Page 22 of My Begrudging Scent Matches

“Thanks,” Alice says. She blows on another spoonful. “I’ll eat, then I’ll get out of your hair.”

Grant’s eyebrows dip towards each other and he leans on the counter. “What do you mean out of our hair?”

Alice looks back and forth between them. They’re both tense now, faces turned down in concern. With both of their attention on her, Alice feels warmth creeping back up her neck. They are exceptionally handsome.

“I’ve been in your house for nine days,” she says around another bite. “You have your own lives to get back to, I’m sure.”

“You’re our scent match,” Caleb says, picking right back up into their argument from the roof. “Both of us.”

“Right,” Alice says. “But I don’t see why that has to. . . mean anything.”

“Here we go,” Grant mutters and puts his hands behind his head.

“You’re not serious,” Caleb insists. “You know how rare this is? Why would we not want anything to change?”

Alice takes her time chewing and drinking before answering. She doesn’t know how to express this in a way that they can possibly understand. They’re already a pack together, so it probably makes sense that they’d get an Omega—they’d want one eventually, and here she is, conveniently placed in their laps, single, and their scent matches to top it off.

“I’m not looking for a pack,” she says finally. “Not that I thought you were implying I join?—”

“We are,” Grant cuts her off. “We want you in our pack, Alice.”

“Well,” Alice shrugs, searching for the right words. “I’m not—I don’t want all that.”

“All that,” Caleb repeats, drawing out each word. He sounds like she’s telling a joke he doesn’t much appreciate. “Please do go on.”

“It’s not where I’m at,” she says. “I can’t be your doting, submissive, perfect little Omega that stays at home and raises your basketball team of little babies. It’s not in my nature and I don’t want it now, maybe not ever. I’m not ready.”

“Why are we talking about babies? Caleb, did you mention babies?”

“I didn’t,” Caleb says.

“I’m not an idiot, I know what happens in a pack,” Alice defends.

“I didn't say you were an idiot, but I am surprised that you think us wanting you to join our pack means that we want you barefoot and pregnant next month,” Grant says. “We can take things slow, neither of us is trying to bond with you today?—”

Caleb hums like he might in fact love to complete the mating bond today. Grant shoots daggers his way.

“We just want to explore this. How many people do you know that have the chance to get to know their scent match, Alice?” Grant finishes.

For her, the answer is zero, like she’s sure it is for them. Rationally, she knows she should feel lucky to even have one scent match, much less two scent matches, and for them to not already be mated. But that’s just it! Do Caleb and Grant only want to explore this because she’s their scent match? Would they ever have come to her by their own interest?

Alice feels a cocktail of dread and fear and longing to be close to them while convincing herself that it’s not real and she should stay away.

“I just . . . need some time,” she says.

Neither of them look happy about it, but they agree. It’s not like she can avoid them really, they work in an office together after all. Even if she did want to quit, she needs a job if she wants to keep living here, and her job is a good one for the most part.

She just needs some time to figure out what the hell to do about the two Alphas who want her forever.

When she goes into work on Monday morning, Alice tries to pretend that everything is normal. The story is that the three of them all came down with a horrific flu that knocked them on their asses for the entire week, and it works. When Grant speaks, people believe him. He has that sweetness about him. Everyone is sympathetic and none are suspicious.

Well, everyone other than Lily who has sent half a dozen texts peppering Alice with questions about how she and their hot coworkers managed to get the same sickness at the same time.

Once Lily was finally convinced that Alice wasn’t involved in their week away, Lily started speculating about their personal lives.

Lily

Do you think they have a pack? Maybe their Omega was in heat? I get the feeling they’re Alphas.

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