Page 6 of A Pack of Honey
"We're looking for Mr. Sunny Howard. Is he in?"
The young woman smirks, crossing her arms. "I don't know if you all were just born without the ability to read, or if those fancy suits and that shiny car mean you pay someone else to do the reading for you, but that sign on the fence clearly says 'Private Property.'" She points to the sign we've just breezed past. "So,unless you're looking to give the local police something to do, I suggest you step off that porch, and join me on the 'not-getting-arrested' side."
Despite being pint-sized and less than half our weight, her authority makes my inner alpha sit up and take notice. My cock takes notice too, becoming uncomfortably firm in my pants.
I descend the steps, my pack trailing behind. The way this little one's voice carries is enough to command our attention completely. Impressive.
She steps aside, a graceful movement, and lets us exit the gate. But as we pass her, everyone freezes. Despite her small stature, I thought she might be an alpha with that commanding tone. But as we draw closer, her intoxicating scent envelops me. It's sweet honey with a tantalizing hint of tea. It's so deliciously alluring that a soft purr escapes my lips unbidden. Her eyes widen, and I catch the shiver of surprise that moves up her spine. She steps back slightly, her nostrils flaring as she reacts to our scents, the air thick with unspoken attraction.
Omega.
Her scent makes it clear. Purrs ripple through the air behind me, and I turn to find my pack members, eyes alight with a primal hunger, as they feast on her presence. The way she draws us in is magnetic. A scent-matched scent might get a reaction from one or two alphas in a pack, but to affect anentirepack this way?
This is a scent-sensitive match. She's our pack-mated omega.
Our destiny.
Sunny
FourAlphasarepurringat me, their intensity wrapping around me like a warm, yet electrifying blanket. The alpha I’d met at the Café is boring holes into my face with his stare, and I'm doing my best to avoid his gaze. Is this why I could still smell his scent, teasing at my senses? I push the thought aside, but it lingers sweetly, igniting a spark of desire deep within me.
There aren't a lot of options here. I can ignore the purring and their glorious scents and move on like nothing happened. I can yell at them to stop. Or, I can smash my entire face into their chests and let them purr me into submission. Being the total coward that I am, I choose option number one. Denial and gaslighting. Mostly gaslighting myself.
I pivot sharply and stride away, but the unmistakable sound of four grown men following me sends a thrill through my veins. The leader quickly closes the distance, his confident stride effortlessly blocking my path. He's about fifteen years older than me with enticing salt-and-pepper hair. His trimmed beard frames a strong jawline, giving him an irresistibly rugged appeal.Each chiseled muscle and sculpted line of his body beneath his form-fitting suit speaks of strength and power.
His purr grows louder as he locks eyes with me. He isn't trying to intimidate. Purrs are meant to soothe omegas. But he's determined to keep me where I am.
"Excuse me," I say. Instead of answering, he drags in a deep breath. My omega instinctively reacts, and I also find myself inhaling his scent. He exudes a heady mix of tobacco and leather, and the intoxicating fragrance makes me swoon. It's so overwhelming that, to my embarrassment, I perfume in the middle of the dirt driveway. Thank god, the other visitors are either lost in the gift shop or exploring the hives. I'm grateful for the relative solitude. My cheeks are already flushed with mortification.
"Little One," the dominant alpha growls, his voice low and gruff, every syllable dripping with an intensity that's hard to resist. "What's your name?" A smirk curls at the corner of his lips, exuding a confidence that makes my heart race.
I loose a derisive snort, trying to mask the effect he has on me, but his smoldering gaze never waivers, igniting heat at my center. My annoyance mixes with undeniable desire.
"Having others read for you is nice, but it comes with drawbacks,” I say. The dominant alpha never takes his eyes off me, but I see the others exchange glances. "It isn't Mr. Sunny Howard," I say.
I wait for a beat while the dominant alpha processes my words, looking like he's trying to answer a question the mean teacher at school asked. The other pack members stiffen behind him. He closes his eyes and sighs, probably contemplating the meaning of life and what choices have led him to this clusterfuck, before opening them again.
"It's Miss," he says.
I nod stiffly.
"Oh shit! She's the owner you've been after?" One of the alphas with long hair and tattoos asks.
Cole opens his mouth to say something but my employee, Sean, jogs up, interrupting our conversation. He gestures over to the gift shop saying he needs me to assist with a customer who's convinced we should sell wine. Apparently, "we don't sell wine" isn't an acceptable answer. It's not an answer at all. They're determined to escalate the matter to the owner.
I can't stop myself from glancing over my shoulder at the pack as I leave them behind. Their faces are alive with an untamed intensity. They each radiate a wild spark and a piercing longing. The atmosphere snaps with tension, as if their souls pulse with the primal urge to close the distance between us. I pick up my pace and enter the gift shop.
Jess
Wewatchastheomega,MissSunny Howard, walks away to deal with a ridiculous customer.
"Fucking goddamnit," I mutter to myself. This is just our pack's luck lately. We finally find a scent-sensitive matched omega, and who is it? The very person Cole's been harassing for months.
"What do we do now, Hoss?" I ask, desperately hoping he has a magic wand to resolve this, or a solid plan.
Cole rakes a hand over his face and into his wavy, perfectly styled hair. "Let's regroup in the car.” He doesn't wait for anyone before marching across the dirt lot and getting into the driver’s seat. We follow behind and get in.
As the car door thuds shut, a thick silence envelopes us, punctuated only by the faint hum of the engine. Hunt turns his gaze on all of us. His eyes are wide with curiosity.
