Chapter 8 Aspen
Aspen
“Oh, they’re here,” Karina’s voice rang out the moment we parked in front of the manor. She was waving from the porch, ignoring the freezing weather.
We both took a breath before climbing out into the bitter cold again. I was still half-frozen from our moment at the gate.
Cole was my mate. I could barely wrap my head around that. This whole charade just got a whole lot more complicated.
Or easier, perhaps.
I stepped out into the bitter bite of winter. Before it could get too painful I burrowed deeper into my coat. Cole moved quickly around the car and tucked me into his side, shielding me from the wind that was relentless up here.
It was beautiful, but being on top of a hill during winter was brutal.
My eyes shifted to the manor. It was less imposing up here. The brown-brick building was three floors with a wraparound porch.
Whoever had tended the flowerbeds made sure there were flowers around the edges of the building that could withstand the cold, small flashes of red agains the white blanket of snow that had yet to let up.
The porch was made of dark wood and dotted with pretty furniture. There were wooden swings and rocking chairs, little side tables and heaters. Over the edges hung suncatchers and chimes that were singing aginst the winter wind.
Everything screamed money, but it was also the picture of ‘warm and inviting.’ It had character and style that I knew was all Karina.
Polished, pretty, but also a bit practical.
“Come in and get warmed up,” she demanded as she danced at the top of the stairs, brushing her hands over her arms to ward off the unrelenting chill. “I told North and Jack to be around to greet you, so they’re working on some welcoming treats in the kitchen.”
“My brother is making me treats for coming home?” Cole asked, amusement clear.
“Well, I’d say it’s more for her than you,” she teased. “But you’ll get to enjoy them all the same.”
Inside was just as beautiful as the outside. There were polished dark-wood floors and plush rugs, a pretty patterned wallpaper, and art hanging on every inch that would fit without looking crowded.
It was honestly perfect. Again, it had character and history, the antique pieces as beautiful and cared for as the house itself.
“Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Hawthorne.”
“Oh, please, just call me Karina,” she groaned, letting out a giggle. “I’m not that stuffy. Mrs. Hawthorne was my mother-in-law, and she was scary. Plus, I won’t be the only Mrs. Hawthorne for too long, right?”
She threw a wink my way and helped me out of my coat, hanging it on a large coatrack just inside. Cole toed out of his shoes and I did the same, not wanting to track snow through their gorgeous home.
“Now, come on,” Karina urged excitedly. Her energy was infectious and I didn’t feel nervous, just happy to be included.
How long had it been since I’d truly appreciated my favorite holiday? Way too damn long.
If ever. I wanted to lean into this one and soak in every moment.
Karina hooked her arm through mine and led me down the hall into the kitchen. I could smell the sweets baking before we even arrived. There was a strong scent of peppermint and mocha in the air, mixed with a combination of nutmeg and gingerbread.
If that didn’t scream ‘holidays,’ I didn’t know what did. I wanted to sink my teeth into whatever they were whipping up in there. It might be just as good as Cole’s pine, cinnamon, and smoke scent that was still lingering on my clothes.
Even though I’d had plenty of treats on the way up, my stomach was growling loudly as she pushed open the kitchen door.
My eyes widened at the array of treats they had waiting on the island. There was enough to fill an entire bakery.
The kitchen itself was more of those dark woods and bold colors, except the appliances, which were gleaming stainless steel. It wasn’t overly decorated, but simple, clean, and homey.
Everything about this place was perfect.
An alpha and a beta were arguing quietly over the mixer. They hadn’t heard us yet until Cole cleared his throat.
“Holy shit, Cole, you actually came,” the alpha said, turning to the beta and raising an eyebrow. He held out one hand expectantly. “North, you owe me twenty bucks.”
“Are you kidding me?” my alpha accused. “You bet on if I would come or not?”
“Actually,” North corrected, giving him a look. “We bet on whether she was real or not.”
I swallowed hard as he stared at me now, as if peeling away my armor to see the lies we were hiding underneath.
He didn’t smile or frown, his look was neutral, searching.
I could see the pretty teal of his eyes from here and they held me captive.
He ran a hand through his sandy brown hair, messing it up before it laid back in place, never looking away.
The alpha walked around the counter, breaking off our silent stare-off as he stepped into view. I blinked for a second, thrown by the intense beta, before putting a smile on my face.
“Hello, you must be Cole’s brother, Jack.” I could see the similarities in his features.
“Guilty,” Jack said, holding out his hand and stepping a bit closer.
I was quickly hit with that peppermint and mocha scent again, only it was stronger now that he was this close. There was a spicy alpha undertone drifting through the blend that made it even more delicious. It was so strong that I knew right away what it meant.
“It’s you,” Jack said, his voice a hoarse whisper now. I wasn’t sure whether to panic or scream at this point.
“What’s wrong?” Karina asked, rushing over, while Cole moved protectively against my back.
“She’s my scent-match, too. I can’t believe this,” Jack told them, never breaking eye contact with me. I sank back into Cole’s touch, hoping for him to say something first.
Cole’s hands wrapped protectively around me, but I couldn’t tell whether he was upset or not. We really didn’t know each other well enough to read reactions and body language.
I wasn’t sure what to say. All I could do was study the man standing before me.
This close, I could see more similarities between him and Cole. Their hair was both dark, but where Cole’s was short and styled professionally, Jack’s was slightly longer, with a curl to it that hung in front of his eyes.
It was long enough to run your fingers through. Something I probably shouldn’t be thinking when I was such a damn mess.
Then again, when had I ever taken things slow and normal? I thrived on new adventures, chaos, and instinct.
Jack’s style was also more relaxed. He was wearing a black sweater and dark jeans. There was stubble on his chin as he grinned back at me with perfect, white teeth. There was a slight dimple to his right cheek, and his eyes were a warmer brown than Cole’s intense, dark brown.
The gingerbread and nutmeg scent started to burn, a slight char to it that had me glancing around him.
“Do you have something in the oven burning?”
Jack studied me curiously, a hint of relief there. “You can smell that?”
It was my turn to be confused.
“Come here,” he said, reaching forward and grabbing my hands, pulling me out of Cole’s grip. He tugged me around the island, not stopping until I was standing in front of North, who hadn’t moved a muscle.
He was starting to worry me with the intensity of his stare, the way his hands were gripping the counter as if it might steady him. He looked like he was in pain.
“Are you okay?” I questioned carefully, not wanting to offend him.
“We’re not baking anything, omega,” Jack said into my ear, so quietly just we could hear. “I think my best friend here is worried he’s going to be left out.”
It took me far too long to realize what he was trying to say: that this beta was the source of that scent, and also the burnt edge that had taken over.
I’m not sure what compelled me to do it, but I found myself leaning in, my nose only inches from his chest as I breathed in deep. The scent was stronger here at the source, a rich warmth to it that had my eyes nearly rolling back in my head.
He was my match, too.
Not only did I cause chaos and kiss my boss, then I scent-matched him, and now I was scent-matched to his brother and his brother’s best friend. This was going to be one complicated holiday.
“Oh my,” Karina said, her hand flying up to cover her mouth as she studied us. If I thought she was excited to find out I was Cole’s fiance, she was even more thrilled I’d matched to all three of her boys.
Something passed between the brothers, adding a heaviness to the air that soured their scents all at once.
When I glanced back at Cole, then North, both looked like they’d received terrible news. I knew from the conversation I had with Cole that he was still processing this whole scent-match thing.
He seemed hopeful, curious when we talked, but we promised to talk more tonight. We didn’t want to raise suspicion going in since we’d have to know if we were matches to get to the point of talking marriage.
I thought he was on board, happy even, so why did he seem so scared now?
Whatever tension there was between the brothers, I’d somehow wedged myself right in between it.
Great.
“I’m going to freshen up for dinner. We’re having food sent in from Evergreen Table, so I hope you’re hungry,” she said, giving me a quick, but worried, smile before rushing out.
It was the most subdued I’d seen Karina since I met her. Granted, we shared quite a few glasses of wine in the first meeting, but something was definitely wrong right now.
“Does somebody want to fill me in on why everyone looks like I just kicked their puppy and stole Christmas? I promise I’m not forcing anyone into anything. If you don’t want this, want me. It’s fine.”
I might’ve said it with a little more attitude than I intended, but I didn’t like their reaction. It made me feel like I had done something wrong even though I knew I hadn’t.
This wasn’t my first rodeo with a pack that didn’t want me. I would never put myself in that situation again, scent-match or not.