Chapter 7
T he scent of chocolate-chip cookies was what finally broke my resolve. I was a sucker for them and the game had already piqued my curiosity.
Though, I’d spent the last twenty minutes struggling to find the courage to open the damn door.
At the end of the day, they were my pack. If this was my only chance at a true scent-matched pack, was I willing to toss it away for the sake of my own trauma.
There seemed to be some miscommunications and maybe it would do me good to hear them out.
Even if I didn’t choose them as my pack, maybe the closure would heal some of the hurt I’d carried around in my soul.
With a swipe of lip gloss, I padded down the stairs. They all froze when they noticed me.
The hopeful look on Mathias’s face had my heart racing, then I looked at the others. Ash had a flirty smile like I knew he would, and Holt looked like he was hopeful, but conflicted.
You and me both, alpha.
At least he wasn’t frowning.
“I heard there would be cookies,” I muttered as I walked over and put my plate in the sink. Every step or movement I made, I felt their eyes locked on me.
It was intense being under their collective gaze, but my omega fucking loved it. She added a little sway to my hips.
“You look beautiful. Somehow you even make cozy look sexy,” Ash said, giving me a wink as my cheeks flooded with heat.
Why couldn’t they have said the same things to me all those years ago? Saved me the heartache and pain.
“Thanks,” I offered, keeping my voice steady.
“Are you a coffee or milk with your dessert kind of omega?” Holt asked. There was something surprising about seeing this big alpha baking cookies for me.
“Coffee, if we’ve got creamer now,” I said, peeking into the fridge and smiling at the sight of my favorite caramel and chocolate creamer.
“Hopefully you like that one.” He was vulnerable now and I didn’t know what to do with that. I peeked over at him. He was purposefully not looking at me and I let my eyes skim over his body. He wasn’t slim and muscled, but thick and muscled, and I was into it.
“It’s my favorite,” I admitted, pulling it out and peeling off the safety seal while he made the coffee. Everything felt charged between us, so many hurdles that it seemed impossible to cross them all.
When I had my coffee in hand, I moved to the table and settled in, pulling my legs up in my chair in front of me and taking a sip.
“So, I hear we’re playing truth or dare,” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“We are if you’re game,” Ash responded, shifting in his chair so he was facing me and leaning back, looking too relaxed and hot for the moment.
“Fine, truth or dare, Ash,” I shot back.
He chuckled, the sound low and dirty and making me shift in my chair. He clocked the movement, his crooked grin spreading again as his eyes darkened. His scent filled the air, telling me he liked what he saw.
I ignored it and my omega’s reaction. Damn, alphas.
“Truth,” he said. His response honestly shocked me. He seemed like a dare kind of guy. As if he heard my thoughts, he explained himself. “I thought the truth would give you more insight. Ask me anything.”
“Did you ever feel anything toward me back then?”
He sighed and shook his head. “No. But, we were never close enough to get a reaction. I had a girlfriend, and we had no scents mixed in. Despite noticing the hot librarian vibe you have going on, I didn’t consider much beyond that.”
“Hmm,” I said, taking another sip. It was refreshing to hear him tell it to me like it was and not sugarcoat it.
Holt came over and slid the cookies my way, slapping Ash’s hand as he reached for one.
“Omegas first,” he growled. Ash rolled his eyes but waited for me to take one before grabbing his.
I bit into it, moaning at the perfect blend of sweetness, gooey chocolate, and flaky salt on top.
“Fuck,” Ash husked. I opened my eyes, blushing again at the hungry looks on their faces. Ash’s flirty grin was gone and he almost looked like he was in pain.
Fuck, the fact I had this kind of power over them was everything. I loved that I could command their attention. It was not the kind of power dynamic I thought we’d have, but it softened the edges just a little.
“Your turn,” I said to Ash, trying not to dwell on the attraction.
“Same question to you,” he said. I didn’t call him out on the cop out but answered instead.
“Who wouldn’t have noticed you guys. You were one of the only formed packs on campus, were loud and imposing, and flirted with everyone. I also hated that I thought you were cute, because I generally found you insufferable.”
“We were,” Mathias agreed, looking upset. “I’m so sorry.”
I ignored the apology for now and turned to Holt. “Truth or dare.”
“Dare.”
Fuck, I wasn’t really prepared for this. I hadn’t thought up any dares ahead of time. I wracked through my brain, grasping for anything.
“Get on your knees and apologize,” I said before I’d even thought it through. Mathias’s mouth fell open in shock while Ash barked out a laugh.
But Holt?
He didn’t show a thing as he stood. His steps were slow as he rounded the table, my heart thundering in my chest as he spun my chair to the side and sank to his knees. Seeing this big alpha in his faded jeans and worn-in flannel on his knees like this was insane.
Blackberry, a splash of citrus, and shortbread swarmed my senses, drowning out the cookies in his own decadent scent. My brain fizzled out until he spoke, then he had every bit of my attention.
“Taryn. I am so sorry for every bit of pain and hurt we caused you. Not just because you are our match, but because we deeply regret the way we acted in college. We were entitled, rich, and pompous, thinking we ruled the world and that school. The way we dismissed everyone, judged others, and treated people, especially you, was uncalled for and disgusting. Please forgive us.”
“Fuck,” I breathed out as I fought back the tears. I wasn’t even sure why they were falling. Maybe it was because he said everything I wanted to hear while sincerity filled those soft-brown eyes of his. He meant what he said.
That was not how I saw this going.
He didn’t say anything else as he got to his feet, turned me back gently, and walked away with nothing more than a brush of his fingers on my arm.
What was I supposed to do with that?!
Then he cleared his voice, those brown eyes locking me in place.
“My turn. Truth or dare, Taryn.”
“Truth.” It was quiet, but he heard me just fine.
“Who set up your dating profile,” he asked. The fact he was annoyed on my behalf had the answer coming easier this time.
“My mother. She is hellbent on me finding myself a rich pack and I guess you fit that bill. I’ve turned up to far too many events to terrible pairings and blind dates. They’ve lied and manipulated me into showing me off like I was some prize. I think me getting a scholarship and attending our university triggered something in her. She’s already married off my sisters and I’m the only one left. One last meal ticket, I suppose.”
“As much as I’m grateful it led us all here, that’s fucked up in so many ways,” Ash said, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Taryn. You don’t deserve that.”
“It’s like they don’t care about me or my thoughts, just what I can do for their status,” I admitted in a quiet voice. “If that doesn’t sum up my family, I don’t know what does.”
“Then tell us who you are… let us see you , Taryn,” Mathias said as he reached out, brushing his hand over mine but not lingering. The touch sent a wave of butterflies through me, his citrus-berry punch scent sweetening even more.
“That’s not how the game works,” I said in an attempt at deflection. It already felt too vulnerable. “Truth or dare, Mathias.”
His pretty green eyes locked on me as he thought it over. I could see him teetering on the edge of disaster and fighting himself on it.
“Truth.”
“How have you changed?”
He smiled sadly. “In just about every way. I stopped letting my family or status decide who I was allowed to be not long after graduation. I felt like a zombie, stumbling through life, and it was killing me slowly. After a particularly bad round of depression I decided it was over. I was allowed to be whoever I wanted. So, I embraced that.”
I wanted to ask more, but again, that wasn’t how this game worked.
“Truth or dare, Taryn,” he asked me, eyes boring into me, as if begging me to take the dare.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to kiss me,” he said. My heart picked up again, my omega perking up at the thought. We all knew I could avoid this. All I had to do was say pass and I’d get a truth question.
“New rule, only one can ask each dare,” I said as I placed my mug on the table. I stood up even as my head screamed at me to stop. His berry-and-citrus-punch blend was laced in worry and lust as I leaned in, our noses brushing but not quite kissing.
I could give him a forehead or cheek kiss, but that wasn’t my style. I was already playing with fire, why not burn completely?
His breath caught as I pressed my lips to his, kissing him once before he deepened it. His hand curled around my leg as he held me there, kissing me like his life depended on it.
He tried to sweep his tongue into my mouth, but I pulled back. I fixed a mask over my face before sitting back in my chair.
They all looked at me with varying looks of longing and heat. I didn’t trust them with more than that yet.
Hell, I barely trusted myself at this point.
“Truth or dare, Ash,” I said, looking back at him again. It seemed we were bouncing back and forth, making it my turn every other time. Then again, they likely knew enough about each other.
“Dare,” he said. I’d made it clear that kissing was off the table. But I wondered just how much his reputation still held him captive.
“I dare you to post a picture of us all across your social media. Make it clear why we’re here together,” I said. “Because I won’t be hidden. I’m not a dirty, little secret.”
He was pulling out his phone before I even finished speaking. “Time to pose, pack.”
Holt got up, dragging him out of his chair before holding out a hand for me. I let him pull me up and he put me right in front, leaving room behind me for Mathias. He put his head on my shoulder as the alphas leaned into our sides. They were all smiling, and when I didn’t right away, Mathias tickled me until my own smile was spreading across my face.
“That wasn’t fair,” I protested after Ash snapped the picture.
“But you look so cute when you laugh,” he challenged. “Send me that, I’ll post, too.”
“Same,” Holt said as they took it on as a pack challenge instead. My eyes widened as I watched every single one of them post the picture and send me a friend request. I took my own phone and accepted all three, watching as they tagged me as their omega, introducing me to the world.
Part of me liked the idea that if this went south, they’d have to explain why to the world. The other part of me hoped that wouldn’t be the case.
“Warning, my ex Sadie and I had a bit of a thing in the past. I cut it off over a year ago. It was nothing deeper than sex, but she’s still a bitch. I’ve blocked her, but just in case, you might want to as well,” Ash said. His cherry-and-lime scent soured with his nerves.
He put it in blunt, honest words, which I respected. They didn’t have an omega and I couldn’t fault him for finding temporary companionship… even if I loathed her.
“Thanks for telling me, but I already blocked them years ago,” I admitted.
“But not us?” Ash asked, a grin back on his face. It looked more natural this way. I didn’t like the worry.
“Apparently, I’m a sucker for punishment. Your turn, Ash.”