Chapter 15
Nico
Iclick my phone off and slide it back into my pocket. Work can wait. To my sides, the other men’s scents have sharpened alongside their attention. We’re drawn like moths to a flame to the small omega shifting from foot to foot.
“Reader’s down ma’am,” the vendor’s voice is firm. “Cash only right now.”
“Oh.” She looks down at her feet, wringing her hands together. “I don’t…sorry, just cancel the order.”
I’m already pulling my wallet out of my jacket, leaning over her shoulder to place a wad of bills on the food truck’s counter. “I got it.”
She whirls around, big brown eyes going wide with surprise.
Up close, her chamomile scent is stronger, cozy like a warm blanket.
It does something to my chest the candles aren’t capable of, making it tighten and loosen.
There’s been a restlessness in me since the ball, one that settles seeing her in front of me.
“Nico?” She blinks up at me. “What are you doing here?”
“Out for a walk,” I answer easily. “No need to seem so surprised. What are you getting?”
“A smoothie, but it’s okay. You don’t have to pay for it.”
I look at her properly then, really look, and something protective stirs in my chest. Her cheekbones are more pronounced than they should be, and there’s bags darkening the skin under her eyes. I still remember how fragile she felt under my hands dancing, and she somehow seems more shrunken now.
“Just a drink? You don’t want anything to eat?” I frown.
She gives me a small smile in response. “I shouldn’t.”
“Says who?” Evan asks from her other shoulder. “We’ll do the dip platter, some funnel fries and your French toast sticks with that smoothie, please and thank you.” He lists food off to the vendor, then catches Ariana’s eye and grins. “We’ll share. What do you guys want?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll pay you back,” her words come tumbling out as the rest of the pack adds to the order.
“I’ll ask my pack for money when I get home.
Sorry, I normally just use their card on my phone.
I don’t really have cash and everything’s digital and they can track everything through their account this way and it didn’t even cross my mind to grab my wallet.
” She pauses for a breath, then presses her lips together to cut herself off. “Sorry. I’m over explaining.”
“You’re fine.” Evan reassures her, but looks over her head at me.
He’s definitely noticed the same things standing out to me. The notes of anxiety in her voice, the repeated apologies when she didn’t do anything wrong, and the fact that her pack apparently tracks her spending.
“If you really want to pay us back, you can keep us company.” Sebastian’s suggestion isn’t quite an order, but it’s close. He’s too used to being around us three alpha men, not omegas. I shoot him a pointed look and he catches the hint, softening his voice. “Please. We’d like to catch up.”
The man running the food truck passes us the food, and Evan and I grab the trays before Ariana has a chance to protest. My eyes catch the way she worriedly bites at her bottom lip before nodding, watching the pink flesh as if dazed.
We find a wooden picnic table in the park, crowding onto it. Ariana sits in the middle and I settle beside her, close enough that our knees almost touch. Sebastian takes her other side while Jason and Evan claim the bench across from us.
I pass over her smoothie, smacking Evan’s hands off the container of funnel cake fries to slide them in front of her. “Fancy meeting you here again.”
“Small world, right?” The corners of her lips quirk upwards slightly. She wraps both her hands around the plastic cup I offer her carefully, like she’s paranoid she’ll knock it over. “I needed some air. Wanted to get out of the apartment for a bit.”
“By yourself? Again?” Jason speaks for the first time. His question is brief, but filled with unspoken implication. Why aren’t they ever out with you? I can tell from his scent he’s unimpressed.
Her smile falters for a moment, then reappears. “My pack’s busy.” With their new omega, her words from before pop into my mind. Her explanation comes too easily, like she’s practiced and repeated it a million times.
“Well, we’re glad we ran into you,” Sebastian says with casual confidence. “We were just talking about you.”
“You were?” Her eyes grow wide with surprise for the second time today.
“Guilty.” Evan doesn’t look it, with his bright expression.
Ariana sips her smoothie before she responds. “That’s funny.” She seems to be considering her words as she speaks. “I was thinking about you too.”
The admission hangs in the air over the bench, not the answer any of us was expecting.
“Really?” I ask, keeping my voice light even though my heart’s picked up speed for some reason.
“Yeah.” She reaches a delicate hand to the fries, pleasing me to see her actually eat. “My pack was so happy about the investment. Thank you. They’ve been talking about it nonstop.”
It’s been a work in progress. I don’t know the details as well as Sebastian or Jason, but it looks like their goal of creating a connection has worked.
“Glad we could help,” Sebastian says simply.
We fall into easier conversation then, sliding food in front of Ariana subtly.
She seems to relax as time passes, her chamomile scent growing sweeter.
I almost want to bottle up her scent as it is now and take it home.
Or at least always bump into her with it this way, instead of it being laced by worry.
“Oh,” she perks up, as if suddenly remembering something. “My birthday’s coming up soon, actually.”
“When?” Evan asks, picking up a napkin from the table.
“Monday. I’ll probably celebrate it on Sunday though.” The way she said soon made it seem vaguely close. It’s basically imminent, though she recalled it like it was some far off date.
“Do you have any big plans?” Sebastian asks.
“No, we’ll probably just cut a cake.”
“What kind of cake?” Evan prompts.
Ariana smiles happily. “Chocolate, of course. My favorite.”
I pick up a fry and pass it to her, watching as she slips it between her pink lips. “How old are you turning?”
“Didn’t anyone tell you it’s rude to ask a lady her age?” There’s a playful glint in her eyes I haven’t seen before. “Kidding. Twenty eight.”
“Baby,” Evan teases.
“Really? Am I supposed to believe you’re older than me?” She teasingly asks.
“Not much of a difference between twenty six and twenty eight.” Evan raises his eyebrows. “And you’re only twenty seven.”
The blonde omega rolls her eyes playfully. “For now.”
“I’m thirty four.” I offer up. “Seb’s thirty two and Jason’s also twenty eight.”
“Really?” She looks at Jason interestedly. “When’s your birthday?”
“January.” Though he doesn’t speak a lot, I can tell he’s amused by his scent. “I’m older, then.”
“By months.” Her counterargument gives a glimpse of her personality beyond her usual quiet state. It’s closer to the fiery attitude of the woman at the ball.
“Still counts.” I swear I see the corner of Jason’s mouth twitch.
She goes back and forth, bantering with the pack, even getting Jason to chime in. I’m sure more than an hour passes, but none of us consider returning to work, wrapped in the conversation. Time flies, as people come and go through the park.
“You know, Ariana,” Evan starts, still half laughing at one of Sebastian’s jokes. “This is nice. You’re welcome to come on our walks whenever. We’re trying to drag this one out more,” he claps Jason on the back, making the other alpha grunt. “He’s basically a hermit.”
“I go out,” Jason mutters accusingly.
“The office doesn’t count.”
There’s something wistful in Ariana’s smile. “That’s really kind of you, but I don’t think my alphas would like that very much.”
Something stings, and it isn’t her declining the offer.
It’s her reasoning, which isn’t even absurd.
But when it’s combined with everything we’ve seen so far?
Her crying alone, then her anxious state at the ball.
The fact that said alphas have an opinion on who she can be around while making her cohabitate with another omega.
And now, the shiver that runs through her as a gust of wind cuts through the park. It doesn’t sit well with me.
I’m shrugging off my jacket without stopping to think about it. “Here.”
It’s a sunny day, but it’s not exactly summer yet. The thin sweater and skirt she’s wearing aren’t going to cut it. I can see her bare legs starting to prickle with goosebumps.
“Oh my gosh, I’m fine.” She objects unconvincingly. “Thank you though.”
“You’re shivering.” I point out, draping it over her shoulders. Considering I’m a full foot taller, the fabric almost swallows her.
Ariana hesitates at first, but then another breeze passes over us. I stand, grabbing the jacket and holding it up so she can put her arms through it properly. She begrudgingly rises with me, lacing her arms through the sleeves.
“Thank you,” she says, turning to face me. The chill in the air has dusted her cheeks a pretty pink.
I drop to one knee in front of her, reaching for the zipper. Her breath catches as I slowly zip up the jacket as high as it’ll go, until it’s covering up her mating mark. My hand lingers at the top, feeling her body move as she swallows.
Her cheeks have gotten pinker, interestingly enough. The chamomile of her perfume has spiked, mixed with the pistachio lingering on my jacket. It gives me a sense of satisfaction, seeing her blanketed in my scent. I rise to my feet, resisting the urge to cup her face in my hands.
“Better?” She answers my question with a nod as I settle for pulling the hood over her head instead. When I sit back on the bench, it’s closer than before, though our legs still don’t touch.
“Maybe your alphas should be more worried about you going out in the cold with no coat,” Jason notes, “not who you’re walking with.”