Chapter 18 #2
It’s our turn to clap as she makes the first cut. Sebastian raises a paper plate for her to put it on and she carefully lifts the slice of cake onto it. We should have given her something better than a plastic knife to cut with.
“Here,” Evan holds out a fork to her.
Ariana leans forward, reaching for the utensil. It makes her shoulder brush against the plate Sebastian’s holding for her, pressing it against his chest.
She gasps like she’s stabbed him, recoiling. “Oh my god, I’m so stupid. I’m so sorry.” Her scent has been anxious before, but this is different. It’s hardly its calming chamomile now, rapidly growing bitter and medicinal, like the tea has been oversteeped instead.
“It’s okay.” He reassures her, but she doesn’t listen, continuing her rambling.
Ariana lifts the fallen plate with trembling hands. The alpha’s shirt has been caked with chocolate icing, staining the white a dark brown. “It didn’t even cross my mind to be careful. I’m a freaking idiot. I’ll get it dry cleaned, I promise.”
“You’re not an idiot. Mistakes happen,” Sebastian frowns at her words, but the omega has devolved into a panicked state, lost in her own over explaining. I lean forward, ready to purr, but Sebastian has other ideas.
He presses a finger into the dessert staining his shirt, then to Ariana’s nose. It leaves a smear of frosting on her skin, but most importantly, stuns her out of her chatter. Eyes turned wide, looking more doe-like than ever, she blinks at him under those long pretty lashes.
Taking advantage of her shock, Evan slides two fingers into the crumbled remnants of the cake slice and smudges it against her cheek.
“Evan!” She recoils back, looking at him betrayed. “That’s mean!”
The blond in question doesn’t look ashamed in the slightest. “Oops.” He licks the remaining icing off his hands, smirking.
“Here.” Ariana’s eyes flutter shut as Jason wipes off a bit of the cream on her skin, only to fly open again when he smears it onto her other cheek instead.
The omega pouts her lips again and for a moment I’m worried we’ve offended her. Then it’s her turn to cover her fingers in the chocolate buttercream. Jason does his best to avoid it, but freezes as Ariana leans towards him in pursuit.
“Get him, Ariana!” Evan whoops encouragingly. “You finally got a tan, Jace.”
The faint bit of chocolate on Jason’s pale skin can hardly be considered a hint of color, but Ariana rewards the blond with a laugh anyway. The sound pulls at me, and I can tell Evan gains a hint of pride from her amusement too.
Her eyes meet mine as she turns away from Jason at Evan’s comment. “You better not.” She says it as a warning, but there’s no hostility in her voice.
“I would never,” I say, leaning forward to pass her a napkin. She narrows her eyes at me suspiciously but grabs it anyway. Once her hand seizes the paper, I speedily fake her out and leave a line of chocolate on her forehead.
“Simba!?” Sebastian asks playfully. “I’m a huge fan of your work.”
Ariana rolls her eyes, smiling. She makes a mock claw with her hand threateningly at him. It looks more like a kitten than lion, but Sebastian acts intimidated anyway.
“Oh no, I’m scared.”
“You should be,” she promises. Faster than I’ve ever seen her move, she grabs a morsel of the fallen cake slice and runs it across Sebastian’s cheek. He grabs onto her wrist, holds her hand against his face.
Ariana’s not exactly cupping or caressing his face, nor is Sebastian leaning into her touch. They stare at each other, unmoving. The air between them is charged, but not with animosity. The dry heat of the smell of sandalwood thickens the way it always does when Sebastian’s feelings are intense.
And then he lifts his other hand, wiping something off her face. “You had an eyelash.” I almost can’t hear him, his voice hushed and tender. He lets go of her, holding his thumb up. “Make a wish.”
Ariana swallows, shifting to sit on the back of her heels. She thinks for a moment, then blows gently.
“What did you ask for?” I question, curious.
She smiles at me softly. “For no more food fights.”
“That’s a good one. Too bad wishes don’t come true if you tell someone.” Evan’s eyes flash with mischief.
Chaos breaks out as the fallen cake slice becomes transformed into face paint. There’s icing everywhere, the packed food forgotten, and above all, Ariana’s laughter and the subtle sweetness of chamomile.
We turn on each other and on her, chocolate caked to our faces and fingers. It melts in the sun, sticking to our skin. Of all the ways to recycle dropped food, I don’t think anything will top this.
Once the slice is truly done, we wave our white flag. Ariana sits back in triumph, tugging off her jacket. There’s thin swipes of icing clinging to her small forehead, the high curve of her cheekbones, dotting her nose. Even on her chin, drawing attention to and underlining her lips.
If I kissed her right now, would she taste like chocolate cake or chamomile tea? Or something else entirely, I wonder.
“You smell wrong.” My trance shatters abruptly.
Everyone goes still at the words that come out of Jason’s mouth. He looks like he regrets it as soon as he says it. There’s a flash of hurt on Ariana’s face, even though she tries to laugh it off like she always does.
“Do I?” Her hand goes to her arm, brushing at it like an insect’s landed on it with an unconvincing smile. “It’s my pack’s other omega, I think. I changed my clothes, but I guess the scent’s really strong.”
She starts rubbing the flesh faster, scrubbing it frantically until the skin turns red. Her scent ripples, its calming aura giving way to waves of agitation.
“Ariana.” Jason’s voice is gentle but firm. He catches her hand, lifting it away from her arm before she can do more damage. “Stop. You’re hurting yourself.”
The omega’s chest heaves as she breathes hard, looking down at her reddened skin. “I can’t stand it.” There’s a pause, and then she continues. “Smelling like her.”
I can feel the protective instinct rising in each of us. Jason’s dark eyes have turned intense, despite the gentle way he strokes her hand in his. Sebastian’s jaw is clenched and Evan’s clenching his hands into fists.
“What happened?” I ask, but it doesn’t matter. Any omega would hate smelling like another. They teach us that in freaking middle school. There’s no reason for her pack to allow it to happen as grown men. “Why is her scent on you?”
“I guess it’s stronger because she went into heat.” She laughs, but there’s no humor or mirth in it. “Today.”
“Today.” Evan repeats slowly, like he’s not sure he’s heard her correctly. “And you said you were going to celebrate your birthday today?”
“They’re with her.” Jason finishes the other alpha’s thoughts flatly. “All of them?”
Ariana doesn’t reply to either of their questions. She doesn’t need to. Her silence is confirmation enough.
The puzzle pieces are fitting together in a way that fills me with revulsion. No wonder Ariana was alone today, asking us for a walk instead of at home. And heats last for days. Even if it’s short, it started today.
Ariana will be alone on her birthday. If all of her alphas went with the other omega at the beginning of the heat, they’ll be too lost in rut to return to Ariana. They probably won’t even realize it’s her birthday. She’ll be by herself, while they’re inside another woman.
It’s revolting. The omega might not have been able to control it, but the alphas? Calling them that is an insult to every other alpha.
“Don’t go back.” Evan’s barely contained anger bleeds into every word.
“Home?” Ariana asks. “I have to.” She says it with the air of a woman defeated. It makes my temper flare. Not at her, but at her pack for leaving her this way.
“They left you!” Evan’s voice rises. “On your fucking birthday. Not a single one of them could stay? Just one? Are they fucking dumb?”
We should stop him. Me, Sebastian, Jason, any of us. He’s too riled up, even if he’s angry for her and not at her. There’s a desperation in his frustration. I can see how much he wants to fix this, and how much it’s killing the younger man that he can’t.
“And they have the audacity to call themselves your alphas? It’s bullshit.” He’s on his feet pacing now, his hands raking through his blond hair. “And you’re just going to go back?” His blue eyes are still blazing, but he softens his tone as he directs the question to Ariana.
“Where else would I go?” The words come out small, but the woman saying them seems even smaller, staring down at the uneaten cake.
“Stay with us.” She looks up at Evan. “It doesn’t have to be forever. Just until the heat’s over. Please.” The rage is gone, replaced by pleading.
“I can’t.” Ariana whispers dejectedly. “They’re my pack.”
“That doesn’t mean anything if they treat you like shit.
You deserve better than this, Ariana.” He takes a deep breath, then flinches like he’s pictured something unsavory.
“They chose another woman over you. You think her scent being on you is bad? It’s only going to get worse the longer her heat goes.
They’re probably balls deep in her right now while you’re-”