Chapter 3 #2
Of course that’s when we come up on the lodge with a cabin now in sight. We must’ve passed the posted signs demarking the separation between the pack and lodge land. Guess it really is that easy to miss. Maybe it’s something I should bring up to Micah?
She must’ve thought the same as she looked behind us as if looking for the signs. “I guess I’ll leave you here. It was nice to meet you Thea.” I smile, before calling out for Duke who I have not been paying attention to like I should.
Laughing, she leans down and pets his head. “It was nice meeting you Duke, but try not to knock anyone else over.” Duke then licks her hand, which I can’t help but roll my eyes at this dog sucking up to her. “Thank you for your help and sorry again for the trouble.”
She goes to leave but I’m not letting her end it on that note.
“Thea.” She looks up at me, her hazel eyes looking conflicted.
I wish I knew what she was thinking. “There was no trouble at all, I mean that,” I say with all the sincerity I can, hoping she feels it.
I think she does since she nods her head slightly before turning and walking down the path towards the cabins.
I didn’t really look at her body before, once her eyes mesmerized me, but I am now and she truly is a Goddess with all those curves.
I have to see her again, if only to see why her scent affected me so much.
And that was only a faint hint of it. Gods, what would it be like scenting it all.
I groan and look down at Duke who’s already looking up at me, his head tilted in that questioning way that dogs always do.
“You have no room to talk, I’m telling Micah what you did today. Now let’s go home.” I am not made to be strict with anyone. Even Duke knows that but he also knows Micah is the boss and won’t be happy. Actually, I’m going to text him now before I forget, which is more likely to happen.
Parker
Your dog ran over a woman in the woods today on our walk
Micah
First he’s your dog too and is she okay? What happened?
Parker
She’s fine just walked her back to the lodge, she mistakenly walked onto our land thinking it was part of the lodge. Duke ran into her from behind and knocked her over.
Micah
You made it sound worse than it was. It’s not his fault. She shouldn’t have been there. I told Ben we need better signs.
I don’t bother replying, I should’ve figured he wouldn’t care.
The grumpy bastard. Duke and I thankfully make quick time back to the house.
Physically I was tired from the extra long walk but mentally I feel wired.
Walking up to the house, I see Keelan’s truck pulled to the side entrance that goes into his workshop.
The bed of the truck is filled with various pieces of wood, likely for his next project.
Just as I round the truck, he comes out for the next load.
He may be my twin, but we are fraternal and only have a few similarities in our appearance.
We’re both tall but Keelan is on another level.
We’re both bulky but I’m soft where he’s hard, likely from his work.
Our blond hair is even different. Mine is a sandy blond whereas his is darker.
Where my eyes are green, his are brown, but similarly shaped to mine.
He nods his head at me with a grunt of acknowledgement.
That’s Keelan, he’s not much for words. It was a running joke growing up that I talked enough for the two of us.
It’s somewhat true but he talks plenty to me and our pack.
“What’s all this for?” I ask as he braces to get the next piece of wood out of the truck.
“Winter project at the lodge. You gonna help or just watch me struggle,” he says curtly.
“Nah, you got it.” I lean against the truck with a smirk. He glares at me. I roll my eyes. “You never can take a joke.”
He just huffs as I help him with the last few pieces. “So what’s the project?”
“I’m redoing the decking, banisters, rails and whatever else I want on the outside of one of the Andromeda cabins.”
“Any theme?” My brother may be the strong silent type but he truly is an artist. All the woodwork inside the main lodge was him, especially the library, which he poured his heart into. I guess his muse has struck again.
“Forestry and woodland creatures.”
“That’ll look great! Can’t wait to see it,” I tell him sincerely.
He’s not one for compliments but I make sure to always say how awesome his work is.
He knows he’s talented, building up his name online.
He’s at a point that he takes commissions that interest him and is never in need of work.
I wonder if he’ll know anything about why Thea’s scent made me feel something.
I don’t think it was just being scent compatible it felt like more.
Though not that I’ve ever experienced being scent compatible with someone.
I’m not in the mood to reopen that can of worms.
“Keelan, can I ask you something?” I say as we shuffle in with the last piece of wood.
He looks at me strangely. “What’s wrong? You never ask permission if you can ask something you just do.”
Welp that’s true, but I feel so off since meeting her. “Has a scent ever made you feel something? Like an overwhelming emotion or I guess gut feeling?”
“No.” He draws out the word. “Why?” he asks skeptically.
“I met someone on my walk. She was just hired at the lodge, long story short we bumped into each other and I walked her back to the lodge. Her scent, I only caught it faintly but…”
He’s staring at me now, not worrying about the wood we’re moving. “But, what, Parker?” He nearly growls out, but not aggressively.
“But, it felt like I was hit with something when I caught her scent. Struck dumb it felt like. There was this feeling that overcame me…” It feels personal to share this for some reason but if there’s one person I can tell it’s Keelan. “It felt like safety. Like I was safe with her.”
His hard look doesn’t totally go away but it’s softer now.
I want to roll my eyes at him. Ever the protective brother, but a total softy deep down.
Last year’s debacle still left its wounds in each of us; though I thought most of the pack were scarred over and healed by now.
No more scabs that can be picked at and reopened.
Gods know we’ve been in enough therapy for it.
“I don’t know why you felt that way just from her scent. That’s not something that happens with scent compatible mates. I had a long talk with Liam about all of that last year.”
Now it’s me giving him that soft look. I curse that woman for what she did to our pack last year, but some cracks must’ve been there for her to exploit it the way she did. Keelan, seeing the look I’m giving him, now starts moving again to lay the last piece down with the others in his workshop.
I know I don’t need to say it to him but I do anyways. “Don’t mention this to the rest of the guys. It’s probably nothing anyways.” I need to downplay it, that’s best for now. He looks at me and nods his head. We may be fraternal twins but we still have our own way of communicating.