Page 7 of A Baby for the Beast
"What?" Her eyes go wide, confirming the terrifying truth. We might think she is our future, our mate, everything we've ever wanted, but she does not feel the same. She was just looking at us in the ring the same way any woman might admire us. "No, my nose is all kinds of messed up from the pregnancy. Why? Did you scent me?"
"He did," Jace pipes up, breaking the illusion of him not paying attention. "Before he tries to tell you he didn't to try to save face. He scented you seven months ago, and he scented you earlier. Been down bad, too."
"Jace."
Remus growls in the boy's direction, and Vilkas comes to take control of their body as they submit. He needs to stop letting Vilkas out any time he's challenged. Some alphas will think it's an invitation to fight. I'll have to tell my brother to talk to him about it.
"How did you scent me seven months ago? I didn't even…" Hayley's eyes go wide, understanding dawning on her. "That fucker used my heat for his fight."
Remus purrs, or tries to, at her disdain for the man we both hate. Good, if nothing else, we can begin our relationship on the foundation of mutual distaste for a terrible human being. That sounds like a sturdy starting point for a long and healthy relationship.
"Okay, okay, this is fine. It's just an alpha scent matching me while I'm pregnant with another man's baby. Fine, perfectlyfine." Hayley talks to herself as she releases Remus's arm, much to his displeasure, and starts pacing the hallway.
Kyle has made his way to the ring for his fight or is back in his locker room. Either way, he's not in the hall to watch my omega start to have a minor panic attack.
"It's fine," Remus says, stepping closer to her to feel her proximity again, to touch her if she doesn't want to touch him right now. We've just learned he's extremely clingy when it comes to his omega. I never would've guessed. "Everything will be fine."
His purr still sounds like shit, but he's trying to comfort her, and she seems to appreciate it, though she doesn't melt into us like we've seen some of our friends' mates do to them.
"You said your car was in the West lot?" Jace asks, knowing something about our omega that we don't, and it makes Remus bristle a little.
Hayley looks confused for a moment and then nods.
"Right through these doors, but it's dark, so we should walk her out."
Remus grumbles that he should be allowed to walk the pretty omega out to her car on his own, but he understands Jace's need to watch out for her, too. He and his beast are pack-driven. It won't be long before he's searching for a pack. It's not a common grouping anymore, but some alphas still feel the urge to pack up, and I've never seen it stronger than in Jace. He'll be caring for Hayley as much as I do if I don't interfere.
The air is still warm outside, and the wind is a nice contrast. The parking lot is mostly empty since everyone here for the fights is here for the main event between Kyle and some other alpha's beast. Once the fight ends, the parking lot will slowly fill with people trying to leave.
"This is me," Hayley says when she guides us to a black sedan. Remus gives it a once-over as though we know anything aboutcars or how safe or unsafe this one is. When he finishes, he turns to face Hayley, giving her an appreciative nod. "So…"
Ask her for her number, or if she wants to see you again, or anything.
Got it. Got it.
"Give me your phone," Remus demands, a bit of bark in his voice making it clear it's a command and not a question.
"Dude, no," Jace says, rolling his eyes. "Sorry, he's never asked a woman for her number before. Ignore his bad manners."
Remus grits his teeth, but the apprehension on Hayley's face at him demanding her phone slowly eases into a soft expression of admiration. Jace didn't need to tell her we've never done this before. He could've just said we're bad at it. Our omega doesn't need to know we have no idea what we're doing. The idea might turn her off.
"I can give you his number if you want to contact him," Jace says, and Remus doesn't so much as sniff at him because our omega's scent, which was tainted with the acrid smell of apprehension and slight fear, is back to its sweet, robust citrusy scent.
Hayley gives him a small smile as she pulls out her phone, enters new contact info, and then hands the phone to Jace, eyeing us to make sure Remus isn't about to get upset that Jace is the one doing all of this. Remus quirks a brow up at her, crossing his arms over his chest as if telling her he can behave just fine.
"Now, if she wants to go out with you, she can call or text or whatever," Jace says, returning her phone.
"What if you don't call?" Remus asks, and even I wince at how desperate that sounds.
Hayley gives him a sweet smile, pressing a hand against his chest as she leans into him enough to have him rumble again."I said I didn't scent you. It doesn't mean I'm not interested in, well, seeing how things go."
"So you will call me?" Remus asks, not caring how desperate he is for this omega. Hayley laughs, tapping his pec before turning and sliding into the driver's seat of her car.
"I'll call you Remus, at least once." She closes the door with another little wink, closing off her scent from us and leaving us with just the reminder of her as she drives away.
"Dude, that was so fucking rough," Jace says, doubling over as he laughs at Remus and me.
"Language," Remus growls, though there's no heat in it. "Let's get back inside. Phil's probably losing his mind."
