Page 9 of Rugged Hearts: Part One

There’s that look again, like he’s questioning me. The longer we sit here the more of his scent I’m catching. Even with the high-end air filters in this place some of it still comes through with us being so close. It’s bergamot, putting me at ease, safe but in a different way than Parker’s scent made me feel safe. I don’t like it—no that’s not true, part of me loves it and wants more of his scent. I don’t trust it.

For the next ten minutes we make meaningless small talk in between his eating and my reading. Though I’ve basically been reading the same paragraph over and over. I can’t focus with his scent swirling around me. The filter system must need to be looked at, because his scent shouldn’t be this strong. Good thing I have on descenter. His scent reminds me of the park back home and it’s making my mind go to a place I can’t right now.

“Thea?” Ben says, snapping me out of my spiraling. “You okay?”

“Mhm, yeah. Sorry, lost in my thoughts.” I try laughing it off. He looks concerned. Why does he care? Is this a small-town thing, people care? In Chicago I could count on one hand the number of people who tried to get to know me or make any effort in those seven months. Well I also didn’t go out of my way to meet anyone either, but still.

“If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask me or Rebecca. Or if it’s with the house let any one of my pack members know and we will fix it.” I look up at him. His eyes are so blue, his expression so genuine, open. It makes me wonder if I was ever that open. If I was, it was long before the stalking, before my corporate job.

“Thank you. It’s nothing like that, think I’m just a littlehomesick.” Why the fuck did I say that? I need to get away from his scent, it’s making me too at ease around him.

I start packing up my things as he asks, “Where are you originally from?”

“Florida,” I say quickly as I get up. “Sorry, I need to get back to work. Have a good day.” Then I’m rushing out of there like it’s on fire.

The rest of the day goes by in a blur, which I’m grateful for. Ever since lunch with Ben, I’ve felt off somehow. That little crack that made me think of home I haven’t been able to seal it up. It felt like it was constantly poking at the edge of my thoughts all afternoon. At least I can take my time with this last cabin I have to turn over. Rebecca said they won’t be renting it at all throughout the winter season as they are making improvements to it. I’m surprised they’d put this one off market for so long since it’s one of the Andromeda cabins.

As I climb the few steps to the porch, I see a black truck off to the side of the cabin. Maybe they are already starting work. I don’t see anyone around and go about my routine like usual. A little while later when I’m bringing the linens to the cart for laundry, I run into what feels like a wall. I can’t see too well since I wanted to make one trip and carry everything in a giant bundle versus using the basket and making two trips. Hands are grabbing at my shoulders to steady me and I lose my grip on the linens. They fall onto the porch and standing opposite me is the biggest man I’ve ever seen. I thought Max and Connor were big with their ridiculous height and wide muscular frames. This man, alpha, is somehow bigger. I should be scared but I’m not. His scent surrounds me.Fresh oak. Why does it make me feel protected? Can scents make you high? I swear some of these alphas are making me question that.

Reluctantly, I take a big step back. Since we’re outside takingthe step away gives me some much-needed fresh air. Looking up, and I mean up, because this alphahasto be more than a foot taller than my 5’4” height, I see brown, almost amber eyes boring into me. He has a few pieces of dirty blond hair falling over his forehead as he reaches up to scratch his beard lined jaw.

“I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there,” I finally stutter out. He doesn’t say anything or move. Just continues to stare at me. Feeling awkward as hell now I quickly scoop up the laundry and bring it to my cart. Turning around to continue with the cleaning I still have to complete, he’s still standing by the doorway looking at me. It’s fine, just do what you need to and leave.I did most of the second floor, I just have the first left to do. These big cabins always make me work up a sweat, there’s just so much to do. I should reapply my descenter. I don’t know if anything is coming through. Maybe if he doesn’t go inside it won’t be noticeable.

Stepping back up onto the porch I ask, “Are you one of the workers doing the improvements Rebecca mentioned?”

He nods in the affirmative. Okay. Not much of a talker, I get it. “Okay well I’m halfway through the turn around and then I’ll be out of your way.” I hold my breath as I walk by him and back into the cabin. My plan was to take my time with this one since it’s the last for the day and no new guests are checking in for it. I’m too unnerved for that and end up rushing through what’s left. I don’t feel too bad about it. My guess is since they’re doing work on it, we’ll have to clean it all over again before they open it back up for guests in the spring.

I close up the cabin and look around for the giant alpha, finding him at the foot of the porch stairs. It looks like he’s taking measurements.Hurrying down the stairs and out of his way, I say, “It’s all set, sorry for any inconvenience.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” a deep masculine, almost gravelly, voice says from behind me. It literally stops me in my tracks. What in the fucking sorcery is happening? I look over my shoulder and see him looking at me, though this time his gaze is softer. Not knowing what to say, I nod and return to my cart,heading back to the lodge. Part of me is screaming to leave this town. There are too many alphas and a beta that are affecting me in ways I clearly don’t know how to handle. Maybe my heat suppressants are failing early? I need to get that sorted. That has to be the cause of all this. The last thing I need is a heat and getting mixed up with anyone.

7

KEELAN

Watching her drive off towards the lodge is taking every ounce of my willpower not to go and talk to her. I know I came off like a creep but I didn’t trust myself to not pull a Parker and say the first thing that popped in my head. Scent match. Her name tag said Thea, the same one he ran into over a week ago. She’s our fucking scent match. No wonder he’s been off since then. I feel like my entire world has shifted and I have no idea how to navigate this new direction.

She’s beautiful. So short, especially compared to me, it’s almost laughable. Curves that I could spend days, no, the rest of my life exploring. Her eyes are what struck me dumb, a light brown with bright green shining through around the iris. And then her scent is so sweet but with a wood fire layer to it. I get this overwhelming feeling to protect her but I also feel safe with her.Similar to what Parker said.

I need to talk to him. Wait, he’d want to tell the rest of the pack we found our scent match. That would not go over well. At least not until they all meet and scent her for themselves. Most of the pack has had to have met her by now. Ticking off the names, Jake, Micah, and Liam are the only ones who haven’t. When she ran into me her scent was extremely faint, buriedunder descenter. But I caught it fully when she came out to leave.

I originally came to get measurements of the porch, banisters, railings, and spindles for the upcoming project. I was really excited to be adding carvings to the woodwork on the cabins. If it turns out well, I’ll roll it out to the others. But I can’t think of any of that now. Deciding to talk to Parker, I put my tools away in the truck and head back to the pack house. As much as I know he’ll want to talk to the pack, I won’t keep anything this big a secret from him. Hopefully, I can convince him into keeping it from the pack though, at least for a little while.

Finally back at the pack house, I drop off my tools in my workshop and meander to Parker’s office at the other end of the house. Micah and Eli have small home offices but nothing like Parker. Besides me, he’s the only one who truly works from home and needs a dedicated space far from any distractions. Hence his office being as far away from my workshop.

I knock on the door as I open it and walk in. If he’s working he likely won’t hear me anyways. We’re similar in that sense, when we focus, or I should sayhyperfixate, on a project everything else in the world disappears. Taking in the room, it’s typical cave-like vibe considering there’s no windows—his requirement—with blue strip lights lining the ceiling before they change to a purple hue, cycling through whatever color mood he’s in today. He isn’t at his desk with its three, sometimes four monitors. No, he’s on the large, oversized plush chair on the wall opposite his desk. I used to wonder if he’d present as an omega with his need to feel cozy but that’s just Parker. Designation stereotypes don’t define him and I love him for it. I wish I could embrace that freedom more often. He doesn’t view himself as the brave one of the two of us but he is. Hell, he’s the one who found our omega without even realizing it. There’s low music playing from his speakers as I approach him on the chair. He has his eyes closed, his expression completely relaxed. Well, shit I’m going to ruin that mood.

“I know you’re there big brother,” he says teasingly. He’sactually older than me by a few minutes. But ever since we were kids when it became clear how physically big I was, he started calling me “big brother.” Originally it was definitely a jab in the way brothers are as kids; but as we grew up it’s turned into an inside joke.

I sit on the matching ottoman to his chair that essentially can turn it into a small bed when pushed together. He still has his eyes closed so I flick his nose, making him open his eyes and scowl at me. “Not nice. What do you want? I’m working.”

I scoff, “I can see that.” I don’t push because we all know by now he has his process for keeping sane working from home, especially when his job sometimes requires insanely long hours. We all get it and have been there occasionally with our own careers.

Sighing, I say, “I met her today.”

His eyes widen and he sits up so quickly, that I have to lean back so he doesn’t headbutt me. “You did? What happened? What did she say? Did you scent her?” I can’t help the laugh that bursts out. That’s the reaction I expected him to have.

He is less amused, huffing, “I need details Keelan. It’s not all in my head right? There’s something special about her. Do you know how many times I have nearly done a total deep dive into her to get to know her the only way I can?” I frown at that, he shouldn’t invade her privacy like that. He knows this since he rushes out, “I haven’t so you can stop with the angry face. But I want to know her just off that one interaction we had. That has to mean something.”