2. Meggie

2

Meggie

F ailure taunts me as I towel off, quickly get dressed, and pick up my phone to see multiple messages from my mom and sisters. Not ready to respond yet, I click on my text chain with Emily while I walk. I need to find the address for the bar where we're supposed to meet. Hopefully, it's not far. I'm already running late and don't want to leave Emily waiting too long. She gets nervous in large groups when she doesn't have a support person with her.

Too focused on my phone, I don't notice Daniel until he's right in front of me.

"Good race today, leggy Meggie."

I hate when he uses that nickname, especially in that saccharine tone of voice. "Leave me alone, Daniel."

A small wave of unease ripples up my spine as he follows me out into the parking lot. This exit is less crowded than the front, and most people have already left, leaving the lot dark and nearly empty.

Before I can make it even two steps, he crowds my personal space, backing me against the building. I hate that I cower, but it's better than putting up a fight. A fight is what he wants.

Brows wrinkled, he drags his nose down my neck. "I can't figure out why I can never smell you. No blocker is that good. At least, not a legal one."

"I just got out of the shower, and they only have deodorizing soaps here." I try to move around him, but his hands slam into the wall on either side of my head.

I fight the omega whimper that threatens to escape. His domineering alpha scent clogs my nose with the smell of burnt toast, bitter black coffee, and alcohol. It makes bile climb the back of my throat. Definitely not a scent match. But he doesn't know that, and he's never forgiven me for breaking up with him.

"Aren't you gonna congratulates me?" His words slur a little, and I realize he's already been drinking to celebrate. Daniel and alcohol are never a good combination. I learned that on my twentieth birthday. Something I'm actually grateful for, since his behavior is the only reason I ran off by myself and was alone when I first perfumed as an omega. Well, alone until Emily found me and helped me get away without anyone noticing.

I duck down, trying to wiggle under Daniel's arm, but he just presses his body into mine, pinning me to the wall. Firm hands push against my shoulders. The hardness between his legs presses against my thigh. I swallow down the jolt of fear. Daniel's been getting more and more aggressive lately, but this is extreme even for him.

"Don' be a bitch just 'cause you didn' make the cut." His words scratch across my already bruised heart. "Do…don' you think… you should give this up and suttle down?" He leans even closer. His breath reaks of cheap rum.

"Fuck you, Daniel."

He laughs and rubs himself against me. "Yer welcome to."

The smell of booze on his breath is nauseating. Fighting the need to gag, I shove at his chest. "Get off me."

"That's not wut you said at senior prom," he smirks.

"That was before I knew you were such a dick." I smile back at him, raise my leg and knee him in the balls.

He recoils, hunching over on himself, and finally letting me go. I'm not fast enough in my retreat, because he grabs my wrist and nearly yanks my arm out of the socket, pulling me back. My foot twists and I almost fall on my ass. He capitalizes on my loss of balance and pushes against me, pinning me hard between him and the wall.

Daniel looms over me, grinding his cock against me. "I'm gonna makes you pay, beatch. For… for thinking you're too good for me. You're garbage." Spittle flies from his mouth. "A beta who th-thinks she can swiam, bedder than the rest of us. All you good for is being sssomeone's beatch."

I try to scramble to the side, but he's still got a tight grip on my wrist. My heart races, true fear taking hold. Daniel is strong, and he's used to getting what he wants. I'm not really sure how far he'll take this, but it doesn't seem like he's backing down.

"Get off!" My voice squeaks as I try to fight, head swiveling, looking for someone to help.

"Get off her," a deep, masculine voice rumbles.

"How ‘bout yo—Why don—Get yer own hooorse, buddys," Daniel slurs. I think whore was the noun he was aiming for. Asshole. He's even more drunk than I thought, and the booze must be really getting to him now. I squirm and twist, trying to push him off.

A hand grabs Daniel's shoulder and jerks him back. He reels, enough for me to get out from under him and scamper a few steps away.

The stranger steadies me for the briefest of moments, making sure I'm ok. Then he turns, and punches Daniel right in the face. The jackass goes down hard.

"Thank you," I say, finally getting a good look at the man who helped me.

He's gorgeous. Sandy blonde hair that's got just a little wave to it. Tan skin, a firm jaw, lean and muscular at the same time. And his smell!

He may not be able to scent me, but I can scent him. And he smells like all of my happiest dreams. He smells like ocean breezes with a hint of something tropical… coconut or pineapple? No, maybe it's kiwi. He smells like long, lazy afternoons on the beach, eating fresh fruit, telling secrets, stretched out with the sun on my back, gentle waves lulling me into a sleepy comfort.

Alpha.

I involuntarily lean closer. His scent grows stronger. The warmth in my belly is an alarm in my brain, and I immediately step back, fighting the attraction. The last thing I need is to be so turned on, I perfume right through my blockers. It's never happened before, but that doesn't mean I want to risk it. "Um, I appreciate the help. Thank you."

While Daniel stirs and blinks, I hurry away, but the tempting alpha follows. Heavy footsteps echoing my soft ones.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"Yeah, yeah. Fine." I don't look back. "Just late for a friend's party. Really appreciate your help, though." I wave over my shoulder without slowing my steps.

His warm chuckle melts something in my gut. His scent hits me again. Even stronger this time. Summer heat and water droplets careening down bare skin. Salt water and sweat and… sex.

The air around me heats and my loose dress feels too tight. I've never had this kind of a reaction to a man before. Sure, there's always a tug between alphas and omegas. It's probably why I was initially drawn to Daniel when we first started dating, before I knew I was an omega, before I knew better.

But this is different. More intense than anything I've experienced before. I only just met him and I'm ready to break all my rules and invite him home with me. He just feels… safe.

Something in the back of my brain is whispering two words I really don't want to think about. Scent. Match.

No. No. No. Nope. Not going there. He can't be my scent match. I'm not ready to be bonded, to have a pack, to be stuck at home like a good little omega.

I can feel his presence at my back as his long legs bring him closer. Shit, I need to get out of here. His scent is making it hard to think straight.

"Meggie Harper, right?" His slow stride matches my quick steps. "I saw you swim today. You were good."

Salt in the wound helps snap me out of some of my lust-induced haze. "Not good enough."

"Hmm." His hum has a note of understanding in it that makes me glance over. I immediately regret it when I find him looking back. All sandy blonde hair and sun-kissed muscle. I look away and search my bag for my keys while I pick up my pace.

"I know how disappointing it can be to fall short of a goal," he says. "I was a swimmer too. Well, a diver. I didn't make the cut the first time I tried out for the Olympics."

"If this is supposed to be some pep talk about how it'll all work out in the end, save it." I put enough bite in my words to hide the way my body is responding to him.

He chuckles. "No. It's supposed to be an offer. Well, an invitation with the possibility of an offer."

I stop, face pinching in a frown. "Are you asking me out or offering me a job?"

"Maybe," he says, not clarifying which option he's contemplating.

I huff a laugh and start walking again. My little blue hatchback comes into view up ahead. An exit. An escape.

He still follows, not getting the hint. Does he think I owe him a date—or something more—because he helped me back there? Yeah, not gonna happen. I press the button on my keys and my car lets out a quick little chirp.

"Look, I'm on the Olympic water polo team." He reaches my car before I do and leans against my driver's side door, keeping me from opening it. Although, I get the sense this guy would move if I asked him to—unlike Daniel. "The rules say we have to have a beta and a female on the team. Ours left. And I'd like you to try out to take the spot."

I blink at him, trying to take in what he's saying. "You came here to scope out swimmers for your team? Why not go to a water polo game and scalp someone there?"

One side of his lips twists up in a half smile. "No, I'm here as a promise to my sister. But it's one I'm glad I made."

His gaze briefly flicks over my body, and I feel the warmth creep up my cheeks.

"I don't know anything about water polo. What makes you think I'd be any good at it?"

"Won't know unless you try." He shrugs and holds out a business card, his long fingers tipped with white nail polish.

Once I take the card, he immediately puts his hands in his pockets and saunters off, whistling a soft tune.

The first thing I see when I look down at the card is a date, a time, and an address written in neat handwriting. I flip it over, hoping to find his name. Ellis is printed in large block letters, followed by Pack Hart. My teeth clench. I can't believe she'd do this.