Hisfirst-aidskills are impressive, calm and efficient as he checks me over. He tells me what he’s doing as he works, his words a soothing blur, like praise for agreeing to his sensible suggestion.
After a thorough rubdown, the alpha determines I’m not injured. He finally seems to realize how close we are as his blue-green eyes focus on mine, just inches away. His pupils dilate and his breath is hot on my face. Even this close I can’t smell much of his pine scent, just a hint of earthy resin.
I’m frozen, waiting to see what he’s going to do next. Unsure what I want him to do.
He—
clears his throat and stands up.
I let out my breath in a puff of air, the cloud billowing around me in the cold.
Snow falls on me again now that he’s out of the way. The cold droplets shock me out of whatever that was.
“Can I help you up?” he asks.
I agree because that seems like the fastest way to get him to leave. Once he assures himself I’m safe, he’ll move along.
I hold my hand out and he reaches for it…but he keeps coming, bypassing it entirely.
I squeak as he grabs my waist and picks me up, setting me on my feet.
I’m so startled by the sudden change in orientation that I just stand there blinking while he straightens my clothes.
I come back to myself and edge away from him (and away from the cart, I learned my lesson).
“Thanks for your help, I’m all good now,” I chirp.
The giant alpha is still near their SUV, but I think he’s farther back than he was before. Probably worried about getting hit with a flailing limb.
A door slams and a third alpha hurries over.
His appearance immediately calms me.
Even though he’s an alpha, his energy is comforting, like coming home after a long day. It’s different from the intense aura of most alphas, which is comforting in the way that they feel like they can protect you from anything. The charming blonde didn’t even soothe me as much as this alpha does.
Like his friends, he has a barely-there scent, but it’s delicious and I strain to catch more.
It’s sweet and sugary, clinging to my tongue like frosting. That’s what the scent is, thick frosting on sugar cookies, or those little mini tree cakes covered in frosting and sprinkles. It’s making my mouth water, and I want to sink my teeth in.
But there aren’t any cookies, it’s just this alpha with curly brown hair, a sweet face, and warm brown eyes. I certainly can’t bite him.
Can I?
“What happened? I thought you were grabbing her things,” the cookie alpha says worriedly, looking between us.
I frown, confused about why this alpha expected his friend to be taking my stuff. Is this inn a pickup spot or something?
Before the blonde can answer, their beta joins us.
“Henri, didn’t you see her fall? Clumsy thing,” he says the last to me like an observation rather than an insult, his gaze roving my body.
Still, the description offends me. How could anyone trust me to do my job if I have a reputation for being clumsy?
I narrow my eyes at him, trying to figure out how I can prove I’m not clumsy without admitting their scents knocked me on my ass, especially when his scent is threatening to do the same.
If it weren’t for the charming alpha still holding my arm, I’d be on the ground again, knees weak from inhaling this beta’s scent. It’s strong for a beta even under the descenters.
I know that doesn’t make sense, but there’s empty air where his scent should be, and underneath that I catch hints of him. Most betas wouldn’t have a smell at all if they used descenters, which is why I can only assume his scent is strong to begin with. That would explain the beta’s use of descenters, since his pack is trying to dampen their scents for whatever reason.
