Chapter 1 #2
“You obsessing over the new omega, Boss?” Fisher teases me when he catches me staring at the trailer a little too often.
“Couldn’t give a fuck who he is as long as he does a good job.”
He blushes slightly. “Yeah, all right.” He hesitates and then adds, “But he smells different, right? Like it’s not totally noticeable, but it’s there.”
“We don’t talk about how our boss smells. If I were you, I’d ignore it.”
Fisher looks a little sheepish. “Yeah, okay.” He salutes me and then stalks off.
I get back to work, trying to put Arbor out of my mind. If I turn a little too frequently to watch the trailer for his presence, it has nothing to do with him. My omega. It just has to do with his being the new superintendent. I’m just curious who he is.
When I fucked him in the woods that night, I had no idea he’d end up working in construction, that he’d be my boss.
But fuck. He is. He’s the man who will oversee this entire project. I’m going to be reporting to him.
When Jericho finally steps from the trailer to make his way back to headquarters, he stops by to speak with me once more, telling me they need Arbor on this job, “to ease tensions,” he says.
Not sure why he felt the need to tell me that, but I’m assuming it has something to do with the land we’re building on. I don’t much care as long as shit gets done, and I get paid.
“He knows what he’s doing. People gave him shit at his last site, so make sure none of the alphas here do the same.”
“I will. You know I will.”
“Good. He deserves a chance, just like everyone else.”
When work ends, I linger behind as my guys pack up and leave. I decide to stay back and finish up some odd jobs before calling it a night. I always do this. It has nothing to do with him.
As I work, I glance over at the trailer and see that the light is still on.
I tell myself not to, that it won’t be welcome, but I walk over to it.
With a rap of my knuckles, I push the door open and step inside.
Arbor is behind the desk, his hair a little less perfect, round wire glasses sitting on his nose, his fingers clacking on the keyboard. When he sees me standing in the doorway, he freezes.
Then his shoulders straighten, and he pulls the glasses off and stares at me.
“Can I help you?”
“Was just finishing up a few things and wanted to let you know I was leaving.”
“You don’t need to tell me,” he says, adjusting the knob of something sitting on his desk. Is that an air purifier? I sniff and realize that his scent is even more scarce in here. “You can just log out online.”
“I know.”
I’m silent for too long, and he stands up, the chair rolling back and hitting the wall behind him. My eyes take in his form, remembering it naked all those months ago, the pale set of his skin, the way he arched into my touch. The way he called me Alpha with reverence.
The complete opposite of the man standing before me now.
But even with the purifier, I can smell his scent. Bitter, angry.
“Oh, what now? Why are you lingering? Is it because you’re an alpha and feel the need to protect the weak omega? You think I can’t be here alone?” His voice is full of derision, and I arch an eyebrow.
“You make a lot of assumptions.”
“As an omega, I have to, especially when it comes to alphas like you.”
“Well, you should know that I’m not like that.”
“Oh, they all say that, but I guarantee you are. I heard the laughter outside. I know I smell different. That they think I’m too pretty to do this job. But I can’t help any of it. It’s just who I am.”
His right fist is pressed against the table, and I see the whites of his knuckles. He’s pissed. I want to ask him why he smells like this, but I don’t. It’s not my place. Not now anyway.
“I know what you think, but let’s just put our stereotypes aside. I’m not them.” I inhale slightly. Burnt citrus peel. Instead of offending me, it makes my cock twitch.
“Right. I’m sure you’re not. But just so you know, I earned my right to run this site. I put in the hours, and I’m damn good at what I do.” He says it harshly, like he needs me to believe it.
“Never said you weren’t, but seeing as it’s getting late, if you don’t need me, I’ll head home, Mr. Wren.”
He gives me a curt nod, and when I turn around, I hear him sinking into his chair, a loud exhale meeting my ears.
I don’t look back, no matter how much I want to.
Instead, I pull the door open and say loud enough for him to hear, “Just watch out for the rogue shifters that wander the woods out here. Howlers, they call them, because of the guttural sounds they make when they move through the forest. There’s been an upsurge in these packs around here lately, and it’s said they can scent an omega miles away.
You don’t want to be caught up in that.”
“Maybe I do. Don’t assume anything about me,” he fires back, but I can hear the strain in his voice.
And with that, I shut the door and move toward my truck, telling myself not to stay and wait for him to get in his car and drive away. I should go home and let him get railed by a pack of Howlers.
That thought makes my wolf rear its head.
I can’t fucking stay or I’m gonna make an ass out of myself.
He has no idea who I am, and I refuse to be the one to tell him.
My gaze moves out to the woods, the looming trees arched toward me, the crescent moon peeking through the branches and leaves. A rustle, a movement. I swear I see someone lingering, but then they’re gone.
I’m fucking losing my mind. If there was someone there, it’s probably just a lone protestor and their sign.
My new boss’s appearance in my life is throwing me for a loop. I’m now conjuring up reasons to stay back, to interfere in his life.
So, instead of staying, I turn my truck on and pull out of the lot, hardening myself to the fact that the eager, needy, sweet-smelling omega I had that night months ago is not the man I’m working for.
And I need to remember that before I lose my job.
The news plays on the television as I make myself breakfast before heading back to the work site this morning. I sip on my coffee and watch as the reporter fumbles with his mic. Must be new, I think as I watch him stumble over a few words before getting into his groove.
“Local officials have been trying to locate three rogue Howlers that have been breaking and entering a variety of cabins in Twilight Hallow. If you see something, howl something. The number for the hotline is—”
I switch the channel as I sip my coffee.
“—protests in Montana have ramped up, with the protestors saying that they’re going to fight back if something isn’t done about the desecration of the ancient sacred glades and burial mounds supposedly located in this area.”
“Fuck,” I murmur, thinking about the land we’re building on. Hopefully, the company was able to settle whatever dispute was brewing. We don’t need anything else hindering our progress.
I flip the TV off, shove the rest of my breakfast bar in my mouth, and gulp down the rest of my coffee. I grab my pre-made lunch from the fridge and my thermos of ice water before heading out to my truck.
As it idles for a moment, my mind shifts to Arbor.
I hope he didn’t have any trouble with the pack of rogue shifters.
I really should have stayed, but my ego wouldn’t let me.
I’ll set that aside today and talk to him about hiring more security, especially if he plans on working late most nights.
He’ll glower at me and make a comment about how I’m being too alpha, but fuck it.
Normally, shifters aren’t a problem, but these seem like they’re lost. Like they need a pack leader. They have no one to reel them in, to make them behave.
Kind of like Red, I think, before shaking it off. He’s not a problem. Not really. And if he is a problem, he’s not mine. He’s living just fine in our small town. And besides being initially aggressive toward Skye, it seems Forest has nipped that in the bud. Or butt, as it may.
I huff a laugh as I pull onto the highway that leads to my job site. The project presses up against the boundary of Twilight Hallow, a name whispered through local legend that was born from the unease that haunts its woods. You can sometimes feel it in the air, or so they say.
I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced it. I just see a forest and a plot of land that’s waiting to be built upon. And I think it will do well, appealing to the people who want to live near Wolverston, but not in it.
Plus, it helps that the land out here is cheaper and easier to develop. It makes things affordable. I think people will move this way and make our town not as sleepy and quiet as it used to be.
Parking my truck in the dirt parking lot, I note Arbor is already here.
My heartbeat picks up at the sight, but I ignore it, pushing the door open and stepping outside.
It’s cool this morning, leaving me to inhale deeply.
I love the smell of the woods as mist hovers over the ground.
It’s so much better than the oppressive heat and humidity of the summer.
Fall is coming soon.
My eyes wander around the parking lot, and I realize the men aren’t here yet, so I throw my stuff into the back of my truck and grab my tools, fastening my tool belt around my waist and getting ready for the day.
I peer over my shoulder at some point and see two of the blinds pried open. I send an obvious wave toward Arbor, and in a flash, they’re back to the way they were before.
I huff an annoyed laugh. Yeah, all right, little spy. Look all you want. I won’t give him any reason to write me up, though. I’m a good fucking worker. I refuse to have his ego put me on notice.
I grab my hard hat and tuck it under my arm before moving to the trailer, which serves as Arbor’s office.
I push the door open and see him at his desk, clacking away, his lips pursed, those glasses sitting on the edge of his nose. His hair is perfectly styled today, his shirt nicely pressed. He looks like he spent hours getting ready, unlike me.
But then again, he spends his days behind a desk. He doesn’t work with tools.
I pull my gaze away from him when he doesn’t even acknowledge me, and I move toward the coffee machine.
Only it’s not the coffee machine that was there yesterday. It’s fancier. Something expensive.
I stare at it and then over at Arbor.
“Gods, don’t look at me like that. I replaced the old machine because it was shit. I can’t live like a caveman drinking sludge all day.”
I arch an eyebrow and then grab a disposable cup and place it under the metal nozzle. I push a button, and the scent of espresso fills the air. The machine gurgles as frothed milk enters the stream, and then a minute later, I have a deluxe cappuccino in my hand.
Huh. Who knew this was even a thing? Maybe I should get one for my place. I do love a fancy coffee.
I turn around and move to the desk Arbor is working at, and take a seat in one of the chairs.
He still doesn’t look up at me, and I wonder if he remembers that night.
If he knows it was me fucking him. The memory that flashes through my mind, of the way his hole clenched around me, the scent of him in heat, the sounds he made.
It makes my cock half hard, but I ignore it to focus on the way Arbor’s mouth moves as he speaks.
“…permits. Declan left this place a mess.”
“Sure did. We did the best we could with how he managed the site. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear he was doing it on purpose.”
His eyes flick up to mine, and I see his cheeks pinken slightly. He may not recognize me, but he sure as fuck likes what he sees.
“Well, we’re behind schedule, and a few of your men are overdue for their annual safety training.”
“I think we should focus more on getting the builds done on time. They all know what they’re doing.”
I feel a flutter in my stomach as he stares at me. “And what happens if there’s an accident and they make a complaint? Hm? This site is already under intense scrutiny. We can’t afford any more mistakes.”
I roll my lips between my teeth as his scent changes from that sweet pear to a bitter citrus, and I give a small nod. “You’re right. Let me know who needs the training and I’ll pull them up on it.”
“You too, Mr. Barrett. You’re overdue for your annual one as well.”
I sigh and take a sip of my coffee. Damn, that’s actually not bad. The espresso is perfectly roasted, and the milk is at the ideal temperature.
“You can stay late and finish the training.”
I want to bite out that he doesn’t need to make excuses if he’s afraid of being here alone at night, but I don’t.
“Sounds good. Speaking of safety, since the Howlers are out there, we should get more security after hours on site.” I hesitate for a moment, but then add, “And I thought I saw someone in the woods last night—”
“And you left me here? Alone?”
I bite back a blunt remark. “Just thought security would be good to have, Mr. Wren. Can’t be too careful.”
He’s silent for a moment and then sighs. “Fine. We can do that.”
I lean back and spread my thighs open. “Glad we could come to some kind of agreement.”
He huffs, his gaze flicking to my legs before turning back to the computer. “Now, we need to discuss what we’re doing today to get us back up to speed.”
I watch as he discusses the upcoming permits for the buildings and a few contractors he found to work on the electrical. By the time my workers show up, we have a tentative plan for the week. He might not be the one working the tools, but he seems to know what he’s doing. I can respect that.
“Thanks for the coffee and see you later,” I tell him as I toss the empty coffee cup in the trash and stride toward the door.
“See you then, Mr. Barrett.”