Page 6 of Slick Handling

If I think about the last 48 hours of my life, I’ll start crying again. Instead of spiraling out of control, I march out of the gate of the airport. A smile plastered on my face, and a hope to start anew.

At least for three months.

Martha Mathers said her son was going to watch over me for a little while. Instead of finishing what should have been a mandatory year at The Omega Academy, I was going to be going to college at Newbury University in Orion.

I had been a little bit of a late bloomer, with only a couple of small heat spikes under my belt. Martha was going to find a way for me to take some online classes through the academy so I could get the support that I needed to learn more about my Omega designation. Seeing as I new barely anything I would say I needed the help.

Looking down at my phone, I open the text chain with Martha. She sent me a picture and a reminder of her son's name. Not that I would be able to forget him with how much they all talked about him when I was at their house. It was obvious his family was full of love and pride for him.

Apollo Mathers is an Alpha. His pack consists of two other Alpha’s and a Beta. Martha assured me that she raised her son right and that no one in his pack will try to bond me without talking about courting or things first.

She explained they all play hockey. Apollo had graduated and now plays professionally. This takes up a lot of their time so I won’t have to worry about things happening. His pack mates are still in school and can look out for me since-

Nope.

Can’t think about it.

My eyes scan the crowd around me and I catch sight of Apollo.

The pictures didn’t do the Alpha justice.

He isn’t dressed up or looking like he’s trying to stand out, but oh my cheese and crackers is he good looking.

I’m vertically challenged and looking at this Alpha I’m guessing he’s a foot and a half taller than me. Built with thick thighs that are outlined in his black joggers and muscled arms hidden under his dark grey crewneck sweatshirt. I can’t see his full look; he has a ball cap pulled down over his face like he is trying to hide.

I get his need for privacy since he is having a great rookie year.

I wonder if he is mad that he had to come pick me up. Or how much his mother told him about me.

That leaves a knot in my stomach.

Pushing myself forward I walk towards where the Alpha is. He doesn’t notice me getting closer and I don’t love that because-

What is that smell?

Amber and black tea.

It feels like a warm hug. The perfect nest. The feeling of a good pillow under my head and a soft blanket wrapped tight around me. It’s safety and comfort and everything good in the world and…it’s Apollo Mathers.

Oh.

I didn’t know Alphas could smell good like that. Usually Alphas smell bland to me, like ordinary everyday things. They don’t smell like all the best feelings in the world. Definitely not a calming scent.

Maybe I’ll learn more about that in Omega studies. I had just started my classes a couple weeks ago and it was more intro to my body and about how to find comfort. Things that should have been more instinctual. I had grown up with my Beta grandmother who had passed away just after I got my first heat spike. She had been unprepared for an Omega granddaughter and didn’t know what to do with me. The community we belonged to didn’t help at all either.

My second little heat spike had started the first week of school so I had missed out on a few things pushing me even further back than I already was.

How strange it is to be an Omega and not really fully grasp what that is going to look like for me.

The heat spikes were like small flus. It was explained to me that things with heats turned sexual later, when my Omega was more sure.

“Hi, I’m Clover Lynn. You must be Apollo Mathers. You look so much like Gracie.” He does not look that much like Gracie, but I feel like if I say he looks like his sister who is kind of mean will make me not think about how good looking this Alpha is.

And he’s very good looking so I need to think of his sister a lot. Like a lot, a lot.

His eyes are on me, this dark blue color that makes my stomach turn from how intense he is. The sandy dark blonde beard is a little long but still tight to his face like he makes sure that he takes care of himself.

And his smell.

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