Page 8 of Knotty Pumpkin

“Exactly, babe. Whatever will be, will be. And if the asshole doesn’t wait for you, I’ll key his car and bring home your favourite ice cream and movie and spend hours ranting about what a jackass he is.”

Izzy’s laugh rings through the cafe and she wraps her arms around me before stepping backwards and removing her cap.

“Thanks, Saylor. I love you. I have a tutoring session in fifteen minutes. You good here?”

The door opens, the little skeleton bell ringing as someone enters the cafe. Izzy’s eyes widen as she looks over my shoulder to see who it is, before a massive grin breaks out across her face.

“Oh, you’re more than alright,” she laughs, her usually spark reigniting as she tosses her cap at me and skirts around the counter. “I want to hearallabout this later. Call me.”

“About what? You know I can’t call you,” I shout after her. I lost my phone when I snuck out of the safe haven the other morning, and Izzy knows it. She just laughs, running out the door and leaving me to deal with our new customers, confused as fuck.

Shaking my head, I turn my attention to the counter, freezing at the sight of the two men—clearly alphas—standing and waiting patiently.

The first is tall, solid as a rock. Despite the cooler weather, he’s wearing a ‘Rhys’ Gym’ singlet, his bulky, defined arms on full display. His hair is dark, shaved close to his head, and his dark brown eyes capture mine. It feels as though I’m falling into the abyss as I stare into them.

Blinking rapidly to break the connection, I turn my gaze to his partner. The second alpha is shorter, though not little by any measure. His blonde mop of hair looks somewhat familiar, his bright green eyes piercing in the morning light. He’s dressed in a campus security uniform, and I think I might have seen him around campus, though I’ve never met him before.

A hazy memory tugs at my consciousness, flitting through, but gone before I can grasp and focus on it.

Something pulls me forward, toward the pair of them. A feeling wholly separate from the need to do my job, instinctual in nature.

My omega is already screaming at me to get closer to the two of them when their scents hit me, the ceiling fan blowing them straight into my face. The richest, creamy scent of a latte made with the highest quality beans, better than anything we serve in Sip ‘n’ Study, assaults me first, followed swiftly by the deliciously sweet scent of toasted marshmallows.

A rush of emotion runs through me as my heart races a crescendo. My core pulses, a gush of slick soaking my panties and causing my cheeks to flush. It’s laundry day tomorrow, and I didn’t have any scent blocking underwear left.

How fucking embarrassing.

There’s no time to dwell on it as the larger alpha’s gaze locks with mine with an intensity that should scare me, but instead causes me to clench my thighs together as another gush of slick threatens to escape me.

Mate.

What the actual fuck? I’ve heard of packs making scent matches, of the intensity and life altering occurrence thatis scent sympathy. But I never thought for one second it would happen to me.

“Hey, Pumpkin,” he says, the deep rumble of his voice sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine. “I’m Noah, and this is my pack mate Corey. Do you remember us?”

“No, I… I don’t remember you.” I barely manage to scrape the words out. It’s taking every ounce of control I have not to run at them and beg them to take me, mark me, claim me. My eyes dart between the two of them. There is a familiarity there, but I can’t place it. That’s when my eyes land on the bundle in Corey’s arms. One I hadn’t noticed straight away, but Izzy clearly had.

“Why do you have my costume? Oh, you’re the safe haven alphas? Do you have my phone?”

“Sure do,” Corey says with a smile that absolutely lights up his face. He pulls it out of his pocket, handing it to me. Our hands brush as I take it from him, the touch sending a thousand zaps of electricity pulsing through my entire body. A wave of heat crashes over me at the feeling. My pussy clenches and I perfume, my pumpkin spice scent filling the space.

“Th…thank you,” I stutter as both alphas inhale deeply. Noah stiffens, as though holding himself back. I kind of wish he wouldn’t.

“We are the safe haven alphas. Why did you sneak out?”

Frowning, I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t really have a reason. The night before was blank. Clearly, I drank too much. I couldn’t remember what happened or how I got to your house, and so I ran.”

Corey frowns, but nods as Noah says, “Tell us your name. You weren’t in any state to share it the other night.”

He doesn’t bark but the command—the dominance—is there anyway, and I answer without thinking.

“I’m Saylor. Thank you for taking care of me. And thank you for returning my things.”

“You’re welcome, Saylor. There was something else we wanted while we’re here.”

“Shit, sorry. Did you want to order something?” Their combined scents have me so frazzled I forgot where we are and the job I am currently supposed to be doing.

“No, not unless you’re on the menu.”

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