Page 9

Eli

The night air carries a scent that doesn’t belong among the carefully cultivated roses of Silver Manor. Something wild, honeyed, with notes I’ve never encountered before. I pause in my evening garden rounds, my gun still in my hand, and breathe deeper.

Omega. But not just any Omega.

The scent is layered, complex in a way that makes my Alpha instincts surge with interest despite myself.

There’s the expected sweetness, yes, but underneath—something like sunshine breaking through storm clouds, warm and golden and utterly unique.

It’s the kind of scent that could drive lesser Alphas to madness, the kind that wars are fought over.

And it’s laced with fear.

I holster my weapon and follow the trail through the moonlit garden, past the marble fountain where my brother and I used to play as children, toward the wooded area that borders the eastern edge of the property.

The voices reach me before I see them—Romeo’s aggressive tone, sharp with dominance and frustration, followed by a female voice I don’t recognize.

Something protective stirs in my chest. Whatever’s happening in those shadows, my instincts scream that it’s unacceptable.

I quicken my pace, pulling out my flashlight and letting the beam cut through the darkness as I call out, “Romeo? Are you out here?”

The voices stop abruptly, the sudden silence more ominous than the arguing had been.

When I round the copse of pine trees, the scene before me makes my blood run cold.

Romeo stands with predatory stillness, his posture screaming barely leashed aggression.

His scent is spiked with arousal and possession, the dangerous combination that precedes an Alpha’s rut or worse, a claiming.

In front of him, a young woman leans against a tree trunk, her slight frame dwarfed by the massive tree.

Her eyes are wide and her scent now smells like fear, but there is also a look of defiance on her face that reminds me of a cornered animal preparing to fight despite hopeless odds.

She was the source of that intoxicating scent.

And from the way Romeo has positioned himself between her and any escape route, he knows exactly what kind of prize he’s cornered.

I call his name once more. Finally, he turns and walks to me.

“What’s going on here?” I ask when he reaches me, keeping my voice deliberately calm as I lower my flashlight. The last thing this situation needs is another Alpha adding to her fear.

Romeo’s jaw tightens, his eyes flashing with irritation at my interruption.

“Nothing, Eli. Just having a chat with our housekeeper’s daughter.

” The way he emphasizes “our” sends warning signals through my brain.

There’s ownership in that word, like she is a possession he’s already claimed despite the girl’s obvious distress.

I turn to her, taking in her delicate features properly for the first time. Amber eyes that reflect golden in the moonlight as they stare at me, dark hair escaping from a ponytail, and clothes that look like this girl doesn’t give a damn about how she is perceived by anyone.

She’s beautiful in a way that hits me like a punch to my guts. She’s all soft curves and quiet strength. But it’s her scent that nearly brings me to my knees—that sunshine warmth wrapping around me like a promise of better days.

“You must be Jolie,” I say, walking to her and offering what I hope is a reassuring smile. “Mr. Sampson mentioned you’d arrived. I’m Elias. I take care of the grounds.”

Her eyebrows lift slightly as she takes in my work clothes and dirt-smudged hands. She doesn’t know, then. She doesn’t know that I own half of everything she can see, that the manor house Romeo lives in with my brother is half mine.

It’s refreshing, actually. People treat me differently once they learn about my wealth. But right now, this girl sees me as just a groundskeeper, and there’s something liberating about that.

“Nice to meet you,” she breathes, but her eyes dart nervously to Romeo, and I can smell the spike of anxiety in her scent.

“It’s late,” I observe, noting the slight tremor in her hands, the way she’s pressing herself against the tree as if it could somehow protect her. “Were you headed back to the cottage?”

Before she can answer, Romeo steps between us, his movement fluid and territorial.

“I was just about to walk her back myself, Eli. No need for you to trouble yourself.” The possessiveness in his tone is unmistakable, as is the subtle threat underneath.

Romeo may be younger, but he’s never lacked arrogance.

The fear that flashes across Jolie’s face at his words tells me everything I need to know.

My inner Alpha rises in response, a slow burn of protective fury that I keep carefully leashed.

“Actually,” I say, my voice carrying just enough authority to remind Romeo exactly who he’s talking to, “your father called earlier. He wants to speak with you about tomorrow’s board meeting.

Something about the quarterly projections you were supposed to prepare and if you’re not ready tomorrow, he’s getting an outsider in to do the job. ”

It’s a lie, but a believable one. My brother has been pushing Romeo to take more responsibility in the family business, with limited success.

“I’m ready,” Romeo growls, but uncertainty flickers in his eyes.

“Are you? Because he seemed to think you weren’t taking it seriously.” I let just a hint of disappointment color my voice. “Maybe you should call him before he gives up on you entirely. I’m sure Jolie won’t mind if I escort her home instead.”

Romeo’s eyes narrow dangerously, his scent spiking with aggression. “She’s fine with me.”

“I can walk back alone,” Jolie suddenly interjects, her voice stronger than before. “It’s not far.”

What a brave little Omega, trying to defuse a situation between two alphas. It makes something protective and tender unfurl in my chest.

“Nonsense,” I say, stepping closer to her but keeping my movements non-threatening.

“These woods can be confusing at night, even to those who know them well.” I turn to Romeo, letting my expression grow serious.

“I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow. Now go call your father.

He should still be at the Chicago hotel. ”

For a moment, I think Romeo might challenge me. His Alpha pheromones spike aggressively, and I can see him weighing his options—his desire to claim whatever he thinks he’s found in Jolie against his respect for my authority and his fear of disappointing his father further.

I hold my ground, letting my Alpha assert itself subtly. I’m older, more established, and despite Romeo’s size and strength, right now my Alpha outranks him in every way that matters.

With a last glare at Jolie. One that promises this conversation isn’t over. Romeo stalks off toward the main house, his movements sharp with frustrated anger.

Once he’s out of earshot, Jolie’s shoulders slump as if she’s been holding herself together through sheer willpower. “Thank you,” she whispers, and the gratitude in her voice closes the hole in my chest slightly.

“Don’t mention it.” I hesitate, then ask gently, “What was he doing to you out here?”

She wraps her arms around herself, suddenly looking very young and vulnerable in the moonlight. “It’s complicated.”

I nod, respecting her privacy even as every protective instinct I have demands details. “May I walk you home? No ulterior motives, I promise. I just want to make sure you get there safely.”

After a moment of consideration, she nods.

We fall into step along the garden path, moonlight silvering the white roses on either side of us.

I keep a respectful distance, acutely aware of how overwhelming my Alpha scent might be after whatever Romeo put her through.

But I can’t help breathing in traces of her scent as we walk—that impossible combination of honey and sunshine that makes something deep in my chest ache with longing.

“So you’re the gardener?” she asks after a minute of comfortable silence.

I smile, running a hand through my hair. It’s easier to let her think of me as just the groundskeeper for now. “Among other things. I handle the estate grounds, the orchards, the organic vegetable gardens that supply the local restaurants.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“It is. I love being out here.” I glance at her profile, struck by how the moonlight catches in her dark hair, how it illuminates the delicate line of her neck. “Nature makes sense to me in a way people often don’t. Plants are honest—they either thrive or they don’t. No games, no hidden agendas.”

She laughs softly; the sound sends unexpected warmth through my chest. “I’ve never thought about it that way.”

“And you?” I ask, genuinely curious about this enigmatic girl who’s appeared in my perfectly ordered world. “Are you in school?”

“College,” she nods. “Just started at Silvercrest College.”

“Studying?”

“Biology, maybe pre-med. I haven’t decided yet.” She hesitates, then adds, “I enjoy understanding how things work. Bodies, cells, the science behind... everything. But—“ She pauses, as if she’s revealed more than she intended.

“But what?” I prompt gently.

“Nothing,” she says quickly, but I suspect I know what she was going to say.

She wants to study Omega biology, probably to understand her own nature better.

And judging by her reaction, she’s scared to admit it—which suggests she’s been hiding her true self for reasons that have nothing to do with shame and everything to do with safety.

My curiosity about her intensifies. There’s something different about this girl, beyond just her unusual scent profile.

Something that calls to me on a level I don’t fully understand.

I’ve been careful not to let any Omega get close since Kate left me three years ago.

We weren’t scent matches, but losing her still nearly destroyed me.