Chapter 2 She Smells Heavenly
1125 Words
Faced with triple the pay, Iris shamefully stayed.
She figured Silas probably hadn't noticed anything unusual about her—because after that day when the Belgian Malinois knocked her over, she never saw Silas or his spirit again.
Maybe I can keep hiding a little longer.
Her job at the Anderson estate was simple: walk the dogs at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., one hour each time. The rest of the day was hers.
So on top of the Anderson job, Iris had two others—tutoring a grade-schooler, and looking after an elderly woman with limited mobility. Flexible hours, paid weekly. Best of all, neither involved any real contact with Alphas. Maximum safety.
She hadn't wanted to take the dog-walking job in the first place—but the pay was too good to refuse. Turned out fortune really did favor the bold.
Her plan: two more months at the Andersons, then quit. That triple salary would buy her enough time to find something else suitable.
The future looks promising.
Humming to herself, Iris finished making dinner for Grandma Emily, cleaned up the kitchen, and said goodbye.
"Grandma Emily, I'm off. See you tomorrow."
On a normal day, she arrived at ten and left at five. Besides cooking lunch and dinner, her duties were simple: chat, play chess, and occasionally take Grandma Emily downstairs for a walk in her wheelchair. Easy work.
Grandma Emily wheeled herself to the fridge, pulled out a bright red apple, and held it out to Iris. "You've got work later. Take this for the road."
"No, really, I couldn't." Iris didn't take it. She hurried to the door, swapped her shoes, and waved. "Goodbye, Grandma Emily."
In a world where plants mutated, a normal apple cost as much as a week's wages. She'd never have the nerve to accept it—staying for lunch was already pushing it.
---
Out of Grandma Emily's apartment, Iris stepped into the elevator, mentally calculating her monthly income and what supplies she'd need to buy. Before she could finish, the elevator stopped midway. The doors slid open with a soft ding.
A man stepped in.
A wave of gunpowder and smoke washed over her—laced with the unmistakable scent of a top-tier Alpha's pheromones. It caught her attention immediately.
He was around twenty-five or twenty-six, tall—easily over six feet—with an unusually solid, powerful build that made the small elevator feel impossibly cramped. He wore all black. His face was handsome even under a buzz cut. But his eyes… his eyes were blue.
Heterochromia. Almost certainly an Alpha. And from his quick, ragged breathing and restless energy—an Alpha in rut.
This was the closest Iris had ever been to an Alpha. She didn't dare test how well her suppressants would hold up.
Without a sound, she pressed herself into the corner, trying to shrink out of existence. She only prayed he wouldn't notice her. But luck wasn't on her side.
The Alpha pressed the button for B1.
The elevator stopped at the first floor. The doors opened. He didn't move. Neither did she.
He was standing too close to the exit. To get out, she'd have to brush past him.
Way too close. Close enough that even an ordinary person could catch someone's scent. And an Alpha's senses were several times sharper than a normal human's.
He turned his head and looked at her.
Iris felt like she was being flayed alive. She held her breath and forced herself to stay calm. "I'm going to B1 too."
His voice was low, roughened by the effort of restraint. "When I got in, only the first floor button was lit."
"I pressed the wrong one."
"…"
His naturally piercing gaze made it impossible for her to meet his eyes.
The doors began to close. The Alpha caught them with his hand, and they slid open again.
He stepped aside, clearing enough space for two of her to walk through.
Iris looked up at him, startled.
Alphas—bombarded daily by noise and smell and sensation that would drive anyone mad—were famous for their short tempers and quick fists. Ordinary people respected them from a distance but rarely got close.
So… he thinks I'm afraid of him? And he's making room on purpose?
"Thank you."
She gave a small nod and stepped as far from him as possible—but just as she crossed the threshold, his hand shot out and closed around her wrist.
His palm was burning hot. Iris flinched like she'd been shocked, but she couldn't pull free.
She whipped her head around and glared at him. "What are you doing? Let go!"
She didn't know how much more fear than anger showed in her eyes.
Gabriel Martinez held her gaze. His mind told him to let go. His instincts screamed at him to hold on tighter.
"You…"
He wanted to ask: Are you an Omega? But he'd seen Omegas before. If she were one, he'd have known the moment he looked at her. And yet—if she wasn't—then why did she smell so… good?
His spirit stirred the instant their skin touched. It clawed at him, desperate to come out, to touch her, to hold her, to—
He could barely contain it.
"Sorry." Gabriel let go and looked away. He pressed the button to close the doors.
He heard the rapid sound of the girl running off.
The elevator slid shut. Gabriel rubbed his temples, his breathing even rougher and faster than before.
He desperately needed an Omega's comfort. But as an Alpha not registered with Tarra, the only way to receive comfort was to submit a request and wait for assignment.
His request was already in. He just didn't know when his turn would come.
All he could do was wait.
---
Iris ran out of the building and onto the bus. She pressed a hand to her racing heart and replayed what had just happened.
That Alpha definitely noticed something—but not enough. Otherwise he wouldn't have let me go so easily. But if I run into him again… who knows how much more he might pick up?
Dad was right. Stay away from Alphas.
She'd worked for Grandma Emily for six weeks and never seen that man before. She hoped he was just visiting, not a resident. She couldn't afford to lose this job too.
Her good mood had curdled completely. Not even three fluffy dog heads could save it.
Frowning, she worked through the motions—leashing Silas's three dogs one by one—when a pleasant voice came from just above her.
"Iris."
"Hmm?" She looked up.
Silas stood barely three steps away.
Beautiful Silas.
- Writer
