Chapter 4
Hestia
Ican’t stop messing with my hair, tucking the loose strands into my ponytail or under my knit hat, trying to stop them from blowing into my face and sticking to my lip balm.
No matter how I tie up my hair, some of it always escapes.
Normally I can ignore it, but I want to make a good first impression.
I’m not even sure I was this nervous on my first day at the academy. I was excited and hopeful, not worried about whether my classmates would like me. I knew I could prove my skills to the professors, show them I can do this no matter my designation.
Now I’m older, wiser, and warier.
I didn’t experience any major pushback at the academy, but the subtle questioning and jabs built up over the years. I’m hesitant when I meet new people. I was always treated slightly differently, and had more eyes on me even though I graduated with top marks.
The stakes are even higher now because if my team doesn’t think I can do the job, I won’t pass the training.
Part of proving I can do this is looking competent, and not like I’m a mess.
If only I could stop fidgeting and touching my hair and readjusting my coat and pulling my mittens on and off.
Maybe I should have waited inside until they arrived, but I wanted to appear eager and ready to work. That’s why I’m out in the cold in front of the Fools Rush Inn with all my things.
And now it’s snowing.
The flakes are big and fluffy, and they keep landing on my eyelashes, so now I’m blinking rapidly in addition to the other nervous fidgeting.
I shouldn’t have been so eager that I came out thirty minutes before they’re supposed to arrive.
I don’t want to lug everything back inside. I look at front doors wistfully, the warm glow of the lights tempting, a cozy beacon on a snowy day.
No.
I turn away resolutely. I’m capable of handling the elements. It’s just anxiety making me want to hide in a dark, comfortable place to soothe my emotions.
Instead, I think about how snowfall increases the risk of injury and the measures people should take to prevent accidents. Focusing on the research will stop the anxious thoughts.
I’m just thinking through how the risk of injury increases after nightfall, when three red SUVs pull up.
The middle one stops in front of me, and I nudge my luggage carts back so I’m out of the way. They could have pulled up to the front door, I silently huff to myself.
The passenger door opens, and I freeze as an alpha gets out.
He looks like a movie star stepping onto the red carpet, shiny blonde hair just slightly mussed as if he’s still a regular guy next door.
His sea-green eyes brighten as they land on me.
The alpha smiles, a warm, inviting smile that makes me want to tell him everything, do anything, go anywhere with him.
His scent is just as tempting, although it’s hard to catch much of it.
At first, I wasn’t even sure if it was him or if it’s the holiday decorations at the inn, but the smell makes me tingly so I don’t think it’s the winter decor.
This alpha smells like woodsy evergreens, a fresh pine scent layered over rich cedar.
He’s the most attractive person I’ve ever seen. I don’t think anything could make me tear my gaze away.
I’m swiftly proven wrong as the largest alpha I’ve ever seen emerges from the other car.
He distracts me from the movie star, and I have to readjust my perspective on how large a human is capable of growing.
This alpha towers over the SUV, broad and muscular.
I’m not even sure how he fit in the car.
Just like the first alpha, his presence is overwhelming, though not because of his build.
His eyes stand out the most. His right eye must be a very pale blue, but it’s so light his iris looks almost white, while the other eye is a dark blue.
The hood on his coat is up, shadowing his face and hiding his hair, but his eyes gleam even in the shadows.
The rest of his face is covered in a black balaclava, but it can’t hide the wide, angular jaw and strong features underneath.
I’m so focused on how hot he is that it takes me a minute to realize why his eyes are different colors. There’s a scar across the pale eye, bisecting his eyebrow and cutting down his cheek. Now that I’m looking, I see more scars on the little skin that’s visible.
It’s strange, I can’t smell him from here. These alphas must be hiding their scents under descenters, and maybe even suppressants.
It’s not very common for alphas to use suppressants.
They tamp down their instincts along with their scent, but since their hormones aren’t as disruptive as an omega’s hormones with their heats, alphas don’t tend to use them.
You really only hear about alphas using suppressants if they struggle with aggressive urges, like feral alphas.
I blame my curiosity for the urge to lunge at these alphas and get a good whiff of them.
Scents are a big part of how I assess a situation, and that missing element must be why I’m having these strange thoughts about climbing all over them.
I fight that urge so hard I force myself backward, forgetting the cart is there. My calf hits the edge, and I flip back onto my luggage with an oomph.
Luckily I land on my duffel bags instead of the hard boxes, but I sink into them, leaving me ass up with my ankles above my head.
At least I can’t see the alphas anymore, which lessens my odd desire.
I remain where I am, waiting for them to move along. Mostly because I don’t want to get sucked into their orbit again, but also because I’m afraid this will be like a beanbag chair situation where I’m going to struggle pathetically to crawl off my bags.
My hopes are dashed as the blonde alpha rushes over.
I guess it was too much to ask that they wouldn’t notice an omega abruptly launching herself onto her back and sticking her legs up in the air after seeing them.
He leans over me and asks, “Are you alright? Don’t move, let me see if anything’s injured.”
“I’m fine,” I say, blinking the snowflakes away. “The bags cushioned my fall.”
At least he didn’t think this was some weird flirting technique.
I suppose I could let him help me up though since the snow is starting to accumulate on my face.
“I’m sure you’re right, but let me check you out for my own peace of mind,” he says with a disarming smile.
“Oh-okay,” I stutter out, hardly able to think with him so close.
The alpha runs his hands gently over the back of my head and down my neck and shoulders.
If I were thinking clearly, I would explain that I’m trained in first aid and can tell my little tumble wasn’t a big deal.
His bedside manner is great though.
No, don’t think about beds.
His first-aid skills are impressive, calm and efficient as he checks me over. He tells me what he’s doing as he works, his words a soothing blur, like praise for agreeing to his sensible suggestion.
After a thorough rubdown, the alpha determines I’m not injured. He finally seems to realize how close we are as his blue-green eyes focus on mine, just inches away. His pupils dilate and his breath is hot on my face. Even this close I can’t smell much of his pine scent, just a hint of earthy resin.
I’m frozen, waiting to see what he’s going to do next. Unsure what I want him to do.
He—
clears his throat and stands up.
I let out my breath in a puff of air, the cloud billowing around me in the cold.
Snow falls on me again now that he’s out of the way. The cold droplets shock me out of whatever that was.
“Can I help you up?” he asks.
I agree because that seems like the fastest way to get him to leave. Once he assures himself I’m safe, he’ll move along.
I hold my hand out and he reaches for it…but he keeps coming, bypassing it entirely.
I squeak as he grabs my waist and picks me up, setting me on my feet.
I’m so startled by the sudden change in orientation that I just stand there blinking while he straightens my clothes.
I come back to myself and edge away from him (and away from the cart, I learned my lesson).
“Thanks for your help, I’m all good now,” I chirp.
The giant alpha is still near their SUV, but I think he’s farther back than he was before. Probably worried about getting hit with a flailing limb.
A door slams and a third alpha hurries over.
His appearance immediately calms me.
Even though he’s an alpha, his energy is comforting, like coming home after a long day. It’s different from the intense aura of most alphas, which is comforting in the way that they feel like they can protect you from anything. The charming blonde didn’t even soothe me as much as this alpha does.
Like his friends, he has a barely-there scent, but it’s delicious and I strain to catch more.
It’s sweet and sugary, clinging to my tongue like frosting. That’s what the scent is, thick frosting on sugar cookies, or those little mini tree cakes covered in frosting and sprinkles. It’s making my mouth water, and I want to sink my teeth in.
But there aren’t any cookies, it’s just this alpha with curly brown hair, a sweet face, and warm brown eyes. I certainly can’t bite him.
Can I?
“What happened? I thought you were grabbing her things,” the cookie alpha says worriedly, looking between us.
I frown, confused about why this alpha expected his friend to be taking my stuff. Is this inn a pickup spot or something?
Before the blonde can answer, their beta joins us.
“Henri, didn’t you see her fall? Clumsy thing,” he says the last to me like an observation rather than an insult, his gaze roving my body.
Still, the description offends me. How could anyone trust me to do my job if I have a reputation for being clumsy?
I narrow my eyes at him, trying to figure out how I can prove I’m not clumsy without admitting their scents knocked me on my ass, especially when his scent is threatening to do the same.