Scentless

At Bailey's

Ava couldn't focus.

She stared at her computer screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, but the words wouldn't come. The financial report Damon had asked for remained unfinished, numbers blurring together as her mind replayed the conversation they’d had in the cafeteria. Over and over again, she heard his words.

“I can smell you.”

The statement had blindsided her, knocking her carefully constructed world off balance. For so long, Ava had taken comfort in her scentlessness, in her ability to slip under the radar of pheromones and alpha instincts. She had always been *different*, and that difference had become her shield.

But now, Damon—her boss, the alpha who hated the scent of omegas—had said he could smell her. And not just smell her… he 'liked' it.

Ava shook her head, trying to push the memory aside, but it clung to her, stubborn and unyielding. How was it possible? No one had ever commented on her scent before. She had always been careful, always stayed neutral, making sure she never projected anything that would draw unwanted attention.

And yet… Damon had sensed something.

She sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he’d imagined it. But the way he’d looked at her, the certainty in his voice—it had been real. Too real.

“Ava?”

The sound of Damon’s voice startled her, and she quickly straightened in her chair, blinking up at him. He stood in the doorway of his office, watching her with that same unreadable intensity she’d come to expect from him.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, his tone neutral but his eyes sharp, like he could sense her unease.

Ava forced a smile. “Yes, of course. I was just finishing up the report for the Wilson project.”

Damon’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, and she had to resist the urge to shift uncomfortably in her seat. It was as if he could see right through her, peeling back the layers she kept so carefully in place.

“Good,” he said finally, his voice betraying nothing. “Send it to me when it’s done.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and disappeared back into his office, leaving Ava to wrestle with the storm brewing inside her.

---

By the time she left work, the weight of Damon’s words still hadn’t lifted. Ava found herself wandering through the busy streets of the city, trying to shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in her chest. The evening air was cool, and the sounds of cars and pedestrians filled the space around her, but her mind was elsewhere.

She needed to talk to someone. Someone who would understand. And there was only one person who came to mind.

Liam.

Her best friend since childhood, Liam had always been her anchor, the one person she could be completely honest with. He knew her better than anyone—knew about her family, her hunter lineage, and her struggles with her scent, or lack thereof. If anyone could help her make sense of what was happening, it was him.

Ava pulled out her phone and texted him.

Ava: "Can you meet me at Bailey’s? I need a drink."

Liam’s response came almost immediately.

Liam: "On my way. See you in 10."

---

Bailey’s was a cozy little bar nestled on a quiet side street, far enough from the hustle of the main thoroughfares to be considered a hidden gem. Ava and Liam had been coming here for years, ever since they’d both started working in the city. It was their go-to spot when they needed to decompress and talk about life—without the noise of the world pressing in on them.

When Ava arrived, Liam was already at their usual table in the corner, nursing a beer. His familiar, easy-going smile greeted her as she approached.

“There’s my favorite workaholic,” he teased, standing up to give her a quick hug.

Ava chuckled, though it was half-hearted at best. “You know me too well.”

As they sat down, Liam eyed her curiously. “What’s going on? You sounded pretty stressed in your text.”

Ava took a deep breath, running her fingers through her hair. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Start at the beginning,” Liam said, his voice light but encouraging. “What happened?”

Ava hesitated, her mind still grappling with the reality of what she was about to say. But if there was anyone she could be honest with, it was Liam.

“It’s Damon,” she began slowly. “Something… weird happened at work today.”

Liam raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. “Weird how?”

Ava swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. “He said he could… smell me.”

Liam blinked, clearly confused. “Wait, what?”

“Yeah,” Ava said, her voice barely above a whisper. “He told me he could smell my scent. And not just that—he said he liked it.”

Liam stared at her for a moment, processing her words. Then he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “But… you’re scentless. Right?”

“I thought so,” Ava said, frustration creeping into her voice. “I’ve always been scentless, or at least close enough that no one could ever smell me before. But Damon—he was so sure. He said he could smell something, and it was… soothing to him.”

Liam frowned, his brow furrowed in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense. No one’s ever been able to pick up on your scent before, not even me.”

Ava nodded, her fingers drumming anxiously against the table. “I know. That’s why I’m freaking out. I don’t understand how this is happening.”

Liam was silent for a moment, clearly deep in thought. Then he leaned forward, his expression serious. “Okay, hold on. Let’s do a test.”

“What kind of test?” Ava asked, her curiosity piqued.

“I’m going to see if I can smell you,” Liam said, his tone matter-of-fact.

Ava blinked, unsure if he was joking or not. “Liam, we’ve known each other for years. You’ve never been able to smell me before.”

“I know,” he said, holding up a hand. “But maybe something’s changed. If Damon can pick up on it, maybe I can too.”

Ava hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Okay. Fine.”

Liam took a deep breath, leaning a little closer to her, his face scrunching up in concentration. Ava watched him, feeling a strange mixture of anticipation and dread as he tried to pick up on whatever Damon had sensed.

After a few moments, Liam sat back, shaking his head. “Nothing.”

Ava’s heart sank, though she wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Liam said with a shrug. “I don’t smell anything. Same as always.”

Ava slumped back in her chair, her frustration bubbling up to the surface. “Then why the hell can Damon smell something?”

Liam raised an eyebrow, his expression thoughtful. “Maybe it’s an alpha thing. Maybe there’s something about him that makes him more sensitive to your scent.”

Ava frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. Damon hates omega scents. He’s always been clear about that.”

“True,” Liam said, taking a sip of his beer. “But he seems to like yours. Maybe there’s something about it that’s different. Something subtle.”

Ava shook her head, still struggling to make sense of it all. “It doesn’t add up. I’ve been around alphas my whole life, and no one’s ever said anything like this before.”

Liam nodded, his expression sympathetic. “I get it. It’s weird. But maybe it’s not something you can control. Maybe your scent is just… changing.”

Ava looked at him, her brow furrowed. “Changing? What do you mean?”

Liam shrugged. “I don’t know. You said yourself that you come from a line of hunters. Maybe there’s something in your genetics that’s different. Something that’s starting to surface now.”

Ava frowned, considering his words. Could it be possible? Could her heritage, her hunter lineage, have something to do with what Damon was sensing?

She’d always known she was different, but she had never considered the possibility that her scent—or lack thereof—might be part of that difference. Her family had trained her to be invisible, to move through the world without drawing attention. But if something was changing, if her scent was becoming noticeable, then everything she’d worked so hard to keep hidden could unravel.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know, Liam. I just… I don’t want to draw attention to myself. Especially not with Damon.”

Liam nodded, his expression understanding. “I get that. But maybe this isn’t something you can control. If Damon can smell you, then there’s probably nothing you can do to stop it.”

Ava bit her lip, her mind racing. “But why him? Why now?”

Liam leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of his beer. “Maybe it’s not about why. Maybe it’s just happening. And you’re going to have to figure out how to deal with it.”

Ava sighed, staring down at her drink. Liam was right. Whether she liked it or not, something was happening. And she needed to find a way to handle it before things got even more complicated.