10. Sterling #2
And JP, all dark, rugged, sharp energy—like he was carved from something fierce and unyielding.
Everything about him screams ‘I’m going to eat you for dinner but you’ll like it.
’ Tattoos crawl up his forearms, muscles strain under his shirt, and those eyes, intense and unreadable are almost too intense.
But then there’s the other one—Quinn. Tall with warm, tanned skin that looks impossibly soft and inviting, the kind of smoothness that practically begs to be touched.
He’s got that scruffy, day-old stubble that somehow looks intentional and perfect, paired with hair so dark it gleams under the light.
And his eyes—blue and sharp, identical to Blake’s.
Clearly, he’s Blake’s biological dad.
He’s tall and muscular but lean, all grace and easy confidence without being lanky. And the warm smile he’s giving me? Yeah, that could sink ships. That could make a girl forget how to breathe.
I remember to inhale—finally—but I’m hit with a thick cloud of their scent the moment I do. It crashes over me, warm and consuming, wrapping around me like a second skin. It smells so good.
In fact, it’s so unfairly good that I can feel a moan just waiting to slip out, caught at the back of my throat.
I swallow, trying to regain my composure but butterflies take flight inside me.
They are Blake’s pack, Blake’s family. I’ll see them every single day for the foreseeable future.
I…I am so fucked. The thought loops through my mind as I force my legs to carry me over to all three of them standing near the back of the classroom.
Desperately trying to appear calm, cool, collected, and not at all the awkward, insecure, fumbling Omega I feel like.
Blake is excitedly showing them his cubby, his little hands gesturing wildly as he points out his new supplies.
“You must be Blake’s dads,” I say, my voice miraculously steady, professional even. It’s a small victory considering my nerves are doing a freaking tap dance under my skin.
Quinn steps forward first, his smile warm and disarmingly charming close up. “That would be us. I’m Quinn, and you’ve already met these two interlopers,” he says, gesturing to the Alphas standing behind him with a lazy wave of his hand. “Cass and JP. They’re mostly harmless.”
Cass rolls his eyes but nods a greeting at me with a soft ‘hey,’ and I notice a twitch of amusement at the corner of his mouth.
JP just stands there, arms crossed over his chest, all dark-eyed intensity like he’s trying to dissect me with a single look.
It’s not dismissive but it’s also not welcoming either.
I swallow, my fingers tightening around the edge of my planner. “Miss Hart. Well, Sterling Hart for the grown-ups. Just Sterling, really.”
“Sterling.” Quinn repeats my name; he’s savoring it, memorizing the sound of it. His blue eyes gleam with something I can’t quite place, but it’s warm. Inviting. “Blake hasn’t stopped talking about you.”
“Oh?” My cheeks heat up, and I curse my fair skin for giving me away. “Hopefully all good things.”
“I’d say so, considering he said he wanted to marry you.
” Cass chuckles, the sound rough and low, almost a grunt, but there’s a glimmer of something like approval in his eyes.
It’s subtle, barely there, but it makes my pulse flutter all the same.
JP’s gaze, however, flickers over me before dropping to the floor, his expression unreadable and still silent.
“Did you have a good first day, Blake?” I ask, choosing to derail any train that heads toward marriage.
“Yep!” Blake chirps, turning to Quinn with wide, eager eyes. “Miss Hart is really nice, Dad!”
Quinn tilts his head, gaze flicking back to me with an intensity that makes my stomach do a ridiculous little flip. “So I’ve heard.”
Heat curls low in my gut, and I shove it down, clearing my throat. “Blake did great today. He’s sharp. Really great with the other kids, too. A natural leader for sure.”
“Damn right, he is.” JP’s voice rumbles from behind them, low and unreadable, but there’s no mistaking the pride lacing those few words.
Quinn chuckles. “Blake takes after me.”
“He does,” Cass agrees, clapping a heavy hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “But not in that way. You both cry at Disney movies.”
The laugh bursts out of me before I can stop it, a startled, genuine sound that feels too loud in the quiet classroom. I clap a hand over my mouth, eyes wide. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be!” Quinn grins, completely unfazed. “It’s true. I’m not ashamed. Men cry, Cass.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Cass grumbles, but there’s amusement in his eyes, one corner of his mouth sneaking up.
“Well, it was nice meeting you. Or…meeting you again, that is,” I say, my voice a little too bright, a little too eager to fill the silence.
I should leave them to explore the classroom, redirect them, walk away before I embarrass myself any further, which feels like the only inevitable conclusion to whatever the hell is happening right now.
But I don’t move.
And neither do they.
We just stand there, caught in this awkward, thick silence that has a pulse of its own. My fingers fidget with my planner like it might save me from the sudden, overwhelming tension. I try—really, really try—not to let my gaze drift over them.
Not to wonder what they all look like without their shirts on, how they’d feel pressed against me, their skin on mine.
My cheeks burn, and my breathing hitches, and I know my pheromones are going haywire.
I can’t help the way my body perfumes. My scent spilling into the air.
And from the way Cass’s jaw clenches, JP’s eyes narrow and pupils dilate, and Quinn’s smile slips into something a little sharper, a little hungrier, I know they can scent it, too.
Shit.
What is wrong with me?
My face heats, the warmth crawling down my neck, spreading over my chest, making my skin feel too tight, too hot. My heart is hammering so hard I swear they can hear it.
I open my mouth, ready to say—something, anything, some flustered, clumsy excuse to leave before my Omega instincts embarrass me even more?—
“Well, I…” I start, my voice cracking on the words,I wish the floor would swallow me whole.
Quinn swoops Blake into his arms with a grace that seems effortless. “Okay, bud, let’s give your teacher a break. Say goodbye, kiddo.”
“Yeah,” I laugh, the sound brittle and all wrong, nerves frayed and exposed. “Lots of parents are still picking up…”
“See you tomorrow, Miss Hart,” Quinn says, his voice smooth and rich, like he’s got all the time in the world. Like he knows exactly what’s happening and is thoroughly entertained by it.
“Yeah,” I breathe out, way too softly.
Blake waves from his father’s arms, his smile bright and unbothered. “Bye, Miss Hart!”
I watch them all walk away, my pulse thrumming like I’ve just sprinted a mile.
At the door, Cass hesitates. Just for a second. His sharp gaze flicks back to me, his eyes unreadable. His shoulders tense.
And then he’s gone.
What just happened? What the hell was that?
My scent is still thick in the air, cloying and sweet, my skin buzzing from their attention. And even though they’re gone, I can still feel their presence, a ghost lingering just out of sight.
No. Nope. This can’t happen. I refuse to get tangled up in something that’s bound to make my life ten times more complicated than it already is. I’ve only just started building something here, something good.
And yet, despite everything, my body is still humming. Cass’s stare is branded into my mind, Quinn’s easy charm wrapping around me like silk, JP’s silent, brooding intensity like a storm waiting to break.
I press a hand to my chest, trying to calm the frantic beat of my heart.
Yeah. Let’s focus on not messy . I need to call my doctor.
Maybe some extra suppressants will help me navigate Pack Redgrave without my Omega instincts turning me into a complete disaster.I know I should probably call my doctor sooner rather than later.
Because whatever’s happening to me? It feels big.
Suppressants or not, it’s not something I can just ignore.
I finish up the rest of what I need to do, gathering all of my paperwork and notes from the day, shoving them into my bag with a little more force than necessary. Exhaustion creeps in, thick and heavy, dragging at my limbs and clouding my thoughts.
I’m ready for this day to be over.