Page 40 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

By the time it was done, we’d put together some decent tacos. Simple, but delicious. I tucked the recipe card away as the class came to a close. Oddly, I felt more in control than I expected.

“Same time next week, hockey boy?” Tanner said in that deep voice of his.

“I’ll be here,” I promised, tossing goodbyes at the others and hurrying out. Lachlan was already waiting outside the shop, a few bags in his hand, but nothing extravagant, which was a relief.

“We just got the all clear,” he told me.

Lachlan and I had started out as strangers, with a bit of camaraderie from being the new transfers in town. Maybe it was knowing that we were a pack, or the fact that we’d gotten to know each other, but I felt like we were finally friends.

He didn’t give me shit for taking a cooking class, he just accepted it.

“Let’s go home,” I said, gesturing toward the door. “What did you manage to snag?”

This time it didn’t bother me that I was empty-handed. I was doing something substantial and I’d have plenty of time to find something perfect.

“It wasn’t easy since we don’t know what she likes,” he admitted. It was nice to know he was just as out of his depth as I was. “I went small. I found this simple bracelet and this cute little plushie that you can put scents into. I tried to do a blend of our scents. I thought it might help settle her omega into the idea of having us around.”

“Holy shit, Lachlan. That’s amazing,” I said, genuinely impressed. He wasn’t just a steady delta, he was thoughtful.

He shrugged it off as we climbed into the truck and drove back to our temporary house.

August’s truck was outside when we pulled in. I parked mine next to it, and we climbed out.

I hadn’t even taken a step when it hit me. Even in the fresh air, I could scent our omega in the air. It was strong and lingering.

The closer I got to the passenger side of August’s truck, the stronger it became.

“Do you think she’s in there?”

Lachlan was right there with me, taking deep breaths of our omega’s scent. We might look like dorks, but I didn’t care. I needed this.

“If she is, I’m going to kill him. We just wasted time at the mall, and we could’ve been here,” he muttered.

“I wouldn’t call my night a waste of time, but it seems crazy to keep that from us.”

We both practically raced inside, pushing open the door, trying not to let it slam and startle her.

Dhara’s scent in here was divine. It was strong enough that it permeated the air, lingering everywhere.

There was a sweeter note that I’d never noticed before, and it took a second to realize exactly what that was.

“He didn’t,” I breathed out, stunned.

“Surely not,” Lachlan said, sounding just as startled. His eyes were wide as we glanced around for any sign of them.

That sweet undertone was unmistakable. It was the scent of her slick mixing with her scent.

“How about, instead of contemplating my demise out there, you come in here and hear me out?” August called. The son of a bitch sounded smug. My alpha shoved me forward, ready to tear him apart.

He was sitting back on the couch. Hockey was on the TV, but it was muted. He looked like he’d been waiting for us.

“What the fuck did you do?” I demanded on a growl, fists clenched.

“Nothing she didn’t want. Calm down, killer,” he said, pointing toward the couch.

August gave nothing away until both of our asses hit those cushions.

“We talked a little bit about how she thinks she doesn’t deserve you, and I uncovered that there’s some insecurity there.”