Page 16 of Knot Her Mountain Men

I soaked up his words like a sponge, trying to process this information. That certainly made sense for why I wanted to roll around on them and why I felt safe with Bear, though I had never experienced a scent match before. “But aren’t those super rare?”

Kit shrugged. “Rare for them to find each other, but I don’t think it’s rare for them to exist.”

“I guess that’s fair. I can’t do anything about it, though. I have a new job starting in Missoula in a few days, and an apartment I’m supposed to move into.”

“I’m sorry to say you’ll miss your starting date.”

A crack like thunder sounded from outside, all of us leaping to our feet.

“What the fuck was that?”

“Probably a tree.” Kit was already running, Bear and me at his heels.

Swearing and yelling came from outside and I pressed up against the glass to see what was going on. Bear and Kit hauled on their outdoor gear and disappeared into the snow. I dragged on my snowsuit and boots to follow them out.

A huge spruce had come down. Shingles littered the snow along with a pile of crumpled metal.

“What happened?” I shouted above the wind.

“Fucking tree took out Mav and the satellite,” Ryder yelled back.

My gaze swiveled to where Maverick was sprawled out beneath one of the branches. Shit.

Bear and Kit fetched a pair of chain saws and immediately set about slicing up the tree, focusing on the branches around Maverick so Ryder could drag him out of there. I dropped to my knees next to him, bending close so he could hear me.

“Maverick, can you feel your toes?”

He groaned. “Hurts like a bitch, but yeah.”

“Okay, good.” I did a quick check over his body while Ryder kneeled next to us, asking Maverick about each limb to make sure nothing was broken or suffering from nerve damage.

Ryder dragged him by the jacket into the garage and I followed, getting right back onto my knees when we were out of the wind.

“You okay, man?” Ryder asked.

“Knocked the damn air out of my fucking lungs.” Maverick coughed and sat up carefully with a plethora of winces and groans.

The branches had sliced through part of his coat. “We should get this off you and see if it made it down to the skin.”

While Kit and Bear worked outside, I helped Ryder get Maverick upstairs. We probably looked ridiculous since Maverick was a solid foot taller than me. He didn’t put much weight on my shoulders, but the fact that he put any at all told me he was struggling.

By the time we got him settled and mostly stripped to check out the damage, I was exhausted. The adrenaline had faded and I was reminded my own body wasn’t in great condition. I shimmied out of my snowsuit and crouched at Maverick’s side. He was lying on couch cushions in front of the fire while Ryder brought over their extensive med kit. I’d taken a bunch of first aid courses over the years so I’d be prepared if anything happened while camping.

The branch had broken the skin so I applied a disinfectant, Maverick hissing at the sting. I stretched out next to him, drawn by the omega instinct to soothe, letting my purr take over, and he almost instantly melted. “You’re going to be okay,” I said softly.

“Are you a nurse or something?” Ryder asked.

“Nah. I was a counselor at a lot of summer camps so I’ve dealt with every injury under the sun. This is small potatoes compared to a lot of things the kids managed. Can you bandage him?”

“Sure.”

I wiggled to get Maverick’s head on my shoulder so my purr would be considerably louder. Omega purrs were pretty magic with stressed-out and injured kids. No reason it couldn’t work the same on an adult.

As Ryder got to work, Maverick tensed, dragging me closer and pressing his forehead against the curve of my throat. My breathing shallowed, goosebumps racing over my skin. I held perfectly still, fighting the rise of my lustful instincts at having an alpha so close. I didn’t know how to deal with it. I’d been on suppressants for so long I’d never had to worry before. Maverick didn’t even have a scent I could detect like Bear and Kit. I’d have probably been compelled to give him my throat if he did.

“Don’t crush her,” Ryder admonished. “She’s had a rough go.”

Kit and Bear rejoined us, both of them stopping short at the scene in front of them, eyes wide and nostrils flaring. Bear growled.

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