Page 31 of Trick or Heat

Casey: Are you still going out with DJ and Brodie later?

My heart thumps heavy in my chest, the feeling that I haven’t let myself process since my heat ended coming back up. Casey and I have spoken minimally since my heat, which is a whole can of worms in itself, but I also haven’t fully worked through what having the same scent matches means for us.

Now it’s not a worry of if we’ll be in each other’s lives or not… it’s a worry about whether or not my feelings for him will make things awkward in our pack.

Our pack. It’s still so weird to think about. Never in a million years did I even consider the possibility that we’d have the same scent matches. It’s extremely rare, and since Casey and I aren’t scent matches, it seemed even more unlikely. I guess you never really know what fate is going to throw your way until it’s right in your lap.

My fingers are slow as I type out my reply.

Elsie: Yes, they’re taking me to the movies at the mall.

Little dots appear immediately and I find a smile tugging at my lips.

Casey: That sounds like you. To see the new horror movie that we missed?

I grimace.

Elsie: Yes I’m sorry we missed it.

Casey: No need. We might have missed it, but we still had a lot of fun this weekend

A blush creeps up my face, but another text comes through before I can reply.

Casey: There will be plenty of new horror premieres in our future, El No worries. Just promise me we’ll catch the next Terrifier.

I huff out a laugh.

Elsie: Fuck no.

Casey: Boooo

Casey: Enjoy your date

I feel my smile soften; it’s bittersweet. I sent him a heart and a thumbs up, because I do plan to have fun with Brodie and DJ. I plan to make the most out of this despite whatever’s going on between Casey and I. Having a pack of alphas is something we have both wanted for a long time. I’m ready to finally let my inner omega out and embrace it.

While malls across America are dwindling into boring, empty buildings, White Pine Crest’s has only rejuvenated. A part of me wonders if the owners are part of some secret cult that drains the energy of all other malls just to funnel it back into their own, but that would be crazy. Still, the exuberance here is electric, the crowds always large no matter what day it is.

I venture through throes of people despite it being a Monday evening. It’s so weird to me. I’m walking through like a normal human, no one the wiser that I’m an omega who just experienced my first heat—one that turned my world upside down. I could be anyone, just here for new clothes, or pretzels, or to start Christmas shopping. But I’m not. I’m here to go on my first date with two of my new scent matches, which is wild and bizarre and mind-boggling.

I find them the second I get to the plaza.

Brodie towers over everyone, his brown hair mussy and his jersey perhaps a size too small. Not that I’m complaining, because it shows off his erotic as fuck abs and his lower hip lines that disappear into his joggers.

I lick my lips and try not to pant like an omega in heat in the middle of this crowded mall.

Then there’s DJ, wearing a nice beige coat and an even nicer deep red sweater underneath. Their aesthetics differ greatly, but I love both of them, and for different reasons. Not to mention, they look very authentic right now, like they’re trying to show me who they are as quickly as possible, which is something I deeply appreciate. I know they are soccer stars, but this is who they are off the field, and I love every glimpse of it I get.

“What are you guys doing?” I ask when I finally reach them.

They both turn, and when they see it’s me their smiles light up. “Watching the staff try to put the tree up.”

“They’re already putting up a Christmas tree?” I scoff, peering over at the maintenance employees putting up the twenty-foot tree How did I miss that? It’s huge!

Brodie smirks. “What do you have against Christmas? Too much jolly cheer?”

“Too many gingersnaps?” DJ adds.

“Elf magic?” Brodie squints at me. “You kind of look like an elf. Elsie the Elf.”