Page 3 of A Pack of Cozy

Mom:

Cali we need to talk.

I pocket the phone. I'd deal with that later…maybe.

At the counter I order a mocha frappuccino. It cannot come fast enough. I need all the caffeine I can get today. Throughout the night, I'd had strange dreams about the man I met in the snowstorm and his bright green eyes. I feel more tired than when I fell asleep. I finally get my drink and as I'm leaving, I hear someone call my name.

Clara, the waitress, waves me over to a table where several other women are seated. I met Clara the day before when I came in to check out the menu. After realizing I was new in town and not just an out-of-season tourist, she chatted with me for a while.

I hesitate. Meeting new people has always been extremely awkward for me. My smile feels forced, and my eyes dart around as if searching for an escape. Everything about me feels so stiff and awkward. But Clara's gaze is filled with such genuine excitement that, despite my nerves, I find myself slowly loosening up enough to accept the chair she offers.

To my surprise, Clara does a little happy clap. She's a petite omega with hair dyed in an ombre style-light, almost white lavender at the top, moving into a dark, almost black purple at the bottom. Her hair falls to her mid-back, she has a button nose and olive skin. She wears a long-sleeve dress and leggings that don't look warm enough for the chilly weather outside. Her omega scent is that of the perfect warm apple pie. Apples and butter and dough.

"I'm so glad you're here, Cali. I wanted you to meet some of the other girls from town," Clara says, gesturing to the three other women at the table.

"This is Winnie," Clara continues, smiling warmly as she points to a woman about my age. Winnie has beautiful black skin and wide brown eyes. Her thick, curly black hair is pulled into two pom poms. The light, delightful scent of lilacs wafts from her side of the table, giving her away as another omega.

"She owns Dandy Stuff, the best little gift shop on the Peninsula, especially during tourist season," Clara says.

Winnie glances around as if to downplay Clara's high praise. "In the cold months, I sell general store items. If you need light bulbs, matches, or most everyday items, you can stop by instead of trekking it to Suttons Bay."

"That's good to know. So I wont have to die in a snowstorm getting tape?" I joke and everyone chuckles. The fact that I can't get delivery for my essentials is frustrating enough without having to drive forty minutes away in the snow.

"This is Sunny," Clara continues, pointing to a woman sitting to Winnie's right. Sunny is a few years younger than me—probably around twenty-five. She embodies sunshine, with golden blonde hair and ivory skin that looks sun-kissed, as if she always carries a bit of summer. Her bright eyes crinkle at the corners as she flashes a slight smile. The scent surrounding Sunny is warm nectar and tea. She's definitely another omega.

"Sunny runs the local apiary, where the Café sources all its fresh local honey for its cakes and sweets," Clara explains.

"And this is Rose. She moved here about six months ago."

Rose's scent is nonexistent, marking her as a beta. Betas fall between alphas and omegas. They neither excrete scents and pheromones nor exhibit the personality traits of omegas, but they aren't usually over six feet tall and broad like alphas. They're often chosen for hiring positions over omegas because they don't experience heats and don't produce scents, which candistractnearby alphas. As though our status is our fault. While this isn't as prevalent in Lakeside Point, it is a significant issue where I come from.

Rose looks up from her phone and gives a jaunty little wave. She has thick brown hair that cascades around her shoulders and curves for days.

"Hi," I say, trying to smile but failing to hide the bright red blush creeping up my face from all the eyes looking at me. Rose returns to her phone screen.

Clara rolls her eyes. "Don't mind her phone. Rose works in social media marketing, so that thing is practically glued to her hand."

"We just wanted to make sure you recognized some more faces around town," Clara says. "It's good to have friends when starting in a new place."

Friends? Did she just call me a friend? I don't mean to sound pathetic, but I've never had many friends. After I was revealed as an omega at eighteen during the mandatory government testing, all of my non-omega friends from high school suddenly found they couldn't hang out with me as much. Basically, they all disappeared. Omegas make up a statistically smaller population than alphas and betas. Most people hang out with others from their designation, making inter-designation friendships difficult.

After losing all my friends, I stopped putting much effort into building relationships. My first real friend after my designation was Nick, but that ended badly. He was the main reason I left my hometown. Since then, I'd primarily relied on work and books for companionship.

"Thanks," I say, unsure of what else to add. This is nice of them, but they can't actually mean—

"We have a book club that meets every month. We get together at someone's house and discuss what we read." Clara is looking at me hopefully.

"Well, we try to talk about the book," Winnie chimes in. "But out of the four hours we usually get together, about twenty minutes are dedicated to the book. The rest is spent venting, gossiping, and enjoying food."

"And wine!" Sunny adds, her smile widening.

"The point is," Clara continues, clearly trying to keep the conversation on track, "if you'd like to join us, the next meeting is on Saturday. It's at my apartment, which happens to be above this coffee shop. One of the owners is my cousin, so I get a good deal on rent. The Book Club meets at six and usually goes until about ten."

Four sets of eyes look at me expectantly. I'm speechless. My silence must stretch a bit too long because Winnie interjects, clearly sensing my anxiety and trying to ease it.

"Of course, if you're busy, you don't have to—"

"I'd love to!" I cut her off a little too eagerly. Her eyes widen, but she offers a small half-smile.

---