Chapter 12
TWELVE
There are very few things in the world that scare me.
Hornets, cannibalistic cults, the possibility of a real zombie apocalypse, waking up one day with amnesia in the middle of said apocalypse.
And yes, The Walking Dead influenced a lot of these fears.
But other than zombies and evil bees, most of my worries are centered around Elsie, the light of my life, which is why I darted right out of my apartment the second I hung up on that alpha.
He sounded nice, but my instincts were roaring inside me. A little bit of jealousy, too, I have to admit. He sounded manly, mature. He sounded like everything I knew deep down that Elsie needed.
That doesn’t mean that it hurts any less.
I illegally speed to her apartment, because all I can think about is her being in distress and not being there to help her. My sweet Elsie, with her soft and sensitive heart. I imagine her crying, her cheeks soaked with tears, and my foot puts more pressure on the gas.
I should have been there. I should have stayed with her to make sure she was okay, that the guys were trustworthy.
I swing my car into a parking space, not caring about the weird look her neighbor gives me from her apartment balcony, and then head up to her door.
Something stops me in my tracks as I go to put my key in, the one she had made for me.
We have keys to each other’s places, but today is a different circumstance.
There are alphas in there, hopefully protective ones rather than possessive, but I need to be cautious.
So, instead, I knock softly on the door. It takes less than twenty seconds for it to open.
The alpha on the other side makes me lose my breath. His shaggy black hair falls into his face flawlessly, his jawline as sharp as an obsidian’s edge. Not to mention, I can see his lean muscles straining underneath his T-shirt.
My mouth gapes. Oh my god, he’s hot.
He’s not who I would expect my best friend to choose, but he looks kind, and I guess on an app like Heat Seekers that wins over all else.
Good for you, Elsie.
My nostrils flare. The soft subtle indulgence of nutmeg assaults me, causing me to clench my fist at my side.
The sweet and nutty spice causes me to lose every string of thought.
Then there’s this colorful fruitiness that I can’t pinpoint, the scent flamboyant and rich like tiny purple seeds bursting on my tongue.
This alpha isn’t an ordinary alpha, he is my scent match… and he’s here to help Elsie through her heat.
I steel my spine, wiping away any shock from my face.
I can’t let him see that he’s affecting me.
I may be an omega, but today is not about me.
Whatever notion that my designation wants me to have, like dropping my guard and running into his arms, can’t happen.
I have to focus on what’s more important, and that will always be my best friend.
“Where is Elsie?”
At my abrupt change of tone, his eyes flash with something resembling adoration. I can’t let myself dwell on that or a whine will force its way up my throat.
“In the room,” he says, gesturing over his shoulder. I quickly walk past him, ignoring his mouthwatering scent as I inhale it up close and personal. It’s incredible, sensational, but if I let myself get wrapped up in it, I will let my omega down.
I will not let her down.
My pace quickens as I walk down the hall, not bothering to see if the alpha is following me.
I start to hear Elsie’s sobs the closer I get to the bedroom. They pierce the heart inside my chest and twist until there’s nothing but a broken organ. I have tunnel vision as I enter, going straight for her on the bed.
When her eyes meet mine, they widen and her arms reach out for me. I don’t waste another second as I pull her into me, whatever alpha that was there helping her stepping back so I can slide into the bed next to her.
“Holy shit,” one of the alphas whispers, but I don’t say anything as I take in the state of Elsie’s makeshift nest.
Elsie has only known one nest her whole life, and that is the one she had at her parents’ house.
This apartment doesn’t allow for them—as there isn’t enough room—so here she is, lying on her bed that’s rimmed with walls of body pillows trying to emulate the appearance of a nest, but I know it must be making her uncomfortable.
This is no way for her to have her first heat.
I curse. I should have helped her prepare more.
She uncontrollably sobs into my shoulder, saying words that run together so I can’t understand a single word she’s saying. I hold her as close as I possibly can, and her candy apple scent softens, its burned edges turning sweet once more with every second my skin touches hers.
Her sobs start to subside, and I heave a sigh of relief as I caress her shoulder.
Now that I have her in my arms, I can finally take in the other two alphas that are in the room.
The one standing awkwardly with his hands fanned out to his sides is tall—taller than any person I’ve ever seen—and his shoulders are so big that if he wasn’t shirtless, I would think they were padded.
His brown hair is short, barely touching his ears, and his green eyes are soft as they look to me for guidance.
The other alpha, the one sitting on the other side of Elsie, has the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.
His skin is dark and smooth, and his eyes rake over me like I’m a welcomed guest rather than someone bursting their bubble with an omega in heat.
Their scents circle me, mingling with Elsie’s, and even though I should be excited for this revelation, my muscles clench with irritation.
Fuck, more scent matches.
My eyes flash as I look to the brunette. “You’re the one who smells like bourbon.”
His brows rise. “I… well yeah, but what do you mean?”
“I scented you at the party the other night. I thought… well, I didn’t know…” I pause, flattening my lips. I knew there was something unusual about the way his scent affected me, but after leaving that night, I convinced myself that I was just drunk instead. Seeing things that weren’t there.
His eyes flash with recognition. “Holy shit… you two were the omegas I saw dancing together.” Then he looks to the floor. “Did she smell me? Is that why she…”
He trails off, leaving me confused. “What do you mean?”
The alpha that let me in, the one with the amazing nutmeg scent, enters the room. “We’re her scent matches,” he tells me. “He’s saying maybe he accidentally triggered her heat.”
Time stops. Everything outside of these four walls ceases to exist as that information sinks in.
Elsie and I… have the same scent matches? That can’t be right.
“Her spike did start on the dance floor, right after I scented you…” I say, turning back to the bulging hulk of an alpha.
“Brodie,” he tells me. “My name is Brodie.”
I nod, then turn to the other two.
“I’m DJ,” the one on the other side of the bed says. “And that’s Raivat.”
I shake my head, too much information happening at once. I can’t believe this, that Elsie’s scent-matched alphas are our alphas.
Our alphas. I am both excited and stressed by the prospect, by how the universe always seems to be one step ahead of us.
“I don’t want to make any decisions right now,” I tell them.
DJ nervously says, “But we’re your—”
“No,” I warn. “We can’t talk about this now. Whatever we are to each other doesn’t matter, we have to focus on her. She is what matters here, not whatever we just discovered seconds ago.” When I don’t immediately hear them agree, I add sternly, “Do you understand?”
They all stand a little bit straighter, nodding their heads. Raivat steps forward first. “She is the priority,” he agrees, and the tension in my shoulders dissipates. “We will take care of her, we promise.”
I nod, hearing the honesty laced in his tone.
My eyes meet with each alpha, seeing the sincerity in their gazes.
“Good,” I finally say, before looking back at Elsie.
Her eyes are distant, like she’s here but not really.
I know that daze, how scary it is; I’m glad I am finally here to help her through it.
Her stomach rumbles, the sound a soft growl rather than a twist of pain. I look at the bowl on the end table, left and abandoned.
“Will someone warm that up?” I ask, and Elsie nuzzles her face into the crook of my neck. “I think our omega is hungry.”
Raivat rubs his neck. “Actually, I wanted to make her a sandwich. Do you know where she keeps her knives?”
I barely contain a snort. “She only has limited-edition knives that she’s collected over the years, she keeps them in a special place. I’ll show you.”
He huffs out a breath. “Cool, I thought I was going insane while looking for them.” He flattens his lips. “Do you also happen to know how to contact her professors?”
For some reason, that brings a smile to my face. Maybe these alphas are alright. “I’ve got it. Let’s get these loose ends tied up. The cramps should be coming back soon.”
I look back at Elsie, her hand idle on her stomach as she watches me with glossy eyes. My hand comes to her cheek. When she leans further into my touch, I let out a sigh.
For her sake, I hope this all goes as smoothly as she deserves.