Chapter 110

Agnes & Elijah

Agnes

As I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out the fabric of my knit dress across my thighs, Thea came bouncing into my room with more energy than I thought possible. She had picked out a sparkly dress of her own that was probably too extravagant for a simple dinner out, but neither Elijah nor I had the heart to tell her to change. And besides, she looked adorable.

“What do you think?” I asked, striking a pose as I turned to show her my outfit.

Thea giggled. “It’s pretty! But you have to wear the perfume,” she said, holding up the small bottle we’d made together earlier that day. “It’s gonna work, I just know it!”

I didn’t think it was going to do anything except smell nice, but I took the bottle from her anyway and dabbed a tiny amount on my wrists and neck. The scent was soft and floral, with a hint of something woodsy from the sandalwood.

It was nice, but I doubted it would have any effect on Elijah. It was just simple perfume, after all. Still, as I caught a whiff of it, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d like it. It really did smell good.

The thought made me feel a little silly, though. Did I really need to go to such lengths to entice him? After the night we’d spent together, I knew there was something between us—something undeniable.

But would he find this ridiculous? Would he think I was trying too hard, and maybe even judge me for it?

I pushed the thoughts aside, focusing instead on finishing my makeup and fixing my hair. By the time Elijah knocked on the door to let us know the car was ready, I felt confident and put together, my hair cascading down my back in soft waves with a touch of red gloss coloring my lips.

But as we climbed into the car, I noticed something strange. Elijah seemed to be keeping his distance, sitting as far away from me as possible. He hardly looked at me the entire way to the restaurant, and every so often, he would even cover his nose with his hand, as if he were trying to block out a bad smell.

My heart sank. Did he think the perfume smelled bad? Was it too strong? I tried to subtly sniff my wrist, but all I could smell was the soft, floral scent. It wasn’t overpowering, at least not to me.

Thea, oblivious, chattered away in the backseat about wanting to get chocolate cake for dessert, but I barely heard her. I couldn’t stop thinking about Elijah’s reaction to the scent. And I couldn’t stop regretting putting it on.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, I was on the verge of feigning illness so we could go home. Elijah held the door open for me, staring at his feet. And he didn’t say a word about how I looked, which only made me feel worse.

But the restaurant was beautiful enough to take my mind off of it, with a live pianist and candlelit tables. We took a seat at a table near the window, and Thea immediately declared that she wanted spaghetti.

Elijah smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Whatever you want, sweetheart. You too, Agnes. Tonight’s a special night.”

My cheeks heated, and I ordered a glass of wine and a decadent pasta dish. I told myself that I was just imagining things in the car earlier; maybe Elijah simply wasn’t expecting the scent of the perfume and it was overpowering in the closed space, or maybe he just had his mind on other things.

But I was wrong.

Throughout the meal, he kept resting his elbow on the table, cupping his hand over his lower face as if simply resting his cheek. But I knew what he was doing: covering his nose.

My heart sank lower and lower each time it happened, and suddenly, the thought of dessert felt unappetizing. Was he disgusted by me? Did he regret the night we’d spent together now that I smelled… foul?

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I quickly excused myself to the bathroom, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Once inside, I leaned against the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I looked fine—better than fine, even. My dress was pretty, my hair and makeup were perfect, and the perfume… well, I thought it smelled nice.

So why was Elijah acting like this?

Feeling impulsive, I grabbed a paper towel and wet it under the faucet, scrubbing at my wrists and neck until the scent was gone. I felt ridiculous, like a teenager trying too hard to impress a crush. Hopefully Elijah would just move on and not mention it.

But as I stepped out of the bathroom, I bumped into someone, the impact jarring me out of my thoughts. I blinked, looking up to see a familiar face smiling down at me.

“Mason?!”

…

Elijah

What was that tantalizing scent?

From the moment Agnes had climbed into the car, I’d been overwhelmed by it. It was just perfume, and yet, at the same time, it… wasn’t. Whatever it was, it was intoxicating, irresistible, and utterly entrancing.

As if I’d been struck by Cupid’s arrow.

Throughout dinner I had to cover my nose in an attempt to block out the scent, but it was no use. It had already permeated my senses, taken hold of me like some kind of spell.

All I could think about was the night we’d spent together. All I could think about was feeling her again, her soft skin pressed against me…

I wanted her. More than I’d ever wanted anything.

But I couldn’t let her see that. Not here, not now, not in front of Thea. So I kept my distance as best I could, my jaw clenched as I fought like hell to keep my wolf under control.

As dinner went on, it only got worse. Every time she moved, the scent wafted toward me, making my pulse race and my thoughts cloud over with desire.

I could barely focus on the meal, my mind too consumed by the need to be close to her. The only thing that kept me somewhat tethered to reality was Thea’s constant chatter.

When Agnes finally excused herself to the bathroom, I felt a mixture of relief and frustration flood through me. Relief because I could finally breathe, and frustration because I wanted nothing more than to follow her.

Thea, finally seeming to notice that something was off, glanced up at me with a sly look in her eyes. “Is something wrong, Daddy?”

I shook my head, my throat bobbing. “No. Why?”

She simply shrugged and poked at her pasta with her fork. “Nothing. Mommy smells nice tonight though, doesn’t she?”

My eyebrows shot up when I glanced at Thea, but she was looking down at her plate, her smugness gone. “Yeah,” I said, looking back up at Agnes’s empty seat. “I guess she does.”

She smelled fucking amazing. Like a goddamn she-wolf in heat.

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I told Thea to wait at the table, promising I’d be right back, and stood up to look for Agnes.

I followed her scent down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. I just wanted to see her, to be near her, to…

But when I turned the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks.

There she was, standing in the hallway, but she wasn’t alone. A man was leaning against the wall beside her, smiling as he gazed down into her eyes.

It was Mason. Her ex from college. And the two of them were standing awfully close.

My hands curled into fists at my sides as a surge of jealousy coursed through me.