Page 44 of Her Knotty Alphas

Noah

Sure, princess. You're welcome over any time. Here's a pin with the address

The screen populates with a location and address, and I frown, wondering what the hell kind of coincidence it is that my new scent match lives in the same neighborhood as my best friend.

Chapter 19

Hannah

My jaw drops as I pull up to the literal mansion that Noah sent me the address of. This is…insane. How well does Titus pay his employees if he can afford to live in a place like this? Is he by himself? If he's not…does he have a bunch of roommates?

My brows furrow as I pull the car into the damncircular driveway. This is…weird. It's a similar style to the De Lucca's Spanish hacienda-style home…but bigger. I can hear music coming from inside the house, a country song pulls on the strings of my memories. Did…did my dad listen to this? I hate to stereotype, but this does not seem like the kind of music Noah would listen to. Maybe metal or alternative, definitely not country.

The music cuts off after I ring the doorbell. A few seconds later, the front door is opening and I'm met with…

"Austin?" I choke out, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head at the sight of the burly alpha, wearing gray sweatpants, no shirt, and a damn apron that reads "Real Alphas Bake Cookies."

Austinbakes? Why the hell is a man who knows his way around a kitchen so hot? His lemon-mint scent, that I now realize has an undercurrent to earthy-ness to it, like a tall glass of iced tea, envelops me and my breath stutters for a moment, some of the pain from my head fading.

Shit. This really is the answer. Most of the time, I love being an omega. This, though? I hate this. I hate needing an alpha that doesn't want me.

"I—Hannah?" There are thin, honey-brown rings around his blown pupils, and his pale, freckled face is quickly turning bright red. Embarrassment radiates off him in waves, evidenced by the slight tent in his apron. He's embarrassed that he's attracted to me? What the fuck? I know I'm not like, an LA ten, but I'm a solid Starbrook seven, if not eight.

He doesn't want me? Fine. "Noah sent me this address," I say stiffly, not meeting his eyes.

Austin clears his throat, scrambling to take off his apron, then seemingly realizes he's not wearing a shirt, revealing hisveryfreckled torso, and ends up holding the apron over his chest like I'm some kind of lecherous skeev preying on his innocence.

Before I can tell him to stop freaking out and I promise I won'tlookat him, Noah appears, a shit eating grin on his face. "Princess!" He gathers me into a hug that I melt into, his cinnamon and clove surrounding me like an embrace. I relax immediately, and realize I'm no longer dizzy, and my head feels great.

I can't stop the scowl that forms on my features though as Noah gives me a guilty smile. "Why don't you go hang out in the living room? I'll be right there. It's just down the hall."

Nodding, I turn my back and disappear around the corner right in time to hear Austin hiss, "You didn't think to tell me she was coming?"

Despite already knowing mine and Austin's connection is only scent-deep, hurt still blooms in my chest at his words. He doesn't even know me, and he's upset I'm in his home. I don't hear Noah's response, since I'm hurrying down the hall to the living room. As I go, I catch hints of Enzo's leather and tobacco, and something else too, but it's so faint I can't pick it out. Their scents haven't permeated the house yet, and that tells me they haven't been here that long.

My steps falter as I step into the living room. For a minute, I really consider running. I've got my hit of their scent. Maybe one of their throw pillows smells like them and I can steal it, take it back to my nest, and pretend like none of this ever happened.

Ha.

"You okay?" Noah's voice sounds right next to my ear and I jump, grasping my chest as I whirl around to face him. I ignore the way his little smirk makes my knees weak. Then his lips dip into a frown. "I hate that I can't scent you."

"Just came from work." I shrug, looking down and kicking my foot at the carpet. How do I tell him? How do I explain that I'm so broken my omega is latching onto him and the rest of my scent matches so hard I'll get sick without their scents?

"Hey," his hand gently grasps my neck, his thumb tilting my head up so I look at him, "don't do that."

"Don't do what?" I try to blink the tears from my eyes, wondering if there's something seriously wrong with me because Noah's hand on my neck…it should scare me. It should feel threatening. But all I feel is grounded.

Safe.

"Don't hide from me, princess," he says gently, his thumb now gently rubbing my pulse point. But then a pained look crosses his face, and his brow furrows. "Shit, I'm sorry, but I can't take this." His words pierce through my heart, and I expect him to release me. To step away and put as much distance between usas possible. Before I can react to that though, he's talking again. "I can't stand seeing you upset. Can…can I kiss you?"

Oh.

He hates that my omega is in distress, and he wants to fix it. He isn't disgusted by me, or put off by my whininess. He can tell that I'm upset, even if my scent is covered up.

Noah Jameson is just full of surprises.

Wordlessly, I nod, and he sighs in relief. "Thank fuck."

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