Chapter 297: Scent Blocker II
My task could not have come at a perfect time when I still had traces of Damon’s scent on me. Damon’s scent would be the perfect trigger for Dahlia to lose it and I had just the perfect way to throw it in her face.
Over the course of the next few days, I purposely walked all over the mansion in my free time. I chose the longest, most out-of-the-way routes I possibly could, specifically lingering around the corridors where Darach had mentioned Dahlia often appeared.
It was fairly difficult, considering how Thorton and Dahlia Elrod had been assigned their own wing so as to reduce contact with Darach in the first place, but it still wouldn’t be odd for me to walk around in the name of patrol.
"She poked her head out again," Kyle said, keeping his voice low and trying his best not to move his lips too much as he spoke.
"That’s the fifth time," I said, the corners of my lips turning up into a grin. I was unable to control my amusement, and I bet Blaise and Damon must be wondering what had gotten me so giddy with delight.
We sat under Dahlia’s window, which was conveniently situated facing one of the many gardens of the manor. Just across was the infirmary, and separating that from the wing where Dahlia’s bedroom was, there was a beautiful fountain and a small garden.
Even the abundance of flowers here could not mask the scent of Damon — as confirmed by Kyle — and with Dahlia’s keen senses, she was bound to catch it eventually. Just as I suspected, she did.
I bent down to sniff the flowers, a mere decoy action so that I could observe Dahlia’s expression, the fountain conveniently blocking half of my face in this position. There was no doubt that she knew I was there, but I didn’t need her to see the jubilant smile I wore.
Yet.
"She’s livid," Kyle said, peeping only from the corner of his eye. He stood sideways — not completely facing Dahlia nor away from her — so that he could properly observe her behavioral changes.
"How could she not be?" I mused, standing up straight again.
This time, through the streams of the fountain water, I smiled in her direction. She couldn’t see me clearly, and likewise, with the curtain of water separating us, I couldn’t spot her entire expression. However, both of us knew that we each wore contrasting expressions.
She huffed, flicking the long sleeves of her bathrobe before storming away from the window, the glass rattling shut as she closed it behind her.
"Do you think she will come find us already?" I asked Kyle, still eyeing the spot I last saw her. "Damon’s scent is starting to fade."
"It’s possible," Kyle said. "I heard from Alpha Darach that Dahlia Elrod has a session at the training grounds later this afternoon."
"Then perhaps we should pay her a visit," I said. "Come on, Kyle. We mustn’t keep the princess waiting."
Reaching for my pockets, I pulled out the concoction Darach had prepared. Once we were far enough from Dahlia’s room, I dabbed the scent blocker on my skin, choosing spots where scents often lingered best.
***
[Third POV]
The piercing scent of peppermint flooded the air, the cooling, minty aroma overpowering every single scent present.
Dahlia Elrod’s nose wrinkled in distaste― no matter how often she had smelled this, she could never get used to the overpowering smell of peppermint when the scent blocker was freshly applied. The perfume would eventually dull down to practically nothing, yet still effectively cover up any smell on the person’s body before use.
She was just thankful she didn’t have to use it on herself. The act of it felt absolutely humiliating, to have to cower and hide like a sewer rat that was hunted down.
Ironic, considering where they were located. Mint was the least of her nose’s worries where they were.
"Why do we always have to meet here?" Dahlia lamented as she walked closer to the dark, hooded figure just a short distance away. "You have a scent blocker, don’t you? No one is going to recognize you as long as you keep your lips shut."
"Oh, darling Dahlia," the man said with a charming grin. "My fangs are hardly that obvious. No one is going to get close enough to see it."
In a flash, the wind rushed to Dahlia’s face as the man charged forward. In just a blink of an eye, he had ended up right in front of her, causing her to suck in a cold breath of air through her teeth in surprise.
His finger propped her chin up delicately, his skin cold against hers, and his gaze equally as frosty despite the polite smile he constantly wore. Even with all of Dahlia’s pride and confidence, she couldn’t help but shiver before him.
On the other hand, as he watched her reaction, the man simply smiled even wider, sadistic delight dancing in his violet eyes.
"Unless... you’re the one I’m getting close to," he finished with a flourish.
Dahlia finally snapped back, recoiling from his touch as though his claws were made of silver. She took a step back, creating some distance between them. Her skin crawled just watching the man’s reaction― she hated how he seemed so in control of everything.
Everything including her.
"She was parading him around," Dahlia spat out, her words filled with poison as she recalled the smug expression she caught on Harper’s face just earlier today. "He was here a few days ago. I heard the other pack members talking about it. It doesn’t help that she reeks of him."
"Are you still so caught up over Damon Valentine?" the man asked, barking out in laughter. "He has no interest in you. Learn to let go."
"Are you planning to let go, then?" Dahlia threw back, snorting.
"Now now," he said with a tut. "Bringing Harper back is an assignment of mine, not a personal indulgence. It is hardly the same thing."
"Then bring her the fuck away from my pack," Dahlia hissed. "They might claim that Blaise is her mate and that she has nothing to do with Damon Valentine, but that isn’t true at all and I know it! She has him wrapped around her finger! They’re definitely together!"
"Oh, Dahlia," the man said with a shake of his head, his blond hair swaying as he moved. "Help me as promised, and she will be out of your hair soon enough. That’s a promise."
