Chapter 8
Zira
Waking up Monday morning is a different affair than it usually is, and I have no doubt it’s because I spent most of my weekend with the pack, the pack I was determined to ignore before I realized I was being an idiot, when I wasn’t teaching class or visiting Mom
Instead, I spent yesterday morning at the gym, teaching a group of young girls gymnastics while I had an audience that tried and failed to pretend like they weren’t watching me and faking their workout routines. It was fun and hilarious, turning my head and catching them all watching before they darted their eyes away. The only thing missing was a false jaunty tune that would give away their watchful ways.
Even funnier was how they abandoned their workout routines entirely once class was over and the little Olympians-in-the-making went home for the day, to watch me openly, leaving me to my own workouts that consisted of stretching, pilates, and a heap load of jumps, tumbles, and varying other tricks I learned as a child. It’s the only thing in the world, besides playing the piano and reading, that Mom understood meant a lot to me. It calmed me, stole a lot of pent-up energy I’ve always been riddled with, and kept me sane during the tougher times of my childhood. So, even though we had very little money to get by with, Mom always somehow scraped up enough to continue my gymnastics lessons. Piano was a different story, though I continued learning with the use of tutorials and such instead of paying a tutor like I once had.
Lying in my clean and fresh nest, I laugh at Alek’s reaction the moment I was done, breathless and panting for air after a vigorous workout.
“So, we have a gym at our house if you ever want to work out with me,” he’d said, entirely too impressed. “Maybe teach me how the fuck you did the splits standing up.”
Since my martial arts class is next weekend, he didn’t witness the badassery I’m actually capable of, so, of course, I accepted the invite to use his gym and work out with him, if for nothing other than to kick his ass at some point. It’ll be a funny little surprise for them all, and I'll get to brag that I downed the beastly Viking. There’s something exhilarating about the prospect.
Smiling widely, I jump out of bed and begin my morning routine, excited to get back to work after a week away. I’ve missed the library, my safe place other than my apartment. I miss seeing some of the kids, I miss being surrounded by books, and, most importantly but very secretively, I miss my daily visits from Barnes. Even when I was doing my best to be angry with him, he’d stop by and try to talk. I feel guilty, now, for icing him out, but I have found myself appreciating the way he’d been there every day without fail, hoping I’d give him the time of day again.
Anticipation thrums through me as I shower, dress, and style my hair. Donning a pair of above-the-ankle-length slacks and a chiffon shirt the same shade as Lazarus’s eyes, and styling my hair into loose waves with my outgrown bangs pinned behind my ears, I look myself over and nod, happy with today’s outfit.
By the time I have my four-inch pumps on and my purse slung over my shoulder, I’m practically vibrating with the need to get out of my apartment and back to the solitude of the library that has quickly become one of my favorite places in the world.
It takes very little time to get to work, only making a pit stop at Gabby’s for a freshly made iced coffee and a croissant for breakfast, and the moment I’m seated behind my desk, surrounded by the scent of worn books, I find my zen. I’m in the zone and, with only a few waves at the students I’ve gotten to know over the months, I’m left to go about my morning without interruptions.
I’m just shy of two hours into the working day when a shiver runs down my spine, and I frown at my computer screen, still logging the new books that arrived this morning. When it doesn’t disappear ten minutes later, I roll my shoulders back and log one last book into the computer before raising my head.
I startle when I find a stranger standing at my desk, his nose-wrinkling scent hitting me a second later. Undeniably alpha, his scent is strong and pungent, like gasoline and rubber, and it’s a wonder I didn’t smell it sooner. It’s nothing like the scent of the alphas I spent the day with yesterday, and it takes a great deal of effort not to show my displeasure at the assault on my senses.
Clearing my throat, I quietly greet, “Hi. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was standing there.”
The guy—dressed in a crisp, white shirt, a nice, blue sweater, and khakis that look expensive—smiles and another shiver runs down my spine, discomfort wiring through my bones. “No bother. You looked too focused to interrupt, so I thought I’d wait until you had a moment to introduce myself.”
“Oh. Sure. Are you new here at North Five?” I prod, wondering what it is about this man that’s setting my nerves on edge. I can’t figure it out. He looks nice enough, with big, round, wire-rimmed glasses, a head full of chocolate-brown hair, and a dimple in his chin. In fact, I’m sure most would call him handsome, in a nerdy kind of way, but there’s an aura to him that I can’t explain. He emanates weird vibes, and I’m not too keen on the way his eyes track me as I lean away from my PC and further from him.
The guy nods, and holds his hand out for me to shake. “Started just this morning. Name’s Hunter Gary Johnson the second. I’m the new biology professor.”
Reluctantly, I offer him my hand to shake, still tripping over his name. I damn near shudder at the first touch of his heated palm against mine, his skin soft but a little on this side of being too warm. Of course, I know alphas run hot, but there’s almost a clammy quality to it. It’s a battle to keep my polite smile in place, and I swallow hard before speaking. “Oh, how nice. Welcome to North U, in that case. You’ll love it here. It’s a beautiful campus and all of the students and staff are wonderful.”
Hunter takes longer than appropriate to release my hand, but when he does, I fold them into my lap as he says, “I’m looking forward to being a part of the North Five Family.”
I smile politely, feeling beyond uncomfortable with the handsome but slightly off alpha, and I awkwardly ask, “Was there something you needed that brought you here?”
“Oh, yes! There was. I’m sorry, I was… distracted,” he says, those sharp eyes boring into me, and a prickle of unease eats away at my politeness. When I don’t respond, my smile falling a fraction, he clears his throat and plasters on a sheepish smile that suits the cute, geeky look he has going on. “Uh, sorry. I was looking for a certain text book that I don’t seem to have in my class. I was hoping you could check if there was one available here.”
Nodding slowly, I say, “Sure. What’s the title?”
He shares the title before leaning onto the desk, bringing with him his strong scent that turns my stomach. It’s the first time I’ve had such a strong reaction to someone’s scent that wasn’t positive, and I’m forced to hold my breath while I search the system for the text book he’s looking for.
Unfortunately, we don’t hold the copy here, and I’m left with no choice but to breathe in order to tell him as much. “It doesn’t look like we have it, but I can order one in for you, if you’d like.”
“Oh, bummer,” he sighs, but nods in answer. “If you could, that would be great. Thank you for your help…”
“Oh, right. Ze- Uh, Miss Favero. I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s arrived,” I answer, stumbling over my name before remembering this is a coworker and I could have offered my first name. Something about him is off-putting enough that I simply withheld at the last second, and I watch as those dark eyes sharpen further and his lips tug into a small smirk that does nothing to help my thoughts about him.
“Thank you, Miss Favero,” he concludes quietly, tapping against the desk before offering me a wave and leaving the way he came.
As soon as he’s out of sight, I dig into my purse for my perfume and begin spritzing all around me, wafting the air like he’s left a bad stink behind. I’m furiously swatting when Juno, Geo, and Evron appear, and I smile over at them while I continue to cleanse the air around me. “Hi, guys. How are you all doing? Free period?”
Juno nods before striding to my desk, wrinkling her nose before uttering, “What’s that smell?”
“Oh, sorry. It’s my perfume, it’s called—” I begin, only for Geo to interrupt.
“Not that, Miss Fave. The weird smell under the citrus?” he clarifies, using the nickname they’ve been calling me for weeks now. “I’m a beta, but that’s still hella strong to me.”
I pause my air swatting and look at the three: omega, alpha, and beta. “The gas and rubber smell?”
All three nod and Evron clicks his fingers before pointing at me. “That’s it. I couldn’t place the rubber, but you’re dead on.”
Cringing with confirmation, I put my perfume away and take a seat, explaining, “Apparently, the school hired a new biology professor. He introduced himself a minute ago, and I thought I was going to choke on the scent. Do either of you have hand sanitizer?”
Sure enough, Geo fishes one out of Juno’s bag and hands it over, leaning on my desk before quietly asking, “What’s he like? Other than smelling flammable?”
I shrug, eyeing the three, before lowering my voice to a whisper, “I don’t know. He seemed nice enough.”
“But…?” Juno pushes, already seeing right through me. Since I’m only four or five years older than the students that come here, it’s been easy for me to find common ground with many, but Juno, Silver, and their respective packs have grown on me a fair bit. I consider them friends, and they do me, though we’re always respectful and professional while we’re on campus.
It’s why I hesitate in sharing my concerns, but a single eyebrow raise from the omega that hates people as a rule has me spilling my guts and hoping I don’t regret it. “There was, I don’t know, a vibe to him? Like he was trying too hard to make himself appear nerdy and shy and cute, you know? I didn’t get a good feeling from him, but I can’t really explain it more than that.”
Juno nods, and accepts the bottle of watermelon-scented hand sanitizer back, as she mutters, “Got to trust your instincts, Miss Fave. We have them for a reason.”
The boys nod, and Geo offers me a gentle smile. “We’re going to stick around for an hour, so we’ll interject if he comes back and you start to look uncomfortable.”
Huffing a laugh, I nod. “Thank you. Go, enjoy your free period. Let me know if you guys need anything.”
With smiles and waves, they go to their usual table in my line of sight, and start pulling out their text books before settling. At ease with them here but still feeling a little on edge after the encounter with the new professor, I continue with my work, finding a stack of books that need replacing.
Losing myself to my work for a little while, finding the homes in which the books belong, I’m still thinking about the strange energy I was getting from the new biology teacher. Maybe it’s because I’m easily unnerved by men? Or men I don’t know? I’m frowning as I round the corner after tucking the last book away, not really paying attention to where I’m going, so it’s no wonder I end up walking directly into a hard body that smells like bergamot and incense.
As instantly as Barnes’s scent floods my senses, my whole body deflates from its tense stiffness I’d been walking around with since Hunter Gary Johnson the something or other appeared at my desk.
“Hey, you. Why are you hiding all the way back here? And why do you smell stressed? What’s wrong?” Barnes asks, his large hands falling to my shoulders to steady me after our collision.
Sighing as my body tilts towards him, I take a deep breath and mutter, “Just feeling on edge. Have you met the new professor yet?”
Barnes frowns and shakes his head. “No, but by the look on your face, I’m going to assume you have?”
Nodding, still leaning into his hands, I mutter, “He stopped by and, I don’t know, watched me while I worked until I realized he was standing there. That’s weird, right?”
Barnes nods slowly, eyeing me carefully. “It’s certainly strange, yes, but is there a chance he didn’t want to disturb you?”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I think about it, but instantly dismiss the idea. “You’d think so, but he said something that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I asked if he needed anything and he said he was distracted. He was looking right at me, as though I was what distracted him. I don’t know, I’m not sure if I’m looking too deep into it, but the guy gave me the creeps.”
Barnes rubs my biceps, his face growing stern. “Then that’s all I need to know. I’ll look into him, okay? Did he give you his name?”
The relief I feel is instant, appreciating more than anything that I’m not being brushed off. So, I give him the guy’s name, and he smiles down at me. “Leave it with me, Freckles. I’ll look into this guy and ease your mind. You have my number, too, if he comes back and you’re uncomfortable. I’d be happy to come to your rescue.”
Rolling my eyes with a twitching lip, calming the more and more I inhale his scent, I poke him in the stomach. I instantly blush when I realize there is absolutely no fat there to squish, my finger meeting the hardened divots of his abs, and I mutter, “What are you even doing here, anyway? Not that I don’t welcome the visit.”
Flashing a rare grin, Barnes drops his hands with reluctance, before moving aside. Pressing a hand to my lower back instead, he leads me back to my desk with an answer, “I came bearing gifts. Since we’re wiping the slate clean and you made breakfast yesterday morning, I figured I’d make you lunch and hand deliver it.”
I light up immediately, beaming at the guy as though I haven’t been a raging bitch to him for six weeks. I melt a little on the inside knowing how easily he and Lazarus forgave me, not entirely sure why they did but enjoying this new slate journey we’re now on.
“What did you make?” I question, intrigued and excited by the idea that he decided to bring me lunch.
“Why don’t you find out?” he teases, leading me to my desk and pushing the Tupperware box and a fancy flask that sits atop it toward me. “A birdy told me you like pasta, and that little birdy has a brother who told me you like iced coffee.”
Instantly, my belly rumbles and my smile turns shy, nodding in confirmation and gushing about the restaurant I’d love to go back to. “Mac and Ford took me to Dolce Vita on Saturday and it was the best pasta I’ve ever had.”
Barnes flashes another grin, though this one is softer somehow, like my reaction pleases him. With a tap of the plastic tub, he gestures for me to open it, a secretive little gleam in his pretty blue eyes.
Doing as instructed, I remove the flask from the Tupperware and drag it closer, peeling the lid off slowly. My nose is caressed by the mouthwatering scent of the very same pasta I ate two nights ago. The chorizo & mozzarella gnocchi bake looks to die for, and my mouth waters instantly at the sight of the melted cheese atop the gnocchi. It smells and looks like heaven, and when I tear my eyes away from the food before me, I find Barnes smiling warmly at me already.
“You made this?” I question, awe bleeding into my voice.
Barnes laughs. “Don’t sound so surprised, Freckles. I might bake for fun, but I know how to cook a mean pasta dish, too. I have Italian genes in my blood. It’s the only reason Amara was kind enough to hand over the recipe, swearing me to secrecy.”
“Wait, you asked Amara for the recipe?” I breathe, shaking my head in surprise. Because, as thoughtful and incredible as this is, I don’t think anyone has ever gone to that level of effort to make me something in all of my twenty-five years.
Barnes nods, eyes warming that much more when it feels like I'm about to embarrass myself by crying right there in the library. “Sure did. The guys told me where they took you, and I wanted to make you something I knew you’d love. They said you demolished the food Amara made you, so I figured that was the best way to go. Consider this my acceptance of your apology, and an extension of your olive branch with an apology from me, too. I promise, should I feel the urge to spend copious amounts of money in an attempt to ease your burdens again, I’ll do so after discussing it with you first.”
Bursting out with laughter, I have to slap my hand over my mouth to stifle the outburst when several students, Juno, Geo, and Evron included, peer over at me with amused smiles and baffled expressions.
Shaking my head, I swallow my laughter, a few chuckles slipping free as I say, “As sweet as that is, let’s not make it a habit, okay? I’m rather enjoying not giving you the cold shoulder any longer, and I’d hate to ruin it so soon.”
“So vicious,” Barnes breathes playfully, though he’s smiling down at me as though he doesn’t realize, or possibly even care, that we’re being watched.
I shrug, biting my lower lip. “What can I say? I’m not good with men.”
“Could have fooled me, Freckles,” he teases, pulling a wrapped plastic fork from his pocket and hands it to me, gesturing for me to reclaim my seat behind the desk.
Pulling a confused expression, I ask, “What does that mean?”
Placing the Tupperware in front of me and rounding the desk to lean against it beside me, Barnes crosses his legs at the ankle and tucks his hands into his pocket as he shrugs with his smile still in place. I’m pretty sure this is the longest I’ve witnessed this man smile, and I find myself growing impossibly obsessed with the curve of his lips and his smile lines.
“It means that you’ve always come guns blazing when you’re dealing with me and my pack. A pack filled with men. Alpha men, too. It’s great, and I’m not in the least bit complaining, but it’s certainly not the shy, demure, and guarded omega I’ve been getting to know over the past few months. I like it. A lot,” he explains, a softness in his voice amongst the teasing that tells me he’s being genuine.
I feel my cheeks heat, and there’s no mistaking the burst of perfume that seeps from my body, and I try to distract him from it when I shrug, stab the pasta with my fork, and take a bite of the most exquisite pasta. Moaning around the mouthful, the flavors bursting over my tongue just as beautifully as they did when Amara made the same dish, I fall back into my seat and briefly wonder if this is what heaven tastes like.
Eyes fluttering open, not even remembering closing them, I peer up at Barnes from beneath my eyelashes. I swallow hard at the heat now pooling in his sapphire eyes, my blush deepening until I’m sure they’re painted a rosy-pink color that I can never disguise with my pale skin, and I rasp, “That was before you pissed me off enough to forget that men make me nervous.”
Clearing his throat does nothing to hide the slight rasp in his voice as he says, “I can’t say I’m too sorry for that. Like I said, I’m rather enjoying this version of you, Freckles.”
Hell, if I blush any deeper, I’m sure I’d turn into a tomato. The only thing that could make it worse is if Barnes highlights the strength of my scent and how I’m perfuming more now than I was before.
Thankfully, he doesn’t. Instead, he winks down at me and stands, rounding the desk before pausing to smile down at me once more. It’s a little more bashful, and I melt right there and then, swooning at the sight and smell of the beautiful man who brought me the best damned pasta bake in the world.
I’m swooning ten times harder when he cautiously asks, “Would it be pushing my luck if I asked you to dinner tonight? Maybe that fresh start can come with you spending time with my pack without the animosity? I’d like you to meet them properly, get to know them.”
I pause for a moment, thinking about it. It doesn’t take long for Mom’s voice to enter my head, her sage wisdom coming back to me as her voice echoes in my ears as though she’s standing beside me. ‘I won’t be around forever, Zee. I want you to be happy, and those men? They could make you happy if you gave them a chance. Offer your olive branch, make amends, and see where things go. You might find that they’re exactly what you’ve been looking for since you learned what packs were as a teenager.’
So, with her voice reaffirming my decision, I nod and smile shyly, muttering, “Fine. But I have one condition.”
“Name it,” he demands easily, relief evident in his voice.
My smile grows as I take another bite of the food, actively fighting the moan that almost bleeds from my tongue, and once I’m done with the bite of heaven, I say, “We don’t eat anything fancy that will cost my month’s wage.”
There isn’t an ounce of hesitation in him when he agrees. “It’s a deal, Freckles. I’ll pick you up at seven?”
“I’ll see you at seven,” I confirm, grinning when he does, feeling a bubbly sense of excitement for this new chapter of my life.
I’m watching Barnes as he leaves, tucking his hands back into his pocket and finding the move far too sexy for the workplace. Before he disappears entirely, I’m reminded about my manners, and I whisper-shout his name across the room.
When he turns, an expectant look on his unfairly beautiful face, I point at my food and iced coffee with my fork. “Thank you. This is incredible.”
“Glad you like it,” he says, winking once more before disappearing and leaving me to my gnocchi, feeling like a puddle of anticipation and excitement for tonight.
Devouring the rest of my lunch, I’m left to think about what the hell I’m going to wear. I’m going to have to scour my closet for something to wear as soon as I’m home, but that’s fine, because it takes me until the very end of the day to realize Barnes effectively took away the thoughts of the new professor with his presence alone. So, I’ll gladly scour every inch of my closet for something nice to wear, because he suddenly became very much worth the effort.