Chapter 15 A Scent That Doesn’t lie
Calix Pov
The locker room smelled like sweat mixed with wet towels. Practice had run late, most guys were already gone, showered, changed and headed to dinner. But I waited and stayed behind, because I needed answers.
Rowan was still there. Sitting on the bench. Unlacing his cleats, he was a third year like me, decent guy. Kept to himself mostly but he noticed and remembered things. That's why I needed to talk to him.
I walked over, stood in front of him. He looked up and raised an eyebrow.
"Hawthorne," he said. "What's up?"
I glanced around. Making sure we were alone. The last guy had just left, door swinging shut behind him. Good.
"I need information," I said.
"About what?" Rowan asked. He pulled off one cleat. Started on the other.
"The new transfer girl," I said. Tried to keep my voice casual and normal. "Maddie Vale."
Rowan stopped. Looked at me with this weird expression. "Why do you want to know about her?"
"Just curious," I said. "She seems different."
"Different is one word for it," Rowan muttered. He pulled off his other cleat and tossed it in his locker.
I moved closer. Cornered him against the benches. Not threatening. Just making sure he couldn't walk away. "Tell me everything you know."
Rowan wiped sweat from his forehead with his towel. "There's not much to tell. She transferred a few weeks ago, claims she's wolfless and k eeps to herself mostly."
"What else?" I pressed. "There has to be more."
"Why does it matter?" Rowan asked. He was studying my face now. Looking for something. "You interested in her or something?"
"No," I said too quickly. "Just want to know who's on campus. That's all."
Rowan didn't look convinced but he kept talking. "She's weird. That's what people say. Quiet. Skittish. Gets picked on a lot."
I felt my jaw clench. "Who picks on her?"
"Everyone mostly," Rowan said with a shrug. "Simone especially. But you already knew that."
Yeah. I knew that. Had seen it myself. Had to stop myself from ripping Simone's head off every time.
"What about her scent?" I asked. "Have you noticed anything unusual?"
Rowan paused. His eyes narrowed. "Why are you asking about her scent?"
"Just answer the question," I said.
He sighed. Set his towel down. "Yeah actually. Now that you mention it. Her scent is different."
My wolf perked up. Started paying attention. "Different how?"
"I don't know exactly," Rowan said. He looked confused. Like he was trying to figure it out himself. "It's sweet. Really sweet. But also powerful somehow. Like nothing I've ever smelled before."
"Mine," my wolf snarled inside my head. The word was so loud I actually flinched. My hand shot out. Gripped the locker door next to Rowan's head. The metal dented under my fingers.
Rowan's eyes went wide. "Whoa. You okay?"
"Fine," I said through gritted teeth. "Keep talking."
"That's all I know," Rowan said. He was eyeing my hand on the locker. The dent I'd just made. "Her scent is weird. Different. Doesn't match what she claims to be."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean wolfless people don't have strong scents," Rowan explained. "They smell mostly human. Bland. But her scent is the opposite. It's strong. Almost overwhelming sometimes. Like she's got a really powerful wolf hiding inside."
My wolf was pacing now. Agitated. Excited. "She's lying. She has a wolf. A strong one. Ours. OURS."
"Shut up," I muttered.
"What?" Rowan asked.
"Nothing," I said quickly. "Keep going."
"There's nothing else to say," Rowan said. "She smells powerful but acts weak. She claims wolfless but something doesn't add up. That's it. That's all I've noticed."
I let go of the locker. Stepped back. My mind was racing. If Rowan noticed her scent then others probably did too. Which meant her cover was slipping. Which meant she was in danger.
"Why do you think she's lying?" I asked. "About being wolfless?"
"I don't know if she's lying," Rowan said carefully. "Maybe she really is wolfless. Maybe her scent is just naturally strong for some reason. I'm not saying she's definitely hiding something. Just that it's weird."
"Weird how?" I pushed.
"Weird like it doesn't make sense," Rowan said. He stood up. Started pulling off his practice jersey. "Look I don't know what your deal is with this girl. But if you're that curious why don't you just ask her yourself?"
"I can't," I said.
"Why not?"
Because I'm staying away from her. Because being near her makes me lose control. Because I might hurt her if I get too close.
"Just can't," I said instead.
Rowan shook his head. "Whatever man. I told you what I know. Now I need to shower."
He grabbed his stuff. Headed toward the showers. I stayed where I was. Staring at the dented locker. At the evidence of how close I'd been to losing it just from hearing about her scent.
"She's ours," my wolf said again. Quieter this time but still insistent. "We need to claim her. Protect her. She's in danger."
"I know," I said quietly.
"Then do something," my wolf demanded. "Stop hiding. Stop running. She needs us."
"She needs me to stay away," I said. "That's what keeps her safe."
"Safe from what?" my wolf asked. "From you? Or from everyone else who's noticing she's not what she claims to be?"
Both. The answer was both. But I didn't say it out loud.
Rowan was right about one thing. Her scent didn't match. If she really was wolfless she wouldn't smell like that. Wouldn't smell powerful. Wouldn't smell like something rare.
Which meant she was hiding something. Something big. Something dangerous.
My wolf's instinct was right. She was ours. Our mate. But she was also lying about who she was. About what she was.
Why?
What was she hiding? What was she running from?
I thought about her application. About how most schools rejected her. About how she showed up here with nothing. No family. No references. Just a mysterious scholarship.
Something had happened to her. Something bad. Bad enough to make her hide. Bad enough to make her pretend to be wolfless when she clearly wasn't.