Scentless

Suprise Visit

Ava walked through the quiet halls of the building, the echo of her footsteps drowning out her tumultuous thoughts. Liam had long gone, leaving her alone with the weight of her confusion. She still couldn’t make sense of how Damon of all the people had picked up on her scent.

Her scent.

The very thing she had spent years hiding, suppressing, and denying was now out in the open, at least for Damon. The alpha’s sharp gaze had seemed to pierce straight through her, and the way his nostrils had flared ever so slightly told her everything she needed to know: he was aware. He had noticed something different about her, something she hadn’t wanted anyone to notice.

But why him? Why now?

Ava clenched her fists, fighting the instinct to run. She had always been so careful, so deliberate. Omegas like her were vulnerable, and she had learned from an early age that to survive in a world dominated by alphas and betas, she had to blend in. She wasn’t weak, not by any means, but the scent she carried of the one she had buried deep inside was a danger to her. And now, Damon, of all people, had caught a whiff of it.

A soft growl escaped her lips as she stormed into her apartment. She needed answers. There had to be a reason why Damon had picked up on something no one else had.

She flung herself onto the couch, trying to calm her racing mind.

Liam’s words floated back to her: You’re still you. Whatever this is, it doesn’t change who you are.

But what if it did?

What if Damon’s recognition of her scent wasn’t just a fluke? What if it was a signal that something inside her was changing—something she couldn’t control?

Before she could dive any deeper into her thoughts, a sharp knock echoed through her apartment.

Her heart leaped into her throat as she instinctively stiffened. She had already made sure the door was locked, but that didn’t stop her pulse from quickening. Who would be here at this hour?

Another knock. More insistent this time.

She rose slowly, her muscles tense as she approached the door. Her hand hovered over the doorknob, and for a second, she considered ignoring it.

But she knew who it was. She didn’t need to open the door to know.

“Open the door, Ava.” Damon’s voice came from the other side, low and firm.

Her stomach flipped. Of course, it was him.

With a deep breath, she unlocked the door and pulled it open, revealing the imposing figure of Damon standing in the dim hallway. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes, those piercing, storm-gray eyes, locked onto hers the moment the door swung open.

“Damon, it’s late,” she said, her voice betraying the nervousness she felt. She didn’t know how to handle him, not like this. Not when he was standing so close, and not when she was still trying to figure out what he had sensed.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, stepping forward. He was inside her apartment before she could protest.

Ava swallowed hard, closing the door behind him. She crossed her arms over her chest, hoping it would shield her from the intense energy radiating off of him. “About what?”

“You know what.” His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it—a tension that made her stomach twist. He wasn’t here to mince words.

Her gaze dropped to the floor. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Ava.” His voice softened, but it was no less commanding. “I know you’ve been hiding something. You’re not like the others.”

She snapped her head up, meeting his gaze with defiance. “And what exactly do you think I’ve been hiding?”

Damon’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, he didn’t speak. His silence was louder than any words he could have said. Then, finally, he took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. “I can smell it.”

The words sent a jolt through her. Of course, he could. He had already made that clear back at the bar, but hearing him say it so plainly made it real in a way she wasn’t ready to confront.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said again, her voice firmer this time. She wasn’t going to let him pry into her life. Not like this.

But Damon wasn’t one to back down easily. He took another step toward her, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. “You’re not like the others, Ava. I don’t know why, but you’re different. And I want to know why.”

Ava’s heart pounded in her chest. She had spent so long hiding her true self, pretending to be just another beta in a world of alphas and omegas. But now, with Damon standing so close, his scent mixing with hers, she felt the fragile walls she had built around herself begin to crumble.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. She wasn’t supposed to be noticed.

But Damon had noticed, and that meant her carefully guarded secret was at risk.

Why could Damon smell her when no one else could?

And more importantly…

What did it mean for her carefully guarded life?