Page 8

eight

HENRY

M y nose has been tingling for days, dying to get another whiff of Josie.

She was close enough to smell the last time she came for Ray’s appointment, and I almost buckled at the knees when it hit me.

I’ve never liked any cinnamon-based desserts, but that’s all I want now.

I’ve eaten several cinnamon rolls this week just to try and re-create her scent in my mind. None of them measure up.

That’s how I found myself standing at the kitchen island, hands braced on either side of the coffee cake that I’m glaring at.

It’s not the coffee cake’s fault that it doesn’t smell quite the same, but I’m glaring anyway.

My ears pick up on footsteps, and I debate trying to hide the dessert, but I don’t think I’ll get away with it.

Ray walks into the room and bends over the cake, inhaling deeply.

“Not quite right, is it?” she says, taunting me.

I stand up straight, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

All that does is make Ray cackle.

“Sure, big bro, whatever you tell me.”

“As the big bro, you’re supposed to believe anything I say,” I inform her.

She looks at me, her face solemn and her eyes large. “I’m a poor, touch-starved Omega… are you saying I don’t know things?”

I raise an eyebrow at her, noting the slight twitch in her lips.

“Nice try, you should take acting classes,” I tell her.

She latches on to the idea, her concentration broken. “Oh! That could be fun! Maybe I’ll be a famous actress! Can you imagine? Ray: Hollywood Sweetheart.”

A smile takes over my face as she continues to fawn over the idea of being famous.

She would absolutely hate it, and I’m pretty sure she knows that deep down.

If she wanted to really go for it, though, I’d support her one hundred percent.

When Jon told me about his friend being purposely touch-starved by her stepfather, I knew I had to intervene.

Jon’s been my best friend for years, and we’d do anything for each other.

Then we found out Ray and one of my younger cousins were friends as well, so that pretty much sealed the deal.

Since he didn’t have the space for her, I offered my house—even though it technically belongs to my parents.

He got her out, and we both worked to get her settled with some financial help from my family.

He takes on way more guilt than he should over it.

He thinks he should have figured things out sooner, but I try to remind him hindsight is 20/20.

Sometimes you just don’t know until you look back.

Besides, my cousin hadn’t noticed either. It’s not an easy problem to see.

I grab an apple before walking to get my shoes on. Smelling cinnamon has increased my desire to see Josie, so to mitigate that, I’m going to go buy her something nice. Maybe a soft blanket.

“Ray, do you need anything from outside the house?”

She hums, “Where you goin’?”

“Grabbing a present for Josie, then a coffee maybe.”

“Bring me back a hot chocolate?”

“You got it, princess,” I say with a shit eating grin.

She bristles at the nickname, like always. “I swear one of these days I’m going to actually punch you in the face, Henry!”

“That means you’d have to touch me,” I point out.

“Oh, it’s gonna happen,” she says, shaking her fist exaggeratedly.

We both laugh as I walk out the door, and I hop in my car, heading toward downtown to find an Omega store.

There are a few big-box stores in the area I could go to, but I find that the smaller, local stores are better for presents.

If I ever need to supply a nest, then I would go to a big store.

There’s an open spot in front of one of the local shops, so I parallel park and head in.

I meander through the small shop, enjoying the different displays that have clearly been created with care.

I’m not sure if Omegas are big on scents, but there is a space near the back with scented soaps and lotions, sealed up so the Omegas won’t get overwhelmed.

Each one has a scent sample, though, which is smart if you ask me.

Finding myself in the pajama section, I see an oversized fluffy robe.

My hand reaches out to feel it, and I almost purr at the texture.

Keeping my instincts firmly reined in, I make sure that the inside is as soft as the outside.

I’m a little disappointed that it’s not quite as soft.

As I glance around the shop, I see an extremely fluffy, oversized blanket.

There are a few sizes, so I make sure I get the largest size they have.

Josie’s tall, and she’s no stick figure, which honestly turns me on more.

Having a large blanket will hopefully satisfy her Omega desire to be snug and small.

Snatching it off the rack, I take my prize to the checkout desk and accept the offer of wrapping it in a box.

The box is gently placed in a bag, and I swipe my card before heading back to my car.

I’m not sure when Ray’s next appointment is, so I’ll keep it in my room until I look it up.

Next time I see her, she’s getting this gift.

My inner Alpha puffs his chest up, loving the idea of providing something to her.

It’s a nice day today, so I drop the box in my car, make sure it’s locked, and start walking down the sidewalk toward a new cafe that opened.

There have been good reviews online, and it’s nice to try new things sometimes.

I have a favorite shop already, but if these guys are better, I’ll have a new favorite.

Never know until you try. Once I’m in front of the café, I peer in the windows before opening the door and walking in.

It’s decently busy in here, not a huge line, but it looks like they have a steady flow of customers.

The baristas are smiling but busy and have an air of concentration about them.

Customers who are seated chat with each other comfortably, and everyone seems at ease here.

Other coffee shops have customers who tend to be quiet and keep to themselves, but the socialization is almost encouraged here.

Nobody is sitting with a book or a computer and avoiding the crowd.

When I reach the employee taking orders, I put in for my latte and a hot chocolate, extra hot.

“You don’t need to check the feedback boxes every ten minutes,” I hear a deep voice near me say.

A sigh comes next, “I just want to know if people are enjoying themselves.”

“Clearly they are, Vic,” the first voice chuckles.

“Sorry, I’m just so excited!” Vic, as the first voice named him, says.

Something about their voices intrigues me enough that I turn to them.

Both of them are tall with black hair like me, which almost makes me chuckle.

Their combined scents of vanilla, orange, and sandalwood call to me.

I’m not sure which of them carries each scent, but the combination is delicious.

Typically, men don’t do it for me, but there’s something about their combined scents that piques my interest.

One of them looks over my way and pauses for a moment, his slicked-back hair falling around his face, refusing to cooperate with his style.

A smile appears on his face, and his eyes flick from his companion, then back to me.

The other guy turns a bit more, so I can see his face, and there’s a small scar running through his right eyebrow.

It gives him an almost roguish look. I lift my hand in a small wave, accepting that I’ve been caught looking.

The guy with the scar gives me a tight smile and a nod, but the other one comes over to me and offers his hand.

His subtle Sandalwood scent reaches me and helps me identify who owns each scent, and that he’s a Beta.

His scent is too soft to be anything else.

I take his hand in mine, noting he’s not a Match.

There’s still something that draws me in, though.

“Hey, I’m Victor, Vic for short.”

“Henry, no nickname,” I reply with a grin.

Vic grins back at me, seemingly pleased with my response.

“First time here?” he asks.

“Yup, saw an ad for it and figured I’d stop by. Just got done at a local store, and my little sister wanted a hot chocolate, so here I am.”

“You went all this way for your sister? That’s nice.”

I chuckle, “It wasn’t far out of the way and I got myself a caffeine boost, so it’s not an entirely altruistic visit.”

Vic turns to look at the other guy and signals him to come over. To his credit, he obliges while looking unhappy, but not rudely so. Mentally, I peg him as a guy who likes his space and only opens up for his people.

“Simon, this is Henry, no nickname,” Vic says.

“Hey,” I greet Simon, holding a hand out for a shake.

Simon looks at my hand, then back up to my face, before grasping it. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice place you built.” I take a stab in the dark.

When they were talking about the feedback, it signaled that one of them owned the joint, and my bet is on Simon. He seems to observe everything, telling me he’s invested in what’s happening around him.

“How’d you know?” he asks.

I shrug, “Somewhat lucky guess. Overheard you guys talking about a feedback box or something, and you seem more invested in what’s happening around you. You’re continuously surveying the room.”

He smirks in response and nods his head.

“It’s obvious you put a lot of thought and effort into it. I’ll definitely be telling people to visit if the coffee’s as good as the ambiance,” I continue.

Vic chuckles, “Oh, just wait. Simon makes the best coffee you’ve ever had. We live together and I’m spoiled by it.”

When he mentions living together, that’s when this feeling clicks, and I realize it’s a Pack Pull that I’m feeling. These guys are Pack, and now I feel frozen in place with the knowledge. Vic’s eyes light up when he sees me freeze, and Simon looks like he just got indigestion.

“You feel it!” Vic states, excitedly.

I rub at my chest. “Yeah, shit, I didn’t think I’d ever feel that.”

Simon clears his throat, “I need to go check something in the back.”

My name is called for my drinks as Simon walks away, so I turn and grab the two cups before stepping back with Vic. We stand by the wall, a bit away from where people are waiting for their drinks. Taking a sip of my coffee, I hum in appreciation.

“You’re right, this coffee is fantastic.”

“Right? He’s got a thing for beans. They have to be just right and have to help small farmers,” Vic explains.

“How long have you two known each other?” I ask.

“We met in college, been roommates ever since.”

“Oh, when you said you live together, I assumed you were together or part of a Pack. You seem tight enough to be Pack.”

He sighs, “I think we are Pack, but Simon walks away any time I mention it. He got burned pretty badly before we met in college, so I try to be careful in approaching the topic. You don’t seem to be bothered by it, though.”

“I wasn’t sure if I would ever find the pull, so yeah, I’m definitely interested in talking about it.

If we want to pursue it, there are lots of details to start thinking about.

Of course, I don’t want to make problems for either of you, so please tell me if I overstep.

” I realize I’m rambling a little by the end of that thought.

Vic just smiles, and I’m impressed with how easy-going he seems in general. It will be nice to have someone in the Pack like that. Assuming we become Pack. I don’t even know if there are others, but it’s not something I want to push. Yet.

“Maybe we can catch dinner sometime soon?” Vic suggests.

“Yeah, for sure, I’d be up for that. Can I give you my number? My hands are full at the moment.” I hold up the drinks.

Vic grabs his phone, and I recite my number to him.

Not a moment later, I feel my pants buzz with a text message.

We part ways with a smile, and by the time I get home, I’m glad I ordered the hot chocolate extra hot.

Normally, it’s not something I do, but it just felt right today.

I guess my instincts were on point because it was still hot when I got home.

“What’s got you all smiley?” Ray asks after taking a sip.

“I think I have a Pack.”