Page 63 of Written in Scent

I shake my head even though she can’t see me. “The complete opposite. I told them I didn’t want a pack.”

Sophie is quiet for a beat. “Maybe they are being a little presumptuous,” she says, but her tone is thoughtful. “What did Alex say exactly?”

I repeat his words about the nest being mine even if only for tonight, that I’m the only omega for them. Sophie sighs again, almost dreamy this time. “You should invite at least one of them into your nest for the night, Elodie. Just think about it.”

A soft knock sounds at the door before I can answer her.

I quickly say goodbye and hang up, my pulse still fluttering as I turn toward the sound.

Opening the door, I find Jamie standing there, one hand still raised, looking a little shy under the golden spill of the fairy lights. His blue eyes flick past me to the beautiful room behind me before settling back on my face.

“Do you think we’re completely crazy?” he asks, gesturing at everything with a sheepish smile.

I glance over my shoulder at the glowing canopy and the sunken bed, then back at him. “I do,” I say honestly. “But I’m surprisingly kind of liking it.”

Jamie’s grin softens. He holds out one of his t-shirts, the fabric worn. “You might want something more comfortable than that dress,” he says, voice gentle. “I know it’s not exactly pajamas, but it should be better for sleeping.”

I take it gratefully, the cotton warm from his grip. I have to stop myself from burying my face in it right there in front of him, the faint trace of golden amber and vanilla already teasing my senses.

Jamie runs a hand through his floppy blond hair, the motion awkward and endearing. “We didn’t expect you here so soon,” he admits. “Otherwise we would have had proper pajamas ready for you.” He shifts on his feet, then offers a small smile. “Goodnight, Elodie.”

He turns and walks away before I can find the right words.

I close the door and lean my head against it for a second, heart still fluttering. In the beautiful en-suite I change quickly, slipping his shirt over my head.

The hem falls loose around my knees, carrying his scent like a secret. I climb into the huge bed and start to nest without thinking, rearranging pillows and throws until the space feels right, until every corner holds just enough of me.

Jamie’s scent on the shirt calms me, but something still feels missing. The alphas. I wish they were here with me, filling the enormous bed with their voices and their warmth and their comforting presence.

Inviting one in feels like too big a step, even now. So I curl up alone, pulling the covers higher and letting the fairy lights blur above me.

The blackout blinds make time disappear completely. I keep waking every twenty minutes, fumbling for my phone on the ledge only to see another tiny stretch of night has passed.

The bed is objectively perfect, the pillows plump, the throws impossibly soft, the canopy of chiffon drifting gently above me. But the emptiness gnaws at me anyway, an ache that grows with every restless shift.

I finally slip out of the nest, the sheets whispering against my skin as I stand.

My bare feet pad mutely down the hallway, the fairy lights from the open nest door casting long golden shadows along the floor. I stop outside what smells like Jamie’s room. A dim light glows invitingly underneath the door.

I knock gently, barely more than a tap.

When there is no answer I ease the door open, quiet so I do not wake anyone else, my heart beating fast with nervous hope.

I sit at my desk with only the lamp on, the rest of the room wrapped in darkness. My noise canceling headphones sit heavy over my ears while I scrub through the lacrosse footage from earlier today, making small cuts and adjusting the color on a few shots.

The work is easy, almost mindless at this point, which is exactly why I’m doing it. Anything to keep my hands busy and my mind from wandering too far.

Except my mind is not cooperating tonight.

It keeps drifting back to the way Elodie looked standing in the doorway of her nest, peachy blonde hair glowing under the fairy lights, eyes wide with surprise and something almost hungry. She looked so beautiful it actually hurt.

I wanted her to invite me in so badly I had to force myself to turn around and walk away before she could say the words. I knew if she asked, even a little tipsy, I wouldn’t have been able to say no. And I didn’t trust myself to stop at just sleeping.

The whole pack was fighting the same battle all evening. I could feel it in every careful movement and pointed conversation. We all wanted her so much it was taking real effort not to crowd her.

I lean back in my chair and pull in a slow breath.

Even now, hours later, I swear I can still smell her bright strawberry lemonade scent. It lingers in my memory like it’s burned into my senses. Sweet, tart, and completely addictive.