It was huge for me. A game changer, really.
As I drove up the road to the ranch, I wondered if I should call Rhys and go over to his house first. This seemed like the business’s location. And since he’d hired me, maybe meeting him and having him take me to the boss was the way to go.
Although I’d spoken to him before I set off this morning after my last stop at a motel six hours away, and then he had told me to meet here.
As the sprawling ranch house appeared, I shrugged. I was already here. And wow, it was massive. Several other houses also sat on the property.
There were also several trucks, SUVs, and one Mini Cooper parked on both sides of the house. So I parked next to the Mini and immediately breathed a sigh of relief for making it here in one piece.
It felt like something so small, but I was proud of myself for making the drive down myself. Rhys had volunteered to fly up and have us drive down together, but I’d told him I was fine.
I wanted to do it myself. Prove I could do it. It wasn’t like I had anyone else in the world to depend on. It was just me, myself, and I. But I could do this.
Before I could even get my phone out, my door was yanked open, and a grinning Rhys greeted me. He looked just the way I remembered him with his sparkling brown eyes and his thick, wavy brown hair. He wore it slightly longer on top now. He’d even grown a beard, although he kept it neatly trimmed and tapered. Slightly more than a stubble. It suited him.
“Kian.” The excitement in his voice and his huge smile washed over me, and I knew I had made the right choice.
I got out of the car, and immediately, Rhys slung his arms around me. “Oh my days, Kee. I’m so glad you’re here. I can’t believe we’re going to be living together like the old days. How exciting is that? I moved in by myself a while ago, but it’s weird living alone.” I let Rhys’s continued to babble excitedly and I simply grinned at my friend.
I’d had flashes of doubt as I’d driven here, but seeing Rhys again, I felt better.
The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stood, and goose bumps sprang up all over me. I could feel eyes on me. I looked over to the entrance and found a large man with a disapproving look on his face. When our gazes met, they held for a second, and his eyes widened. He pressed down on his chest like it hurt. It looked like he took a step towards me, but then he shook his head before spinning around and heading back into the house.
It looks like one of them doesn’t want you here.
It seemed I shouldn’t expect a warm reception from everyone, but Rhys was excited. That was enough. I still couldn’t help wondering which of his brothers that was. I’d met Graham, but there was also Hunter and…Gabe, and one more. His name escaped me now.
I shook off the encounter and wrapped my arms around Rhys and sighed. “Me too. Me too.”
2
Gabe
I pushedmy hands through my hair for what felt like the fiftieth time in the last twenty minutes. Rhys refused to see reason.
“Okay, I see why we need to hire him.” I shook my head. “Actually, I don’t, but one thing at a time. Why couldn’t you find a place for him in town?”
Rhys raised a brow. “He’s my best friend, so why shouldn’t he stay with me? I have a whole house. Not like there’s anyone else here to share it with.”
“Rhys,” I sighed. My youngest brother was and had always been very stubborn. When he set his mind to something, he was immovable.Like you, you mean.I shook the thought away. Definitely not touching that one.
I supposed being the first child did that to me, but that meant I couldn’t blame Rhys as the youngest and only omega. I knew he had to find a way to make his voice heard, and boy, had he! But this time, I was putting my foot down.
“You know I’m right,” I insisted, refusing to be swayed. “A human on the ranch.” The thought of it had the hairs on my neck standing.
“So? We have humans in town.” Rhys folded his arms with that unyielding look that said he would not budge.
“Oh, stop it,” I said. “You know that’s different since they’re mated.” I begged Urs for patience so I didn’t saybecause I said so and that’s final. “It’s different, and you know it,” I repeated with insistence.
“Well, maybe Kian will find his mate too.” Rhys shrugged. “He has no one. Can you imagine Papa and Dad gone? And then what if you didn’t have any of us?”
I closed my eyes, trying to dispel the thought. My family was everything. Not having them... I refused to even think about it.
“See.” Rhys sounded triumphant. “You know I’m right.”
I leaned back and shook my head. “Rhys, I hear you, and I feel bad for him, but having a human on the ranch is bad for everyone. What if he sees one of us?”
Rhys shrugged as if the answer was easy. “Then we tell him.” My brother uncrossed and crossed his legs again. “I always wanted to, but I couldn’t exactly shift in the dorm. I figured when he came up here, I would.”
