Chapter 5
Fox
I’m hidden in the non-fiction section waiting for Katsu to come back when the bookstore fills with the scent of azaleas, cold winter air, and rain. I hold completely still, straining to hear any movement. When I don’t hear anything, I ease back to where I can see the counter.
“Sofia?” Her voice is soft, husky but with a note that is unbearably lonely. And instantly, I know that no matter what plans I had, I’m cancelling them.
Sofia popped out to take Danger to the toilet, and I am so glad she did.
It’s just me and my match in the store. Just us, separated by dozens of books.
Her hair is silky black and hangs just past her shoulders, but she’s got the most adorable bangs.
She looks super classy, but her brown eyes are guarded.
The white jumper and blue jeans could look good on anyone, but on her, they are incredible, my favourite thing.
What is it about this omega?
I finally notice the huge stack of packages she’s juggling and rush towards her. I catch them just before they fall. She huffs out a laugh, and our fingers brush. There’s a zing, totally a zing.
“Oh, thank you-”
The words die as her eyes widen: shock, curiosity, happiness. Her lips curl into a smile, and I decide she has the most beautiful lips in the whole world. They are soft, her bottom one like a plump pillow. Yes, perfect lips.
“Fox?”
“Hi, you are our Light Knot Night match, Cordelia, right?” I try for nonchalance as I set the boxes on the counter. I’m sure I will fail miserably.
Play it cool; she doesn’t need to know you’re dizzy with excitement.
“Yeah. Cordie, though. Just call me Cordie, everyone does.”
She licks her plump lower lip of perfection, and I find myself leaning towards her as if my very body itself can’t stay away from her.
Suddenly, I know what this is. Azaleas, winter, and rain are a promise of excitement, comfort, and this sense of time. She is intoxicating.
This omega is my scent match.
It’s everything I felt with Katsu. This feeling has my world shifting.
It’s so strong that I can’t look away from her, that she is the best thing I’ve ever smelled, ever seen.
The urge to bite has my teeth aching and my mouth watering.
A growl rumbles in my chest, demanding freedom.
I need to touch her, press my scent to her skin.
I swallow it all back, desperate not to scare her.
Wow. This is…I can’t wait to tell Katsu.
“Can you just let Sofia know I dropped off the parcels she ordered?” She backs away, and I follow in a panic, chasing her all the way out onto the street.
Sofia calls out, but I lift my hand distractedly and follow the omega who is trying to run away. She looks back, spots me, and trips. I catch her before she can fall and hold her close for one long, perfect second.
“Are you going to work?” I ask, desperate for a reason to stay.
She pauses, and I think I see panic on her face, but when I get a better look, she’s just frowning.
“No, I work from home. I’m just running some errands.”
Errands! I can do errands! I can fetch and carry, and damn it, I will roll over if you let me.
“Do you mind if I join you?”
“Join me?” she echoes. “To run errands?”
“Sure, why not?” I give my most charming grin, and I swear, it works a little.
She huffs. “I’m fine. You can go and do whatever it is you were doing.”
My confidence dives into the cold ocean depths. “Oh.”
She’s not even looking at me. She rushes across the street and catches an old man as he teeters on the sidewalk. Can she not feel it?
“Mr Elgrove, are you okay?”
“I was just coming to find you,” the old man says loudly.
She smiles, and I am besotted. I cross over to them as if I have no willpower to stay away. She pretends I’m not there, but I can feel the way she’s watching me out of the corner of her eye.
“Oh, me? Why?”
“I have some of those marmalades; they need to be taken up to Yolanda and Grigori.” He lets out a moan and pats his bald head. “Sorry, but my arthritis is playing up today.”
His arthritis on his head? I narrow my eyes at the old beta.
“I can take them for you.”
“Oh, you can?”
The old coot knows she’s going to do it, and he’s already rushing back inside his cute little one-story home before I can protest.
He comes out with a massive basket, and I realise his delicate balance issue was all a front. I’m almost offended for her.
She takes the basket, and he smiles and pats her hand.
“Thank you, dear. It’s a good thing you are so useful here in town.”
Cordelia winces. I don’t think the old guy notices. I do, though. Protectiveness rises up in me, and I want to indignantly rip into the old con-man.
“Of course, with all that time on your hands and-”
“I’ll get these to Yolanda right away.” She says the words tightly, as if she’s used to such backhanded compliments.
My temper is surging, but I don’t speak; no, I can’t afford to freak her out. She’s still a massive flight risk.
We make it four steps when a girl with long ginger hair rushes up, her blue eyes shiny as she wrings her fingers. She opens her mouth, glances at me, then back at Cordelia.
“Sebastian is doing it again.”
The words rush out of her so fast that it takes me a moment to translate. That name draws my attention, though. Sebastian. One look, and I was gone. He’s gorgeous and so fiery. The opposite of Katsu, but strong. I wanted to rub on him as badly as I wanted to mark the omega.
“Doing what again?” Cordie asks absently, trying to get a better grip on the basket. I try to take it off her, but she twists away and glares. “I can carry it.”
“He’s riling Mum and the dads up.”
She heaves an exhausted sigh. “Okay, let’s go. We’ll drop this off first and then head over to the, um, are they in the restaurant?”
The kid nods.
“Sebastian’s the alpha in our match, right?” I ask, feigning curiosity and following after them. I’m not going anywhere but where they are.
She jumps like she had forgotten I was there. Rude. “Oh, um. You don’t have-”
“I would love to accompany you on your daily chores,” I say smoothly and use the puppy dog eyes, the innocent grin, and let my sage, lemon, and browned butter scent turn light and sunny as I silently try to look as cute as possible.
Her scent surges in the air in response to mine, turning deeper, more mysterious, full of allure, and I know that no matter what she pretends, she is not immune to me.
She blinks at me; the brown in her eyes has darkened until her eyes look black. Cordelia doesn’t look scared, though; she looks like she wants to step into me and lick her name onto my skin. I am all levels of okay with that. “Um, okay, then. Imogen, this is Fox.”
The girl stares at me, unimpressed. She’s got a pink top on and is wearing shorts and flip flops.
“Aren’t you cold?”
She shrugs dismissively, but doesn’t answer me.
“Shall we?” I suggest with a smile. I am in way over my head. I pull out my phone and send Katsu an SOS.
Cordelia leads us straight to the Sandy Heart Café. Yolanda smiles at me as I enter and hold the door open for the omega and her friend.
“Fox, good morning. Where’s Katsu today?” Grigori shouts as he pokes his head through the kitchen door.
I grin easily at them. “He’s off having meetings and running the empire. I am having all the fun escorting the lovely Cordelia around.”
Grigori snorts and gestures for me to come over. “You get to be my guinea pig.”
“I like them; they are cute and fluffy.”
The shop goes silent, and I realise everyone is watching me, but most importantly, she’s smiling at me.
Yay!
“Right,” the teen says slowly and does some weird eye-waggle thing at Cordelia. My neck burns as I duck my head, furious at my slip and the teen who makes me feel so stupid.
“Be kind, Imogen,” Cordelia admonishes.
Grigori hands me a takeaway cup. I take a sip and moan. It is warmth and liquid gold in a cup.
“What is this?” I moan, and when he reaches for it, I dance several steps back and keep it out of reach.
I moan again and turn, freezing at the shocked and stunned expression on Cordelia’s face. Her eyes track my every movement. I could jump up and down, I’m so thrilled, but then she recovers herself and looks away.
“Honeycomb chocolate, we’re experimenting with flavours for the Light Knot Night dates.”
“You should add a dark chocolate straw,” I moan, and then, because I am nothing if not a decent alpha, I hold out the cup to Cordelia.
She shakes her head.
“Come on, just a sip. They need our expert opinions.”
She raises an eyebrow. “I’m not an expert.”
“Sure, you are. You drink beverages, don’t you?”
She blinks, and when she smiles, I realise she’s got this dimple on the left cheek, and her eyes crinkle at the sides in a way that transforms and steals all the worry from her face.
The lilac walls of the café and all its gorgeous cupcake and cookie wallpaper doesn’t even hold a candle to how pretty this omega is.
Why is she so stressed?
She takes the cup, and I watch as she makes the most indecent sound I have ever heard. I have to grab onto the small glass table to stop from moving towards her. The teen glowers in my direction and puts herself between us.
“This is amazing.”
Grigori claps his hands. “Success again, my love.”
The two kiss passionately; I watch for a moment before I look at her. She looks so sad. It kills all the warmth.
“Well, you have marmalades and things, but we’re on a Sebastian hunt, so we’ll catch up with you later,” Cordelia says and moves to the door.
“Oh, no, he’s not at it again, is he?” Yolanda asks softly. “Don’t be hard on him; I know he’s struggling.”
I look between them, but I can’t figure out what is going on. Imogen looks offended, but Cordelia shrugs off the beta’s concern.
“Don’t worry, I know how to handle Sebastian,” Cordelia says. “I’ll come back and pick that up.”
“I’ve got it, I need to go see him this afternoon anyway,” Grigori says and waves us off.
I turn away from the clearly in-love couple and find myself toe to toe with Imogen.