Page 13

Chapter Thirteen

“ S ooooo. Spill. How did the driving lesson go?” Mari asks, bringing a thick, gooey slice of pepperoni pizza to her lips. Her teeth flash viciously as she bites into it, and Emma hums in agreement, sliding onto the floor next to her before reaching for her piece.

“It was fine,” I mutter, toying with the rip in the knee of my jeans, wondering how it got there. There’s a lengthy pause, and Emma wads up a napkin before tossing it at me. I bat the thing out of the air and send it back toward her, but it lands on the pizza box instead, making her snicker.

“I’m not buying that in the least.” She narrows her eyes, pinning me with a soul-stealing stare that has me ready to spill my guts. I can never get away with lying to her. She knows me far too well. Mari will leave things alone and let me ponder them in my own time, but Emma is a wrecking ball.

We can tiptoe around the issue, but ultimately, there are no secrets between best friends. With a sigh, I go ahead and tell them about everything from the disastrous driving lesson to Miller swooping in. I keep the kiss to myself, though—some things should be just for me, and I’m not ready to unpack how much the rejection stung.

Shake it off, Posie.

“Fucking birds just had it out for you,” Emma mutters, raging on my behalf. I nod in agreement—birds are the worst.

“But I don’t get how Miller was even there…” Mari remarks, her fingers brushing across her mouth. And it’s like a bomb goes off in my brain because I was so caught up in the moment I never even stopped to consider that.

“W-what did you say?” I ask, mind reeling.

“Well, you said it was a random remote street, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know. It just seems unlikely that he would happen by a quiet side street. And how did he know you were in the car?” she continues, making my thoughts whirl.

“You’re right. That is super strange. Owen called and said something about him missing practice.” Every word only makes me more confused.

“Maybe he’s stalking you,” Emma jokes, grabbing another slice from the box. Though I know it’s said in jest, her words make heat crawl under my skin once again. My core slicks at the thought of Miller lurking in the shadows, caring enough about my safety to follow me and watch from afar .

“I think someone likes that idea,” Mari says with a grin, and I can’t help the telltale blush that reddens my face.

There’s no way my brother’s best friend is stalking me… right?

“Maybe,” I admit with a snort as we all fall into uninhibited giggles. All the stress of the day melts away, and I’m reminded once again of why I want to be able to drive. Living here with my girls will be worth it.

With my resolve strengthened, I reach for my phone, ready to text the driving school to set up another lesson—if they’re willing to have me back—when it rings.

A thrill runs through me, hoping it’s Miller, but disappointment slaps me in the face when I see a completely different name.

“What’s wrong? You look like you tasted something bad,” Mari asks, and Emma doesn’t bother to wait for my answer as she pulls the phone right from my hand.

“Oh, Alex. The cute Alpha whose dad owns the driving school! Should we answer?” Emma waits for me, and I’m struck with indecision. On the one hand, he’s been very nice to me, but on the other, he doesn’t make my pulse race and my heart flutter like Miller does.

“He asked me on a date earlier today,” I confess.

“And does our pretty Posie want to go out with him?” Emma croons, and I shrug. With the stirrings of my heat on the horizon, I know options are important. Having a heat, especially an unmedicated one, without an Alpha to help ease the pain can be excruciating. I know I had the standard transitional spike when I presented after the accident, but I don’t remember it. All I remember is waking up on a hospital bed in pain .

Alex might be my only option if it happens soon. But I can’t imagine anyone but Miller touching me.

Miller, who kissed you out of pity to calm you down. Do you want him to fuck you out of pity, too?

Fuck. The thought nearly takes my breath away. Breathing in deeply, I give Emma the nod.

“Hello, Posie’s phone. Tell me what you want, and I’ll see if you’re worthy to talk to her,” she answers with a wink, and I roll my eyes as I snort out a laugh.

If I’m going to be with someone, they better be able to handle all the fun, sassy craziness of my best friend. I love her more than life itself, and they need to, too.

Alex must do a good job, though, because moments later, Emma is laughing at something he’s said and scribbling the words group date across the top of the pizza box. Mari slices across her throat and shakes her head, but I’m all for it. A double date sounds much better than a solo date; I can handle anything with Emma by my side.

“Well, Mari is sadly busy, but Posie is free—so tell Wyatt to wear something sexy for me, and we’ll be there,” she snarks.

And while I know this is a good idea, my hands press against my bruised lips, and my chest constricts. Miller’s flashing eyes come to mind, and I bring my knees to my chest, trying to banish him from my thoughts.

There’s no use in pining for an Alpha who will never see me as a woman. Who doesn’t want me. Who looks at me with pity.

No, meeting other men is the right call… my heat won’t wait forever, and I can’t lose my virginity when I’m out of my mind with insatiable need, driven by only my base instincts .

Gripping my legs even tighter, I breathe through the panic clawing up my spine.

“What’s wrong, babes?” Mari asks, dropping next to me and wrapping her arms around my curled-up form. Her concern helps me voice my worries, and I’m able to gasp out my problems.

“I-I think my first heat is coming.” Using the back of my hand, I wipe away the tears sliding down my face, but it’s no use. The torrent keeps coming.

“But that’s a good thing, right?” Mari asks as Emma slides in on my other side. They sandwich me between them, lending me their support. “A natural part of being an omega.”

“Yeah. But I don’t know who will help me through it. I’m still a virgin,” I whisper, trying to make sense of all the feelings sloshing around in my belly. First-time sex seems like such a big deal. Had it happened before, it wouldn’t seem so monumental, but now, at nearly twenty-one my virgin status, combined with an impending heat and lack of prospects, is overwhelming.

“Do you think the doctor would give you suppressants until you’re ready?” she asks, and I shake my head before letting it rest on my knees.

“No, she won’t suppress my first one since it’s already so late. When I presented at thirteen, they sedated me through my transition because I was so young that anything else would have been horrific. But they expected my heats to start at eighteen like most other omegas. They even considered it might be earlier. When nothing happened, they attributed it to my anosmia and the lack of pheromone stimulation. So, now that nature is taking over, no one is going to stop this train.” With shaking hands, I play with the ends of my shiny brown hair.

“And suppressing it can cause damage,” Mari explains, biting her lip, and I squint at her. The idea has her shaken. I want to ask what she means, but I’m not sure I can mentally handle the answer right now.

“Well. In that case, we better find you a hot Alpha who knows how to use his dick,” Emma says matter-of-factly, and it’s just enough to break the tension.

“Emma!” Mari laughs. “He needs to be able to use his tongue, too.”

“And his fingers,” I chime in.

It’s enough to send us on a tangent that ultimately dissolves into a giggle pile. The perfect ending to a completely imperfect day.

Now, I just need to find someone willing to take my V-card.