Chapter 6
six
Xenia
White-knuckling my steering wheel, I shake as I make my way up the largest hill in Florida. I am further from civilization than I expected, and the singular can of mace in my passenger seat seems nearly laughable.
What am I going to do with that?
I want more than anything to turn the heat on in my car, but it doesn’t work. This car was all I could afford after Tony passed, and while Serena offered to let me borrow hers, I didn’t want to do that.
My phone rings, causing me to jump nearly out of my seat.
Looking at the caller ID, I curse. I had managed to keep him at bay for the last month by staying with Serena, but I know better than to not answer his call. He would just show up here.
“Vinny,” I acknowledge, bringing the car to a halt. Both of my feet are on the brake pedal and I am inclined half-way up the hill.
I need to get off this call and look down at the directions to figure out where I am going.
“Xenia,” he growls.
He doesn’t speak for a few beats, and my impatience teeters me towards annoyance. “I need to go.”
That isn’t the right choice and Vinny immediately barks. “Where. The. Fuck. Are you?”
My mouth opens on its own to answer him, but I force it shut. Counting down from three slowly, I respond, “Serena and I are going to get some fresh air today.”
“There’s a snowstorm coming.”
I scoff into the phone. “It’s Florida. It doesn’t snow here.”
“Put Serena on. Let me talk to her.” Vinny is seething, and I don’t want to deal with it.
I have too much on my mind to also deal with my dead mate’s obsessive brother. “We’ll be fine. I have to go. I’ll call you when we make it back in town. Promise.”
The snarl coming through the phone is my sign to end the call. And I do just that. I send off a quick text to Serena before shutting my phone entirely off.
I wouldn’t put it past Vinny to track me.
Thankfully, I had the foresight to print the directions to where I am going, and I examine them once more before letting off the brake. I roll back nearly an entire car length before I am able to hit the accelerator enough to jump me forward.
My teeth clack from both anxiety and the temperature as the chill soaks into my bones.
It is oddly and exceptionally brisk in Florida, and I didn’t have many options for winter clothes.
I ended up in a thick and bright wool rainbow shirt and a pair of jean overalls.
While the material is thick, it is scratchy against my skin.
Continuing up the hill and down a winding path, I take several turns and end up lost more than a few times, but finally a large, surprisingly nice building comes into view.
A red-bricked ranch house with white pillars lining the front porch sits in the middle of an expansive piece of land.
I pull carefully around the driveway towards a separated large garage.
My apprehension notches up impossibly higher as a whine leaves my lips. Serena’s words circle through me.
“Xenia, this would be a shock to anyone.”
I harden my shoulders.
“I’m so sorry. I can’t believe this has happened.”
I steel my nerves.
“His file is clean, but you don’t know how he will react.”
Looking down, I find the paper with the alpha’s name, number, and address. She had rattled it off to me before begging that I bring her. But I didn’t want to. Serena would force him to take responsibility.
While this man—this alpha—deserves to know, if he wants nothing to do with me that is completely fine. I won’t take that choice from him, he didn’t sign up for this.
Neither of us had.
Putting the car in park, I lean back, reaching behind me and retrieving my bag. It is the same one from the heat clinic that I never got around to fully unpacking.
Inside is a bottle.
Heat-blockers.
The same ones from my apartment.
The doctor advised me to use them. That it would help me maintain my urges and instincts with the alpha. She said it was perfectly safe, even in my current state.
Pregnant.
Taking out the bottle, I shake out a pill and swallow it dry.
Earlier, I had showered with scent-blockers, and the clothes I wore were clean and should only smell of industrial detergent.
My eyes land on the mace, reaching out, but my hand hesitates over it.
I should not bring mace when meeting my alpha. He was so kind, so caring. He won’t hurt me. Even with this news.
Releasing an uneasy sigh, I unclip the seatbelt and take another look around.
The house is beautiful, but it holds no weight to the land it is on.
The fence that spills out on either side and wraps far behind it, further than I can see.
Even with the setting sun in the distance, I can just make out a barn and a small cabin next to it.
Realization strikes.
This is a farm.
A memory splices into this moment.
“You have me.”
The three words knock around my brain as I continue to shake in pain and exhaustion.
“I’m scared.” I whimper, shivering on the ground. The pain is slowly and steadily transforming into what I remember my previous heats to be.
Lust. Neediness. Want. Desire.
His voice, his determination, his aura. They are subconsciously telling me I am safe. That he will give me what I need.
“Nia, just listen to my voice. Whenever you are ready I will be right there. But until then, I’ll just talk to you, sweetheart.”
“I can’t do this.” The words aren’t meant for him. They are a reminder to myself. To a promise I made.
“Yes, you can. You are brave for coming here, for doing what you must to carry on. Grief is a heavy weight, but it is easier to carry with help. Let me help you. Let me distract you.”
Taking his offer of a distraction, I scrunch my eyes tightly, willing the tears to cease. “What do you do for a living?” I’m not sure where the question comes from, but he chuckles at it.
“I’m a farmer.”
Coming back to the present, I stare up at the intimidating house. The alpha’s words circle around full force. He did say he was a farmer, it makes sense that he lives in the middle of nowhere on what I now recognize as a farm.
Without any further hesitation, I exit the car and make my way up the path to the front door. A gust of wind catches and a shiver wracks through me. The sky darkens quickly as I continue towards the front of the house, but it’s not from the setting sun.
Please don’t rain.
I didn’t bring my rain jacket or an umbrella or really anything to deal with the toxic relationship that is Florida weather. But before I can put any more thought into it, the front door of the house whips open.
The man in the doorway, with his long blond hair, pulls all of my attention.
His tall lean frame takes up the entire space as he opens the door wider.
There are wrinkles around his azure eyes that speak to his age, but it’s his scent that creeps to me.
That causes my heart to beat into my ears, my mouth to open, my throat to dry.
It is immediate the way my body reacts to him. To the sandalwood and…grapefruit? The two scents amalgamate in an intoxicating manner.
He is an alpha, there is no doubt of that.
The man lifts his lips in amusement at my obvious reaction, but then he sees the mark on my neck and his eyes narrow in confusion. “Can I help you?” There is an edge to his tone.
Before my brain can cooperate or get into gear, the sky opens up above me, and the small covered porch I’m on does nothing to save me from the cold and wet.
“Fuck, get inside.” The strange man tugs me into his house.
There is a flash of concern that rolls through my belly, but I am immediately met by a clash of scents and smells.
One of them I recognize.
Spearmint and lime.
Sharp.
He’s here. My alpha is here.