Page 30 of Written in Scent

one heart

one path

entirely mine

The poem feels right… simple, honest. It captures exactly what I have been reaching for these past weeks. Independence, focus, and a life that belongs only to me.

I close the notebook and lean my head back against the trunk. Sunlight filters through the branches in golden patches across my lap. Noodle’s purr vibrates against me, steady and sure. The campus moves on around us, full of laughter and footsteps and distant conversations, but none of it touches this small circle of shade.

This is enough.

This is more than enough.

I breathe in the cool autumn air and let the certainty settle deep in my bones. Whatever scents or alphas try to pull at me, I will keep choosing this. Every single time.

The sun sits at that perfect golden angle as I head back from the lacrosse field, camera bag slung over one shoulder. I just finished filming some quick practice clips for the team when I spot her crossing the main quad path.

Melody.

She walks beside her encouraging friend, the bubbly dark haired omega who always seems to be smiling like she is cheering Melody on from the sidelines. But my eyes go straight to her. She looks small under the weight of her backpack, which is clearly overloaded with textbooks, wooden boards, and what I am guessing are some more science-y equipment pieces. Her shoulders curve forward slightly from the strain.

Damn, she is pretty. Long peach colored waves catch the sunlight and tumble down her back. That cream cardigan over the brown check skirt, paired with white socks and black loafers, gives her the sweetest nerdy look I have ever seen. She looks like she belongs in one of those soft focus campus movies.

Her scent drifts toward me on the breeze, but it’s much fainter than usual. That bright strawberry, peach, and lemon combination is muted today. She must have upgraded to stronger scent blockers. The thought sends a protective feeling through my chest. She’s trying so hard to stay shielded, and all it does is make me want to get closer and make her feel safe enough to let that beautiful scent shine.

I change direction without a second thought and head straight toward them, a grin already spreading across my face.

This is my chance. Time to be useful. Maybe, if I’m lucky, make her smile while I’m at it.

I catch up to them in just a few long strides and slide smoothly into step on Melody’s other side. Her encouraging friend notices me first and her face lights up with clear amusement. Melody turns her head, and those pretty blue eyes widen slightly when she sees me.

“Hey there,” I say with my best easy grin, letting the dimples do some of the heavy lifting. “You look like that bag is trying to win a wrestling match against you.”

She adjusts the strap on her shoulder, clearly uncomfortable with the weight. Up close she is even smaller than I remembered, and the backpack looks comically oversized on her petite frame. My alpha instincts flare with the immediate urge to help.

“Here, let me take that for you,” I offer sincerely, already reaching toward the strap. “That thing has to weigh almost as much as you do. No way you should be carrying it across campus like this.”

Before she can answer, my playful side slips in with a wink. “Or I could just carry you instead if that’s easier. Your choice.”

I laugh lightly, fully expecting the line to land as charming and fun like it usually does.

Melody stops in her tracks. Her bright blue eyes widen for a moment before her expression shifts into clear discomfort. She pulls back slightly, shoulders tightening under the weight of her overloaded backpack.

The joke that felt charming and light in my head has obviously landed very differently. She looks almost wary now, like I just crossed an invisible line I didn’t know existed.

Next to her, her friend bursts into delighted laughter. She claps a hand over her mouth, but it does nothing to muffle the sound. Her eyes sparkle with pure amusement, as if she finds the entire situation hilarious.

The contrast throws me completely. One of them looks ready to melt into the pavement from awkwardness, while the other is laughing like I just told the funniest joke she’s heard all semester.

I blink, the easy grin still on my face even as my brain scrambles to catch up.

Alright. Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for.

A quick flash of baffled disappointment hits me. I genuinely thought the joke was cute and helpful, something light to make her smile and show I’m here to make things easier. But clearly it landed like a lead balloon.

“No pressure,” I add quickly, voice sincere this time. “The offer to carry the bag is real, though. Seriously. That thing looks like it’s about to tip you over. Let me help you with it.”

Melody hesitates for a second, then slides the heavy backpack off her shoulders and hands it to me. I take it easily, surprised by just how heavy it actually is. No wonder she was struggling.