Chapter 5
Violet
Would this count as kidnapping? I mean, I kind of went willingly, but I was also in shock. I’m still in shock.
An hour ago, I was trapped in my cabin, wondering how the fuck I was going to get myself out of there once the snow stopped. And then, here come three mountain men to the rescue, like my own knights in shining armor.
I have to be dreaming, right? I’m still in my little homemade nest, cuddled up in a bunch of pillows and blankets, dreaming.
But as I sit on this couch with the three of them staring at me like if they blink, I might disappear, I’m starting to think this might be real.
“Soooo...” I can’t help the blush that creeps up my neck and onto my cheeks. I’m not sure what to say or how to do this. It’s all so sudden and a little wild. But damn, if anyone was to come and save me, I’m glad it’s them. Two hot-as-sin Alphas and a sexy-as-hell Beta, too.
Either the universe is playing some cruel joke on me, or it’s giving me everything I’ve wanted for most of my life. I guess I’m about to find out.
Nolan, the handsome man from the store, gives me a smirk. “I know this is crazy and very fast, but I’m sure you know how things work with Alphas and Omegas by now?” I give him a slow nod. “I’m gonna be honest because I think these two are a little caught up in everything to speak more than a few words at the moment.”
My eyes flick over to the Alphas on either side of Nolan. Thomas looks like he’s trying to keep his hands to himself; his knee bounces a little, and every once in a while, he runs his hands through his red locks. He’s so fucking hot, and it’s hard to keep my eyes on just him because then there’s Aiden. My eyes flick over to the man himself. His stare is a little more intense like he’s watching, waiting for the right moment to pounce and catch his prey. His wavy blond hair falls forward, curtaining his face as he leans forward, just barely holding himself back.
“So, I’m gonna be the voice of reason if that’s alright with you?”
Nolan’s voice has my eyes darting back up to his brown ones. “Sure,” I answer, not really having anything else to say.
“I know this is a lot to take in right now. And I apologize for how my Alphas kind of just took you from your cabin back there. You have no idea how long we’ve been waiting for our Omega. Waiting for you .” His eyes soften, and my heart pounds wildly in my chest at the thought of being their Omega. “It’s something we’ve dreamed of since I joined their pack fifteen years ago. They’re just excited. But I know they’re sorry for how they brought you here, isn’t that right?” Nolan looks to Thomas then Aiden.
“No,” Thomas grunts.
“Mine,” Aiden growls.
I bite my lower lip, trying to hide my smile as Nolan rolls his eyes, but when he sees my reaction, he gives me a secret grin just for me. My belly erupts with a thousand butterflies. I shift in my seat, trying to keep my legs closed, but there’s no use. A burst of apple pie hits the air, and both Alphas let out a deep, rumbling growl as they start to rise from their chair, making a whimper slip free.
Nolan jumps to his feet and puts himself between his alphas and me. “No,” he says firmly. “Do not scare our Omega away.”
Fuck, I perfume harder, loving the idea of being theirs. My Omega side is slowly starting to surface more and more as the seconds go on. I want to crawl into one of their laps and ask them to touch me, kiss me, cuddle me, and most of all, fuck me.
But I don’t. I don’t know these men. And I know in our world, things normally happen fast and hard, but usually, this starts when an Omega is twenty-one. I’ve lived the past seven years hardly being affected by any Alpha I met. That’s the only thing giving me the self-control not to jump their bones and beg for their knots right now.
“If you can’t behave, leave the room,” Nolan chastises them, and they both grumble like scolded children but sit back down.
“You’re lucky we love you, or your ass would be so fucking red right now,” Aiden growls at his Beta.
“Babe, don’t threaten me with a good time. Now, hush and be good Alphas.”
Thomas growls, too, grabbing Nolan by the waist and pulling him into his lap. Thomas rubs his nose up Nolan’s neck, closing his eyes and breathing him in. It seems to settle him.
Tears fill my eyes, and I don’t know why, but I’m hit with a sudden burst of sadness. Seeing Nolan with his Alphas doesn’t make me jealous, but I do envy him. I’ve never had that. Had someone look at me with so much love that if I left them for more than a moment, they would lose their mind.
“Hey.” Aiden’s deep, rumbling voice makes my blurry gaze move over to him. He stands up and Nolan goes to say something, to get up to stop him, but Thomas holds him back as Aiden takes a seat next to me on the couch. He doesn’t ask, sensing just what I need as he grabs me by the waist and pulls me into his lap. He wraps his strong arms around me.
The fact that he’s a stranger slips away as the smell of campfire cocoons me. My Omega brain is screaming that he’s mine and that I’m safe.
I sigh, closing my eyes and settling into his touch. A moment later, there’s a rumbling in his chest that surprises me. He’s purring. I’ve never heard an Alpha purr before.
Looking up at him with wonder-filled eyes, Aiden smiles down at me softly, one arm bringing me closer while the other one starts to explore my face. He slowly brushes his fingers down my cheeks and then over my lips like he’s trying to memorize my features.
With the purring and the way he’s touching me, my eyes start to flutter closed. I hear them talking, but I’m too caught up in this feeling. This overwhelming sense of completion. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.
I awake in the middle of the night in a bed that smells all wrong. Sitting up, I rub my eyes and look around, only I’m met with darkness. Sleepily, I roll out of bed in search of a bathroom. When I find the door and open it, I step out into the hall, and all of their scents hit me at once.
I’m at a cabin. A cabin owned by my Alphas and their Beta. Three strangers.
I look down the hall toward the front door. I could run. They’re all asleep. I could leave and go back to my cabin, and once the snow stops and the paths have been cleared, I could vanish.
But the idea of leaving fills me with sadness. Should it matter that I don’t know these men? They’re my scent match. I need to stay and get to know them. I owe them and myself that much. If they turn out to be bad guys, then I’ll leave.
For now, I’m staying—not that I really have much of a choice. Who knows when the plows will be able to get up here to clear the roads.
Deciding not to run, I head into the bathroom down the hall to pee.
When I’m done, I wash my hands and dry them. I take a moment to look around the room and smile as I think of ways to add my own little touches. Could I really see myself staying here and making this place my new home?
They have their own lives here; I could never ask them to come back to Calling Wood with me.
It’s not like I’d have a lot to leave behind. I mean, I love my job, and I’d miss it, but I live in staff housing. I could stay here, start a new life with a pack. With my pack.
I smile to myself, joy and excitement filling me at the possibility that I’ve just found everything I’ve been dreaming of for years.
The universe works in mysterious ways, that’s for sure.
“Hey,” a groggy voice makes me jump, startling me as I step outside the bathroom. “Sorry to scare you,” Nolan chuckles.
“Hey.” I give him a shy smile. I like Nolan. He’s a Beta, but he’s pack. He’s handsome, sweet, and so kind. If I join them, I’d want him too.
“How are you doing? Ready to run?” he asks, giving me a grin.
“Not yet.” I laugh.
He steps closer to me, and a wave of cinnamon bun hits me. I swallow down the moan that threatens to slip. “Good, because we would be devastated if you did.” He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering to touch me more. I shiver as my perfume fills the air.
Nolan doesn’t make a sound, but I see the way his nostrils flare and his jaw clenches. Betas aren’t as affected by Omegas’ pheromones as Alphas are, but sometimes it can attract them. And from the look on Nolan’s face, he likes how I smell.
“I don’t want to run. But I’m still in shock, you know? It’s all a little overwhelming. I know that this is how things tend to happen. One day, you’re just outside living your best life, and then the breeze catches a scent that changes your life for good.”
“It is a lot.” He nods. “It’s a big change for all of us. I’m sorry if the guys are intense, but like I’ve mentioned before, we’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” His soft smiles make my belly flutter every time.
“So have I,” I whisper, a blush taking over my cheeks. I look away. “I’m twenty-eight, and I’ve never had a heat before.”
“You haven’t?” He says it as if he understands but is also eager about the new development.
I look back at him and shake my head. “I’ve been through a lot in my life, and my doctors think I’ve been suppressing my heats because of the trauma.” I shrug. “I’ve gotten used to the idea that it may never happen. I’ve tried to find a pack, you know? But in the end, none of them were people I could see spending the rest of my life with. So, I put all of my time into work, and the years kind of just... went by.”
“We’ve been the same way. We’ve been on a few dates with some local Omegas, but none of them were the right fit. They never made it past the first date.” He chuckles. “We had a few Beta girlfriends, but again, not anyone we could see spending the rest of our lives or building a family with.”
“I’ve been on dates, but nothing more,” I admit, biting my lower lip. “I’ve never been with an Alpha before. I’ve, ahh... never really been with anyone before.”
His eyes widen. “As in... ever?” I nod, my cheeks blazing. “You’re a–”
“A twenty-eight-year-old Omega virgin who’s never had a heat, yes. I’m such a freak show I should be put in some kind of a book about anomalies,” I finish for him in a disgusted tone.
“Hey.” He cups my face, causing me to suck in a breath, my belly-warming. “Stop that. You’re not a freak. You’re Violet, our Omega. Someone we can’t wait to get to know, to spoil, to treat like the queen you are.”
I whimper as I find myself leaning toward him. “I want that.” My eyes fill with tears.
He wraps his arms around me, and I feel safe. “You’re going to get that, Sweets. And anything else your little Omega heart desires. We’ve got you now; we’ll take care of you. Just give us a chance, okay? I know my Alphas will love you so hard. They’re a little much, but they mean well.”
I don’t know much about Thomas and Aiden, but I do like how they respond to me. My Omega side is preening at the primalness that overtakes them when it comes to me, and I want more.
“Come on. Let’s get you back to bed. We can talk more in the morning.”
“Okay.”
Nolan tucks me in and kisses my forehead, whispering a goodnight before leaving the room. I want to call him back, ask him to sleep with me instead of lying here alone.
I’ve been alone for so long, and now I have my Alphas in the next room. I hate this. I know if I go into their room and crawl into bed, they wouldn’t mind. But there’s a part of me—the logical part—that tells me they are still strangers, and I need to give it time.
I really need to find out how to shut that part of my brain off because it’s totally killing my vibe.