21. Arden
Arden
T he bar was already packed by the time I walked in. This wasn’t exactly my usual scene but finding your mate meant that you had to step out of your comfort zone.
Mate.
That was still so hard to comprehend even after days of her scent filling my memory, taunting and enticing, yet out of reach.
I spotted the two men I met at the lake across the room. Ford and Mason were still strangers and I wasn’t sure how I felt. That day at the lake I was ready to punch them for jumping into the lake with my omega, yet she was laughing when they stepped out of the water.
She was overwhelmed that day, the discomfort and stress making her scent sour around the edges, but I hoped tonight would be different. Ford mentioned that they were celebrating a success with their online following.
I knew how hard our own social media and PR teams worked so I knew she put in hours of work to achieve what they had. I’d even pulled them up on PackVlog to follow them and their views were incredible for such a new account.
Though, she had played it smart, showcasing her alpha brothers almost as much as the bar and the town.
“Welcome in. Drink special tonight is the Whitaker signature shot, or we have a selection of craft beers,” one of her brothers greeted me as I approached the bar, a grin on his face.
“Arden! You made it,” Avery’s voice cut through all the noise in the room and I zeroed in on her. She was gorgeous tonight. Her lipstick was a dark, sexy red that stood out among her dark hair and black outfit. Her face was flushed with either warmth from this room or excitement. As she moved closer, the brother side-eyed me, apparently putting together just who I was.
“Is this one of them?”
Avery poked him in the side, making him duck away. “Yes, this is Doctor Arden Clark, one of my alphas.”
Fuck, hearing her call me alpha was intoxicating. My chest puffed out in pride and I was ready to scream it from the rooftops.
She wasn’t hiding right now and I wasn’t sure if something changed, but I wouldn’t complain. If Rockwood Valley and the work she’d taken on were helping her come out of her shell and fight off the lingering effects of her exes, then I was glad.
My blood boiled all over again at the passing thought of her ex alphas. The Network had promised me that the legal team was taking over, and wanted the names of everyone involved. I gave them Avery’s lawyer’s information instead of hers, but I also gave them everything she’d given us about those awful men. From the details given and the anger in the legal team representative’s voice, I knew that they would be facing the consequences of their actions.
I personally hoped they rotted in jail for years to come. There would likely be a few alphas on the inside who would put them in their place. There were two things that would rile up alphas, and that was harming kids and harming omegas. They’d not just harmed her, they forced a mating.
That was one of the lowest of lows.
“Hey, you okay?” Avery’s hand landed on my wrist, her warmth searing right through my thoughts and bringing me back to the moment. I put on a soft smile.
“Sorry, yes, it was just a long day. I hear you have success to celebrate, though?”
She bit back a grin and nodded. “We’re packed more than ever tonight and we plan to go live soon behind the bar. Before opening we set everything up,” she said, gesturing to the corner where a small tripod was set up, aiming at the back so customers would be off screen, but her and the brothers would be visible. It was close enough they could comment and chat with the viewers.
She clearly had an eye for details.
“Speaking of, could I interview the Network here in Rockwood Valley? I’d love to have a little snapshot of the clinic here and the workers who new omegas would meet. It might make more omegas feel better about going in. I may even do a little chat about how it helped me settle here for a new beginning,” she explained, eyes shining with hope.
I knew I couldn’t deny this omega anything.
“We would love that. Let me know when and I’ll warn the girls,” I promised easily. “It’s our job to make omegas feel comfortable and protected.”
She beamed, her full focus on me. I soaked in every ounce of her attention while I had it. Soon, I’d be sharing it with the others.
“I’d like to take you out soon, Avery,” I said. “Would you like to go on a date?”
“I’d love that,” she said. Her brother cleared his throat. We’d all but forgotten him in the moment.
“I’ll make sure to pick you up at your house and face any sort of inquisition your family has in mind,” I said to him as much as her.
She let out a laugh and swatted at her brother. “They’ll be on their best behavior.”
“No, we won’t. Especially not Maverick,” Nash laughed. “I’m the nice one.”
“He really is,” she winced, glancing down the bar top where the other two were glaring daggers into my soul. Ouch. It might take a little work to win them over.
A hand on my shoulder was my only warning before Ford leaned in next to me.
“We’ve got a table back there. Join us when you’re done flirting, Doc,” he said, voice light though his eyes were tight, like he didn’t love that I was hogging her attention.
“I’ll be there soon,” I said evenly. “Can I get you two a round?”
“Nah, we just got them,” he said. “We’re not huge drinkers.”
“Cohen!” Avery’s excitement had us both turning. I recognized the beta from his shop in town, though it had been in passing. We’d never spoken or met officially.
It was my turn for a spark of jealousy as she moved around the bar and straight into his arms. He grinned down at her like the rest of the room faded with her in his arms.
That was something I understood all too well.
Ford moved around me to interrupt their moment, leaning in and whispering something to Cohen before giving her a grin. Her eyes widened in shock but I clocked the way her thighs pressed together.
Interesting.
It seemed their dynamic was a bit more unconventional. I should have expected nothing less from her. Everything about this new pack was sudden, but I had a feeling it would be strong.
“I’ll take the weakest cocktail you have,” I told Nash as he walked back toward me. He raised an eyebrow but nodded, moving around behind the bar before sliding it over.
“Here, first is on the house,” he offered. I tucked a tip into the jar anyway.
“Thank you,” I said before turning and rising from my stool. It was taken over before I took a few steps, the crowd seemed to be an ever growing thing.
“You better claim this seat before someone snatches it. I’ve had to fight off more than one table for these,” Mason said when I walked up to join him.
“Thanks for saving me a seat,” I said as I claimed one of the chairs and glanced back at the rest of our pack.
“Seems Ford found him another mate,” Mason said, amusement in his stoic voice. There was a fondness for his friend that spoke of years of knowing each other.
“You two been friends for long?” I asked, giving him my attention again.
He was still focused on his friend and our mate but he nodded. “Yeah, we lived close and stayed close through the years,” he admitted. “My family all but claimed him. He was the outgoing son my mother always wanted.”
Again, he was amused more than hurt like most would be with a sentiment like that.
“Are you guys close to your families?”
“His, no. Mine, yes. You close to yours?”
“I was raised by a single beta mom. She was a hard worker and had some family money that put me through medical school. When I graduated, she retired and moved to the beach. She calls every few weeks but is living her best single life,” I admitted with a small chuckle. Mom was a character, the life of any party she attended, and I was her opposite. She never quite knew what to do with me so I could understand Mason’s position.
I didn’t love Mom any less. In fact, I respected her immensely. She always worked hard for me, made sure I was provided for and learned respect.
“Avery is definitely close to hers. Those brothers might want to murder us all,” Mason noted. We both glanced at the triplets, who were making it their job to send us warning glares between serving their customers. It was like watching a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ moment in person. One second they were all flirtatious smiles and greeting customers, the next they were shooting daggers at us.
“I’m glad she has support,” I admitted. “I’ll take the glares to know she has them behind her.”
“They were glorious when they confronted our old boss,” Mason said. “Walked right in and made sure that asshole knew he was fucked over now. I guess the Whitaker name has standing in these parts.”
“Oh yeah,” I agreed. “They were behind a ton of town history and it still carries weight.”
I’d grown up a few towns over and we still heard about the Whitaker alphas and their business ventures. A bit of an underdog story that was reminisced about. After they passed, a lot of people were affected.
“Well, it’s strange, but nice, to have you guys all here,” Avery said, her voice shy now as she, Ford, and Cohen approached.
“We’ve got to get to know each other somehow. The strangeness will pass,” Ford reassured her, giving her hand a squeeze before sliding into his seat. Cohen took the one next to him and Avery leaned into him instinctually. Having a beta in the mix was perfect, she likely didn’t even seem to realize how much she was touching him and relaxing.
I was just happy she was getting more comfortable. Her personality shined through more when she was settled.
“Dance with me?” I asked her. The music had just switched over to a slower song.
Her eyes lit up like I’d just offered her the gift of a lifetime.
“Wait, really?” She gasped. I nodded and stood, holding out a hand.
Avery let out an excited little squeal before letting me drag her out to the middle of the crowd. We weren’t the only ones out here, alphas, omegas, and betas alike were dancing and filling the space, the heat and electricity of the crowd hitting me as I led her to an empty spot.
I didn’t hesitate to pull her close, one hand on her hip, the other still holding her hand. This close, all I could smell was her sweet scent that had gone even richer at our proximity.
We didn’t speak as I led her through the slow dance, her following me beautifully, each move so fluid it felt like we’d done this for years.
Our eyes were locked, bodies spinning around the dance floor as if we had done this a million times before.
When the song switched, so did we, my pace picking up as we kept up with the beat. I spun her out and she swung back my way again, right into my arms. This time I held her close and let my fingers trail higher on her side.
She shivered under the touch and I swear my cock had never been this hard. Her scent bloomed higher as her breath caught. I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers.
She melted against me, hands braced on my chest as her lips parted for me.
My tongue teased against hers as I deepened the kiss, drinking in every sigh she let out, and wishing I could take her home right now and taste all of her.
We were all supposed to be getting to know each other as a pack, but I was happy to stay right here in this moment for as long as I could.