Chapter 4

Dinner was ready, her mother called her two daughters for dinner. Cara and Rosie went downstairs together to meet their mother at the dinner table. They sat next to each other, facing their mother. Cara and Rosie saw clearly her mother's expression at that time, her face looked sad, unlike usual.

"Mom, what happened to you?" Cara said and her mother stared at Cara and Rosie before her.

"Nothing, I was just thinking of something" her mother said.

"About what?"

"Cara, it's a matter of parents, you and Rosie just focus on your life" her mother said.

"Parents' problems? But we are a family, shouldn't any problems be shared together?" Cara said.

"Cara, you won't understand, it's too complicated if I have to explain it to you two" her mother said.

Cara was silent, and so was Rosie. They returned to eating their dinner in silence. There were no more conversations after that between them. Cara occasionally saw her mother's face, she knew her mother was feeling sad. But it's impossible if it's because of her father, because Cara has never seen her parents fight, they love each other.

•••

The day before entering the heat cycle

That morning it rained again, she was late for work because she overslept. Cara was in a rush that morning, she even skipped breakfast with her sister and mother. After hugging her mother and sister before she left her house. Wearing an umbrella to protect her body from the pouring rain that morning.

She chose to run rather than walk before she was getting too late. She felt bad for Gemma, because she must have had a lot of trouble serving the customers that came that morning.

But as she was running, she saw someone in front of her, making her stop. It was the man again, the man she had met a few days ago, whose scent made her heart flutter. Now standing right in front of her, as if waiting for her.

They stood facing each other, not far from Cara's place of work. The man looked intently at Cara. Cara didn't know what was on the man's mind, why was he staring at Cara like that, Cara's mind went blank at that moment. She was completely transfixed by the man's gaze on her.

"Why are you blocking my way? Why are you looking at me like that?" Cara said.

"Do you know who you're dealing with?" the man said.

"Yeah, you're an Alpha"

"Interesting, only a prostitute can speak loudly to an Alpha"

"W-What? What do you mean by that?" Cara said.

"You're the one who served me at the coffee shop right?" the man said.

"Yes"

"But weird, back then you didn't have scent, I thought you were a Beta, but now--"

"Wait, you smell my scent?" Cara said.

"Of course, even your scent is strong" The man said and Cara quickly ran past him, she realized she hadn't put on her blockers because of the rain.

Cara immediately entered the coffee shop and rushed to the crew room. Gemma, seeing Cara's strange behavior, approached her in the crew room.

"What's wrong with you? It's raining outside, but you're sweating" Gemma said.

"This is bad! That man smells my scent" Cara said.

"What do you mean? Whose man?"

"You remember that guy I told you a few days ago? The guy who made my heart flutter? The guy whose scent made me feel good? Do you remember the guy? The guy who ordered the machiato"

"Yes, yes I remember. Did you two meet again?" Gemma said.

"Yeah he's waiting for me, I haven't put on my blocker because it's raining and stupidly I'm face to face with him"

"Change your uniform, we'll talk about this later, I'm sure the queue is already long outside" Gemma came out of the crew room and not long after Cara also came out of there. But her eyes widened again when she saw the man in the line.

Cara served the customers one by one in front of her, until the man stood in front of Cara with the same sharp gaze as before.

"Why is your scent now gone?" the man said.

"What would you like to order?" Cara said, she tried to distract the man.

"Machiato" the man said.

Gemma only saw him from a distance, she smiled because she knew that the man was interested in Cara. Of course she knows for sure about that, she's been with an Alpha for two years, she knows how Alpha's gaze is in love and that's what she saw from the man's eyes when he locked eyes with Cara.

•••

After the man left, Cara was able to breathe a sigh of relief, she leaned against the counter behind her, as well as Gemma who was beside her.

"Why do you look so nervous? Is it because of that guy?" Gemma said.

"Yeah, weird, my heart flutters when I smell his scent but when he starts talking, I feel uncomfortable" Cara said.

"It seems he is interested in you, I know what kind of look he gave you earlier"

"What do you mean?" Cara said.

"Cara, I think you're old enough to understand what love is, right? He didn't even look at me but I know that look has a meaning, I'm sure he's your mate, it's just that he's not sure because right now you're wearing your blocker, making your scent suddenly disappear and making him confused. But that look that Eric always gave me first."

"Love? What do you mean he likes me? Isn't it too soon?"

"Falling in love only takes 3 seconds"

"Really?" Cara said.

"Cara, it seems you have a lot to learn about life, there are too many things you don't understand. You are already 23 years old, even though you have never been friends with any Alpha or Beta other than me, but I'm sure you know what the internet is, you can find out what do you want to know there?"

"Gemma.." Cara said.

"What?"

"Do you know about Bold?"

"Yeah, what's wrong? Don't tell me if you--" Cara quickly covered Gemma's mouth with her hand.

"Ssh, please keep this secret" Cara said and Gemma just nodded, then Cara released her hand from Gemma's mouth.

"Cara, are you serious? You are a Bold?" Cara just nodded.

"Ohh shit, you're cool. You know that only 1 in 10 Omegas are born Bold? But you have to be careful, your scent invites a lot of Alphas and after you told me this, I'm not sure about that guy either. It seems he is not your mate"

"What do you mean? Why did you change your mind so quickly?"

"You said the scent makes your heart flutter right? But when you talk to him you feel uncomfortable, it shouldn't be like that, are you sure the scent makes your flutter?"

"Yeah, it's just that as soon as he spoke, I felt uncomfortable around him"

"Weird" Gemma said.

•••

Meanwhile, in another place, the man who had just returned from the coffee shop was already in his room, he opened his jacket and threw his body on the bed. He still imagined Cara's face. Cara is indeed very beautiful, long black hair, white skin, red lips and beautiful eyes. Her style wasn't as feminine as the other girls, but it suited her.

Still busy shadowing Cara's face, suddenly someone came into his room, made him return to earth and looked towards the door.

"Why do you always wear my clothes? I was looking for it" The man said.

"I'm sorry, I just borrowed it Sean"

"Noah, how long are you going to be like this? You are only a Fighter, if you wear my clothes it will be dangerous for you" Sean said.

"But you know Fighter is the weakest, I don't want people to see me like that" Noah said.

"You are still an Alpha, you are still the strongest among the others"

"Between Beta and Omega, I know. But in the pack I'm the weakest and only me"

"But how will you find your mate if you keep covering your scent with mine?"

"You said you weren't interested in that sort of thing, so it wouldn't hurt you if I used your scent to draw Omega closer to me".

"It's dangerous and you know that, if you meet my mate, she can be confused or even she can reject me before we even meet"

"I know, but I think I've found my mate." Noah said.

"How? You just go with my clothes"

"You remember that girl I accidentally bumped into when we were leaving the convenience store? We dropped her umbrella and you gave it to her, do you remember?" Noah said.

"Yes, I remember"

"This morning, I met her, I thought she was a Beta, because before I came to the coffee shop where she works but she didn't have any scent. But when today I waited for her near her workplace, I was quite surprised. Her scent was very sweet. She's a Omega" Noah said.

"She must be using a blocker, so she can work comfortably" Sean said.

"Blockers? Are things like that still being used in times like these?"

"Yes of course, her job requires her to meet many people including Alpha. It will be dangerous if she doesn't use it"

"You should meet her, she's so beautiful, why didn't I notice when I first bumped into her"

"Maybe it's because you weren't interested in women yet" Sean said and headed outside with his jacket in hand.