19. Chapter 19
Hunter
I was back at the gala, the surreal glow of the lights creating a hazy mist as I walked through the ballroom in search of it - that perfect, irresistible scent that could only belong to my true mate.
The scent haunted me, even now, and I went through countless hallways, always searching.
The closer I got, the stronger it became.
Finally, I turned a corner and saw her. A woman stood at the end of the corridor with her back turned toward me.
“Omega!” I called out, my voice echoing down the hall with relief as I ran to her, reaching out my hand to touch her shoulder, to finally pull her to me, my perfect match.
Relief flooded through me as she slowly turned around.
But the face belonged to Ivy.
I sat upright immediately; my heart pounding and my sheets twisted around my legs.
For a few disoriented seconds, I stared at the ceiling while fragments of the dream drifted through my mind.
I didn’t like it - I couldn’t exactly control it, but I didn’t want to be dreaming about another omega when I knew my match was Arabella.
I shook off the feeling, chalking it up to strange subconscious confusion.
It was just a dream. Arabella was our match. She would be the perfect omega for us.
I climbed out of bed and headed for the kitchen, hoping coffee would clear my head and remove the lingering traces of desire and need for Ivy. I poured the brew into a mug, my thoughts going back to memories I spent most of my time avoiding.
My parents thought they were a good match when they bonded.
They had courted for months before bonding, and by most accounts, they should have worked out well.
But my omega mother didn’t know my father’s pack that well, even after months of courtship.
Over time, issues arose that were nearly insurmountable.
They were a poor match, after all. But she was already bitten into the pack, and now they were bonded for life.
Most of my childhood memories involved arguments.
My father’s pack spent most of their waking hours at work, avoiding the inevitable conflict at home.
My mother grew isolated and bitter, constantly wishing she had a different life.
They stayed bonded - breaking a bonded pack would be excruciating, and socially it was unacceptable.
Watching them struggle despite their clear incompatibility had left scars I rarely acknowledged.
It was one of the reasons I'd built Vale Labs in the first place - I wanted something more reliable than a few months of courtship.
I wanted to ensure that nobody else ended up trapped in the kind of relationship I'd grown up watching.
By the time I finished my coffee, I figured there was a simple solution to my unease. I needed to go see Arabella, my mate.
We'd only been on one official date so far, which was very early in the courtship. But she was meant for me. I knew that our data was solid - over time, we’d see how compatible we were, and never have the type of tumultuous relationship my parent’s pack had.
The moment I saw Arabella again, I was sure this lingering doubt would disappear.
I sent her a text, and when she responded immediately agreeing to see me, I felt my heart rate calm down.
This was my omega. My mate. Everything would be better once I saw her.
A few hours later, I walked into a photography studio downtown and immediately spotted her. The second she saw me, her entire face lit up.
"Hunter!" She squealed.
She hurried across the studio and wrapped her arms around me, drawing smiles from everyone nearby. The way she curled into me should have made my inner alpha proud and possessive. But the strange tension in my chest remained.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, beaming and taking my hand.
I nodded, taking a whiff of her hair without thinking.
Of course, there was no scent - not when she was around so many people.
But still, the desire to get a hit of that perfume was so strong I could barely stand it.
I knew as soon as I smelled it, all my worries and doubts would disappear.
Arabella introduced me to photographers and stylists, working the room like an expert.
People naturally gravitated toward her, and it wasn’t hard to see why.
She knew exactly what to say. Watching her, I could easily see how she’d amplify our pack's strengths, and how we could support her in return.
I was being foolish to doubt the system.
Eventually, we found a quiet corner away from the shoot. Arabella sat beside me, as close as she could without being unprofessional.
"I'm so glad you came! I’ve been thinking about you nonstop." She said, batting her eyelashes at me as she leaned into my arm. I pulled her in close, the feeling striking me as odd after so many years without having courted an omega.
"So am I," I said, looking down at her. She did pull at my instinctive desire to protect - her frame was small and delicate, and I let my instincts take over and allowed myself to be the alpha she needed. I leaned in again, smelling her scent-free hair. She giggled at me, batting me playfully.
“What are you doing, silly?” She asked, and I nearly let out a moan of need at the memory of her perfume.
“I was just thinking back to the gala,” I said, the memory of that night seared into my brain.
“Aw, the night when we first officially met?” She asked, fawning as she looked up at me.
“Mm hmm,” I murmured, pulling her in closer. “There’s something I need to tell you about that night,” I said, the memory of my pack going damn near feral searching for that scent still fresh in my mind.
“What is it?” She asked, her hand running across mine, making me want more.
“I knew we found our future mate that night,” I murmured, pulling her in closer.
“Really?” Arabella asked, and I could feel her excitement.
“Yes,” I said, grateful that I was so lucky to have found her. “We smelled something as we were leaving. The most incredible scent I’ve ever experienced,” I admitted, and she pulled back, looking at me in confusion.
“What?” She asked, and I smiled.
“We smelled your perfume in the hall. It was so faint, but it was unmistakable. The omega who had a scent like that could only be ours,” I said, and I saw her confusion for a moment, then her eyes widened.
“The second we got the compatibility results, everything clicked into place. I knew it had to be you. Your scent at the gala. It all made sense." I murmured. Arabella felt stiff suddenly. “I’m sorry - I didn’t mean to embarrass you. It was an accident that we smelled it at all. It was so faint that it was barely there.” I said.
Arabella just looked at me wide-eyed, then smiled, nodding lightly.
“And I cannot wait to smell it again,” I said, my body already warming at the thought. “But when you’re ready,” I added. “Only when you’re ready.”
Arabella leaned back, and a look of panic briefly shot across her face before it was replaced by a smooth mask of happiness. Oh, no, had I just pressured her? I grabbed her hand.
“Arabella, this can go as slow as you want. We will take as much time as you need to feel ready for us. We already know you’re perfect, that your scent is perfect. There’s no rush at all.” I affirmed, and she nodded.
“Of - of course.” She said, her eyes suddenly looking around.
“But I don’t want to share my scent just yet.
It’s a personal thing.” She bit her lip, and I nodded.
“I am ready, though. To join your pack.” Her blunt words had my head spinning.
Ready to join but not ready to perfume? This omega had definitely been through something. I ran my thumb over her hand.
“No rush. We’d like to get to know you. And give you time to get to know us. Like I said, we already know we’re perfect for each other. Let’s enjoy the courtship.” Arabella nodded, but her mind seemed elsewhere.
“Of course. Well, I have to get back to the shoot. Could we go out later? She asked.
“Any time you want. Just say the word.” I practically purred, and before she got up, she leaned into me, resting a hand against my chest. Her eyes lifted to mine, then she rose onto her toes and pressed a lingering kiss against my lips.
I slowly responded, not wanting to move too fast. Her hand slid lightly along my jaw before she leaned in again, this time brushing a second kiss against the corner of my mouth.
It was sweet. I felt calm, but strangely lacked the urgency of what I thought I’d feel in this scenario.
Our first kiss. It should have left me nearly feral with desire, but instead it just felt nice.
But I didn’t linger on the thought. When we were ready, the feelings would grow.
Several members of the crew blushed from across the studio. Arabella laughed softly at the attention, her fingers lingering on my arm for another second before she finally stepped away.
“Don't work too hard, Hunter.” Then she walked away, and I was left wondering where in the hell my desire had disappeared to.