Knotting Autumn (Alpha Season #3)

Chapter 1 Autumn and Soy-boy

Autumn and Soy-boy

Trees whipped past me, a blur of gold and burnt orange. My chest was light, and I was almost flying, my feet barely touching the leaf-strewn forest floor. A sense of freedom welled up in every corner of my being.

Birds flitted overhead, their shadows dancing across the ground, guiding me. The wind lifted my hair, the scent of cedar and cloves filling my nose, comforting me. With a surge of energy, I launched myself higher.

My dream crashed down as a solid body landed on the mattress beside me. One muscular arm draped over my waist. Sawyer let out a deep sigh and turned his head away from me, cheek pressed into my spare pillow.

He nuzzled into it, shifting his weight and trying to get comfortable. The arm over my ribcage tightened, fingers flexing over my skin where my loose shirt had ridden up.

“Rough night?” I asked groggily.

With a grunt, he flipped over. His voice was gravelly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up, but your bed is so much more comfortable than mine.”

“It’s fine. You know I don’t mind.”

His pouting lips pulled into a soft, tired smile. I wanted to smooth my fingers over his cheeks and chin, counting the freckles there, a collection of constellations more familiar than my own face.

He wiggled closer, resting his cheek on my shoulder. Reaching over, I brushed a dirty blond curl off his freckled brow, dragging my nails along his scalp as I raked it behind his ear. His eyes shut, and he let out a low groan deep in his throat.

Last night was the full moon. Sawyer always left town each full moon and came back exhilarated, but exhausted and clingy.

For years, he made all sorts of excuses for his monthly disappearances—visiting family, overnight work shifts—but I didn’t ask anymore, and he pretended he wasn’t disappearing like clockwork.

After a decade as best friends, I’d tried on all sorts of theories, ranging from him being a werewolf to working as an international spy.

My current favorite: he was practicing witchcraft and spent the full moons dancing naked around a bonfire.

I didn’t mind picturing that image, because, although he was my best friend and there had never been anything romantic between us, there was no denying he was ridiculously handsome.

The image of him dancing naked under the stars had my skin heating, and I fought the urge to squirm under his arm. Clearing my throat, I said, “There’s no way I’m getting back to sleep now. So since I’m up now, I’ll make us some breakfast.”

Sawyer let out a grumbly whine, holding me tighter. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I didn’t need to sleep in. Who needs sleep?” I couldn’t help teasing him.

Nose wrinkling, Sawyer scrunched his face up for a second before his brilliant green eyes shot open.

“You should go back to sleep, tired baby,” I whispered, biting my lip to suppress my taunting grin.

Pushing to his hands and knees, Sawyer’s left hand braced on the other side of my shoulders as he leaned over me. “I’m the one who busted in here and woke you up. I should be the one making breakfast.”

My heart rate accelerated as I looked up at him. He wore only a pair of gray sweatpants that clung to his hips. The various extra jobs he picked up kept him in great shape, and I fought to keep my eyes from wandering over defined abs, also freckled.

His full lips pulled into a mischievous grin. “Or you could play hooky and we could go hiking. The last of the wildflowers are blooming up by the lake.”

“When did you have time to get up there?” I asked, cocking one eyebrow. My palm settled on his forearm, my fingers resting over corded muscle as he supported himself.

“The other day. So what do you say? Sawyer and Autumn Day of Fun?”

I freaking loved this man. Shaking my head, I suppressed a laugh. “Unfortunately, I need to be a responsible adult and go to work. Bills to pay and all.”

“Nooo…” he whimpered, dropping down on top of me, wrapping both arms around my chest and pressing his face into my neck.

The sudden, warm weight of him sent a zing of electricity down my spine. My breath was stunted, and my skin felt too hot and tight.

Skimming my hands up his arms, I pressed against his shoulders to push him back. He flopped onto his back and threw an arm over his eyes like a swooning Victorian duchess.

“You’re no fun,” he moaned. “You’d rather clean up chicken shit than hang out with your best friend.”

Chuckling, I threw the duvet back and slid my legs off the side of the bed, shoving my feet into my well-worn fluffy fox slippers. Sawyer had a matching wolf pair he wore on our “girls nights” when we ate cookie dough and watched nineties rom-coms.

“Stop being dramatic and get up. You’ll feel better after you eat.”

Smirking, I booped him on the nose.

His pained expression flashed with a feral glint, and I had a split second to leap up before he grabbed my hips and dragged me back down into the mess of blankets and pillows.

Lurching away from the bed, I bared my teeth at him in a victorious grin. “Too fast for you, Soy-boy!”

Sawyer responded by gathering my pillow to his chest and flipping over, showing me a back that looked like a sculpture, all honed lines and grooves.

Tearing my eyes away, I shuffled into the kitchen, tugging the hair tie out of my messy bun and letting it tumble around my shoulders. Using my fingers as a comb, I brushed the mass of cinnamon waves back into a low ponytail and stretched the rubber hair tie around it again.

The coffee machine whirred to life at the touch of a button. While it brewed, I grabbed a pan, cranked on the stovetop, and added a knob of butter. Cracking in five eggs, I sprinkled salt and pepper over the top and grabbed the bag of shredded cheese to add last.

Humming to myself, I added a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of real parmesan before topping it with a lid and turning the stove off to let the eggs finish cooking in the residual heat.

Warm arms wrapped around my waist, and Sawyer fit his chin against my collarbone. Relaxing into his hold, I tipped my head back. His nose rubbed the side of my neck as he adjusted our positions.

“You’re so mean, abandoning me when I just wanted to cuddle,” he whispered, his breath ghosting across my skin. “A man has needs, you know.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yup. Like snuggling and chocolate.” His chest rose and fell against my back in a soothing rhythm.

“Someone is secure in their masculinity,” I muttered, lifting the lid to peek at our eggs.

“Come on, I’ll even do your chores,” he said, playing his last card. “And you can pick the playlist.”

“You’re making it difficult to stick with my resolve and go to work, you asshole,” I grumbled, smiling wryly.

I felt, rather than saw, his silent laughter, his chest vibrating against my shoulder blades.

“I’m definitely not calling out today. Now, go be useful instead of being an oversized koala bear. ”

“Sorry, babe. I’ll try to be less adorable.” With a playful huff, he released me, making his way to the fridge and grabbing the milk, drinking straight from the carton. It didn’t bother me when it was just the two of us.

Setting the lid aside with a metallic clink, I slid three eggs onto his plate and two onto mine. As Sawyer cut an orange into slices, I buttered a double chocolate chip muffin for him and a blueberry one for me.

We both slid into chairs at our little kitchen table. The pure domesticity of the scene sent warm butterflies fluttering in my stomach. Everything was perfect.

In high school, Sawyer and I bonded over being orphans.

I was stuck in a group home while he was passed back and forth between an aunt and an uncle who didn’t want him.

For a year, he was gone, living with a grandmother, but then she passed away and left him her cabin in the woods, and since he was only fifteen, he was back with his aunt.

After graduation, we went in together on our first tiny apartment, a studio where we both slept on a sectional sofa while eating ramen noodles and supporting each other through our associates degrees at the community college.

Eventually, we’d upgraded to a nice two-bedroom apartment closer to downtown—not that either of us made a lot of money at our jobs, but housing wasn’t very expensive in our small town.

Now at twenty-five, I loved our life together. Who needed a boyfriend when they had a best friend like Sawyer?

“So, hiking this weekend?” he asked again. “It’ll be too cold if we wait much longer.”

“Maybe. If I’m not too tired. We could do brunch on Sunday and then go in the late morning once the sun is out.”

Sawyer took a huge bite of his muffin and closed his eyes, letting out a borderline-sexual moan as he enjoyed the chocolate.

“Do you want me to leave you to have a private moment with that muffin?” I teased. “I need to get my ass into work anyway.”

His glazed eyes sharpened to focus on me as his lips pursed into a pout, but he didn’t argue, his mouth still full of muffin. Taking the opportunity, I rose from my seat and slid my plate on the counter next to the sink. If I cooked, Sawyer did the dishes.

Fifteen minutes later, my teeth and hair were brushed, and I was dressed in my uniform of jeans and a neon orange Cluckingham Palace t-shirt.

This one had “We give a cluck” scrawled across the back.

Other work shirts in my closet included “Chick happens” (neon yellow), “You’ve goat to be kidding me” (neon pink), and “Crop it like it’s hot” (neon green).

The family that owned the farm supply shop certainly loved their puns.

Tossing my purse over my shoulder, I opened the front door, breathing in the crisp fall air. The scent of cinnamon and cloves twined on the wind, like someone was baking a pie.

“Hold on there, Pumpkin.” Sawyer appeared at my back, tugging on the loose fabric of my t-shirt playfully. “It’s gonna be freezing by the time you get off work.”

Warm, green flannel draped over my shoulders, and Sawyer’s cozy scent enveloped me, a mix of wool and amber with a sweet and nutty edge, like chocolate-hazelnut spread. Grabbing the collar, I pressed the fabric to my face, hiding my grin. I loved when he lent me his clothing.

“Thanks, Soy-boy.” Wrinkling my nose, I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Have a good day, Tum-tum.” Sawyer’s laugh burst out of him as he squeezed my upper arms and gave me a gentle shove out the door.

“Hey!” I squeaked, pivoting to smack his chest.

Sawyer caught my wrist and tugged me back. His other hand wrapped around my waist as an embarrassingly high-pitched giggle bubbled up in my chest.

Burying his nose into my neck, Sawyer sucked in a breath, sending sparks down my spine. Goosebumps broke out over my arms, and I twisted in his hold.

“That tickles!”

After a moment, Sawyer let me go. “You’d better go and be a responsible adult, or I’m going to drag you back inside and force you to snuggle with me and watch anime all day.”

“Tempting,” I said, pursing my lips and pressing my index finger to my cheek in my best anime girl impression.

Sawyer reached for me, and I leapt back, batting his hand away. “Come back, my waifu!”

Snorting, I stepped further out of reach. “I’ll see you tonight, Sawyer-san.”

His rich laughter followed me as I crossed the street and followed the sidewalk down toward Cluckingham Palace.