Chapter 10
BLAIR
“What the hell happened to you guys?” Ryland asks, gaping at us as we walk through the front door. Goosebumps pebble on my skin, my soaked tank top doing nothing to keep me warm.
Ash trots over with interest, stopping in front of me to sit patiently, his tail swishing back and forth.
He used to do that at the rescue when he wanted a treat.
“Get her a change of clothes,” Travis says lowly. “She’s freezing.”
“I’m fine,” I sniffle, and Travis and Ryland look at me incredulously.
“Yeah, fuck that,” Ryland says. “I’ll be right back.”
I step out of my boots and place them neatly by the door.
“Blair.”
Travis says my name softly, and I shiver at how much I like it.
“Stay in the spare bedroom,” he says. “Or you can take mine, and I can sleep on the couch.”
There’s no command in it, just an offer.
This scary, hulking beast of an Alpha is just a gentle giant with a huge heart.
I nod. “I can take the room with the kittens.”
It’s tempting to take Travis’s room, to climb into his bed and roll around in his scent.
But while my inner Omega is aroused, there’s something else she craves more from her scent matches.
Connection and comfort.
Sure, the attraction is there, and there’s a light fluttering in my stomach every time I scent the Alphas.
But there’s a deeper part of me, a scared part that longs to be seen and heard.
I don’t know how to make that happen.
I shiver, rubbing my hands together to stay warm, and Travis immediately notices.
“I’ll turn up the heater,” he murmurs. “It’s warmer in the kitchen.”
I follow him, inhaling his smokey scent, and turn the corner to admire their kitchen.
It’s not huge, but it’s sleek with steel appliances and dark marble countertops.
Rowan leans against the small island, dressed in la ong sleeved black shirt and sweatpants.
He sips from a white mug with a teal paw print on it, and his eyes widen when he sees me.
He sets the cup down with a little more force than necessary and straightens up to his full height.
“Hey! Hey. You’re back.”
I fight a smile. He looks flustered and caught off guard, and it’s adorable.
“Nice mug,” I say knowingly. “Looks pretty familiar.”
He’s drinking from one of the cups we sell on our website. It’s endearing to know that he owns Furs and Purrs merch.
“Yeah, we have a few,” Travis says from beside me. “Uh, we needed new cups, anyway.”
In my time working with Travis, I’ve learned that he is a very bad liar.
“Blair,” Ryland says softly from behind me. I turn and take the pile of clothes he holds out to me.
I immediately recognize the black sweatshirt with the teal paw print and raise an eyebrow.
But Ryland just shrugs and gives me a charming smile. “I liked the design. What can I say?”
I smile softly. “Thanks. The bathroom is where?”
“Just down the hall. You’re staying tonight, right?”
“You’re staying?” Rowan asks incredulously. “With us?”
Ryland frowns. “Can you act normal please, for two seconds?”
“I’ll be back,” I murmur, leaving the brothers to bicker. I hear Travis huff as I walk away and stifle a laugh.
After I shuck out of my tight leggings and wet tank top, I pull on the black sweatpants and sweatshirt that Ryland brought me. The pants are thick and warm, but loose. I roll down the waistband so they can stay on me, then check my phone.
I have two missed calls from Piper along with five texts.
Sitting on the closed toilet seat, I guiltily dial my friend, who answers in less than a ring.
“Thank god,” she mutters. “Are you alive?”
“Yeah. I’m fine, Pipe.”
“Shit.” She sighs. “So, you went to their house? Something was wrong with the kittens? You could have called me.”
“Turns out, the kittens were fine,” I tell her.
“And what about you?”
I absentmindedly run my finger along the fabric of the sweatpants, which smell entirely too much like moss and rainwater. “What about me?”
“Are you fine? You just walked into the packhouse of your two scent matches. One of whom you’ve never met.”
“Ah. Make that three scent matches.” I tap my foot anxiously on the bathroom tile.
There’s a beat of silence on the other end of the line, then Piper inhales sharply.
“No way. Travis?”
“Travis,” I confirm quietly. “It’s him.”
“And they’re all in a pack together,” she says.
“Yes.”
“Your scent matches just happened to be a pack,” she continues.
“Yeah. Just like yours, Pipe.”
My best friend’s pack was already formed when she met them, and they also happened to be scent matches.
“Holy shit. And where are you right now?” she demands.
“Uh, technically? I’m sitting in their bathroom, talking to you.”
“Are you spending the night there? I mean, it’s so late, the weather is shit, and…oh. Oh my god, Blair. It’s the anniversary.”
I swallow. “Yup. So, it’s been kind of an interesting night.”
“Are you okay?” she asks. “After everything, are you going to be okay with them?”
“I will.”
“Do you need me to drop off any supplies?”
“First of all, I had my emergency bag in the car, with enough scent blocking deodorant to last a lifetime. I have an extra dose of suppressants, too. Second, don’t you dare drive out in that storm right now, and especially not for me.”
“Fine,” she sighs. “But you call me if you need anything at all, okay? Anything.”
“I will. I’m okay, Pipe, I promise. I just wanted to let you know where I was. I’m sorry I ignored your call earlier. It was a lot to handle all at once.”
“Yeah. I was about ten minutes away from calling Ryland or Rowan to figure out where the hell you were. I copied their numbers down from the paperwork they filled out when they adopted Ash and fostered the kittens.”
I scoff. “Of course you did.”
“Of course I did,” she repeats fondly. “You know I love you.”
“Yeah, I know,” I murmur. “I love you, too.”
I’m lucky to call Piper my best friend.
“You’ve been there for me over the years, you know? I can be here for you now,” she adds. “So, call me if you need anything. You’re still coming in tomorrow—well, I guess today, right?”
“Yeah. I just need some rest.”
But resting while I’m around my three scent matches doesn’t seem plausible.
How am I supposed to sleep in a room while the Alphas are in the same house, only feet away?
My mind is exhausted, but my body is awake and alert.
“Do they know, by the way?” Piper asks.
I don’t need her to clarify. She’s talking about the accident.
“Travis knows some of it,” I say. “But Ryland and Rowan don’t.”
“Are you going to tell them?”
I swallow.
“I’m going to have to,” I sigh, “if I want anything productive or healthy to come out of this.”
“I agree. I’m proud of you.”
“Huh?” My brow furrows. “Proud of me? For what?”
“For not running away. For being brave.”
Piper gives me far too much credit. I am not brave.
The only reason I’m still in this packhouse is because I knocked over the pack’s trash cans while trying to drive away like a coward.
Brave? I planned to spend tonight crying my eyes out and nesting, surrounded by a bunch of cat toys.
“Thanks, Piper. I’ll talk to you later.”
“See you later today.”
I end the call, drape my wet clothes over their shower rod, and step out into the hallway.
Ash is waiting by my feet.
“Hey buddy,” I murmur, kneeling to scratch his head. “You look like you’re getting bigger. You should be on a diet.”
“He is. Rowan keeps sneaking him treats, though.” Travis says to my right. He’s still in his wet clothes, but he carries my go-bag in his hand. When I frown at it, he looks down at Ash. “You said you always keep one in your car,” he mutters. “I found it in your trunk.”
“Oh. I don’t remember telling you that,” I say.
“You said it at work once. I remembered because you were annoyed that Mervin kept clawing at it.”
My chest tightens. “I didn’t realize you were so good at remembering conversations,” I murmur, turning my attention back to Ash.
“I’m not, usually,” he says. “It’s mostly our conversations.”
Silence lingers in the air.
I don’t have a response.
I nod. “Well, thanks. I appreciate it.”
The hallway is thick with tension, but by the way Ash flops onto his side and exposes his midnight-colored belly, he doesn’t notice it.
“I set up the spare room for you the best I could. Are you sure you don’t mind sleeping with the kittens?” Travis asks.
I give Ash’s belly one last big pat before standing.
“Honestly? It makes it feel more like home. It would be strange if I wasn’t surrounded by cats,” I say lightly.
“I could go check on Merlin and Marvin if you want,” Travis says softly, his gaze meeting mine.
His are eyes I’ve always trusted, even from our first shift together. They’re dark and can appear cold, but they’re full of warmth if someone knows where to look.
I shake my head. “They have their automatic feeder and their water fountain. I’ll check on them once I leave in the morning. But thank you, Travis.”
He nods stiffly, his jaw clenching. I can tell he wants to say something else, but he remains silent as he leads me back to the spare room with the kittens, Ash trailing behind us.
Rowan and Ryland are nowhere to be found when we enter, and I marvel at what has been set up for me. Extra blankets and pillows piled high on the bed along with a couple of sweatshirts.
There is more than enough to nest with.
I turn to Travis, who places my bag on top of the dresser, his ears turning pink. “I didn’t want to assume,” he mumbles. “Just in case you needed the options. I would never—”
“Travis,” I say gently, “I get it.”
He nods. “I told Rowan and Ryland to leave you alone. You seemed a bit…overwhelmed.”
“Yeah. I was. But you don’t have to walk on eggshells around me. It’s your packhouse. I’ll be fine.”
Sighing, I sit at the foot of the bed, the three kittens suddenly very interested in my bare feet. I wiggle my toes at them. Soon enough, three different sets of fangs are chomping on me.
Travis watches with interest, letting out a huff of laughter when I lift a foot to gently shake a kitten off.
“I’m sorry,” he says finally.