Page 9 of My Knotty Mountain Men

Either the universe is playing some cruel joke on me, or it’s giving me everything I’ve wanted for most of my life. I guess I’m about to find out.

Nolan, the handsome man from the store, gives me a smirk. “I know this is crazy and very fast, but I’m sure you know how things work with Alphas and Omegas by now?” I give him a slow nod. “I’m gonna be honest because I think these two are a little caught up in everything to speak more than a few words at the moment.”

My eyes flick over to the Alphas on either side of Nolan. Thomas looks like he’s trying to keep his hands to himself; his knee bounces a little, and every once in a while, he runs hishands through his red locks. He’s so fucking hot, and it’s hard to keep my eyes on just him because then there’s Aiden. My eyes flick over to the man himself. His stare is a little more intense like he’s watching, waiting for the right moment to pounce and catch his prey. His wavy blond hair falls forward, curtaining his face as he leans forward, just barely holding himself back.

“So, I’m gonna be the voice of reason if that’s alright with you?”

Nolan’s voice has my eyes darting back up to his brown ones. “Sure,” I answer, not really having anything else to say.

“I know this is a lot to take in right now. And I apologize for how my Alphas kind of just took you from your cabin back there. You have no idea how long we’ve been waiting for our Omega. Waiting foryou.” His eyes soften, and my heart pounds wildly in my chest at the thought of being their Omega. “It’s something we’ve dreamed of since I joined their pack fifteen years ago. They’re just excited. But I know they’re sorry for how they brought you here, isn’t that right?” Nolan looks to Thomas then Aiden.

“No,” Thomas grunts.

“Mine,” Aiden growls.

I bite my lower lip, trying to hide my smile as Nolan rolls his eyes, but when he sees my reaction, he gives me a secret grin just for me. My belly erupts with a thousand butterflies. I shift in my seat, trying to keep my legs closed, but there’s no use. A burst of apple pie hits the air, and both Alphas let out a deep, rumbling growl as they start to rise from their chair, making a whimper slip free.

Nolan jumps to his feet and puts himself between his alphas and me. “No,” he says firmly. “Do not scare our Omega away.”

Fuck, I perfume harder, loving the idea of being theirs. My Omega side is slowly starting to surface more and more as theseconds go on. I want to crawl into one of their laps and ask them to touch me, kiss me, cuddle me, and most of all, fuck me.

But I don’t. I don’t know these men. And I know in our world, things normally happen fast and hard, but usually, this starts when an Omega is twenty-one. I’ve lived the past seven years hardly being affected by any Alpha I met. That’s the only thing giving me the self-control not to jump their bones and beg for their knots right now.

“If you can’t behave, leave the room,” Nolan chastises them, and they both grumble like scolded children but sit back down.

“You’re lucky we love you, or your ass would be so fucking red right now,” Aiden growls at his Beta.

“Babe, don’t threaten me with a good time. Now, hush and be good Alphas.”

Thomas growls, too, grabbing Nolan by the waist and pulling him into his lap. Thomas rubs his nose up Nolan’s neck, closing his eyes and breathing him in. It seems to settle him.

Tears fill my eyes, and I don’t know why, but I’m hit with a sudden burst of sadness. Seeing Nolan with his Alphas doesn’t make me jealous, but I do envy him. I’ve never had that. Had someone look at me with so much love that if I left them for more than a moment, they would lose their mind.

“Hey.” Aiden’s deep, rumbling voice makes my blurry gaze move over to him. He stands up and Nolan goes to say something, to get up to stop him, but Thomas holds him back as Aiden takes a seat next to me on the couch. He doesn’t ask, sensing just what I need as he grabs me by the waist and pulls me into his lap. He wraps his strong arms around me.

The fact that he’s a stranger slips away as the smell of campfire cocoons me. My Omega brain is screaming that he’s mine and that I’m safe.

I sigh, closing my eyes and settling into his touch. A moment later, there’s a rumbling in his chest that surprises me. He’s purring. I’ve never heard an Alpha purr before.

Looking up at him with wonder-filled eyes, Aiden smiles down at me softly, one arm bringing me closer while the other one starts to explore my face. He slowly brushes his fingers down my cheeks and then over my lips like he’s trying to memorize my features.

With the purring and the way he’s touching me, my eyes start to flutter closed. I hear them talking, but I’m too caught up in this feeling. This overwhelming sense of completion. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.

I awake in the middle of the night in a bed that smells all wrong. Sitting up, I rub my eyes and look around, only I’m met with darkness. Sleepily, I roll out of bed in search of a bathroom. When I find the door and open it, I step out into the hall, and all of their scents hit me at once.

I’m at a cabin. A cabin owned by my Alphas and their Beta. Three strangers.

I look down the hall toward the front door.I could run. They’re all asleep. I could leave and go back to my cabin, and once the snow stops and the paths have been cleared, I could vanish.

But the idea of leaving fills me with sadness. Should it matter that I don’t know these men? They’re my scent match. I need to stay and get to know them. I owe them and myself that much. If they turn out to be bad guys, then I’ll leave.

For now, I’m staying—not that I really have much of a choice. Who knows when the plows will be able to get up here to clear the roads.

Deciding not to run, I head into the bathroom down the hall to pee.

When I’m done, I wash my hands and dry them. I take a moment to look around the room and smile as I think of ways to add my own little touches.Could I really see myself staying here and making this place my new home?

They have their own lives here; I could never ask them to come back to Calling Wood with me.

---