Chapter 5 – The Scent That Shouldn’t Be
1033 Words
Ryker’s POV
I wake up too early—and immediately regret it.
My head still spins from having too much eggnog last night.
I lie there for a second, pressing my hand to my head, trying to stop the spinning.
Duke, my wolf. He’s pacing like a caged animal, worse than his usual restless self.
I drag a hand over my face, pushing myself up. “What now?” I groan under my breath. "Why are you not asleep? It's not even time to get up for training."
Duke doesn't answer; he's attentive to something else.
My gaze travels over my room. Nothing is out of place. The room’s quiet, the bed’s a mess, my boots are still lying by the door, and my glass of eggnog is still half-drunk on the dresser from last night. Nothing seems out of order.
"Seriously, man," I groan. "Go back to sleep... there is nothing—"
My voice dies in my throat the moment I catch it. A scent. Easy to miss if I weren't already awake.
I frown, pulling in a deeper breath, letting the smell slide over my tongue.
I gasp, tasting the sweet flavor of berries.
These are fresh and rich berries, not the fake ones from the kitchen.
My body goes still without me telling it to, which isn’t normal at all.
I breathe in again. It's stronger now, coming from the door.
"Mate!" Duke exclaims, making my chest tighten.
I sit up straight, shaking my head. "No way," I reply. That’s not how this works; we would’ve known. Felt something before this. But the intoxicating trail doesn’t fade.
If anything, it gets worse.
My mind already drifts to things that only mated wolves do, and I force myself to concentrate.
I swing my legs off the bed and stand, catching myself as I sway. My skin feels too tight, like something underneath is trying to get out.
“She was here,” Duke says, his attention now focused with mine.
“Shut up,” I mutter, but I’m already moving.
The closer I get to the door, the stronger the smell gets. Not just sweet—there’s something else under it.
I open the door hoping to find her there, but the hallway’s empty.
But the scent is still right there, taunting me as if it were a game.
I step into the hall, looking both ways, hoping this is some kind of joke.
“She didn’t come in,” Duke says, sounding depressed.
I go quiet for a second, wondering why she would do that.
“But she came here," I say, and for some reason, that doesn't sit right with me.
Kael's bedroom door is open. Even he's up, surprisingly. He's already dressed. Of course he is.
“You smell it?” he asks.
“Yeah," I reply, my voice rough and dry. “Right outside my door.”
Another door opens, and Soren steps out, running a hand through his hair. He takes one breath and goes still.
“It’s here too,” he says.
I look between them. No one says it. We don’t have to.
Kael nods once. “Check if it's the same scent.”
We move as one.
Mine first.
The smell’s strongest there. It's thick enough it almost feels like it’s still happening.
Then Kael’s.
A different undercurrent, his fragrance mixed with it.
Then Soren’s—same thing.
All three of us. Could that be true? Was someone messing with us?
We stop in the middle of the hall. Duke’s not pacing anymore, his attention fully on my brothers.
“She came to us," I say.
“But didn’t enter our rooms,” Soren says quietly.
Kael’s expression tightens. “But why would she do that?”
I shrug; I have no idea. Why would our mate just ignore us like that? That doesn't sound right. That’s not how this works. She should’ve come to us.
"Find her," Duke snarls.
Kael seems to see the flicker in my eyes, the same flash in his. “Track it," he orders. "We need to find her and find out why."
We follow the smell down the hall. It’s easy.
Too easy. Like she didn’t even try to hide it.
I don’t like that. Are we walking into a trap?
I almost freeze in my tracks when I notice where the scent is taking us.
I stop.
No.
Ayla.
I let out a short breath, panic filling my veins. “No way," I mutter, but it’s not disbelief anymore. Just irritation. Confusion. And something I don’t want to name.
Soren goes still beside me.
Kael doesn’t move.
The aroma here is everywhere. It’s still fresh, clinging to the walls.
“She went to her room,” Soren says, his eyebrows knitting together.
"Seems so," I mutter, pushing the door open without knocking.
The room is empty, but warm. Her scent is still lingering in the air. It hasn't faded.
It’s in the blankets, the air, even on the floor.
She was here just moments ago.
“She bolted,” Duke says.
I step inside, scanning the room; nothing is out of place. Her old schoolbag hangs over the chair. Her books are neatly stacked on the desk.
"Why come to us and then leave?" I ask, confused.
"Because you told her she'd be homeless today," Soren says.
I wince. I never expected her to be my mate.
“She felt it,” Kael says, distracted by her scent. “She knows, and she left before we could humiliate her again."
“She’s ours," Duke snarls. "I want my mate!"
I don’t answer, but something in me shifts.
This isn’t just instinct anymore.
Now it’s personal.
"We better find her before she crosses the boundary," Soren says. "Else it'll be too late."
Kael nods, a sparkle in his eyes. “Let’s see how far she thinks she can run,” he says.
I nod once. A slow smile pulls at the corners of my mouth—now it's not just about the bond, but the fact that she ran.
“Yeah,” I mutter. “Let’s see how far she thinks she can run.”
****
- Writer
