CHAPTER FOUR – Nicolette
I never expected my heat to hit so hard and so quickly. One second I was covered in dog slobber, and the next, this gorgeous Alpha is beside me and my panties were drenched with slick. This couldn’t be happening. I did come to Alaska to see if I was compatible with an Alpha, but it wasn’t this one.
And now Ezekiel looked like he was ready to eat me up in the best of ways.
Backing up until my shoulder hit the wall, I found it difficult to look away. Even more so not to throw myself at this Alpha I’d just met. A churning ache had started to throb between my legs, and I cringed knowing this was only the beginning. This was why Omegas needed chaperons.
It didn’t make it any easier that Ezekiel was incredibly hot. His honey blond hair hung wild around his gorgeous face. Some locks had been sun bleached and his skin lightly tanned. His wide mouth was absolutely begging me to kiss him, to let him devour me whole. And to top it off, he was muscled like a surfing champion.
Kavik came over and nudged my hand. I ran my fingers over the top of her head, finding some strength to yank my gaze away from Ezekiel.
Down the hall stood the mountain of a man who had opened the bedroom door on me. My cheeks flamed hotter at that thought. He’d seen me naked and we hadn’t even officially met yet.
He had to be Kodiak, a hunk of an Alpha standing at least six and a half feet tall. Broad and heavily muscled, like he didn’t need a saw to knock over trees, he could just push them down. His dark brown hair was nearly shorn on the sides and long on top. The rich color was echoed in his trimmed beard and his mesmerizing eyes.
And he was furious.
The storm on his face was ready to destroy everything and everyone in his path.
With a grunt, Kodiak turned and stomped to the front entrance and outside, slamming the door behind him. I flinched with the violent loudness of it.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Everything was messed up. If I was compatible with Ezekiel, it seemed that Kodiak didn’t want me anymore. The whole deal my dad made with his father would be void.
What was more, I didn’t want to come between two friends. Shae had said these men were like brothers. Would they fight over me? I couldn’t let them do that. I wouldn’t—
“Don’t mind, Kodiak. He just needs to cool off.” Ezekiel’s voice was calm even if it was edged with a roughness that matched the wanton look still in his eyes. “Come sit down. Would you like something to drink? Anything to eat? We picked up some danishes from the bakery.”
He was asking if I felt like eating or drinking right now? My stomach was wrenched too tight to want any food at the moment. “No. Thank you. I want to—”
What? Sink to my knees and worship this godly Alpha with my mouth?
These thoughts. Damn. I’d just met Ezekiel.
I squeezed my thighs together. “We should talk.” Anything other than what my body was suddenly ready to beg for. I moved toward the front door. “I should go get Kodiak. He went out without a coat. He’ll freeze.”
“Unlikely.” Ezekiel chuckled and led me into the living room. He patted the couch. “Please, sit. I agree talking would be good. Usually people around here just eat, drink, or punch their emotions away.”
I gave Ezekiel a wide berth as I went around the couch but was completely aware of him the whole time. His sizzling gaze, his delicious smile, his every breath.
“You know,” a new voice totally startled me. I jumped and turned to face a third Alpha. Holy shit. I didn’t even notice him there since I’d been so entranced by Ezekiel and then by Kodiak’s sudden exit. “I knew you’d be trouble the second Savva told us you were coming. Now look what you did. You pissed off Kodiak and Ezekiel is drooling like the dogs.” He stood from his chair, his nostrils flaring. With a hissing growl, he stalked away from me. “Don’t expect any sympathy from me, Omega. You just fucked over all our lives.”
My jaw dropped. How dare he talk to me like that! Anger pushed back against the arousal of my heat, and I welcomed the feeling. I had more control over it.
“None of this is my fault.”
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes and disappeared down the hall to slam the door of his bedroom.
Ezekiel’s hands fisted and his body leaned in the other Alpha’s direction as if he might chase him down to attack him. Guilt bit at me. I knew it wasn’t really my fault. I couldn’t help who I was compatible with, but I didn’t want to be the reason any of these men were angry with one another.
Maybe I shouldn’t have come. I’d only wanted to make my dad happy, and I’d tried to be positive about things, but now it all went wrong.
No, that was Silas’ voice. Fuck him. Let him bitch about it. I wasn’t going to sit back and let shame smother me. I could make it right, smooth things over. I just needed to channel some peacemaker vibes.
“Ezekiel,” I said his name gently and sat down on the couch. First step first. Motioning to him, I gave him a shy smile. “Come and sit.”
His head snapped back to me. Atka and Kavik both came to join me on the couch, and Ezekiel’s expression softened. “The dogs really like you.”
“We weathered the storm together last night. They’re super sweet.” I gave both huskies pets and Atka nuzzled my chest. The image of Ezekiel doing the same thing sent a jolt of desire through me, making me quiver. “Have you always had dogs?”
“Yeah,” Ezekiel nodded and glanced once more the way Silas had gone before he sat down on the couch. “Yeah, I love animals. When I was born, my parents got me a pup to grow with me, and we were inseparable. He saved me from a grizzly when I was ten but didn’t make it himself. Sav, that’s Kodiak’s dad, let me have dogs as long as I trained them. What about you? Did you have to leave any pets at home?”
“No, my dad never let us have any. I did a lot of horseback riding when I was young, but that was the extent of my experience with animals.” I startled as the wind rattled the windows. Kodiak was out in that freezing cold with no coat.
Ezekiel reached over and took my hand in his. The zing of contact made me gasp, and we were only holding hands. “It’s sweet you’re worried, but Kodiak will be okay.” His thumb caressed the back of my hand. His gaze bore into me with hungry eyes. “I never expected this, especially not the power of it. How do you feel?”
The more he touched me, the stronger the urge to tackle him back onto the couch and let him have his way with me became. “I don’t know. It happened so fast… I didn’t even think…” I had expected Kodiak to be the only Alpha I met, but then when Shae mentioned his friends, I still didn’t even think about this being a possibility. Without a chaperon, I should have met Kodiak in a neutral public place with other people around. But it was too late now.
Could I deny my connection to Ezekiel? Pack up and go to a hotel so everyone could work things out? Not that he wasn’t gorgeous. Hell, that was far from it. He dripped sensuality with every smooth move he made. Kienna would be telling me to jump him and get that big Alpha cock all day and night.
I didn’t know him though. I didn’t know any of these Alphas. And I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with no way out.
“Nicolette.” Ezekiel squeezed my hand and scooted closer on the couch. The heat coming off his body called to mine. “It’ll be okay. I’ll take care of you.”
Was I projecting my feelings that much? I wanted to crawl onto his lap and let him hold me, and part of me was certain that he could make everything okay. How everything in me could change with just one touch was mind blowing.
“Thank you.” I needed to stop groping him with my mind. Being in heat was no joke. I wasn’t the type to throw myself at a man no matter what I was feeling. “I think you and I need to sit and talk, get to know one another. Just because we’re physically compatible doesn’t mean we are on any other level.”
“Of course, but I know all I need to know. My dogs really like you. Despite Atka’s friendliness, he’s not that affectionate with everyone. And Kavik, she mostly just sticks by me.” He stroked Kavik’s head who had seated herself directly beside me on the floor. “It seems she’s appointed herself your chaperon.”
I glanced at the husky and smiled. She was sitting beside me straight and stoic. His expression as Ezekiel pet her seemed to say, You make one wrong move, buddy, and I will bite your hand off.
I couldn’t stop my smile. “I accept you as my chaperon, Kavik. I promise to be on my best behavior.”
“I don’t know if I can continue to be on my best behavior though.” Ezekiel smirked and let out a small groan. “Damn, you are absolutely gorgeous. I have to use all my willpower to not drag you to me and have my way with you. It’s going to get worse, isn’t it?”
Nodding, I squirmed on the couch. I’d never felt this level of arousal in my life. Sure, I was certain I’d been really horny at times, but this… This was unlike anything else. “But nothing is going to happen until we get to know one another and all the tension in this house is sorted out. I don’t want you guys fighting or anyone’s feelings to be hurt.”
“Silas is going to be a bastard about you being here no matter what. Sorry, but that’s just him. He’ll learn to live with it. Kodiak,” Ezekiel sighed heavily and was licked by Atka to make him smile again. “He’ll work it out. He’d been looking forward to you coming here. But he’s a reasonable guy. I know he understands that it was something we couldn’t control. I think he might just be more angry with himself for getting his hopes up.”
Great. Now I felt even worse.
Nothing about this whole situation was going as planned. I had one Alpha wanting to bed me and two who hated me. If I let Ezekiel take me and he claimed me, I would be with him forever. His friends wouldn’t only hate me, they’d loathe me.
A fight broke out in the hockey game on TV. I sank further into the couch, cuddling the dogs. I needed time in the penalty box to think things over, but with Ezekiel near me, my mind kept going back to how much I wanted him to bury himself between my legs. Yet I couldn’t tell him to leave his own house so I could have a moment.
“Oh, do you think I could get your WiFi password? I couldn’t call my family or friends to let them know I arrived yesterday, and they must be getting worried.”
Ezekiel happily gave me the password, and I excused myself to my room to make my calls. Maybe the girls would have some advice.
Or maybe I was just screwed.