Page 40 of Trick or Heat

Something about the definite way she says it makes my stomach dip. “Thank you, Pari.”

She squints slightly, a playful smirk curling at her lips. “You’ve said that a few times now. What does it mean?”

“It means ‘fairy,’” I tell her, and her eyes shine with that new information. “When I first saw your pictures on Brodie’s phone, that’s what I thought. That you looked celestial, like a fairy.”

She leans over, so close that I have to hold my breath. “You are full of secrets, Alpha,” she says, her eyes hypnotizing as she licks her lips.

I exhale slowly. “And I will spill every single one of them to you, for as long as you’ll let me.”

I don’t expect it when she kisses me, the action taking me completely by surprise. Her lips are soft, lip gloss sticking to me as my eyes flutter shut. It’s slow and life-altering, my heart beating in rhythm with hers.

Never in a million years did I think we’d end up here, all because of an app no less, but I am so freaking grateful we are.

When she pulls away, I’m panting and her face is flushed.

“Ready for”—I take a breath—“more art?”

Her smile is wide and beautiful. “Lead the way.”

NINETEEN

Midnight Wolves Bar is full of people when I get there, the music pumping out into the city street. Motorcycles are lined up outside just like any other night, their owners standing around chatting and drinking their beers. A part of me winces at the idea of anyone getting on their bikes after a night out, my nature worried for them.

I squeeze through the crowd looking for my friend. He’s always here, and I know tonight won’t be any different. The atmosphere is one of my favorites; it’s dark, easy to hide away, and the red lights under the bar calm something inside me.

Hm, maybe I should get red lights for my official nest.

I jolt when someone’s hand comes down hard on my shoulder. “I didn’t know you were coming down tonight.”

At Reed’s familiar deep baritone, my lungs empty with relief. “Do I always have to text and let you know I’m going?”

His lip twitches and he puts a hand through his light hair. “When you’re coming to our bar? Yes, you should be a little bit wary.”

I swallow, the feeling rough in my throat. I don’t really think about Reed’s position in the Midnight Wolves too much. To me, he’s just my friend, but to others he’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I’ve seen him laugh so hard that orange juice came out of his nose once. He’s not that scary.

Not to mention, he’s another omega and we’re hard to find nowadays.

“I needed advice,” I put simply.

“Oh?” His brows raise, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Why didn’t you say? I love giving your fuckhead advice.”

I push his shoulder, rewarding me with a hearty laugh as we walk to the bar. He steps behind it, helping himself to the selection of liquor there. He makes my favorite, a Negroni with a splash of apple syrup, and then grabs himself a beer before we head into one of the empty booths.

Good, I need to be somewhere a bit more private if I’m going to word-vomit my thoughts at him.

“So, how have you been?” he asks when we get situated. “What’s been going on?”

The last few days play in my mind: the dates with the guys, the laughter, going down on Brodie when he found me in the aisles of the campus library yesterday while Elsie went on her date with Raivat.

My cheeks heat up, the memory causing my cock to twitch in my pants.

“We met our scent matches,” I tell Reed, ripping the bandage off.

He blinks at me. “‘We?’”

Shit, I know he’s going to give me shit for this. “Elsie and I.”