Page 3 of Patiently Yours
Sam is only a sophomore, which makes him the youngest fraternity president at Bensen Universityever. That’s no small feat. Maybe that’s why Derek takes jabs at him whenever he can, because he’s embarrassed that someone like Sam could be considered a “better” alpha than him.
That thought alone makes me want to roll my eyes.
“He has just as much fun as the rest of us,” I respond, trying to stay cordial. I don’t want to be at odds with one of my teammates, especially not after our shutout of a win.
“Yeah, sure.” He closes his locker and doesn’t meet my eyes as he walks toward the exit.
“Are you not showering?” I ask. I understand waiting to be home, but Alpha Xi is about to be full of guests.
He turns back to me with his bag on his shoulder. “Nah, I’ll take one at my girl’s place. She’s probably waiting for me.”
“Ah, okay. Will I see you guys at the party?” I thought he would be there because of what he just said about Sam.
“My girlfriend’s not really into parties,” he says flatly. “But I’ll be by later.” He salutes me and heads off again.
I turn back to my locker as he exits, the door swinging shut behind him. I go to tug my undershirt off before I’m halted by a sudden smell.
What the hell is that?
It’s the most beautiful smell I’ve ever encountered. It flows over the space so quickly, I’m stunned. My eyes close as I breathe it in. It’s only a sliver, the tiniest indulgence granted to me, but it’s glorious. Lavender and vanilla all tangled together in an alluring aroma. It crawls inside me and curls up, making itself at home in the deepest part of my chest.
I turn towards the door slowly, trying to calm the alpha within me. He’s yelling at me togo, to find the source, but my feet are frozen.
My alpha finally wins our little tug-o-war as I dart towards the exit. The scent hits me in the face, its decadence much stronger in the white halls. I look each way to find the walkways completely empty.
The longer I stand there, the more the scent dissipates. My alpha stirs, making his disappointment apparent.
I give a heavy sigh. I know. Me too, buddy.
THREE
Playing: doomsday by Lizzy McAlpine
“I still don’t understandwhy you couldn’t shower after the game like the rest of the team,” Rory snaps as we walk into our house, her eyes narrowing at Derek. He ignores her, which sends her temper up another notch. “This is bullshit. Stacia, I know you feel the same way as I do. Our shower is a no-alpha zone.”
Our house is what people would call quaint, but there’s enough room for two unbonded omegas to live comfortably. We have one half-bath for guests, but the full bathroom is just for us and we’re very territorial of it.
We’re used to each other’s scents from years of being friends, but anyone else using it—much less a smelly alpha—makes both of us uncomfortable.
I look between both of them, not sure what to do. When she realizes I’m tongue-tied, she huffs out an angry sound before turning towards her room and slamming the door behind her. I wince at the sound.
“Please make it a quick shower, Derek,” I whisper as we turn towards my side of the house.
“Of course, princess.” He gives me a smile before he disappears into the bathroom. I can already feel the omega inside my chest stir with anxiety as the door shuts behind him.
I know Rory’s upset with me for not fighting him on it, but I’d feel like a dick if I didn’t let him shower. Not letting him because our biology makes us territorial doesn’t seem like a good enough reason. Plus, it’s not like he’s ever done this before. I’ll just have to explain why Rory was so upset and ask him not to shower here again. Maybe he didn’t fully understand what I meant when I said our second bathroom was only for us to share.
I’m on my bed looking through my Instagram feed when Derek comes through the door an hour later. I’m still dressed from earlier just in case he wants to go out and celebrate their win. With that in mind, I smile.
“Is the team celebrating tonight? We could go out if you want,” I suggest.
Derek is facing away from me, typing away on his phone. A few minutes goes by before he clicks it shut and turns my way.
“Nah, everyone’s beat. I don’t think there was anything planned.”
I furrow my brows, taking that in. I guess that’s possible, but college guys normally use any excuse to party. I shrug it off, making room for him on the bed.
“Do you want to smoke with me?” I give him a shy smile before reaching into my end table to pull out my stash. I like smoking because it feels nice in my body. A nice sativa always makes me feel more grounded at the end of a long day.
