is ever easy.”
“What are you studying?” I asked.
“Psychology and criminology,” she said.
That wasn’t what I’d expected, but it was impressive. Just another intriguing thing about this omega.
I winced. “Ahh, the opposite of me, then. I’m all numbers, and psychology is all…”
“Not numbers?” She giggled. “I have to agree with you there. What, exactly, is all this?” she asked, gesturing to my notes.
“Advanced statistics.”
She winced, but the smile never left her face. “Ouch, that sounds hard. I had to take one small statistics class in undergrad and hated it.”
“It’s no cakewalk, but I may just survive it,” I said, cocking my head to the side. Now that she’d started it, the conversation was easy.
“You’re braver than I.”
I grimaced playfully. “I’m not so sure. You’re the one learning about criminals and psychopaths.”
The omega leaned in, a conspiring grin spreading across her face. “What makes you so sure I’m not the criminal or psychopath?” she asked, biting her lip, doing a terrible job at keeping a straight face.
“Well, I doubt any man would hate being cornered by someone so pretty in a dark alley in the middle of the night,” I replied.
Her eyes widened as a laugh escaped her chest. A rush of pride hit me at the realization that I’d made her laugh. It was a beautiful sound, and I wanted to hear it again.
“I’m Kennedy. I’m sorry to disturb you, but thank you for letting me use your outlet.”
“I’m Eli, and it’s no disturbance at all. In fact, it’s a nice distraction.”
I wanted to know everything about her. There was something that drew me in and had my alpha in a choke hold. How could I see more of her?
My pack mates and I dated, sometimes together, sometimes individually. We had discussed finding an omega one day for the entire pack, but we hadn’t given it any serious thought in a while.
Kennedy returned to her desk, picking up her pen and going back to copying down notes. She was lost back into her studies quickly, and I took a moment to watch her. The paper cup of coffee in front of her was empty.
There was a coffee shop on the bottom floor of the library, and I could see her order scrawled on the side of the cup.
Vanilla latte.
Her hair was coming loose from its bun, and tendrils fell around her face. What did her hair look like when it was down? Was it long? Part of me yearned to know.
Pushing my chair back, I quietly got up, leaving all my books and belongings at the table. Students did that all the time when they needed snacks or a bathroom break. There was CCTV everywhere, and people generally respected each other’s belongings.
Jogging down the stairs, I pulled my cell phone out, checking my messages. Nothing new. Should I tell my pack mates about Kennedy? She seemed so sweet, and I wanted to keep talking with her.
Out of our pack, I was the least outgoing. I wasn’t exactly shy, but I was in a pack with two highly confident alphas and a complete manwhore. It seemed like no girl could say no to Storm. He was definitely a quantity over quality guy when it came to his partners, but we all agreed that, while in college, we could have our fun before settling down and courting an omega properly.
Giving the barista a warm smile as I stepped up to the counter, I glanced over the menu. As well as coffee, there were several sweet treats, ranging from cakes and cookies to pastries. Would it be too forward of me to get one for Kennedy?
“What can I get for you?” the barista asked after I had spent a few seconds perusing the sweet offerings.
“Hi. Can I get a flat white, a vanilla latte, a chocolate croissant, and a chocolate chip cookie?” I reeled off the order. “And a bottle of water!” I tacked on at the end.
Within minutes, the order was in hand, and I was making my way back up the stairs. I may have been a levelheaded man, but I was still an alpha. The idea of giving food to an omega—especially one I was so attracted to—scratched a deep, almost primal itch inside me.
Kennedy was right where I had left her, sitting cross-legged at her table, a different textbook in front of her as she made notes.
Taking a deep breath, I braced myself for the delicious sweet floral scent to hit me again. It packed a punch, but in the best way.
“Here you go,” I said casually as I plopped the latte, water, and the croissant down on her table, doing my utmost to remain casual, even though my chest was pounding.
Her eyes shot up between the drink and me. “Oh! Thank you, you didn’t have to?—”
“I wanted to,” I assured her. “You’ve been here hours, you could use some more caffeine, and I was going to the café, anyway.”
A slow, shy smile spread across her face—I had pleased her! “Thank you!”
Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for what I was about to say. “No pressure at all—I’ll leave you to your studying—but how would you feel about grabbing dinner sometime?”