When Dominic walks in, a scent hits him. A very unfamiliar scent.
It wasn't the strangers scent.
It was not wolf or even magic.
It also was the scent of any typical human he saw every day.
It was soft and warm. Strange. But in a good way. It smelt like sweet vanilla and lavender. He found himself captivated by this scent.
He looks around the bookstore, his eyes adjusting to this cozy lights. It was warm and quiet. Filled with shelves containing different books.
The bookstore seemed old, but in a good way. It seemed like time had slowed down when you walk in.
He follows the scent to a part of the bookstore.
Then he sees her.
A young woman. Beautiful long dark wavy hair. Slim and petite physic with an amazing figure. Full lips. She was in a black basic top and dark blue jeans and white sneakers.
She was standing on a wooden stool trying to get a book for a customer. When she got it, she began telling the customer about it. He could see the passion in her eyes as she spoke about it. It seemed like her whole world revolved around books.
When she was done attending to the customer, she noticed him staring at her.
He began looking around like he was trying to find something.
He felt nervous when she caught him looking, he couldn't understand why.
She walked up to him and asked if he needed help.
He responded, feeling nervous to look her in her eyes.
"What's wrong with me he thought, I'm the Alpha of the Crescent back and I'm afraid to look at a human girl in the eyes," he thought.
He looked down at her, his eyes meets hers. Her eyes are a soft brown, he felt like it was drawing him in.
She offered him a soft smile, and his inner wolf howls. "Shut up." he says to it.
Dominic felt a particular way he couldn't explain….recognition? That would be impossible, she was a stranger and also a human.
He reads her nametag "Iris," "what a beautiful name," he thought.
Iris blinks and smiles and then responds "Oh okay then." Then she walks off.
His inner wolfs howls again, he didn't want her to leave. He wished he could call her back and wrap her in his hands. But he knew better than to do that.
He couldn't understand this uncontrollable urge he was getting.
She's gone back to shelving books, humming faintly to herself. He watches her.
He chastises himself. She's human he reminds himself, and this unexplainable urge and connection he's feeling – whatever it is – could be dangerous.
Still he lingers a bit more.
After a few minutes he turns to leave the bookstore. He glances back one more time.
She's still there shelving books, he took the image in one more time like it was the last time he was going to see her. Then he steps out into the street. The reality of the real world hitting him again.
Outside he looked at his phone.
He had received a text from Aiden
"Couldn't track him down, but we'll do a sweep of the whole area and check the security cameras"
Next he saw 5 missed calls from his secretary Chloe.
"Shit. The meeting." He murmurs to himself. He looked at the time and it was already 2:35 p.m.
He began to walk back to the company.
Although on the way back he's mind was still in the bookstore, he could only think of one thing – iris. Her scent, her eyes and her beautiful smile.
He's not sure what just happened, and he knew he should stay away from that place.
But he knew deep down – he'll be back.
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After Iris asked the stranger he if needed help.
He looked down at her, and her breath stopped.
He was handsome from far, but being this close to him now she could see him at a whole closer level. He's eyes were even darker than she thought.
He looked at her in a way that she couldn't comprehend. But she knew that she liked the way he looked at her.
It didn't feel like the normal eye contact, but something deeper.
He looked at her like he finally found something. Like he had recognized her in a way that didn't make any sense.
And she knew it was absurd for her to feel this way especially since he's a complete stranger, but she felt good about the way he stared at her.
And that scent. He had this scent, not cologne or body wash – she didn't know what it was but she found it warm and spicy at the same time. She found herself being intrigued by it.
She stepped away from him as he said he didn't need help with anything and went back to well… doing her job.
After a few minutes, this handsome stranger left the building.
She looked out the glass door, and watched as he walked away with his electrifying presence that could make her forget her own name for a second.
----------
Back at the dorm, Iris tossed herself on the bed again out of exhaustion.
Myla walked in to Iris room, "Hello there, and how was your day."
Iris turned around, "It was boring."
"Iris bored? After a whole day of being surrounded by books? Well that's new." Myla sits on her bed with her.
"So tell me, what actually happened today?" She continued.
Iris muttered, "Well…a man walked in today. And I hate to say it, but I haven't stopped thinking about him since he left the bookstore."
"Ahhhh" Myla screams, "Closed off Iris is thinking about a man, it's a miracle! So tell me all about hi," she gasps.
"That's the thing, I don't know anything about him, he just walked in and walked out – but here I am thinking about him."
"This is so cute. I'm so happy for you. Please tell me he's tall and handsome at least."
Iris giggles, "He is."
"Hmm so we've got a mystery man on the loose," Myla taps her chin.
"No, no, no. We're not doing this. He's no mystery man. He's just a random guy I met and I found attractive."
"Yeah and couldn't stop thinking about all day." Myla laughs again.
"The funny part is that he didn't even say much. He basically just stood there looking… I don't know – intense."
Myla's lips curls into teasing smile.
Iris stands up with her cheeks red in embarrassment, "I'm going to have a shower now. By the way, thank you so much for talking to Peach today."
"Oh it's no biggie."
As Iris walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. "Don't forget to take a cold shower," Myla teased.
Later that night. After having her shower, Iris jumped on her bed and was about to call it a night, when she rolled over and spotted her laptop on her desk.
After a minute of contemplating if she should pick it up and check if her application was accepted, she got up.
She turns on her laptop and open the application confirmation email from Ace Industries.
It's still there. Unanswered. It stared at her almost like it was mocking her.
She sighs.
She's not sure why she's so nervous – or even scared in the first place. It's not like she ever wanted to be part in any of it. Not truly.
But deep down she knew the truth.
She wanted to know if she could belong. She wants to belong.
That is one of the reason she never stepped out of the comfort of books.
Ace industries isn't a place where anyone like her would just fit into – she knows that.
But getting a final confirmation that she can't and she wasn't good enough.
That would hurt much worse.
Iris shuts down her laptop and lays on her bed, preparing to go to sleep,
"Tomorrow is another day, lets hope it's better than today," she thought as she dozed off into the night.