Page 1 of Talk About… Dramay

Oriana

Rain fell down around me hard enough that it cut off the sounds of the city entirely. Puddles formed and the scent of freshly dampened earth filled my senses.

I always thought rain changed the world. That it felt like a fresh start every time it came, washing away all the negativity from our lives, letting us move on and let go.

My head tipped back as the cool drops of water showered my skin, soaking through my clothes and hair. Careful fingers danced over the bite mark on my wrist, the icy skin making the pain of it fade.

Most of that pain had faded long ago, the bond shutting down out of self-preservation not long after I left.

Suddenly, my awful day and the pain I carried every day no longer mattered. That asshole that I walked away from was a thing of the past.

I just had to leave it there.

As the water soaked through my clothes, the coffee stain from my morning break was rinsed away as well.

It was as if mother nature herself knew I needed this.

The smell of fresh rain was snatched away so suddenly I opened my mouth to protest, only for a low whine to escape instead. Black tea and honey replaced it, warming me from the inside out, reminiscent of a cozy cup of tea.

Blue eyes met mine, so light they looked silver. His thick, dark eyebrows scrunched together in concern. The beta in front of me was gorgeous. His skin was a beautiful bronze that made his eyes stand out. His hair was glossy and curly, hanging in tapered coils around his shoulders. Black stubble lined his chin and above his plush lips, enough there I wondered how it would feel against my skin.

“Well, I was going to ask if you were alright, but then I saw the smile on your face.”

Even his voice was breathtaking. It was rich, deep, and soothing, coursing down my spine and sending goosebumps over my skin.

“There’s nothing a little rain won’t fix,” I said, my voice breathless. His chuckle was followed by a devastating smile that had my knees ready to buckle.

“What’s your name, Sunshine?”

“Sunshine? What about this makes you think of sunshine?” I questioned as I stepped back and spun around, arms wide and face tipped back again, letting the rain wash over me once again.

“Sunshine always follows the rain,” he said simply before a loud car horn cut through our little bubble of peace. “Or maybe Stormy, you seem at home in the rain.”

“Maybe I’m just crazy,” I offered, a teasing smile on my face. The rain brought about a sense of relief that had me almost drunk without the darkness weighing me down.

Another honk had me gathering my bag I’d let fall and followed the gorgeous beta to the sidewalk. I was soaked through completely, my coat doing nothing to ward off the sheets of rain now falling around us.

“Your suit will be ruined,” he said as he crowded me again, both of us breathing in deep. “You even smell like a storm. Fresh rain, citrus, and saltwater.”

It was normally considered rude to mention someone else’s scent. Then again scents don’t usually cause this kind of stir in people. I breathed in deep again, the warmth alone had some of the chills dissolving and my body turning into a puddle, trying to stop myself from leaning into him.

“I’m Roman. And you’re mine, Stormy,” he said with a confidence that had me ready to throw myself into his arms.

Then the words stung, like the water had turned to snow, burning my skin and making me curl in on myself.

His smile disappeared as he leaned in, studying my reaction. Dark curls fell into his face and he shoved them back, the rain plastering them backward like hair gel. The autumnesque notes of his scent turned bitter with worry.

Why did he care? Scent matches didn’t mean anything. It just meant we were compatible, that we found the people who completed us, but that never promised forever.

At least not for me.

I’d learned it the hard way and would never make that mistake again.

Silver eyes tracked over my features then down to my hands that were now fisted at my side.

“Whoever put that look on your face, I’m nothing like them. Let me prove it to you,” he begged, the plea in his voice making me close my eyes and take a few breaths before I let myself be swept away in fairytales I no longer believed in.

“Sorry, Roman. I’m not pack material,” I whispered before giving him one last glance and hurrying away.