Chapter 12
I feel like I’m on cloud freaking nine the entire walk back to our apartment. I made sure to leave after Posey so she wouldn’t realize I was one of her neighbors yet, and I keep catching heavenly traces of her scent around campus.
That scent.
God I thought I was going crazy, scenting her when she wasn’t there, but then I saw that stunning girl standing there outside of the coffee shop and it’s like I had touched a live wire.
My alpha immediately stood at attention in my mind, begging me to tune in to the otherworldly creature in front of us.
She’s more gorgeous than I could have ever imagined, and that accent?
Stick a sign in my front yard because I am sold.
The front door bangs against the wall, making me flinch. I didn’t mean to open it that hard, I’m just jumping out of my skin wanting to talk to my pack mates about this wonderful turn of events.
“Woah, where’s the fire?” Mack asks sarcastically from the living room.
I flop down next to him on the couch, grinning like a mad man. Posey is incredible, and I’m still buzzing after having coffee with her. I didn’t even finish my drink, but adrenaline courses through my veins like I shotgunned three energy drinks back to back.
Mack chokes on air, gaping at me. “Why do you smell like the neighbor?”
I bite my lip, holding back a massive, shit-eating grin. “Because I just ran into our scent match and she asked me to have coffee with her.”
His mouth opens and closes several times like he can’t decide what to say before deciding on, “You’re shitting me.”
I shake my head, dragging a hand through my messy hair.
“She’s… fuck, Mack. She’s incredible. Sweet and funny and smart, not to mention drop dead gorgeous.
And she has this precious little southern drawl that had me fighting an erection until she left.
” I shift uncomfortably, adjusting myself in my jeans. “And even now, I guess.”
Mack growls, jealousy flashing in his hazel eyes. “Park, get your ass out here!” He shouts. When my twin joins us, he has an irritated look on his face.
“I was trying to sleep. What do you need?” He snaps.
Mack ignores him, still solely focused on me. “What does she look like?”
My smile turns dreamy as my head drops back to rest on the couch. “She’s a tiny little thing, maybe just over five feet? She’s got light pink hair, blue eyes, and the most adorable freckles all over her face that made me want to kiss each one until I had them all memorized.”
Parkers face instantly changes. “Woah, wait. Who are we talking about?”
“Your jackass other half met our soulmate and somehow got her to ask him out.”
My brother’s face goes slack. “Seriously? That’s…” he turns to me with a smirk and holds out his fist. I tap mine against it. “Right on. Did I miss anything? What’s her name?”
I sigh again, completely awestruck still. “Her name is Primrose, but she goes by Posey. She’s just… indescribable.”
My brother snorts, aiming an unamused look my way. “Try.”
“First of all, she’s southern. She said she’s from Georgia and she’s got this adorably sexy accent.
No tattoos or piercings that I could see but she has pink hair like I said, and she seems really…
whimsical? Like she’s just so fun and open and a breath of fresh air.
I’ve been comparing her to a fairy in my head and it’s an apt descriptor. ”
“So when is she coming to meet the rest of us?” Mack asks excitedly.
I cringe, because this is the part they aren’t going to like.
“I didn’t tell her about you guys.” They start to interrupt, but I hold up a hand, silencing them.
“Hear me out before you get angry. She’s a first year.
She’s new to the area, and she missed the first week of classes for some unknown reason.
” My jaw clenches, deciding to rip the bandage off for the next part.
“She also didn’t seem to realize I was her scent match. ”
My brother quiets as palpable confusion moves through him. “What makes you think that?”
“She was visibly affected by my scent and proximity, but she seemed pretty confused by it, too. She only briefly touched on her home life and family, but it sounds like they’re great.
So maybe they’re a chosen pack and she just doesn’t know what a scent match should look and feel like?
But the entire time we were at S&S, we gravitated towards each other, and her scent completely overtook my senses.
I couldn’t see anything but her. I know Posey is our scent match, but I have no idea how to broach the subject with her. ”
They’re both quiet for a long moment until Mack speaks, scratching his jaw.
“What if we keep up with the notes and leaving her things but also try to “accidentally” run into her around campus? Then she gets to meet each of us individually but avoid the overwhelming group interactions right off the bat? It might help ease her into the whole scent match thing.” He puts air quotes around the word and it makes me laugh under my breath.
“Not a bad idea, actually.” Park agrees.
We all stop talking when the front door slams open, and an irate Jude stomps in. “What?” He barks when he sees us staring. Parker arches a brow, and Mack crosses his arms. “Just wondering why you’re so extra pissy today. Got something to share with the class, professor?”
Jude growls at my brother’s needling, but eventually sighs. “The omega was in my biology lecture this morning. She missed the entire first week so at first I was pissed off, but then I found out she was on heat leave and now I kind of feel like a dick.”
My brows jump, even as the other two growl angrily. “Heat leave during the first week? That’s… that sucks. She seemed okay when I saw her today.”
Our pack lead flinches, that pissed off expression back on his face. “You saw her today? When? You didn't talk to her, did you?”
I glare at him, already sick of his anti-omega rhetoric. “Of course I talked to her, is that a joke?”
He shakes his head vehemently, a manic light taking over his eyes.
His alpha must be close to the surface because in this moment he looks feral.
“No. No, absolutely not. Our pack isn’t ready for an omega.
I mean what happens when Mack gets drafted to a team across the country, huh?
Are you going to ask her to abandon her education? Her family? Her friends?”
“The draft isn’t for like ten months, Jude. That’s a nonissue right now. If she wants to stay at Harbor U and study, then the twins will stay with her so she isn’t alone and I’ll visit as often as I can.” He turns to us for backup. “Right?”
It only takes one glance at my twin to know what he’s thinking.
He didn’t have to meet the omega to be on board.
He trusts me to know for the both of us.
As soon as I came in with a smile on my face, he was in.
I nod enthusiastically. “I don’t need any more time to know I’m all in with Posey.
I—we,” I say, gesturing between me and my brother, “will do anything we can to make this work. And as far as her family goes, they’re already across the country, so I doubt that would be a factor. ”
Mack nods, like that’s the answer he expected.
“See? Problem solved. And if you found a remote position, you could travel with me or stay here with our girl if she wants to stay at HU. Because the rest of us already know she’s ours, but we need you on board, Jude.
I know something has been going on with you and whatever it is, is impacting your outlook on life, but I feel in my gut that this would be good for you. For all of us.”
Jude scowls, backing away. “I’m sorry, but no. You guys can do whatever you want. Date the omega, have some casual fun with her, but you need to leave me the fuck out of it.”
Parker opens his mouth, but Jude bares his teeth and snaps, “Discussion over. I’m out.”