Anders brings me a plate with pretzels, cheese, meat, and cranberries. The way he asks me what I want has me shaken to my core. It’s like he’s using an Alpha bark, even though his tone is so sweet and gentle. Out of the three men, Anders is the smallest, which is saying something, because Anders is still probably around six feet, his build is just slightly leaner than Eli’s. Anders basically looks like a Scandinavian prince, with a jawline so strong it could cut glass. His dirty blond hair is slightly messy, enough to grab a fist full of, but not enough to put into a hair tie.
A fist full of? Fuck, I need to get back home.
But I don’t want to. It’s cozy in this cabinand the smells. The fucking scents are enough for me to want to bottle this place up and carry it everywhere I go, like my personal drug. I know that Eli is the pine scent, and I’ve gotten close enough to scent Anders, who smells like hazelnuts. I haven’t missed the fact that their scents are two of my favorites. No one’s perfume is overly dominant right now, but the back of my head is screamingscent match. I squash it down and think about the third Alpha who isn’t here right now. He didn’t get close enough to me that I could scent him, but my curiosity is piqued by the broody Alpha and why he ran away to his room.
He’s standoffish, and I’m not sure what he called me earlier. Hopefully it wasn’t something crude or mean. Because out of all the Alphas here, there’s something about him that makes me want to crack his head like a nut and dig inside until I find out all his secrets. He has dark hair that can be pushed behind his ears, honey brown eyes, and facial hair that is trimmed short to his jaw. Pretty much the quintessential bad boy look.
I’m a cliché—at least I have the self-awareness to know this about myself.
Hank snores on top of my legs, and I’m not sure when it became my white noise machine, but I can’t seem to hold my eyes open any longer. My face presses against the softest pillow that smells like pine and hazelnut. It’s so intoxicating that it lulls me into a peaceful slumber.
My dreams are vulgar, wonderful, and delicious.
A light grip on my shoulder wakes me up. I blink a few times, and my vision is hazy. I tap around my face and don’t feel my glasses.
“Shit, here you go. Took them off so they wouldn’t get bent,” Eli says. He puts the glasses on my face for me, and I give him a small smile. “Didn’t want to wake you up, but your phone’s been ringing, and the caller ID says Mom.”
I clear my throat and hold out my hand, Eli placing it in my palm. I look at the time, and it’s nearly lunch. “Shit,” I hiss as I push the button and call my mom.
She answers on the first ring. “Charlotte Jeanette Hodges, where are you?” she says on the phone.
“It’s a long story, Mom, but I’m fine. Made some friends, I’m hanging out at their cabin.” The fact that they are three giant Alphas is something that I don’t say over the phone.
“Oh, friends?”
How embarrassing, even my mom knows I don’t have any.
“Yes, I can come home if you want.”
“No, no. Just next time, please answer your phone. I was worried sick about you.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. It won’t happen again.”
“Let me know what time to expect you home, so I don’t worry.”
“I will, sorry again.”
“It’s okay, hun. I’m just happy to hear you’re making friends.” I look up at Eli. He’s unabashedly watching me throughout this entire conversation. Could he become my friend, maybe? I barely know the guy. All I know is that he is good looking and smells like my own personal wet dream.
“Thanks, Mom, I’ll text or call later,” I say.
“Please call instead of text.” I roll my eyes and nod.
“Will do, love you Mom.” I hang up and put my phone on the wooden coffee table in front of me.
“Is your mom upset?” Eli asks, and I shake my head no. Hank’s giant head is still on top of me, and I stroke his fur.
“She was just worried. She’s fine. I probably should have called her as soon as we got here.” Honestly, this whole thing was very stupid of me. Let’s just trust three Alphas I just met to take care of me and sleep on their couch and trust that nothing unsavory will happen. I’m lucky that nothing did, but I chastise myself for being a complete moron.
Anders walks into the room, giving me a cursory once over as he sits on the armrest of the recliner Eli is sitting on.
“So you live around here?” Eli asks, and I nod my head.
“Yes, about a mile down the road. I’m just home for winter break. Is this your place?” I’ve seen this huge cabin before, and I think it’s usually rented out, but it’s not often I see people here.
“My parents bought it a few years ago. We’re here for winter break too,” Eli says.
I furrow my eyebrows and wonder why none of them are spending Christmas with their family, but consider that it would be rude to ask.
