27. Dash

27

DASH

"I'm about to stage a one-man intervention," I announce, bouncing on my toes and eying room thirteen-zero-six like it's a pi?ata full of secrets. "Well, three. Because let's face it, I'm awesome, but I'm not a one-man army."

"Fucking hell, lover boy is already planning our bonding ceremony," Zane scoffs as he heads toward the door. "Better fucking hope Scent Synergy doesn't call in the next month. Quinn." He knocks on the door with three gentle raps. "You have three seconds to open this door, or I'm coming in." He is big mad.

"Go away!" Quinn's muffled voice comes through the door, tinged with panic and exasperation.

I exchange a look with Malachi, who stands a few steps away with his arms crossed over his chest, exuding his usual I'm in charge and don't fuck with me vibe. Unfortunately, I also see concern in his big chocolatey eyes.

"This is ridiculous," I say, a grin spreading across my face. Malachi spilled the beans already—my sly brother got to Aria first. Am I jealous? Not really. I'm here for the drama. "Quinn, come on, man. What's going on in there? Did she turn into a dragon or something?"

If someone laughs, it'll break the tension.

"I want Aria."

Zane rolls his eyes and glances at Malachi. "You're the leader. You talk to him."

He's always so damn grouchy.

Malachi steps forward, his voice steady and reassuring. "Enough," Malachi states firmly. "This isn't helping anything."

There's a long pause, then the sound of shuffling and muttering. "I'm not decent," Quinn finally says.

I burst out laughing. "Quinn, you drama queen, just open the door. We've all seen worse, like that one time Zane ate that spiked chocolate and stripped in the snow." Good times.

Malachi shoots me a look, but there's a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Quinn, we're a pack. We stand together and fall together. Whatever happened, we'll face it as one. Now open the door and let us help you."

"Fine, but I warned you," Quinn grumbles. We hear the click of the lock, and the door creaks open a fraction.

Zane doesn't wait for an invitation, he pushes the door wide open and strides inside. I follow, with Malachi bringing up the rear.

Quinn is sitting on the stripped bed, his hair sticking up in all directions like he's been electrocuted. The sharp scent of his anxiety blooms in the tight room. Not a single sheet or blanket is in the room. The room does smell faintly of Aria, but it's not nearly as overpowering as Quinn's dramatic behavior suggests.

"Damn, bro, what's really going on?" Not to mention the incense. I sneeze like five times before finding the offending stick on the table, which I grab. "How many of these did you light?" I sneeze again and toss the thing in the sink. The lengths Quinn went to so he could mask her scent reveal just how deeply she's gotten under his skin.

Zane frowns, his brow furrowing. "Speaking of things we should know, did anyone catch that new legislation about pack documentation? I heard rumors, but with all the security work for the mayor…"

Malachi shakes his head. "We've been so focused on our duties, we might have missed some crucial updates. We'll need to look into that once we sort out this situation with Aria."

Zane takes a look at Quinn and smirks. "You look like you've been hit by a truck."

"Thanks, Zane. That's helpful." Quinn glares at him. "I look like I've been run over by a freight train of emotions, and they didn't even bother to slow down."

"Seriously, though," I say, flopping into the armchair in the corner. "Tell me everything." I waggle my brows. "And I mean everything." A thought strikes me, and I snap my fingers. "What does she taste like?"

"Shut the fuck up, man." Zane throws Quinn's boxers at my head.

I gag. "Not the skid marks."

Quinn runs a hand through his hair, making it stick up in all directions. He doesn't find us amusing in the least, which is a damn shame. "Everything is all fucked up. It's…everything. Her being here, the way she looked at me, the way I feel when I'm around her. It's messing with my head."

Malachi nods thoughtfully. "It's understandable, Quinn. Aria is special, but you can't let this overwhelm you. We need you to be clear-headed."

Zane leans against the wall, his arms crossed. "And if you're this rattled by her scent, imagine how she feels. She's the one dealing with all of us and her own issues. You need to pull it together." Zane's nostrils flare as he sniffs the room before squinting at the ash on the table.

"You smoked us out," I accuse my brother. "The fuck?"

"Had to," he mumbles. Quinn looks up at us, a mixture of frustration and irritation in his eyes. "I know, I know. It's just…I wasn't prepared for this."

"None of us were," I say, smiling, "but that's what makes it exciting, right? The unexpected twists and turns." I try to inhale her scent but… I bend down, spotting something on the floor, and I pop up with onion in my hand. "Onions?"

"That's fucking weird," Malachi murmurs.

Zane squints at the onion, tilting his head before his eyes begin to take in the entire room. I try to follow his gaze, but I get distracted by her panties. With a sinful smile, I dive for them.

Quinn's eyes widen, and he heads me off.

"You are willing to wrestle me for her panties?" I chuckle. "You really are in it."

"No!" he shouts, tackling me to the floor.

We grapple on the carpet, Quinn trying to pry the panties from my grip while I hold on tight, laughing. Zane and Malachi watch with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"Give it…here…" Quinn grumbles, his face flushed with exertion and embarrassment.

"Not a chance," I wheeze, laughing despite the air being squeezed from my lungs. "These are my trophy now!"

"Dash, stop being an ass," Zane says, reaching down to separate us. "And, Quinn, get a grip. They are just panties."

Malachi sighs heavily and reaches down, plucking the panties from both our hands with ease. Quinn and I pause mid-wrestle to stare up at him.

"Enough," Malachi states firmly, holding the delicate fabric between two fingers. I watch as he sniffs them, grunting gruffly, and with an eye roll, he mutters, "Neutralizer panties."

Neutralizer panties are used by women who want to keep their scent under control. The panties absorb not only those…ah, fluids, but completely neutralizes the scent. They became popular with beta and even alpha women after omegas began using them.

Quinn's eyes widen. "Neutralizer panties? Those are pretty high-end. And combined with how well she masked her scent…" He trails off, looking troubled.

Zane's expression darkens. "You thinking what I'm thinking? Black-market scent suppressants?"

Malachi nods grimly. "It's possible. We'll need to tread carefully here. If Aria's been using illegal suppressants, it could explain a lot…and complicate things even further." He points at Quinn again. "This isn't helping anything."

Quinn scrambles to his feet, brushing off his rumpled clothes. "You're right. I'm sorry, I just…" He trails off, running a hand over his face.

I slowly climb to my feet, still grinning. "Admit it, Quinn. You've got it bad for our girl." I smile like a fucking fool.

Our girl! Fuck, that feels right.

"No," Zane states. "We never even had a conversation about her or whether or not we are even going to entertain the idea of her. And I, for one, am not." He grinds his jaw. "She's a fucking beta. With Scent Synergy hanging over us, we can't entertain this discussion. If we get matched with an omega, this whole thing will fall apart."

I might cry. "No," I whine. "I need her."

Zane rolls his eyes. "Are you fucking stupid?"

"Hey," Malachi barks, reminding us why he is the leader. His aura flashes through the room like lightning, demanding our attention. "Attack the topic, not the person. You fucking know better."

"I'm not sorry," Zane snaps back, pushing off the wall, tension rolling from his shoulders. "I like Aria, yes, I admit it," Zane rumbles, his fists clenching at his sides. "But nothing can ever come of us and her. We have a duty to our future omega, to our pack's legacy. We can't throw that away on a whim." His words whip through the room. "She's a female fucking beta. Are you all this foolish? We are still registered with Scent Synergy. At any moment, we could get a fucking call that we have a scent matched omega."

Silence stretches between us, but it's more than that, so much more. For the first time since being in this pack, I feel distance burning between all of us.

"Yeah, that's what I fucking thought," Zane snarls. "Say we get an omega, then what? What about Aria? We have literally protected beta women from the packs that they thought were their forever. Fuck, I teach some of them self-defense. Do you really want to do that to Aria? Break a fucking bond?"

Breaking a bond is the worst hell anyone can ever go through. It's like ripping a piece of their soul in half, and it is rarely ever done. Those who do it seldom survive.

I lick my lips. "I don't want an omega." All eyes turn to me. "I want Aria."

Quinn releases what I can only describe as a distressed whine. "I want Aria."

My heart thunders in my chest as all eyes turn to Malachi. Either we are all divided, or we are all in, and he's going to decide this. His big brown eyes assess every one of us before he runs a thumb across his pouty bottom lip.

"Fuck," Malachi curses. "We can't be divided like this."

"Exactly," Zane snarls. "I should have pulled us from the Scent Synergy like I said I would. If you three are thinking about this, then I'm doing that."

It's a threat. If he pulls our names, there's no going back. My heart hammers in my chest as I wait for Malachi to make the call.

He closes his eyes. "We're all feeling the weight of this decision, but we must remain united. Let's approach this with the wisdom and strength we're known for."

My entire world begins to crumble.

I need her.

Zane shakes his head, his eyes hard. "There's nothing to think through. We can't do this to Aria. It's not fair to her, and it's not right for us."

I feel like I've been punched in the gut. The thought of losing Aria before we've even had a chance… It's unbearable. I look at Malachi pleadingly. "Malachi, please. We can't just give up on this."

Malachi holds up a hand, his expression pained. "Dash, I know how you feel. I feel it too. But Zane has a point. We have to consider the consequences."

Quinn runs a hand through his hair, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Wait, we can't just…we can't just walk away from this," he says, his voice rising slightly. He looks at each pack member in turn, his gaze lingering on Zane. "We chose to bring Aria into our lives. We can't pretend none of this happened just because it's gotten more complicated."

The room falls silent, the weight of the decision hanging heavily in the air. I can't accept it. I won't.

"No," I state firmly, straightening my shoulders. "I'm not walking away from this. From her. We're the Clarke pack, for crying out loud. If anyone can make this work, it's us." I won't give up on her because I have a gut feeling so many have given up on her, and I won't be that person.

Zane scoffs. "And how exactly do you propose we do that, Dash?"

"I don't know!" I snap back, my frustration boiling over. "But there has to be a way. We can't just let some outdated system dictate our lives. Not when it comes to Aria."

Malachi's deep voice cuts through the tension, calm but with an undercurrent of authority. "Dash, I understand your concerns. We all do." He looks around the room, his gaze steady. "But we need to approach this rationally. Yes, the Scent Synergy program has been in place for decades, and yes, going against it would have consequences." He pauses, his expression thoughtful. "But we made a choice to protect Aria. We can't back down now just because it's gotten more complicated."

"Then we deal with the consequences," Quinn says firmly, a determined glint in his eye. "Together. As a pack." He looks at each of us in turn. "I know I'm not the only one who feels this connection with Aria. It's more than just her scent. It's…everything."

Zane crosses his arms, his expression thoughtful. "Before we get too carried away, we should probably look into her background a bit more. That police report she mentioned…it might be worth investigating further."

Malachi nods. "Good point. We'll add that to our to-do list. We need to understand her situation fully if we're going to move forward with this."

Zane's jaw tightens. He looks away, conflict written all over his face. "I don't like this at all, but…" He exhales harshly. "Fuck it. If we're doing this, then we'll do it right. We need to be all-in."

Relief floods through me. I clap Zane on the shoulder. "Exactly. We'll figure it out as we go, but the important thing is, we'll stick together. Right?"

Fuck me, this whiplash is killing my vibe.

"I'm not pulling from Scent Synergy." Malachi makes the decision right then, but before we can protest, he holds his hand up. "She ran," he reminds us. "It doesn't matter how much we are in this, she ran. She needs to be all-in too."

I feel like I might puke. "She must have been scared," I protest, recalling how quickly she bolted from the hotel. "Hell, I'd be scared too if I had four alphas chasing after me. But that doesn't mean we should give up."

I toss myself at his feet and look up at him. It isn't a position I've ever been in before. I'm not even mad about it. I'd beg and plead for this woman.

"You feel that strongly about her?" he asks me.

"Yeah." I nod a little too excitedly.

"One month," Malachi says, his voice low and filled with gravity. The air in the room seems to thicken, each of us feeling the weight of his words. "One month, and then we decide together. All of us, as a pack. If we take her on, then we will need to decide whether or not we are a pack who takes on an omega or not. And whatever we choose, we live with the consequences."

My stomach churns, and I'm pretty sure I'm about to shit myself.

Zane's eyes narrow as he looks at Malachi. "One month? That's all we get to figure this shit out?"

Malachi nods, his expression serious. "One month. We need to give Aria space and let her process everything, but we also need to be clear about our intentions. If we're going to pursue this, we'll do it as a pack."

Quinn rubs his face, looking exhausted. "And what if she doesn't want us? What if she decides this is all too much?" He never once looks at any of us.

The thought of losing her sends a chill through me, ice-cold dread settling in my gut. I've only just found her, and already, the idea of her absence feels like a physical ache.

Malachi's voice is steady. "Then we respect her decision. We won't force anything, but we owe it to ourselves, and to her, to at least try."

I nod vigorously. "Exactly. We'll show her that we're serious, and that this isn't just some passing fling." I give Quinn my very best stink eye. I sure hope he didn't treat Aria as a fling.

Zane still looks uncertain, but he doesn't argue. "Fine. One month, but we'll do this right. No games, no bullshit."

Quinn stands up, a determined set to his shoulders. "Agreed. We'll court Aria."

"Then what?" Zane's shoulders tighten. "What about an omega?"

Malachi nods slowly. "If Aria becomes pack, then with her, we'll decide if an omega is in our future."

"We're doing this?" I can't sit still, I am so freaking excited.

We can go tandem biking.

I can take her to my favorite pizza place.

More freaking tacos.

Oh, and stargazing.

"Fucking hell, lover boy is already planning our bonding ceremony," Zane scoffs as he heads toward the door. "Better fucking hope Scent Synergy doesn't call in the next month." He pauses at the door, only to look back. "Because the likelihood of an omega accepting a pack with a female beta is pretty fucking low." He storms out.

"One month," Malachi declares, sealing our fate with a single breath.

Quinn runs a hand through his hair, looking troubled. "But why did she run? We need to understand her perspective in all this."

I nod vigorously. "Yeah, she must have been scared. I mean, four alphas? That's intimidating even for me, and I'm one of them!"

Malachi's expression hardens. "We need to consider all angles here. Whatever her reasons for hiding her identity and running, they could have serious implications for our pack."

Zane scoffs, his eyes narrowing. "She's been evasive about her past and then ran. That tells me all I need to know about her." Zane's jaw clenches, frustration evident in his voice. "I can't shake the feeling she's hiding something important from us." We need to be thinking about protecting ourselves, not coddling someone who's already proven untrustworthy."

My heart races, a mix of exhilaration and terror coursing through my veins. I can't stop fidgeting, my fingers drumming against my thigh as I imagine all the possibilities, and potential pitfalls, that lie ahead.

I clap my hands, grinning like a maniac. "Game on, boys!" I think to myself, Operation Woo Aria is a go. Time to unleash the Dash charm. She won't know what hit her.

Malachi reaches out and ruffles my hair, probably trying to calm my obvious excitement. I duck away, laughing, and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Damn, when did my hair get so long? I need a trim. At least I'm pretty sure I need a trim.

How fast does hair grow anyway? Maybe Aria likes the shaggy look…