Chapter 14
Wren
Earlier That Same Day
I t had been a week of shifts at Harding Farm and Sanctuary and I was in love. My grumpy boss wasn’t a micromanager, which was a huge bonus. He caught me up when I arrived then I didn’t see him except for his random water breaks and food reminders.
I even found a pack of cookies and a new coloring book on my desk after fighting with Mabel to take her insulin. It might have been gratitude, but it felt a whole lot like he was taking care of me and I liked it more than I cared to admit.
The coloring book was the real green flag. I had them stashed here in my office and a few out in the other barn with a small pack of markers for days when I was hanging out with the smaller animals. I doubted he knew I used them to keep my anxiety down, but it was appreciated all the same.
My pen was flying over the paper as I added medicine doses and information to the charts for today. A knock on the door had me glancing up into that grumpy but gorgeous face that drove me crazy.
I wanted to see him smile so damn bad. Not the polite smiles he sometimes offered, but the kind that lit up his face, eyes dancing with amusement, lines crinkling on the edges.
“Hey, Boss,” I said, offering a smile of my own. His eyes darkened slightly and he cleared his throat.
“Could I get some help? Braxton, the vet, is swinging by to check out Astrid…” he trailed off, like he couldn't figure out how to explain what he needed.
“And Astrid is Astrid, so you need help?” I guessed with a chuckle. “I’ve been spending the better part of this week trying to get on her good side and you’re about to ruin it, aren't you?”
He huffed out a laugh. “Probably, but I’ll pay you back with dinner. Braxton usually joins me when he swings by, so I have a crockpot going with some chicken and dumplings if you’re interested?”
It wasn’t a date, he was being nice , I reminded myself. As much as I’d love to be home with my omega, it could wait a few hours. I wanted to be on my boss’ good side and honestly, it might be nice to relax after a wrestling match with a feisty alpaca.
“Count me in,” I promised. “Is he on his way now?”
Tires on the gravel road sounded before he could answer and he chuckled again, the sound rich and warm. He had a slight rasp to his voice that sent shivers down my spine from time to time.
Pining for my boss was a new low for me.
He gestured for me to follow and I tucked my pen in the chart before following him out. I needed a moment to mentally prepare for the battle ahead anyway.
This would be the fight of the century. I honestly wished someone was here to record, it’d be hilarious to watch back later as long as no one got hurt.
“God, is something in the water in this town?” I muttered under my breath as the beta closed his door and headed our way. He was wearing scrubs, too, a black pullover on top with his clinic’s name embroidered on the front.
His smile was warm and wide, cute round glasses resting on his face and his hair was short, just long enough he had it brushed to the side in an artful swoop. It was a dark brown streaked with chestnut, giving it a cool two-tone effect.
He was strong and sexy, a little nerdy, and had a great smile.
I was a mess. Was I simply desperate now, or were the guys around here just sexy as hell in general? It felt safer to assume that I wasn’t the mess.
My therapist said be kind to myself, right?
“You must be the alpaca whisperer I’ve heard about,” he called out, offering a wink. “I’m Brax, is this grumpy guy being good to you?”
“He’s probably the best boss I’ve ever had,” I admitted truthfully, taking them both by surprise. I rolled my eyes. “Oh don’t act shocked. What other boss makes sure you’re hydrated and reminds you to take breaks?”
Braxton shook his head, a soft crinkling between his eyes as he looked at me like something was off. Now that he was close I could scent him. Just like the others it was amazing, just not ‘drop me to my knees’ incredible. Fluffy, warm pancakes, maple syrup, and the rich bits of chocolate. Like chocolate chip pancakes.
They smelled like a delicious bakery together, warm, buttery, sweet, and delicious.
You hear that, omega? You’re missing out on some incredible scents, I tried to taunt her internally but like usual there wasn’t even a stir of recognition.
Biting back a disappointed sigh, I plastered a smile on my face and gestured to the pasture.
“What are we doing?”
“She has frequent respiratory issues,” Braxton explained, giving me a quick rundown of her past ailments before popping two syringes from his pocket. “I have her steroid shot here and a dose of vitamins I think might help. She doesn’t like shots and I’d really rather not sedate her for something so simple.”
“How does it usually go?” I asked, unable to stop myself. They both shared a look and groaned.
“She headbutted me, spit on me, and kicked the shot out of his hand,” Shepherd admitted, then frowned, shaking his head. “Actually, on second thought. I don’t want you hurt.”
“Oh, stop. I’m trained for this, remember? Don’t worry about me. Plus, if you let me distract her, maybe he can do it before she notices. I’ve been in her face all week. Be stealthy and we might be okay,” I suggested. “Have faith in me, boss. You hired me for a reason.”
“I brought out some new greens for her,” Shepherd said reluctantly. He looked like he’d rather not risk it still but didn’t fight me, which I appreciated. I’d been written off too much in my life and his trust meant a lot.
“Okay then. Plan of action: I distract. Boss, you can pretend to be spreading some hay or something you normally do, while Brax hides out of view. When her back is to you, try her back end. I’ll try to get her near the fence so you can reach through.”
He raised his eyebrows but didn’t argue. “If this works, I owe you one hell of an appreciation gift.”
I beamed, already knowing damn well it would work. Or at least, I was trying for optimism regardless.
Not letting them take time to back out of it, I snagged the bag of greens where it was leaning against the supply shed and ducked between the slats in the fence to join the animals. More than just Astrid took notice and I didn’t turn the goats away, giving everyone a little nibble before focusing on Astrid.
“There’s my girl,” I cooed. “Did you know that our big, old softy Shepherd got you a new treat? I think he puts on a big front because you give him trouble, but I know your secret, don’t I? You’re a perfect, sweet baby, aren’t you?”
With one hand I stroked her face and gave her scratches while the other held her bundle of greens, not letting go so she could only yank off a bite at a time.
“Now,” I said, not looking away and trusting that Brax understood. She had half to go and if he didn’t time it right, she’d run out and be more likely to notice. “A few more bites, right?”
She munched happily as I gave her even more scratches, never breaking eye contact with her. My face was set in a bright, warm smile as I kept up our one-sided conversation.
I knew when the first shot hit because she shuffled unhappily but I distracted her with a fresh bite and more scratches.
I swapped bundles of greens and kept up her attention. She was soaking it in without hesitation as I gave him the next signal. This time she stomped a foot but didn’t bother to turn as I gave her another bite.
Braxton backed away but I didn’t stop until he was out of sight and even Shepherd had managed to slink away, too.
Cowards.
I stayed where I was, offering her the whole bag outside of the small bit I gave the others.
“Alright, girl, it’s all gone. Why don’t you go get a drink?”
As if she understood me, or maybe she just recognized that empty meant we were done, she let out a soft humming noise that alpacas do when they’re content before trudging off toward the rest of the animals.
With her back to me I climbed out of the fence and met the others. I passed the empty bag to Shepherd with a smug smile on my face. The way they were gaping at me like I’d grown a second head had me flushing with pride.
“Holy shit, you really are the alpaca whisperer, aren’t you?” Braxton said before letting out a loud laugh. “If I hadn’t witnessed it, I wouldn’t believe it.”
He turned to my boss and clapped him on his shoulder.
“Don’t you let this one get away. She’s pure fucking magic.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” he agreed in that low, raspy rumble of his. Emotion had my throat tightening. I’d never been called good at anything and this was honestly a dream job coming true.
“You’re joining us for dinner tonight?” Braxton asked, oblivious to my minor emotional moment.
My phone rang, echoing out of my office. “I am, but let me check that really quick, I was trying to get a hold of a supplier.”
I rushed off to answer the phone. My lawyer’s name flashed across the screen and I fell heavily into my chair to answer. I’d forgotten all about the leaked picture threat after texting him that night.
“Hello?”
“Wren, I’m glad I caught you. We’ve been looking into everything with the leaked photos. It’s not just you, but a few other victims as well. I’m so sorry, this shouldn't have happened and we’ve done everything we could to get them down. Unfortunately, the trial was big news and it spread before we caught it. There was an account on PackVlog that shares big news and I guess she got a hold of it. I’m guessing that’s how that girl recognized you.”
My legs bounced up and down while I tried and failed to control my breathing.
“So, I’m assuming it’s still going around then?”
“We’re working like crazy to make it stop, but you know how the internet works. Again, I am so sorry, Wren. When we find who the leak was, it will be handled severely. The judge was not pleased. Your identity, and the other girls, was supposed to be protected under omega laws.”
“Thanks. I have to go, I’m at work,” I said, barely choking out the words. It wouldn’t be the first time they heard me break down.
I barely heard one last reassurance and goodbye before the call ended. My chest was aching and I tried my best to remember the tricks my therapist taught me.
The chair protested my fidgeting movements and I shoved it back, dropping to the floor and tucking my knees close to my chest.
This couldn’t be happening. The trial was done. I’d done my part and fought hard to take them down. I was their favorite toy and I wanted to look them in the eye as they were sentenced.
I fucking did all that with the reassurance we would be protected. No photos, no videos, closed courtroom, the works. Even the jury and staff all had to sign NDAs.
Yet, my picture was out there. If that bitch recognized me, then it was only a matter of time before everyone else did, too.
A sob broke free, opening the damn as I gasped between shallow breaths and tears. It had been a long time since a panic attack like this hit.
“Wren?”
God. No. Shepherd couldn’t see me like this.
I tried to suck in a normal breath but it only had me choking thanks to tears and painful tightness in my chest.
“Oh god, Wren. What is it?” Shepherd sounded panicked now but he didn’t hesitate to drop down next to me. “Hey, tell me what to do.”
It was a plea, one that spoke of true compassion and fuck if that didn’t make me cry harder.
He was looking around frantically like the answer would pop out of nowhere.
“You have to breathe, omega. Normal breaths. Try and match mine,” he urged.
When that didn’t work I half expected him to give up. Instead he was lunging for my desk, shuffling around then dropping back down next to me.
He ripped his shirt off so fast the buttons popped off the flannel, hitting the walls like shrapnel.
It startled me enough that I gasped, the deeper breath giving me enough air that I could suck in a second, eyes trained on the skin he exposed as his shirt was tossed aside. I saw tattoos on his arms, peeking out when he rolled his sleeves up, but I didn’t realize my boss was tatted all over his chest, back and arms. Every inch was covered in geometric shapes and patterns.
He snagged my markers off my desk and shoved them in my hands before turning and giving me his back.
“You like to color, so color, I’m like a fucking living coloring book.”
“What, no?” I tried to say but I wasn’t there yet, my breathing still too fast, panic still lingering despite my shock.
“Color, omega,” he growled, turning long enough to grab a teal marker and popping the top off, before shoving it in my hand.
Then he was turning away. I couldn't think enough to protest and out of pure desperation I started to fill in the empty spaces between the black lines.
“Good girl,” he rumbled gently, staying as still as possible as I focused. Before long I was switching markers, grabbing a new color and adding it to the intricate swirling pattern that covered his back.
As I added each new color, the panic started to drain out of me little by little. He didn’t protest and I didn’t look up again until I had the entire pattern on his upper back covered.
My hand was cramping, my ass aching from the rough floor, but I was breathing normally and now that the attack was gone, I was utterly exhausted.
“You with me now, omega?” Shepherd asked. His voice was raspier thanks to staying quiet for however long this took.
“Yeah,” I answered, biting my lip as I picked up the markers one by one, refusing to look at him even as he shifted away to stand.
“Don’t hide from me now, omega,” he rumbled in frustration. His scent was full of worry, making the bourbon and blueberry cheesecake scent even stronger. “I don’t know what you’ve been through, but you have no reason to hide. All I saw was strength and a fighting spirit.”
“I didn’t want you to see that. It’s been a while since I had a breakdown like that,” I admitted, looking back up with watery eyes. My skin felt too tight now, my body aching painfully.
Fuck, I hated panic attacks. I missed the girl I used to be, before I knew what these were like.
“That wasn’t a breakdown.” Braxton’s gentle voice chimed in and I groaned, head falling so I was staring at the floor now that I realized it wasn’t just us, but him, too.
They were so impressed with me and now I’d ruined it all.
“Don’t hide from me, either,” he grumbled, pushing Shepherd out of the way to stand in front of me so I was staring down at his scrubs. His fingers were gentle as he tapped under my chin, encouraging me to look up at him.
I was terrified of what I’d see when I truly looked at them but I was tired of hiding, so I raised my head to face them.
Shepherd’s eyes were full of worry for me, but there wasn’t pity or disgust. When my gaze flickered back to Braxton he was giving me a gentle smile. He also wasn’t looking freaked out or judging me.
“All I know is you’ve got some insane strength in that petite body of yours,” he said. “I saw you face off one of the meanest alpacas I’ve ever met. Then you got yourself out of this panic. All we want is to make sure you’re okay. Why don’t we go inside, clean up, and get some food in you?”
“Okay,” I said, voice still cracking in the aftermath.
Shepherd led the way, not bothering to put on his shirt again. Probably saving the white undershirt from the rainbow of colors on his back.
A smile tipped up my lips as I studied it. The tattoos were gorgeous and I wished again he was my alpha. How perfect would it be if my mate had a built-in coping mechanism for his omega?
Braxton snuck out his phone and snapped a picture, giving me a conspiratorial wink before tucking it away, Shepherd none the wiser.
I wasn’t sure what I expected from my boss’ house, but this was a surprise. The furniture didn’t match, but it was all clean and well taken care of. The hardwood floors were covered in various rugs, all different colors and patterns, but it somehow worked.
The walls had random pieces of art and photographs, animals one of the main themes, though there were pictures of the mountains and the town.
“Are you a photographer?” I asked, realizing that they all had the same style and angles, like they were taken by the same person.
“I dabble a little,” he said, keeping it vague, but his friend wasn’t letting him get away with that.
“Liar. He’s got a whole dark room in the basement,” he snorted.
Shepherd shrugged, taking it in stride. “My dads were dicks and photography gave me something to focus on until I was out of there.”
“They’re beautiful,” I told him, offering a smile.
“Thanks,” he said, his look a bit too intense for the moment. “Come sit. My alpha is riding me hard to make sure you’re fed. You need some sugar in you after that, too.”
I was promptly sat at the big dining room table, a cold Coke in front of me. He even put a straw in it. I sipped as I watched him and Braxton moving about the kitchen.
They were comfortable together, as if they were pack. Though, I don’t think either one of them realized it.
There was a fine line between good friendship and being a pack. It was the way that they were leaning in and whispering. How one grabbed my cup, the other the straw, two people working together without a word like this was second nature.
It had me missing my omega.
Shit. I never got around to messaging him that I’d be late.
“I need to grab my phone,” I said, starting to stand but Braxton narrowed his eyes and pointed to the seat.
“You stay put. I’ll grab it,” he said firmly, already halfway out the door.
“Do you have a pack you need to check in with?” Shepherd asked carefully. It was guarded, and he wouldn’t look at me.
“Not a set pack, no. But my roommate is also my omega. He and our alpha might be worried if I don’t check in,” I admitted.
Disappointment flashed in his eyes and he nodded once before turning away.
Was he interested?
I was chewing on my lip as I thought it over until Braxton was back and pushing it into my hand.
“Sorry, it fell under the desk so it took a second to find. Someone was blowing up your phone as I was walking back.”
He had the same question in his eyes.
“Thanks,” I said as I checked the screen, eyes widening as I took in the time. I wasn't just a little late, but over two hours at this point and counting.
“Shit, Dev is going to kill me,” I muttered.
“Her omega and alpha are probably worried,” Shepherd said pointedly, voice a bit harder than it normally was.
I frowned but focused on one issue at a time, which meant letting my omega know I’d be late.