Chapter 21
ASHER
Neven lightly knocks on the brown dorm door. It has a whiteboard sign on it with Esper’s name neatly written with a tiny little flower underneath.
Someone, I think it was Red, texted her that we were on our way,but we didn’t get a response back. We waited a few minutes out on our bikes after we sent her another text about us being here, but when we got nothing, we decided to come in.
The school should have a better lock system, a keypad or something, because we are able to walk right in and go straight to her room.
I don’t like that.
White Pine Crest University isn’t somewhere I’ve ever been before.
Right after high school, I couldn’t fucking wait to move on with my life.
Go into solitude until, hopefully one day, a cure for my rut condition magically appeared, or maybe even I was accepted by my scent match and could go live happily ever after.
But my scent match couldn’t tell he was my scent match for six years. Even after that first time he helped me through a rut after he caught me howling in a storage closet, unable to make it to my room, he still couldn’t tell.
Esper unlocked something in him. Scent matches aren’t predictable. Sometimes people just know, and other times it takes something specific to click for them to realize. My scent match’s obliviousness was just poor luck.
Maybe, though my luck is changing. Because now he knows. Not only that but now I have a… Pack.
“Esper, let us in?” Reed says, his voice a bit harsh as his pancake scent turns sharp in the air, assaulting my nose.
My alpha immediately takes notice and I’m searching around the hallway for any threats to either of my omegas.
I want to grab him, bring him flush to my chest as I storm my Pack inside to safety, but I don’t.
I have a feeling the threat isn’t here anymore.
Inhaling, I catch what Red smelled. Sour cranberries seeping from the door. Shit.
“Esper!” Neven calls, his alpha voice coming through a bit.
“Don’t bark at her,” Soren grumbles as he flexes his hands. Whether he wants to push back Neven or open the door himself, I’m not sure.
The door finally whips open. Esper’s face is done up in makeup and her hair is slightly ruffled but otherwise normal. She’s dressed. She seemingly looks fine until my search lands on her eyes. Her pale skin. The wrinkles by her lips from the slight frown she has that I doubt she even notices.
Red is the first to move. “What’s wrong?” He lifts both his arms to engulf her in a hug and bring her body into his. She wraps her arms around him, tucking her head into his neck as they walk backwards into the room.
I wish I could frame this fucking moment, they are so damn cute together.
Neven points to the space between the bottom of her door and the floor. “We need something to block the scent coming out of this room.”
“Already on it,” Soren says, scrolling on his phone as he follows Red. Neven is next, and I…
I’ve never been invited inside her room before. Despite her obvious sadness that my alpha absolutely itches to soothe, this is her space.
I have to be invited. At least one time, but realistically every time. This space serves as her room and her nest. It’s not something to be taken lightly. No matter the situation.
I take a deep breath, reaching for the door handle to pull the door shut when a hand with half-inch-long acrylics grips the door. and I meet the eyes of an omega on the cusps of tears.
Oh fuck, did I upset her even more?
“You’re leaving?” The tremor in her voice nearly brings me to my knees. Confusion fills my brain like a bucket in a rainstorm and I’m conflicted on what to do.
“I’ll be right here,” I say, on instinct. Knowing I was never really going anywhere. I would just stand guard. Right outside her door. My alpha could never leave her, not in a state like this.
“Why not inside?” Her words are sharp as they hit my ears and I’m glad my light brown tawny skin hides what would be the reddening of my ears.
“I’ve never been inside,” I say like a dumbfounded fool. Her eyes pierce mine, and I couldn’t lie to her if I tried. Not even if a lie would comfort her more.
“So you don’t want to?” She tilts her head and instead of being sad, her eyes hold a small fire that whips around, loose and waving. I could almost breathe a sign of relief. I’d rather her mad than sad. I’d prefer happiness, but I’ll take what I can get.
Though I’m not sure why she’s mad at me.
Wouldn’t she prefer me to wait for permission to enter?
“Invite him in, Princess.” Red’s voice shocks her, making her jump a little before turning to glance back at him. I love watching her. Red nods once, and she looks back at me, sheepishly, that single flame of fire in her eye gone, her face growing a bit red.
“Oh…Sorry.” A fierce blush takes over her face. “I forgot.”
“No need to apologize, ever. This is your space.” I hope she knows I truly mean it.
“Asher, please, come in.” She grabs the front of my shirt and pulls me inside and slams the door shut behind her. She doesn’t face the two alphas, beta, and omega standing crowded in her tiny dorm room.
She sighs, her shoulders rising and falling with her breath before she turns around. She presses her back against the door. Her eyes glazed over and a fake small smile on her lips.
“I missed your text—”
“What’s wrong?” Red asks again. More forceful as he steps closer to her but not quite in reach yet.
She gulps and refuses to make eye contact with any of us. “Nothing.”
“Let’s tell the truth, Omega.” Neven’s voice has her snapping her head to look in his direction.
Clear as day, I know it. He’s our lead.
Even clearer, it doesn’t bother me. I’m an alpha, at the end of the day, always. But I’m not a lead. Not all Packs have one, but revealing a lead is like revealing a scent match. It’s just something that clicks into place.
The guys all freeze. Even Neven. My gaze shoots to Red. His scent burns with worry, breathing labored and shoulders hunched forward. That’s two offenses against him now.
“Nothing is fucking easy,” Red mutters as he stares at Neven.
Neven gives him a half shrug and moves his gaze back to the original distressed omega in the room.
“Esper…” Soren’s eyes pin Esper to the door.
She licks her lush lips and nods before looking at the space behind us. “It really is nothing. My friend and I got into a little fight.”
“And it upset you,” Red says, scrunching his eyebrows and squaring his shoulders as if he’s going to go fight this friend.
“Fights do that.” Esper tucks her hair being her ears. “I just needed a moment but I’m ready now. Let’s go have an amazing first Pack date.”
Neven pauses, assessing her. “If you’re sure—”
“I’m sure.” She turns on her heel and opens the door again, grabs her schoolbag, and walks out the door.
“We’ll just… keep an eye out,” Neven says, watching the omega strut down the hall.
“I wanna find this fucking friend,” Red whispers as he follows her out.
“We’ll make sure she’s okay,” Soren confirms, following Red and Neven.
“And do our damnedest to make sure she stays that way,” I mutter, more to myself at this point, closing her door behind me.