Chapter 12
HAILEY
Holy fucking shit.
I thought I knew what courting was. I thought it was when a pack wined, dined, knotted, and did everything in their power to get an Omega to like them.
But this? A weekend trip to the Grand Canyon, staying in the most beautiful, cozy cabin I’ve ever seen? It’s not ostentatious or overly opulent like something my mom would rent. No, it feels like I stepped into my own episode of The Omega and I’m building the pack of my dreams.
Hayes holds my hand as he leads me around the property, showing me the hot tub at the bottom of the property, along with the sauna, before we step into the quaint cabin.
Glass frames every side of the house. There’s nothing but desert surrounding us.
The cautious part of me should be worried that these three men dragged me out into the middle of nowhere to kill me.
Maybe I’m foolish for coming out here. Even if that’s the case, at least I’ll die having felt spoiled—truly spoiled—for the first time in my life.
“Hungry?” Hayes asks, leading me into the kitchen, where a full lunch spread is already waiting for us.
Sterling and Nate put away the bags before walking into the kitchen and I can’t help but appraise them. Sterling has a calming confidence pouring out of him, and it’s beyond attractive. Something tells me that nothing phases him, that he handles pressure like it’s nothing.
Then there’s Nate. I didn’t know him well when he and my mother were dating, but I knew he was far too good for her.
I saw the way the other Alphas treated him, at least I was ignored.
He was like their new resident punching bag; it was like keeping him around made them all feel better about themselves.
In all reality, I think they were threatened by him.
He’s attractive, younger, and not a piece of shit.
I think he made them look into the mirror at how horrible they all were.
He seems anxious, and I wonder if it’s all because of the elephant sitting in the room with us—my mom’s ex is courting me.
Is it wrong that the forbiddenness of it all, and him being hesitant, is a turn on for me?
I mean I knew I had trauma, but I didn’t think I was twisted.
It’s not that I want to date him to get back at my mom or anything.
But maybe a piece of me feels like if this works out, that I won.
That I got the good guy while she lives her narcissistic snobby life.
A palm slides down my back, and I turn away from the two Alphas to look at Hayes. I clearly got distracted and didn’t answer his question.
“What would you like?” he asks, holding out a palm to the counter.
I go to grab a plate, and Sterling beats me to it. “Just let me know what to grab,” he says and I perfume.
Yeah…my scent might totally give me away on how attractive that is. They’re all gentlemen about it and ignore it as I direct him on what I’d like to eat. Once my plate is full, they all follow suit and we sit at the table together to eat.
There’s a long pause and I wonder if bringing up a mortifying moment would break the ice. I mean, Nate saw me when I designated. He also had to save me from a knotted dildo and he dated my mom…why does he want to court me after all that compounding humiliation?
Then there’s also the fact Hayes hired me from my strip club, bought me a BMW and came up with the worst plan on introducing me to his pack ever.
At least the most mortifying thing Sterling has seen with his own eyes is me nearly falling off a stripper pole and cracking my head open.
I go with the safest route, and I turn to face Sterling.
“So, besides saving damsels in distress, kittens from trees, and helping old ladies cross the street, what else do you like to do?” I ask.
He smiles. God, his jaw is sharp and strong, it’s only accented more when his lips curve upward in intrigue.
“Well. I like hiking, I go fishing with my dads from time to time, and just relaxing with my pack. What about you, baby girl? What do you do in your free time?”
Baby girl. Baby fucking girl.
I fixate on the two words, wondering if they have the power to make me spontaneously combust. I shake the thought out of my head. I’m a very important Omega who’s being courted. I can’t be easily seduced with a plate of food and two simple words.
Who the fuck am I kidding? If Sterling asked me to climb on the table and eat me for dessert, I’d happily oblige.
I swear the man can hear my thoughts as he grips the back of my chair.
“Well, I like reading and skincare. I was an esthetician before I designated, so I miss that a lot. Then there’s just the silly crafts I like to do on the side.”
“I bet they’re not silly. What kinds of crafts?” Sterling asks.
My mom always called them silly. It was stupid that I was spending so much money on sheets of glass, or the way I would scour the buy nothing sell free pages for people’s junk to repurpose.
“I like making stained-glass pieces, and I’ve done some sculpture work, but it’s all for fun, not monetization.”
“I’d love to see some of your projects,” he says, and for the first time in a very long time I feel like an Alpha is genuinely interested in my hobbies.
“Most of my supplies are still at my mom’s house,” I mumble, glancing back down at my plate and plopping a strawberry into my mouth. When I glance back up, Nate is rubbing his jaw, looking furious with his dark brows furrowed.
“Would you like to go for a walk with me after lunch?” Nate asks. I grab my glass of juice, taking a heavy sip before nodding in agreement.
I didn’t know if we were going to sweep our history under the rug, but it seems like that’s not a possibility.
Shit, what if talking about it ruins the rest of the trip?
On the other hand, it’s probably best to get this over with now.
I’d rather find out now if this pack has a shot in hell of working.
“Take a hat and some water,” Sterling says as he collects our plates.
“I’ll grab us each a bottle. Your bag is in the room on the far left,” Nate says.
I go through my bag, grabbing the hat I brought, and I’m glad for Sterling’s detailed packing list as I put the black cap on my head. Nate meets me at the front door, a worn gray station hat on his head, and two water bottles hanging between his fingertips.
“Ready?” he asks.
“As I’ll ever be,” I say as we step out of the air-conditioned cabin and into the dry, desert heat.
We make it down the stairs and head to the right, where there’s a clear walking trail. My heart is thumping in my chest as the hot sun beams down on us.
“So…” he says, a long pause before his next words. “I’m making this weird, aren’t I?”
“I mean, it’s a pretty weird situation, isn’t it?” I ask, glancing up at him.
“I need you to know that I don’t have any feelings for Erin.
I never loved her. It was a bad situation for me, and I can’t even begin to imagine what it was like for you.
I didn’t know she kicked you out because I had already left.
I’m sorry you’ve been doing this all on your own,” he says it all so fast, clearly nervous.
I pause our walk on the trail and face him, wanting to give him just as much honesty as he gave me.
Part of me is shocked he feels responsible for something my mom did, or guilt over me when he barely knew me.
It does ease my nerves ever so slightly to learn he never loved my mom.
I think that…I think that might have ended this before it even started.
“You hardly even knew me. I mean, we’re just getting to know each other now. I didn’t expect you to be my knight in shining armor.”
“But what if I want to be?” he asks.
“I don’t think that’s what I need,” I reply.
Because the fact is, while my life might be far from perfect—I’ve had my fair share of emotional distress over the past few months— I saved myself. I found a job. I got my apartment. Hell, I’m a cat mom now. It’s not saving that I need, it’s something wholly different.
“What is it that you need?”
I lick my lips, staring down at the dirt for a minute, before glancing up at his warm brown eyes.
“I think I just want to be cared for, learn what being a pack is supposed to be like. I don’t need saving, but I want more to this life than what I currently have.”
“Your mom’s pack”—he clears his throat—“Erin’s pack is nothing like what Sterling, Hayes, and I have created. We’re nothing like them.”
I smirk at him. “I’ve already gathered that. You’re all together, right?” I confirm. It seemed pretty obvious from their interactions, but you know what they say about assumptions.
“Yeah, are you okay with that?”
“More than okay with that,” I assure him.
“And with Erin?” he asks.
It’s clear that he’s worried about how I feel about the situation, and something about this Alpha makes me feel safe to tell my truth.
“Is there a part of me that’s annoyed you dated her?
Yeah, I can’t deny that, but it’s not a deal breaker.
I know you think you didn’t do enough for me after I designated, but you were kind, Nate.
None of my mom’s other Alphas would have helped me the way you did in that situation.
You made me feel safe and put my mind at ease with what my body was going through.
And if we’re continuing this whole honesty thing, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about your scent since that night,” I say, feeling even more heat flood to my cheeks.
Nate takes a step closer to me. Our toes are nearly touching.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I whisper back.
“I kept the gloves from your 911 call and haven’t been able to stop thinking about your scent ever since.”
I swallow thickly, looking up at his face. Embarrassment is clear from his expression. But he’s seen me at my most mortifying moments, so for him to share a secret he didn’t have to makes him even more endearing.
“What did you do with them?” I ask.
“You know what I did, Hailey. I’ve never felt this way about an Omega’s scent before.”
Did this Alpha masturbate to my scent?
“Never?” I question him again. Maybe I’m being greedy about wanting to know how he feels about me.
Courted Omegas are allowed to be greedy, I decide.
He moves a little closer, his hand tentatively gripping my hip.
“I want to do right by you. Start us off on the right foot. You’re the sweetest thing I’ve ever had the privilege of being around, and I just needed you to know that my intentions are pure.
This isn’t a way to get back at Erin. I couldn’t care less what she and her pack are up to.
I just want to get to know you. I want to court you, and only you. ”
I grab his shirt, balling it in my fist, pushing our bodies closer together, aiming for a kiss. But the universe isn’t done mortifying me as the bills of our hats smack together instead of our lips.
Nate laughs it off, turning his backward, and grabbing mine, smoothing my hair back. He tenderly cradles the back of my head and glances down at me for a moment before pressing his lips against mine.
I feel like I melt into a puddle as he kisses me.
We smile as we kiss, and it feels like butterflies are flapping away in my stomach. The only other time I’ve felt like this was when I was sitting on Hayes’ lap.
Nate deepens the kiss, some sort of low moan leaving his lips as he holds me even closer. He makes me feel small against him, his large hands keeping me in place.
This. This is how a fucking Alpha is supposed to make an Omega feel.
“I knew you’d be sweet,” he says as he pulls away, placing the hat back on my head.
I stare up at him, wondering if he feels this connection too. When he grins down at me, his Earl Grey scent is heavy and thick, wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.
“Let’s get you out of the sun,” he says, easily tossing an arm over my shoulders, dragging my frame next to his.
A girl could definitely get used to this courting stuff.