But when I do, it’s amazing how quickly three familiar faces slot neatly onto what used to be faceless alphas in my imagination.
I sit on the edge of the bed, suddenly remembering my conversation with Aspen at the pharmacy. She’d mentioned making friends in town, suggested that I’d need a support network beyond the clinic. At the time, I’d dismissed her advice, too focused on maintaining my beta facade to consider building relationships.
But now that my secret is out—at least to the three alphas I’m currently living with—maybe it makes time to reconsider. Maybe I should try to make some connections in Heat Mountain, find some allies who can help me navigate this somewhere besides the chaos inside my own head.
I decide that’s exactly what I’m going to do with my next day off. Reach out to Aspen, maybe visit that heat supply store again now that I don’t have to pretend to be a beta. Take some small steps toward accepting who I really am.
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. “Holly?” Kai’s voice calls from the other side. “Dinner’s ready if you’re hungry.”
My stomach growls in response, despite the hearty lunch provided by Noah. I must have eaten basically nothing during my heat, though I vaguely recall Kai in the kitchen at certain points. “Coming,” I call back, rising from the bed.
And as much as I hate to admit it, I’m starving for more than just food at the moment.
TWENTY-ONE
HOLLY
“Holly, over here!”
Aspen’s cheerful voice cuts through the cozy hum of The Mountain Mug, Heat Mountain’s only coffee shop. I spot her waving enthusiastically from a corner table next to the large picture window that overlooks Main Street. The café is busy—full of a surprising number of people for a town this small—but somehow she’s snagged the best spot in the house.
I weave between tables, nodding awkwardly at the curious faces that turn to watch me. Word travels fast in small towns, and I’m sure my sudden relocation to the alphas’ house is the juiciest gossip Heat Mountain has seen in months.
“I ordered you a cinnamon spice latte,” Aspen says as I slide into the seat across from her. “Hope that’s okay. You strike me as someone who needs a little more sugar in their life.”
“Thanks.” I wrap my cold hands around the warm ceramic mug, grateful for both the gesture and her accuracy. “How did you know?”
She grins, her now purple-tipped hair falling across one eye. “Pharmacy tech by day, people-reader by night. It’s my superpower.”
I take a sip of the latte, which is surprisingly good—rich and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness. “This is amazing.”
“Right? Marnie uses beans from this little roaster in Seattle. Costs a fortune to ship them here, but totally worth it.” Aspen leans forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, how’s life in the infamous bachelor pad?”
I nearly choke on my drink. “That didn’t take long.”
“Small town,” she says with a shrug. “Mrs. Whitesong mentioned your relocation to her daughter, who told her husband, who works with my cousin, who texted me immediately.” She takes a sip of her own drink—something frozen and topped with whipped cream despite the freezing temperatures outside. “For what it’s worth, I think it’s kind of badass to try taking on all three of them.”
“It’s not what you think,” I say quickly. “My cabin lost power, and the roads were impassable. It’s just temporary.”
“Mmhmm,” she murmurs, clearly unconvinced. “Three of the hottest alphas in town just happened to rescue the new doctor from a snowstorm. Totally normal.”
I roll my eyes, but there’s something about Aspen’s teasing that feels comfortable, familiar. It reminds me of how Josephine and I used to talk, back before she betrayed our perpetual single-hood by getting married and pregnant. Josie’s sister, Trinity, has also become one of my closer friends, but she’s another omega who has found her pack and has to let other relationships take a back seat. I’ve never met anyone as willing to take on a problem and solve it as she is.
They support me unconditionally, and I still didn’t feel safe telling them the whole truth about myself.
It strikes me suddenly how isolated I’ve been, not just here in Heat Mountain, but for years. Always holding back, always careful not to reveal too much, always the odd one out. Evenwith my closest friends, there was always this wall between us—this secret I couldn’t share.
“Hey, you okay?” Aspen’s voice pulls me back to the present. “You went somewhere else for a minute there.”
I blink, refocusing on her concerned face. “Sorry, just thinking about home.”
“Missing the big city?”
“Missing my friends, mostly.” I trace the rim of my mug with my finger. “It’s been...a while since I’ve had a conversation like this. Just coffee and chat, you know?”
Aspen’s expression softens. “Well, consider this the first of many. I make an excellent friend—ask anyone. I’m loyal, I always have snacks, and I only share the really good gossip.” She rushes to add, “unless I’ve been sworn to secrecy, of course.”
I laugh, feeling something loosen in my chest. Maybe it’s the warmth of the café, or the comforting weight of the mug in my hands, or just Aspen’s easy acceptance, but suddenly I want to tell her. I want to tell someone.
