Page 2 of Trick or Heat

“Come on, let’s go to my room.”

We travel through the living room and up the stairs to my room. When we get inside, Casey lets out a small grunt, his eyes fluttering shut as he inhales.

I wince, embarrassment coursing through me. My pheromones are much more potent here than anywhere else in the house, and I am sure he is still getting used to the candy apple scent following me around since I only designated a few weeks ago.

“Sorry,” I apologize. “I’m still trying to get my scent under control.”

He flusters, his eyes opening immediately. “No! Don’t worry about it. It’s only been a few weeks since you designated. I remember how much my scent took over after I designated. It was the longest four weeks of my life.”

I grit my teeth at that reminder. Casey designated as an omega last fall, which was the perfect time for his dreamy masala chai scent to present itself. It went perfectly with the changing leaves and crisp air of September. The dark herb and creamy tea texture of his scent became my favorite aroma. Every time I scent it, my brain loses its train of thought and my limbs feel loose, like I just got the best massage money can buy.

I fell a little bit more in love with him after that. Not that it mattered, I’d been tiptoeing around my feelings for my best friend longer than even I knew. I’m not sure when my adoration for him turned romantic, just that it went from innocent to serious really quick after our sophomore year, when kissing didn’t sound as scary anymore and dating became more normalized.

My yearning flew up a notch practically overnight, like this weird feeling in my chest was telling me that Casey was the blueprint for all of our happiness. It scared me, sent me to the brink of madness, and it never eased up.

Not to mention, it’s only gotten worse since I’ve designated.

There was never a chance I would be an alpha. I’m too soft, too sensitive; that’s something Casey and I have always had in common. We both enjoyed being the center of attention so much that I never considered we would grow to be anything more than friends, and now that we both know we’ll need alphas to help with our future heats, that reality is looking even more unlikely.

I’m just destined to pine after my best friend until I meet the alpha of my dreams, which doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon.

I swallow roughly and try to change the subject.

“Aiden Mayberry told me that my scent was too sweet today,” I admit. “He said it was like he was choking on red 40 and expired Apple Jacks.”

Casey’s jaw tightens. “Aiden Mayberry has a small dick and smells like cheese.”

I let out a cackle before narrowing my gaze at him. “How do you know he has a small dick?”

He bites his lip, a seductive motion that has my eyes moving involuntarily. “Let’s just say he isn’t above trying to seduce someone ‘below his station,’ but I wasn’t interested in what he was offering.”

My hand flies to my mouth as we both erupt into laughter. “What the hell? When did this happen?”

“Last semester after I designated.”

My eyes widen, amusement curling at the corner of my lip. “I cannot believe that. He’s a bit… I mean, he’s the last person I would expect to seduce another guy. He can be a bit homophobic.”

“Newsflash, El,” Casey says, mischief in his eyes. “Most homophobes are secretly in the closet.”

I snort. “True.”

Silence erupts as the letters between us seem to demand our attention once more, reminding us of the real reason we’re here and why our scents are riddled with tension.

Suddenly the air feels heavy as we can no longer ignore their presence.

“We should just rip the bandage off, huh?” I voice.

Casey doesn’t move a muscle; he just stares at the letters, his face an impenetrable mask. “How about we open each other’s?”

My chest beats wildly in my chest. “Yeah! Yeah, let’s do that. We can… maybe that will—” I ramble, trying to sort through my anxiety. I wipe my suddenly sweaty hand on the comforter and bite my lip so hard I think I can taste blood.

Stress courses through my veins. For half a second, I think the weight of it is going to send me into a spiral, but then Casey’s scent seems to soften. His perfume turns into soothing notes, the dreamy aroma working overtime to calm my beating heart. The feeling is enchanting, and I don’t fully grasp how much good it does for me until I’m reaching for his letter and holding it with steady hands.

“Better?” Casey asks, his crystal-blue eyes gentle and observant.

I nod. “I’m perfect. I just… I need to know. The anticipation is killing me.”

He lets out a tiny chuckle. “Me too.”