9. Hank
nine
Hank
She's gonna come around.
It’s stupid to repeat that to myself, but it’s the only thing keeping me together. The pull toward her is relentless. It hurts as if every cell of my body knows I’m away from my mate.
My mate.
A dream coming true, but I can’t forget her face when Nash spelled it out for us. That wasn’t the reaction of a happy mated Omega. She had terror written all over.
It’s a knife to the gut to think the best moment of my life was the worst of hers. I need her to see that fate put us together for a reason. I want to prove to her that I deserve someone like her.
My chest puffs with pride. Indigo always intrigued me. She’s brave, smart, and so damn beautiful. To think I’m her scent-match is something out of a fairy tale. I’ve never wanted someone as I crave her, so my obsession for her makes sense now.
It’s not like I’ve never been with other women.
Sure, there are no Omegas anymore, but there are a few Betas who know about us and offer companionship.
Many Alphas from my township tried their luck in a regular marriage, but sex was the furthest I could go.
Something was missing for me, and I never gave myself completely.
Sex was nothing but to get my cock wet, yet the moment I laid my eyes on Indigo I knew she had the power to slay me completely.
To think that if Nash hadn’t spelled it out, I wouldn’t even know this was a scent-match.
The need to devour her whole has been constant.
She always left me hard. Her scent got a grip on me, so I wouldn’t even notice it was something more.
God knows I wouldn’t assume my most impossible desire came true.
But fuck, that's what happened. That's what fucking happened. We are her scent-match, and I’m going to fight to show her I can be a good mate. Hope blossoms unbidden inside my chest, and I push myself out of the bed to start a new day.
The room is empty. Nash and Cassidy left.
At the ripe age of thirty-nine, I don’t love to bunk with my packmates, but today, I wish they had waited for me before leaving.
I want to talk about Indigo. We were too shocked yesterday to fully have a conversation about what to do.
Should we go back home? Should we stay until Indigo is more comfortable?
Questions plague my mind, and I need my packmates here to see my own yearning reflected on their faces. I need proof that I’m not the only one spiraling.
After putting clothes on quickly, I leave the room, searching for Nash and Cassidy. The motel looks the same, but so much has changed for me in twenty-four hours. I walk even taller than my six-foot-three frame, happiness pouring off me and bouncing at every wall as I arrive at the cafeteria.
My eyes scan through the people, looking for my mate. I find her friends quickly, but my shoulders drop when I realize Indigo is not with them.
Did she sleep in?
Indigo never missed a meal, and now I’m wondering if her heat kicked in and she needs help.
My traitorous cock presses against my zipper just with the suggestion of my mate’s heat.
I let my mind wander, but it all comes crashing down when I see Journey looking around the room as if she’s trying to find someone.
Is she looking for Indigo?
Across the room is Nash. His eyes scan the room with the same purpose.
He feels the same emptiness as me, but it worries me that no one seems to have eyes on her.
Fear rakes my body. My eyes narrow, looking for her small frame hunched over her oatmeal with a scowl on that beautiful face. Damn, I even crave her scowling.
When it’s hopeless, and I can’t see her anywhere, it dawns on me how stupid I am. I'm her Alpha. I can scent her. I take in a breath, looking for the scent I came to crave, but my lungs come out empty. No delicious peaches.
A frown drops my eyebrows down, and I narrow my eyes before I take another lungful. Nothing. She's not here. I cross the room until I’m in front of Nash, lowering my voice when I reach him.
“She's not here.”
“I know.” He dips his chin but never spares me a look.
I don't want to go barging into her room, but it’s hard to hold myself back. Why is she not here? She always comes for breakfast.
“Where's Cassidy?” I ask instead.
Nash sighs, shaking his head. “He's trying to find her. She’s probably not out of her room yet, but you know Cassidy. He got angsty and couldn’t stay still. He’s around the perimeter trying to catch her scent.”
“Do you think she's at the pool?”
Nash shrugs. “That’s the place she goes to decompress.”
My spirit sinks just as I imagine her diving into that pool just to escape us.
There’s nothing I want more than to see her happy, but reality is barreling against my chest and reminding me scent-match doesn’t matter if my Omega doesn’t want me.
I want her to want me like I want her. I want to see her happy.
My eyes focus ahead, and I remember I still have a job to do. I need to protect the Omegas. That hasn't changed. Trying to push Indigo out of my mind, I roll my shoulders back and go back to work.
Minutes tick by slowly. Every moment and with every breath I feel Indigo’s absence. Nash shifts beside me. It's subtle, but I know him enough to feel his discontent by his body language.
When I don't think I can handle it anymore, I hear steps rushing toward us. I glance over my shoulder to find Cassidy with a storm in his eyes coming our way.
“The truck is gone.”
I’m taken for a loop. I didn’t expect him to say that, so I shake my head. “What does that mean?”
“The truck is fucking gone.”
Our confused faces must show that we aren’t following, and he sighs exasperatedly.
“I think she took it,” he explains quickly. “She’s not here. I checked everywhere, and I went past her room.”
“Cassidy…” Nash shakes his head, disappointed.
Cassidy just shrugs. “I couldn't find her scent anywhere. So I just went by. I didn't knock. I didn't try anything. I just went past her door, but I couldn't find her. She’s not here, and the truck is gone.”
His voice is full of urgency, and at every word, it dawns on me what he’s actually saying.
“Are you sure?” Nash’s voice is low, full of fear.
“Come on. I can scent Sour Peach anywhere. She's not in the building.”
Like the most horrifying movie, it all becomes clear to me. Since the moment she arrived, she didn’t let her guard down. She’s been waiting for a reason to bail, and it’s obvious scent-matching with us was more than she could handle.
I nod, understanding her for the first time.
She left us.