Page 57 of Brandy Snap: Part Two

Alertness slinked through me, and my back straightened. Maybe I was being paranoid. Maybe it was a signed delivery. It was probably nothing. But my instincts started warning me.

But I unhooked my keys from the rings next to the door and tucked them into my jeans pocket in case Zania had sent someone to put me in a car and I needed to scratch them.

I clicked open the door, and my excitement came crashing down. The chain went taunt as my body stiffened as I looked through the gap to find my alpha landlord staring down at me.

I instantly leaned back from him, as if that could stop my scent. Even though it had become more potent since Kai bit me.

I was expecting this. My landlord had let Zania into my nest in the first place, so there’s no reason she couldn’t get him to kick me out.

It was why I’d been calling Rosa repeatedly, but she ghosted me the entire time.

“Hi,” I croaked through the crack in the door. “Can I help you?”

I looked at what little of him I could. He’d dressed in a burgundy corduroy suit with a huge gold chain around his neckand thick rings on his fingers. He leered at me as he folded his arms and, when he grinned at me, a gold tooth glittered from between thin lips.

I could just feel the sleaze dripping off of him.

“Melanie, we’ve been getting complaints from your neighbours about all the packages, and—”

He stopped dead as he took in a breath, his nostrils flaring, his beady eyes narrowing. His expression twisted instantly into a cruel smile.

His folded arms loosened, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he stepped closer to the door.

“Well, well. Looks like someone’s been hiding a juicy little secret,” he said, baring his yellowed teeth. “I thought I smelled something when I let that woman into your flat. Guess I was right, after all.”

I swallowed, my throat already too dry, trusting the chain to protect me from him as I drew back even further.

“What happened?” He smirked. “Your scent blockers run out?”

Even if it hadn’t been my heat, it was illegal for me to purchase scent blockers unless I was a registered omega, and it took months to get an official designation title. The only reason I hadn’t been caught out so far was everyone in the building was a beta or kids who hadn’t presented.

“If you mean the scent, it’s from an omega friend,” I said, refusing to bow my head as his alpha aura pressed at me, trying to make me submit. It was nothing compared to the rage-fuelled pressure of Caspian’s aura.

He leaned towards the gap of my door, taking another deep breath.

“Then why can I smell two omegas?” he hummed.

“Two friends,” I replied shortly.

That was the only excuse I had.

I’d spent so much time snuggled up in all three of their scents that Kai’s scent must have transferred to Caspian’s blanket.

But I was surprised my landlord could even smell anyone else when his own scent was so strong.

It was nothing like the Rislers’ or Rosa’s alphas, or even any of the alphas I’d met at the parties.

Because it was rich in the worst possible way. He smelled of sour milk: off, bad, and so wrong that even Caspian’s blanket couldn’t stop my nausea. I had to get away from him and his stench as soon as possible.

“I’ll stop ordering things then,” I said, averting my gaze. “I’m sorry to be rude, but I’m really ill.” I tried to hold my breath, but the stench was soaking through my skin.

His annoyance travelled out through his scent and goosebumps erupted as I shivered in disgust.

I could get the delivery later. I wouldn’t keep talking to him when I didn’t feel safe.

I went to close the door, but he slammed his wide palm against it.

I flinched back, but kept my weight fixed to the door. If I let it go, it might be easy for him to ram it open, and then I don’t know what might happen.