19. Ari

ARI

She smelled different every week now. Numerous alphas and Ari could’ve sworn he picked up a whiff of beta as well.

It wasn’t his business. And he wasn’t supposed to care.

He definitely shouldn’t speculate. But if he hypothetically did, he assumed that she probably had a pack. Her scent was still that of an unbonded omega, however. It wasn’t his place to wonder what circumstances led to an omega tattooing her neck so heavily, so he did not dwell on this at all. Under no circumstances did he catch himself staring at the dark artwork she had chosen to permanently mark her skin with.

That would be inappropriate and in poor taste, two things Ari most certainly was not.

Yet he was still haunted by that very first day when she stepped into his lecture hall. One inhale of her scent and he was suddenly 25 again, spending an endless summer in the South of France. A farmer’s market in Provence. Blush pink peaches bought by the boxful to throw in sparkling punch, bake laden with vanilla and brown sugar or just consume fresh on a whim. Every pretty girl was somehow blonde and tattooed. Beckoning with sultry eyes to spend a summer night consumed with good food, a bit too much drink and the sweaty slide of bodies together.

Despite weekly exposure to the mix of her omega perfume with foreign alpha scents — a hint of sea air, a shot of rum, a warming sip of coffee — Juno remained evocative as ever. It frustrated Ari to no end. After all, had he not escaped London to get away from omegas, packs and all the drama they wrought? He didn’t need this constant reminder, especially one as maddeningly beautiful and brilliant as she was, sitting in his class. He almost launched himself at that scraggly alpha student who dared antagonise her on her first day.

This version of himself was wholly unwelcome.

“Ari?”

His head snapped up. How long had this student been talking to him for? He’d wrapped up his lecture, dismissed everyone and apparently his attention span along with them.

“Pardon me, I didn’t catch that.”

Priya giggled, “Gosh you sound so dapper, sometimes.”

Did he? Surely an afternoon spent in an English pub watching the football would dissuade her of that notion quite quickly.

“How can I help, Priya?” He glanced at his wristwatch briefly.

“I just thought you might like some company on the way to our tute.” She was doing something to her bottom lip with her teeth that looked painful.

Ari glanced up at the door, noting the silhouette of his friend. Head of Advertising Alistair Reed who helped him land this job, and could not sink a pool ball to save his life after two beers.

“I’m spoken for already,” he replied, gesturing to where Alistair waited. “Maybe next time.”

There would be no next time but his unerring need for politeness afforded him few other options for responses.

Alistair had a coffee for him because he was an utter paragon of humanity. “Does your wife know you do this for me every week?” Ari asked, taking a fortifying sip.

“Hilarious,” Alistair replied drily. “Beth won’t care, you know you have a standing invitation to dinner at ours anytime.”

An evening with a bonded alpha and beta couple in a happy marriage? Even if it was one of his oldest friends, Ari would sooner stab himself in the eye with a fork.

“One day,” he said noncommittally instead.

They discussed the latest shocking showing their football team made on the weekend while they walked (Ari thought the gaffer was long overdue for a sacking but Alistair remained the eternal optimist) before parting ways outside his classroom.

Now that they were in closer quarters, Ari could definitely tell there was a beta scent clinging to Juno today.

If he were to notice. Which he didn’t. Because he was good at his job and focused solely on his syllabus. He made sure to do just that for the next hour, trying not to dwell on how much he liked that Juno was so set on succeeding in his class.

As his students made their way out afterwards in a flurry of papers and packed bags, he heard an astonished little giggle. He knew immediately it was her, as if his ears were tuned just to her frequency. For some odd reason, it was imperative for Ari to see who had gotten that reaction out of her. He hurried his movements, shoving everything in his bag in a rough swipe before charging through the door.

Juno was entwined around an alpha, his nutty coffee and her sugared sweetness melding perfectly. Ari caught the tail end of their conversation.

“Good surprise, I hope?”

Why did that voice sound familiar?

“Very good.” She rose up on her tiptoes to give him a light kiss, her fingers caressing his cheek affectionately.

Bloody hell, he knew Juno’s alpha. Ari’s mind rifled through faces at a million miles an hour, trying to place him.

“Holy shit, Ari, is that really you?”

Two years ago, a lavish vodka campaign shot in Bali and the happy-go-lucky photographer brought on to capture content for print and social media. Ari was fairly certain he’d been six shots deep and roped into singing a horrific karaoke rendition of K-Ci & Jojo’s All My Life with him at the wrap party.

“Ollie.” Slightly stupefied, he allowed Ollie to give him an excessively hefty smack on his palm that turned into a rather boisterous handshake.

“Last time I saw you was in Bali! You’re teaching now?”

Ari nodded before bracing himself for the inevitable avalanche of questions. How come? What happened in London? Are you ever going to return to advertising?

Instead, Ollie turned to Juno with a radiant smile. “Juno, you’re so lucky. Ari is a gun. Best ECD I’ve ever worked with, hands down,” Ollie enthused without a trace of sarcasm in his voice. How he did that, Ari had no idea.

“He is exaggerating, obviously.”

Ollie waved his attempt at modesty aside. “You’re gonna learn so much, Juno. Probably already have!”

Of course her alpha was one of the nicest humans he’d ever encountered. He would already be an asshole if he disapproved of whomever Juno had chosen but disapproving of Ollie Rivera would be like admitting he kicked puppies for fun.

“Oh! Do you have time now for a quick catch-up?” A moment of realisation gave Ollie pause as he looked at Juno. “Sorry, I should’ve checked with you first. Is that ok?” Juno told him he was being silly and didn’t even have to ask, giving him a familiar rub on his shoulder.

Ollie turned back to him. “Want to grab a coffee with us?”

Ari wasn’t sure what possessed him when he replied. “I’m long overdue for one actually.” He cast a furtive glance over at his desk and was relieved to see he had the foresight to put the coffee cup from Alistair in the bin. When he turned back, Juno was watching him with an indecipherable expression on her face.

Ollie whooped and took Juno’s hand. He started to lead her down the hall before pausing suddenly. “I don’t know where I’m going,” he admitted contritely. Juno laughed and gave him an affectionate kiss on the back of their clasped hands (Ari experienced a strange swoop behind his navel) and assured him she knew where to go.

Ari followed a beat behind them. A stray thought crossed his mind as he noted how easily it would’ve been to slot right in beside them on Juno’s other side.

* * *

Despite the close proximity of another alpha to Juno, Ollie did not partake in any alpha posturing or overt displays of affection. Ari wasn’t sure how he made denying his instincts look so easy, considering it was now clear they had not bonded yet. Ollie always made an effort to include Juno in the conversation as well, despite the discussion revolving around projects and people she wasn’t familiar with.

They seemed extremely well-adjusted. It was sickening, really.

“How’s it been having this one in your class?” Ollie gave Juno’s shoulder a teasing nudge with his.

“Oh, now you’ve made it weird reminding me that I’m having coffee with my lecturer.” Juno stuck her tongue out in feigned disgust.

Ollie looked panicked. “Is it against the rules? Have I gotten you in trouble? I’ll dig up those Bali photos and prove we knew each other already.”

“Don’t you dare,” Ari said warningly. “Those photos ought to be deleted off the face of the Earth.”

“Wow, you didn’t like the one of the two of us in the giant swing?”

Juno asked Ollie where she might hypothetically find these photos. Ari pinched the spot between his eyes, heaving a big sigh and Ollie just laughed. “And to answer your previous question, no, I don’t think there’s any rules against me having coffee with a student. We’re both adults after all.”

“Yeah, it’s not like I’d do anything to try and get a better grade.” Juno huffed exasperatedly at how ludicrous that sounded, as if she did not just try to ascertain where to get incriminating photos of him moments earlier.

But also, what would that look like — Juno doing anything for a better grade?

Fucking hell, where did that thought come from. Ari tried to think of something else to urgently stop his brain from constructing what he knew it was about to construct but failed miserably. A flipped skirt, her soft body bent across his desk, his hand tracing down her shivering spine.

Juno gave him a quick double-take, her breath catching slightly.

Shit, your scent.

“You sticking around for a while or heading back to London after a bit?” Ollie asked without a trace of judgement in his voice, just natural curiosity.

Yeah, that killed the fantasy. A myriad of emotions churned in his gut, as it always did when his old life came up. “Here for the foreseeable future.”

“Ahh.” Ari could feel the unspoken question on the tip of Ollie’s tongue but he simply took a sip instead.

“Just time for a change, I guess,” Ari added lamely.

He was surprised when Juno spoke up. “Change can be good. Even if we think we’re not ready for it.” Her eyes quickly flicked to Ollie and back to his, a small smile now gracing her lips. “I hope it’s the same for you.”

It was penetrating, the way she looked at him. Ari didn’t think she was doing it purposefully, but he somehow knew that the turmoil quashed deep inside him called to her. Even her words were a subdued attempt to soothe him, just like an omega would.

His hackles went up immediately.

He made his excuses shortly afterward and left.

After a twenty minute tram ride, Ari arrived home to his dark apartment. There was no cacophony of voices and laughter, no music or TV playing way too loudly, no one rushing him in telling him dinner would be ready soon. And that was fine. He had a pack and now he didn’t. He’d been in love and it had been ripped from him. Years of brotherhood flushed away, a potential future lost, all because of one volatile omega.

It was much better this way.