Chapter 4
KANE
The reindeer are staging a rebellion this morning.
I’m standing in the back pasture with a bucket of grain, watching our herd decide collectively that breakfast can wait while they fuck around in the fresh snow.
Bishop, one of our older males who lost his antlers three weeks ago, is headbutting Knight over absolutely nothing.
Rook is off by himself near the tree line, staring into the woods like he’s contemplating an escape plan.
Queen is digging through snow, looking for whatever vegetation she thinks is hiding underneath, antlers still firmly attached because she’s female and gets to keep hers until spring.
“Come on, assholes,” I call out. “It’s eight in the morning. I’m freezing. You’re getting fed whether you cooperate or not.”
Bishop ignores me completely, continuing his headbutting campaign. The rest of the reindeer don’t seem to be obeying me either.
“They’re not going to listen to you,” Noel says from behind me. He’s hauling another bucket of grain, long hair tied back, breath misting in the cold air. “They never listen to you.”
“They do when I have food.”
“That’s a basic survival instinct.”
I dump grain into the first feeder, and immediately Pawn trots over. She’s the youngest female at three and a half years old. She’s got her antlers too, and she hasn’t learned to be an asshole yet. My favorite, if I’m being honest, though I’d never admit it to the others.
She nudges my arm with her nose, warm breath against my jacket.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” I scratch behind her ears, and she leans into it. “You’re starving. Totally neglected. Haven’t eaten in twelve whole hours.”
Pawn makes a soft noise, content, and starts eating.
The rest of the herd finally decides food is more important than whatever drama they were manufacturing. Even Castle, our most standoffish female, deigns to approach the second feeder Noel is filling.
We’ve got eight total. Four males, four females. Inherited from Noel’s grandmother when she passed three years ago, and we were going to rehome them until we realized they’d kind of grown on us. Now they’re permanent residents, eating our money and taking up five acres of prime pasture land.
Worth it, though. They’re good company. Better than most people.
The land stretches out behind our property, fenced with serious hardware.
Ten feet high, reinforced posts, electric wire running along the top.
It’s not just for keeping the reindeer in.
When you spend your days hunting down bail jumpers and dragging them back to face charges, you make enemies.
The fence keeps those enemies out should they track us down.
Beyond the pasture, thick woods climb into mountains, snow-covered and pristine. Beautiful country, even if it’s cold enough to freeze your balls off six months out of the year.
The house sits about a hundred yards in front of it.
Three stories of stone and timber, screaming old money and ranch life.
Noel’s grandfather built it back when he was running cattle and making serious profit.
Now it’s ours, and we’ve added our own touches.
Security cameras on every corner. Reinforced doors.
Chris emerges from the house and strolls over to join us.
Must have just woken up, seeing as he told us jack shit last night and went right to his room once he got home.
Now, he leans against the fence, coffee mug in hand, and he’s got that look on his face.
The one that means something happened and he’s deciding how to tell us.
“So.” I finish pouring grain, watching Pawn eat with single-minded focus. “You going to tell us what’s got you grinning like that, or are we playing twenty questions?”
Chris takes a long sip of coffee, deliberate. “Santa gig went sideways but in the best fucking way.”
“Go on.” Noel has moved to the water troughs, checking ice. “Did you scare children? Tell me you terrified at least one.”
Chris’s grin widens. “Event was boring as fuck for the first hour or so. Did the ho-ho-ho bullshit, smiled for photos. Standard mall-Santa crap.”
“Sounds thrilling.”
“It wasn’t. Until the hottest woman I’ve ever seen dragged me under the mistletoe and kissed me like she wanted me to strip her down and lick every inch of her body right there in front of eighty people.”
I pause mid-pour.
Noel straightens, turns around slowly.
Chris just grins wider, waiting.
“Lucky bastard,” I finally say, because honestly, good for him. “How hot are we talking?”
“Dark hair down to here.” Chris gestures to his lower back. “Curves that have me hard as a fucking rock. Waist small and fit my hands so well when I grabbed her. Softest breasts against me. Her mouth…” He stops, runs a hand through his hair. “Fuck, her mouth should come with a warning label.”
“And she just kissed you?” Noel is skeptical. “Out of nowhere?”
“She was trying to avoid some drunk asshole who was her business partner and wouldn’t leave her alone. Saw the mistletoe, saw me, made a decision.” Chris’s expression shifts, goes heated. “No hesitation.”
Chris sets his mug on the fence post. “I swear to God I almost dragged her out of that party right then.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I’m not a fucking animal. There were kids around.” He pauses. “Barely restrained myself, though.”
Noel is watching Chris with that assessing look he gets when he’s reading someone. “Who was she?”
“The event planner, Hannah Parker. Lily’s sister.” Chris says her name like it matters, and I file that away for later. “She planned that entire event herself. Every detail perfect, ran it like a general commanding troops. Smart, competent, takes zero shit from anyone.”
“Sounds like your type,” I observe, dumping the last of the grain.
“Fuck yeah, she is. The type I didn’t know existed until last night.”
I exchange glances with Noel. Chris doesn’t talk like this. Chris is the steady one, the grounded one, the guy who hooks up and moves on without getting attached. This is new territory.
“And after the kiss?” I ask.
“That drunk jackass, her business partner, lost his shit. Made a scene, yelled at her in front of everyone, stormed off threatening to destroy her career.” Chris’s voice goes hard. “She was shaking after he left. I got her away from the crowd, talked her down from a panic attack.”
“White-knight routine,” Noel says. “Classic.”
“Fuck off. She needed help.”
“I’m not criticizing.”
Chris ignores him. “Point is, I got close. Real close. Had my hands on her, my mouth on hers, breathed her in while we were kissing, and…” He stops, and something in his expression shifts. Goes serious. “I think she’s my scent match.”
The words hang in the cold morning air. I wait for the punch line.
It doesn’t come.
“You’re serious,” I finally say.
“Fuck yeah.”
Noel’s jaw tightens. “Chris. Two months ago, you were convinced that Omega in Seattle was your scent match. Spent three weeks tracking her down, making plans, then realized she just wore the same perfume as someone you hooked up with in college.”
“That was a mistake.”
“A big one.”
“This isn’t like that.” Chris’s voice turns firm. “I know what I felt. Her scent was like lightning. Made every instinct I have scream that she’s mine. I’ve been hard since it happened, can’t stop thinking about her, can’t focus on anything else.”
I study him. He’s not joking. Not exaggerating, as he really believes this.
“You seeing her again?” I ask, trying not to sound like I’m prying.
Chris’s mouth curves like he’s been waiting for the question. “Day after tomorrow. Her bastard business partner, Scot, stole her animal vendors for some holiday petting zoo. She’s desperate, career is on the line.”
I pause. “Is that so?” The words come out deceptively flat, but inside, something coils tight.
Chris is soft under all that muscle and bad attitude.
Always has been. A pretty Omega with trouble in her eyes…
yeah, that’s exactly the sort of trap he’d walk into smiling.
He thinks with his loyalty first and his brain later.
I’ve seen him get burned for it, and damn if I won’t break someone’s kneecaps if he gets hurts.
“Our reindeer,” he repeats like it’s already a signed contract. “We’ll bring them to her event. Plus whatever extras we can scrounge up.”
Noel leans on the pasture fence, arms folded. “You offered livestock to a woman you just met?”
“Yep.”
“Well,” Noel says slowly, rolling his shoulders, “if she can handle them, she can borrow them.” He shrugs. “They like people. Mostly. If someone loses a glove, not my problem.”
“That’s the spirit,” Chris says. “We’ll do great.”
Noel gives him a look. “Wait, you volunteered us?”
Chris’s grin is pure sin. “Kinda figured that’s where you two come in.”
I snort. “Oh, absolutely. Because we didn’t just survive a two-hour car ride with eight antlered assholes in the trailer last month. Let’s do it again but with screaming toddlers.”
“Think of the joy,” Chris says. “If anyone dies, Noel can write the eulogy. He’s poetic when he’s depressed.”
“Fuck you,” Noel says mildly.
I laugh under my breath. This is the problem with us. We’ll do just about anything if someone asks nicely. Or if Chris asks at all.
“And,” Chris adds, pointing at us, “you both owe me.”
“For what?” I ask.
He levels me with a look. “You made me wear that goddamn Santa suit. In public. With children. One of them bit me.”
“Natural consequences,” Noel offers with a chuckle.
Chris spreads his arms. “Now it’s your turn. Help me haul reindeer to a party and make sure Hannah doesn’t get steamrolled by her dickhead partner. Easy.”
“Famous last words,” I mutter.
Noel scrubs a hand through his long hair. “If this is a scam, Kane’s going to murder you. And then me.”
“Relax,” Chris states. “She’s not like that.”
I narrow my eyes. There it is. That quiet, certain note in his voice that tells me he’s already attached. Fuck. He meets my stare head-on, steady, stubborn.
“She’s… good,” he says simply. “Bad day. Wrong people. Could use a win.”
It hits something old in me, that feeling of wanting to be the guy who shows up when no one else does. I sigh. “Fine. I’m in.”
Chris brightens like a damn sunrise.
Noel groans. “You’re both idiots.”
“Then you’re volunteering too,” I say.
He flips me off but doesn’t argue.
Because we’re the type of fools who crawl into the dark for strangers.
Chris claps his hands together. “Great! I’ll text some friends about borrowing their animals.”
I point a finger at him. “But if one of those reindeer takes a dump in my truck again, you’re cleaning it with your toothbrush.”
Chris just grins. “Worth it.”
Noel sighs. “This is going to be fun.”
“Probably,” I agree, feeling a reluctant spark of interest for this mysterious Omega. But beneath all the teasing, my thoughts settle into something sharper, protective.
If she’s trouble and hurts him, I’ll end it.
But if she’s worthy? God help her. Because when Chris chooses someone, he never lets go. And neither do I.
We finish up with the reindeer, making sure everyone is fed and watered. Bishop is back to headbutting Knight, but it’s half-hearted now, more habit than actual aggression. Rook has found a spot in the sun and parked himself there. Castle is already heading toward the barn, done with outdoor time.
“All right, everyone inside.” I secure the gate, double-check the lock.
The barn is open if they want to go inside.
It’s heated, insulated, plenty of space for all eight plus equipment.
We rebuilt it two years ago specifically for them, made sure it was solid enough to handle mountain winters.
“We’ve got that skip trace job tomorrow morning. ”
We head back toward the house. “The bail jumper from last week who thought moving away from Idaho and to the mountains would solve his problems.”
“Right.” Chris cracks his knuckles. “We leave at five, should have him in custody by noon if the intel is good.”
We reach the house, stomping snow off our boots on the back porch. The security panel blinks green, no alerts, no attempts to breach the perimeter overnight. Inside, it’s warm, smells like the coffee Noel made at dawn.
“Adelaide is coming home for Christmas, right?” I ask Chris as we head into the kitchen.
“I think so, as she hasn’t gotten back to me to confirm.” He grabs a fresh mug, pours coffee.
“Hope she can make it. It’s been a while since she’s visited.”
“Me too.” There’s affection in his voice. “She’ll probably show up with some stray animal she rescued or a new business idea that requires funding.”
“Or a new boyfriend,” Noel suggests.
“Fuck, I hope not. The last one was an ass.”
I snort. Then we settle around the kitchen table, and Chris starts making calls while Noel pulls up maps on his laptop. I grab my own laptop, start researching petting zoo regulations and insurance requirements, because someone has to think about the boring practical shit.
We’ve been doing this for years, the three of us, working together, backing each other up.
Started as kids, as we went to the same school and found each other there.
Turned into a pack that works like a well-oiled machine.
Bounty hunting pays the bills, gives us purpose, lets us do some actual good in the world.
And now we’re adding petting zoo operators to our résumé.
Though, I’m curious to find out more about this Omega Chris is already infatuated with.