This is where it starts.
My investigation. My chance to find out why Omegas keep losing their jobs here. Why the whispers keep coming in through my radio show.
I’m here to figure out the truth. Maybe even make a difference.
And if I happen to enjoy the job while I do that? Fine.
But no attachments. No trusting the wrong people.
And definitely no getting distracted by these Alphas.
That would be asking for it to end badly.
6
MASON
Dylan nudges me as we reach the edge of the dock, his elbow digging into my ribs. “Hey, you got this? I’ve got a few things to sort out before the lunch run.”
I grunt, watching the new guy stare out at the boats like he’s never seen water before. “Yeah, won’t take long. Go do your thing.”
“Thanks, man.” Dylan claps me on the shoulder and strolls off, already pulling his phone out to deal with whatever fire needs putting out.
I turn my attention back to our new recruit.
Ash Monroe stands at the edge of the dock, hands shoved in his pockets, completely captivated by the sight of the boats bobbing in their slips. Snow dusts the dock around us, collecting in the corners and along the railings, and his breath comes out in white clouds. The morning sun catches in his brown hair, windswept and slightly messy, and there’s something about his profile that keeps snagging my attention.
Which is weird. I don’t usually spend this much time staring at new hires.
“All right,” I say, moving closer. “Let me give you the rundown.”
He turns, and those muddy green eyes meet mine. There’s something off about them, but I can’t put my finger on it. The color seems wrong somehow, like it doesn’t quite match the rest of his face.
“We’ve got eight whale-watching charter boats at the moment, but we may need more, as some days it’s not enough,” I continue, gesturing toward the vessels tied up along the dock. “Not all the boats are here. We’ve got them docked around the bay. There are also two for sightseeing and fishing charters, and one that runs around with supplies. Come summer, we’ll have them running daily. Sometimes twice a day if the bookings are heavy. We also hire a bigger team during the summer.”
“They’re beautiful,” Ash says, and his voice is deeper than I expected. But there’s something wavering about it, like it’s not quite settled. Almost like he’s forcing it lower than it naturally sits. He clears his throat. “Sorry. Think I’m getting over a cold.”
“No worries.” I start walking along the dock, and Ash falls into step beside me. Snow crunches under our boots. “So we do maintenance during the colder months, plan for the busy season, work on marketing. Which is where you come in.”
“Right. Social media, promotional materials, all that.” He’s nodding, eager. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”
I glance at him as we walk. He’s smaller than most guys I know, slighter build, more compact. Not weak-looking, just… fuck, I don’t know.Delicateisn’t the right word. He’s clearly in shape, just built differently. Some women probably go for that. The sensitive type.
But that’s not what’s bothering me.
It’s his scent. Or lack of it. Or too much of it?
There’s cologne, definitely. Something cedar and citrus, but it’s heavy as hell. Like he dumped half the bottle on himself this morning. And underneath that, there’s something that smells artificial, manufactured. Wrong. Not like any Beta scent I’ve encountered before.
Maybe he’s one of those guys who are paranoid about body odor. Some people go overboard with the products.
But I find myself staring at his face, trying to work out what the fuck is nagging me.
I push the thought aside and focus on the task at hand.
“So we’ve got a job booked in a couple of days,” I explain. “Private fishing charter. Small group, just four people. Should be a good opportunity for you to see how things work, get some content for the social media accounts. Photos, videos, that kind of shit.”
“Perfect. I can start building a content calendar, plan out posts ahead of time.” His enthusiasm is genuine; I’ll give him that. “Do you have any footage from previous tours I can look at? To get a sense of what’s been working?”
