Page 1 of The Flavor of Us

Chapter one

TATI

The text notification flashes across my phone like a beacon, and my stomach drops.

Ellie’s in labor.

I barely finish reading before making a U-turn and speeding down the highway. A few days ago, I decided to come back to our chaotic little city and return to my life. Running away never solved anything and I’ve been pining away for my Alpha, Carleen, for far too damn long.

First, though, I have to get to Ellie. My best friend, my confidant, and Carleen’s younger sister.

God, I’m a shitty friend. But no matter how messy my head’s been, there’s no way I’m missing this. Not after I ran off like a high school teenager when things fizzled out with Carleen.

The drive is a blur—red lights, honking horns, and me cursing under my breath the whole time. Of course, everything is conspiring to slow me down today. Traffic? Check. Some guy going five under in the fast lane? Double check. By the time I skid into the hospital parking lot, my heart is pounding as if it’s trying to escape my chest.

I grab my purse from the passenger seat and bolt through the automatic doors, not caring about the stares. My boots squeak against the polished floors as I navigate the maze of hallways, following the signs to labor and delivery. A wave of antiseptic hits me—bright lights, sterile smells, and a low hum of voices. It’s sensory overload, but I don’t care. All that matters is Ellie.

And then I stop dead in my tracks.

There she is. Carleen.

Leaning against the wall outside Ellie’s room, arms crossed over her chest, head tilted like she’s been expecting me. Her sharp brown eyes lock on mine and I’m pinned to the spot like prey under a predator’s gaze. Damn it. I didn’t plan for this. Not today.

My pulse skyrockets and now it’s not just the running up here or the panic about missing my best friend’s delivery.

No, it’sher. Carleen—tall and proud, with that stupidly confident smirk she gets when she knows she’s in control of the situation. She’s fucking gorgeous, just like she always is—a certain fierce aura hanging around her with that pixie cut and the luscious brown curls piled on top of her head. It feels like she threw on some clothes—sweatpants and a worn band tee that’s just a little too short, hugging every curve. And yet, she’s still perfect.

"Tati." Her voice cuts through the noise in my head. It sends a shiver down my spine and I hate that she still has that effect on me.

I force myself to move, one step at a time, until I’m standing a few feet away. I open my mouth to speak, but the words stick in my throat. Her thick scent reminds me of fresh rain and a hint of peaches, like the beginning of summer, causing me to lose my thought. What do I even say to a woman I’ve been pining over formonths? I told myself I’d ease into this moment, that I’d eventually work up the courage to ask her out for coffee or dinner.

If I hadn’t been so frantic to get here, I would have realized that it was Carleen who had sent that text and that of course, Ellie’s sister would have been waiting here to see her niece and nephews. I’m still in awe that Ellie’s Omega somehow impregnated her withtriplets.

"You made it," Carleen says, her lips curling into a faint smile. There’s something in her eyes that looks almost…relieved. I want to believe that it’s for me but I shove that feeling aside.

"Of course, I made it. Ellie’s my best friend." My voice comes out sharper than I intended, but I can’t help it. Being this close to Carleen is like standing too close to a flame—like feeling the heat before it burns.

She nods, the smile fading slightly, but she doesn’t say anything else. Silence stretches between us and I shift awkwardly, my fingers playing with the strap of my bag. Every nerve in my body is screaming at me to either run or say something, but I can’t do either. Not with her watching me like that.

Finally, I break the silence. "How is she?"

"She’s doing great," Carleen says. "Ellie’s strong. Always has been."

Her words hang in the air and I know she’s not just talking about Ellie. She’s talking about us. About me leaving. About her pulling away. It’s like every unspoken thing between us is standing in the hallway, glaring at us both. I feel like I’m going tofucking explode if I don’t say something. This is both the worst and best time to address it.

Forcing myself to take a seat outside the room, my breath hitches as Carleen sits beside me. We started something months ago, just as Ellie first met her mates—Macon and Savin. It had been the happiest moment in my life, watching my best friend find her forever. And then I found mine.

Carleen.

I tried to ignore it for a while because what kind of friend would I be to date her sister? Carleen had been there for both of us through thick and thin and now I was thinking of her in a very different way. I don’t even know when it truly started. But some part of me couldn’t exist without Carleen.

We never talked about a relationship. We just fell together. I started staying over more and it just…happened.Until it fell apart and I ran off because I couldn’t handle the shame of being rejected. Sitting in this silence now though, I realize that’s not what happened.

Her scent strengthens just a little, a tell-tale sign that she’s just as uncomfortable as I am. “How’s everything going?” I ask lamely, my gaze focused downward on my hands in my lap. If this were any other situation, I’d find myself laughing at this version of myself. My entire persona revolves around being this loud, outspoken individual.

Hell, I dance naked on stage for a living but talking to the woman I want to spend forever with? Fuck, I think my heart is going to dance out of my chest.

Carleen lets out a heavy breath, leaning back in the chair “Good. Really good. The first baby’s here—healthy, loud, perfect. The other two are still taking their time, though. Might be a long night.” Her lips twitch into a small smile and it’s like a punch to the gut. How can someone look so damn good in hospital lighting?

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