Page 1 of My Three Hometown Alphas

Prologue

OWEN

FOUR YEARS AGO

Pullingmy fatigue cap off my head, I scrape my nails over my scalp through my short hair. There were only two things that sucked when I joined the Army after high school: cutting my hair short and leaving my family.

My family. Olivia.I’m rattled back to the reality of why I’m sitting in a too-small seat in the crowded Dallas airport waiting for a flight back home.

Olivia. My twin sister.

Our older brother, Will, called me three days ago. He made the call because Liv couldn’t bring herself to do it. I don’t remember most of the conversation other than the wordcancer.Everything else just faded in comparison to that.

My formidable twin sister had brain cancer.

My mind has been snapping between emotions like an out-of-control slide show the past three days, while I arranged to go on leave. One minute I’m raging with anger and the next I’m crumpling to the floor with unimaginable grief over something that hasn’t even happened.

My heart is aching not only for myself but for my brothers, my parents, Lyla.Lyla.She’s only four years old, and now her mom is… dying. It isn’t fair.

None of this is fair, but that most of all.

Something hits my left foot that’s extended out in front of me, and my head snaps up to see a mess of long black hair careening downward.

On instinct, my arms wrap around her to keep her from face planting on the ground.

Somehow in the mix of me trying to save her—because yes, it’s a woman—she ends up sitting in my lap.

“What the fuck?” she snaps, turning to glare at me over her shoulder.

My eyes widen involuntarily because holy shit, she’s beautiful. Like the kind of beautiful people write songs and shit about.

And suddenly, I’m very aware of how close our bodies are pressed together.

“Why were you sticking your foot out like that?” she demands, seemingly more bothered by my foot placement than the fact she’s still perched on my lap with both of my arms wrapped around her.

“I needed more room. These seats are fucking tiny,” I say with a shrug. She’s already cussed, so I’m guessing she doesn’t have a delicate nature that would be offended by me doing the same.

Her eyes rake over me for the first time, obviously taking in my 6’4” frame clad in army fatigues. She cocks her head to the side.

“I guess you would need more room than the average person.”

“I’ve been told I’m above average size,” I say, fighting the smile that wants to break free.

“Ah, so those extra-large boots that almost sent me to an early grave have a matching counterpart in the size department.”

Fuck. I like this girl.

I can’t help but smile now. “I guess you’d have to give it a test drive to see.”

Her stoic face remains in place for one, two, three seconds before she bursts out laughing. She leans back until her head is resting on my shoulder.

Seeing her laugh so freely makes me do the same.

We both draw in lungfuls of air. She turns her head to look at me.

Her lips are only inches from mine, and I want nothing more than to close the distance and press my lips to hers. The way her eyes are locked on my mouth tells me she’s thinking the same thing.

What the fuck do I have to lose?