Page 45 of Scent to the Feral Cowboys
I still moved behind Wyatt and the woman, wondering if I should just bow out and let him have both. When we got to our hotel rooms, Wyatt pulled the taller woman closer to him. “Madison’s with me.”
“And I’m with you,” the other Beta’s eyes sparkled in anticipation. “You won’t be disappointed.”
“I’m sure I won’t be…” I trailed off, not knowing her name.
“Rachel,” she offered.
“Right. I’m sure I won’t be, Rachel.” I looked up at Wade, who was frowning at me, his eyes telling me to, ‘do better, dumbass’.
So, I closed the space between me and the woman, wrapped my arm around her shoulders, and started leading her to the second door.
As I inserted the access card, Rachel leaned over to lock eyes with Madison. “When we switching, babe?”
“After round one,” Madison winked. “I’m not letting this guy out of my sight until I’m coated.”
I didn’t know what coated meant, but Rachel giggled. “Don’t waste it. Great for the skin.”
“Like a spa treatment,” Madison laughed, then let Wyatt tug her into the room.
Once inside the room with the Beta, her perfume smelled stronger. It mingled with the scent of beer and smoke clinging to her hair and clothes. It wasn’t unpleasant, but just unremarkable.
Nothing like what an Omega's scent would be. Nothing like what we were all waiting for.
The woman—shit, what was her name?—was already undressing. She kept her eyes on me, swaying her hips like she was putting on some captivating, sensual dance. It did nothing for me, but I tried to encourage her, tried to be a willing participant, but I was soft and hard in all the wrong places.
I couldn’t stop myself from glancing at the door connecting this room to Wyatt’s room.
I knew what was happening behind that closed door, even though I’d never seen Wyatt during the throes of intimacy. I knew, because he was Wyatt. He’d be charming and confident. The Beta would be hungry for his touch. He’d fuck her blind, make her cum ten ways to Sunday, and she’d fawn over him like she’d never been pleasured properly before.
Wyatt was exactly what an Alpha should be, and I wasn’t.
I turned away from the imagined scene.
The Beta was naked now; her face scrunched with confusion. I tried to force myself into the moment; to give her the implied promise I’d made by walking into this hotel room with her. When forcing myself didn’t work, I decided not to be myself at all. I’d be Wyatt tonight. Dripping with charisma. Commanding attention. Supremely fuckable.
I moved towards the woman, eyes roving over every part of her curving naked figure. I showed her my desire, my appetite. I felt myself grow hard as I saw her gaze widen.
That was it. That was the look.
Expectation, laced with intimidation.
As I pushed her down onto the bed, enjoying her reaction, my true self began to pound against the Wyatt façade to remind me I could never be this way in real life.
12
NELLY
Nine months ago...
Goodbye, House
I held the pen poised. A few more signatures, and the deal was done. My family home would change hands, and that would be the end of an era. Closing on the house felt just like getting a tooth pulled—you’re never numb enough. You always feel a bit of the pain.
A Beta in a bland, off-the-rack suit flipped through paperwork across the sleek conference table, droning on about the process. Each time he mentioned the buyers, physical pain shot through me. Why was this considered a milestone? That’s what the realtor said—It’s a rite of passage. Growing up, leaving your family’s nest. The future is wide-open, Nelly. You can do anything you want.
How could I face tomorrow with broken wings though? How could I leave everything I’d ever known? I was like one of Grandmother’s sit-around birds. Not real. Frozen in place,caught either mid-flight or clinging to a branch. I couldn’t actually soar away.
“A few more pages, Miss Shaw.” The suited Beta spun contracts in my direction. Triplicate. Lines highlighted. I was yellow, the buyers were pink. They’d arrive later to sign. The slim stacks of paper were passed to my realtor Jan first; she checked them over quickly, before nodding and sliding them in my direction.
