Page 4 of Stuck with my Pack

“It’s…worse than I thought,” I admit, my voice tinged with disappointment.

“The property has a ghostly charm,” Tyler says, his tone light. “That’s what your Aunt used to always say, anyhow.”

I snort despite myself. “Charming isn’t the word I’d use.”

He grins, and for a moment, the disrepair feels less overwhelming. There’s something grounding about his presence, even if I’m not entirely comfortable with how much my Omega instincts respond to him.

“You’ve got your work cut out for you, that’s for sure,” he says, glancing around. “But there’s still a lot of life left in the place. Don’t you think?”

I study him, surprised by the sincerity in his tone.

“Why do you care?” I ask.

He shrugs. “I’ve been here long enough to see what it meant to your Aunt. Figured it might mean something to you too.”

Tyler moves through the chaos easily, gesturing to various areas and describing their state of disrepair like a to-do list.

“We’ll need to clear all this out,” he says, kicking a broken pot aside. “And don’t get me started on the shed. Half of it is on your property. The other half’s...debatable.”

I open my mouth to respond, but the scent of apples and earth stops me cold. My Omega instincts flare to life again, sharper this time, and I turn.

Ethan.

His dark hair is windswept, and his broad shoulders are stiff with an unspoken tension. His gaze locks onto mine, unreadable but sharp, and the air between us shifts. He looks so much like the boy I left, except he has grown up. It makes the place in my heart that was his flair to life.

“Well, well,” Tyler says, clearly enjoying the change in energy. “Didn’t mention you two knew each other.”

“We don’t,” I say quickly, though the words feel hollow. And I know my scent reveals the lie.

Ethan’s lips press into a thin line. “What are you doing here?”

“I own the inn,” I say, lifting my chin defiantly. “Or what’s left of it.”

“Figures,” he mutters, setting the basket down. “Didn’t think you’d actually come back.”

“I didn’t think it was any of your business,” I snap, my frustration boiling over. “The inn belongs to me, Ethan. Not you. Not anyone else.”

He steps closer, his voice low and filled with warning. “You’ve been gone a long time. Things have changed.”

The words sting more than they should, and I hate that he still has this effect on me. Tyler watches the exchange with open curiosity, his gaze flicking between us like he’s piecing together a puzzle.

“The shed,” Ethan says, gesturing toward it. “It’s on the property line. Always has been. Don’t think owning the inn gives you free rein over everything.”

“I’m not here to fight with you,” I say, though my voice lacks conviction. “I’m here to rebuild what’s mine.”

He holds my gaze for a long moment before turning away, his movements stiff with tension.

“Stay out of the orchard,” he says over his shoulder. “That, I can claim.” The double meaning of his words is not lost on me.

The sentence hits me like a slap, and I’m left standing there, my chest tight and my pulse racing. Tyler leans in, his smirk returning.

“Total stranger huh?”

“No,” I say quickly, turning back toward the inn. My cheeks burn, my heart races, and every nerve in my body feels like it’s been set on edge.

I shake my head, unable to find the words. My gaze lingers on Ethan as he disappears into the orchard, the weight of his presence still pressing down on me.

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