Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
CLOVER
S ometimes, I cry so much that I throw up. Which I had done twice, on the airplane ride. It became such a problem that they ended up moving me to First Class and giving me a glass of champagne, hoping that the alcohol would soothe my nerves.
They didn’t even card me!
The two flight attendants took turns sitting with me. Holding my hand and soothing me. One of them, Matilda, was an Alpha and asked if it would help if she purred for me for a little bit. I had declined and she brought me another cup of champagne to have instead.
If I think about the last 48 hours of my life, I’ll start crying again. Instead of spiraling out of control, I march out of the gate of the airport. A smile plastered on my face, and a hope to start anew.
At least for three months.
Martha Mathers said her son was going to watch over me for a little while. Instead of finishing what should have been a mandatory year at The Omega Academy, I was going to be going to college at Newbury University in Orion.
I had been a little bit of a late bloomer, with only a couple of small heat spikes under my belt. Martha was going to find a way for me to take some online classes through the academy so I could get the support that I needed to learn more about my Omega designation. Seeing as I new barely anything I would say I needed the help.
Looking down at my phone, I open the text chain with Martha. She sent me a picture and a reminder of her son's name. Not that I would be able to forget him with how much they all talked about him when I was at their house. It was obvious his family was full of love and pride for him.
Apollo Mathers is an Alpha. His pack consists of two other Alpha’s and a Beta. Martha assured me that she raised her son right and that no one in his pack will try to bond me without talking about courting or things first.
She explained they all play hockey. Apollo had graduated and now plays professionally. This takes up a lot of their time so I won’t have to worry about things happening. His pack mates are still in school and can look out for me since-
Nope .
Can’t think about it.
My eyes scan the crowd around me and I catch sight of Apollo.
The pictures didn’t do the Alpha justice.
He isn’t dressed up or looking like he’s trying to stand out, but oh my cheese and crackers is he good looking.
I’m vertically challenged and looking at this Alpha I’m guessing he’s a foot and a half taller than me. Built with thick thighs that are outlined in his black joggers and muscled arms hidden under his dark grey crewneck sweatshirt. I can’t see his full look; he has a ball cap pulled down over his face like he is trying to hide.
I get his need for privacy since he is having a great rookie year.
I wonder if he is mad that he had to come pick me up. Or how much his mother told him about me.
That leaves a knot in my stomach.
Pushing myself forward I walk towards where the Alpha is. He doesn’t notice me getting closer and I don’t love that because-
What is that smell?
Amber and black tea.
It feels like a warm hug. The perfect nest. The feeling of a good pillow under my head and a soft blanket wrapped tight around me. It’s safety and comfort and everything good in the world and…it’s Apollo Mathers.
Oh .
I didn’t know Alphas could smell good like that. Usually Alphas smell bland to me, like ordinary everyday things. They don’t smell like all the best feelings in the world. Definitely not a calming scent.
Maybe I’ll learn more about that in Omega studies. I had just started my classes a couple weeks ago and it was more intro to my body and about how to find comfort. Things that should have been more instinctual. I had grown up with my Beta grandmother who had passed away just after I got my first heat spike. She had been unprepared for an Omega granddaughter and didn’t know what to do with me. The community we belonged to didn’t help at all either.
My second little heat spike had started the first week of school so I had missed out on a few things pushing me even further back than I already was.
How strange it is to be an Omega and not really fully grasp what that is going to look like for me.
The heat spikes were like small flus. It was explained to me that things with heats turned sexual later, when my Omega was more sure.
“Hi, I’m Clover Lynn. You must be Apollo Mathers. You look so much like Gracie.” He does not look that much like Gracie, but I feel like if I say he looks like his sister who is kind of mean will make me not think about how good looking this Alpha is.
And he’s very good looking so I need to think of his sister a lot. Like a lot, a lot.
His eyes are on me, this dark blue color that makes my stomach turn from how intense he is. The sandy dark blonde beard is a little long but still tight to his face like he makes sure that he takes care of himself.
And his smell.
Good Golly Miss Molly.
They could bottle him up and sell him as Omega aphrodisiac.
“You’re an Omega.” His voice is grumbly, a sort of whisper sound like he only wants me to hear him speak. Or maybe I’m romanticizing the situation because biscuits and gravy this Alpha is the bees knees.
“Yup and you’re an Alpha.” I keep the smile planted on my face because smiling is way better than asking someone if you can rub your nose against their scent gland.
I think that’s frowned upon in polite company and definitely frowned upon if you’re not with that person. I don’t really know. I haven’t gotten to the Omega and Alpha interaction part of my education.I hadn’t been around many Alphas at all.
I wasn’t sure what to do around him.
Grammy always just told me that Stuart, a Beta that smelled like the tap water comes out of old pipes, was a good boy and he would date me when I was of age. That was before I ended up being an Omega though so I’m not really sure what she meant by that.
I really hope the Beta in Apollo’s pack doesn’t smell like old metal pipes. I don’t think I can smile like I am now if I’m trying to not puke.
“Can we get my bag? Your Mama lent me a piece of luggage. And she helped me get on the plane. This was my first plane ride. They even moved me up to first class and gave me two glasses of champagne!” I rocked on my heels as I held up two fingers, watching the way his perfect lips form a scowl.
Oh .
Don’t love that.
“They gave you champagne? How old are you?”
“Are you mad at me?” I blurt out, my smile falling as I look up at Apollo, “I’m sorry I was just nervous from flying and it’s been a real downright yikes on bikes the past two days.” He blinks at me like he is unsure of what to make of me and then I realize that I didn’t answer his question, “I’m 19.”
“Oh. Oh I’m going to hell. You’re a child.”
“I’m 19! I can vote.”
“Barely.”
“Still counts.”
“Oh my fuck she sent me a child.” He is covering his face with his hands as he refers to his mother and I really think I’m going to cry again.
He’s 24 years old. Something I know because his mother went over a lot of details about his pack before putting me on a plane here. She wanted to make me feel safe after going through something that made me feel very unsafe.
Knowing about the situation made me feel a little better. Until now.
My heart sinks and I watch him peel his hands away, looking down at me as if he can scent my distress.
It can’t be that bad.
“Lets get your luggage squared away and then get you back to the house.” He goes to reach for me and I feel myself flinch back without thinking about it.
He winces again, mutters an apology before turning to head towards the bag carousel. The problem with him heading off is that as the jolly giant, each step he takes is about three of mine and I find myself jogging to catch up to him.
Apollo seems distracted as he looks around, finally figuring out where my bag is and pulling it off the metal belt before it can make another trip around.
“I got this set for her for mothers day.” He explains how he knew it was my bag and I’m ever more embarrassed now that I had to borrow a bag for my things.
I’m pretty thankful that he didn’t ask why I had to borrow the bag or why I am here. I’m not quite sure I’m ready to talk about it. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready to talk about it.
He holds my luggage as he walks us back to his SUV. He opens the passenger door for me, making sure I’m in the car before bothering to put my luggage in the backseat. Seeing that it is absolutely freezing outside I’m pretty thankful for the chivalry.
Once he’s in the car he moves some of the vents so they’re pointed at me and turns on the heated seats.
If I were to describe what heaven would feel like I would be sure that it's this right here. Being surrounded by that rich calming scent of Apollo and being warmed all over.
He frowns as he looks at me, shaking his head before leaning back and grabbing a hoodie that he lays across my lap like it is an offering for me.
“It’s cold. You can wear this to warm up some. The autumn here feels like winter everywhere else.” And then he waits as I pull it over me and buckle back in.
I haven’t slept much in the past few days with everything that has been going on. I haven’t felt like it was okay for me to relax enough to close my eyes. But as the music plays softly and the car drives down the highway I feel my eyes start to get heavy.
For a few moments I fight the battle. Trying to win out over the exhaustion that is crashing through me but Apollo’s scent and the warmth that is cocooning me is all too much.
“Is it okay if I lift you up, Cherub? I just want to bring you inside.” The soft sound of his voice wakes me up and I make a sound as I feel his hands slide under my legs and against my back.
My instincts don’t care that I don’t know him. Instead they just lean against him as I nuzzle my face against his chest. Gosh, he smells even better now that I am closer to him.
How had I flinched away from him before and now my body had no problem with him? It had to be the exhaustion overriding the last bits of sense that I had in my body. I’m not going to argue. He’s warm and I’m tired.
I’m laid down on a bed that is saturated with his smell. My whole body melts into it.
“I’m just going to take off your shoes and pull the blankets over you. Okay, cherub? You just keep resting and I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”
His fingers make quick work of my shoes and I don’t even care as he squeezes my ankle like he just had to touch my skin for a second. The blanket comes around me and he presses it around me as I reach for a pillow, pulling it against me like it’s a stuffed animal.
“Adorable.” His grumbly voice is so close I can feel it tickling my eyelashes as he speaks.
Part of me wants to protest but I am too exhausted. To wrung out from everything that has happened. Finally feeling like I can sleep and be okay feels like a chance I have to snatch up and enjoy.
And it just smells so….good….