Page 38 of Power Shift

BRIAR

“Areyou aware that phones exist, Bee? I’m this close to taking back your best friend status at this point,” Clover threatens, pinching her thumb and pointer finger together but keeping them from sealing completely. “This is the second time you’ve left me hanging.”

“I didn’t think that a phone call would have done what I need to tell you justice.”

“Well, you’re right. But I still would have liked to know sooner.”

“The morning after isn’t good enough?” I tease between sips of the green smoothie she handed me a few minutes ago.

It tastes like ginger and grass and not like anything I’d prefer to ingest at eight in the morning. Clover is nothing if not overly considerate when it comes to those she loves, though. At least she’s stopped “accidentally” buying too many groceries every week and filling my fridge when I’m capable of doing that myself. I shouldn’t complain about a green smoothie.

The small café we’ve met at today is only a block from the office, and with back-to-back deliveries today, I know this isthe only chance we’re going to have to talk about more than placentas and breathing exercises.

And I really,reallywant to talk about the men from last night. So, I do, and the details of my meeting last night come spilling out.

Clover stares at me blankly, ripping off a piece of her gluten-free muffin. “How are you even here today? You’re seriously telling me that you met your scent match last night and you’re not at his place banging his brains out already?”

My face flames as I keep my immediate reaction to that suggestion subdued. Considering that I’ve gone through all of my clean pairs of thick panties already and there weren’t any available to wear today, I doubt the old couple a few tables away from us wants to smell just how much I wish I could be with Ronan right now.

“It’s more complicated than that,” I say.

She frowns. “Scent matches are supposed to be the least complicated thing in the universe. You smell each other, you realize that you’re all but fated to be together, and then you fuck until you can’t fuck anymore.”

“Do you have to say it like that? And so loudly too?”

“It’s true, though, isn’t it? Tell me that you didn’t want to climb the guy’s body like a squirrel up a tree. This is monumental news, Bee. You’re being too calm about it.”

“Ronan, Clover. His name is Ronan.”

Even just simply saying his name has an effect on me. In a blink, I have my cardigan off and hanging over the back of my chair to try and cool my spiking temperature.

“Ooh, that’s a sexy name,” she coos.

It’s an innocent comment, but in a matter of seconds, I’ve got my eyes narrowed and a tension in my muscles that’s completely unnecessary.

Noticing all of this, Clover smirks. “See? I bet this wouldn’t have happened if you’d slept with him and got those first-meeting jitters out of your system.”

“Really? I’d have thought it would have made it worse.”

“Maybe. I’m probably not the best omega to be giving you advice on this, though. I don’t know shit about scent matches outside of what we’ve learned at work. Have you told your mom? I bet she’d know what to do.”

I wince, shaking my head as I relax into my chair again. “No. Not yet. There’s more to this story than you know.”

“Do you want me to beg for more details? Because I will.”

“As entertaining as that would be,” I start, glancing around the café as it fills table by table, “I don’t think everyone around us needs to hear about my love life.”

“Fair enough. So, what’s wrong with him?”

I huff a laugh. “There’s nothing wrong with him, Clo.”

“Then what’s the problem? It’s not his smell, clearly. Does he have a super-small head and a massive body or something?”

“He has a pack.”

There’s a moment of heavy silence while she swallows and readjusts in her seat. “I still don’t see what’s wrong. You’ve always wanted a pack.”

“I do. I really, really do. It’s not that I’m upset about it. I’m mildly freaking out—in a good way! There’s a beta?—”

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