Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Nathaniel

T he pounding in my head syncs with the pound of rain against the window.

Groaning, I crack open my eyelids, then slam them shut as the harsh light of morning pierces through my skull. Last night's work meeting with Emily and Dominic had devolved into a bitch-fest about family and society. Before the night was over, we had polished off a bottle of bourbon before getting into the tequila.

Fingers pressed to my throbbing temple, I glance at the clock. It's early enough to still be sleeping, but that's impossible without some pain meds and water.

I sit up in bed, and the pounding of rain draws my attention to the gray light coming through the window. I didn't pull the curtains before falling into bed, so I have an unobstructed view of the aftermath left by last night's storm. Broken tree branches litter the lawn, and a muddy puddle covers part of the pathway.

Concern grips me, my thoughts jumping to the job site. If it's this bad here, what does it look like down there?

Ignoring the pain in my head, I hurry to dress for a day of mud and damage control.

I make my way down the hall but pause at Dominic's door, the wood cool beneath my fingertips. Part of me wants to drag him out of bed, but if his head pounds half as much as mine does, then he needs his rest. I decide to let him sleep until I assess the work site.

As I head down the stairs, an enticingly sweet scent fills my nostrils, making my gut tighten and my blood rush south.

What the hell? I freeze on the steps, shaking my head to clear my senses, but that only makes it worse. Where is that smell coming from?

I peer below, searching for the fresh bouquet, though I've never gotten hard over flowers, and I've spent plenty of time in the garden. My vision blurs, and I sit on the step, cradling my throbbing skull.

Is this a migraine? I've never experienced one before, but I've read that sometimes they have scent auras.

But do they usually involve a burning need in the gut?

Reconsidering the plan to walk down to the job site, I grip the banister to stand when a soft giggle freezes me in place. The sound sends a full-body shudder through me, and my cock presses painfully against my zipper. The scent strengthens, coming from nearby, and my pulse races in response.

I press a hand over my chest where my heart thunders. Am I having a heart attack?

The door to the media room opens, and I peer through the rungs of the stairwell, catching sight of Blake's muscular arms encircling a small person clad in a green frog outfit. He holds the hood on either side of their face, dips his head, and the sound of kissing rises from below.

As their lips part, the floral scent intensifies, making warmth rush through my body. It's as if the world around me shifts, the very air charged with electricity. My fingers itch with the need to touch, to claim, but I remain rooted to the spot.

Before I can gather my thoughts and make my presence known, the door to the kitchen swings open, and Holden steps out, carrying one of the linen bags we ordered for the resort.

His hazel eyes widen in surprise when he spots Blake and the other person, and for a fleeting moment, insecurity flickers in his expression.

A muffled slap sounds, and the green frog giggles as they stumble out of the hall, bouncing toward Holden.

As they pass beneath where I sit, sweet pheromones curl around me like a seductive embrace, filling me with the desire to scoop them up and scent them. I want this Omega—need them—but before instinct drives me to my feet, they're across the dining room.

My mind races to make sense of what I just witnessed. When did this happen? How did this happen? The only stranger on the island is our renter, who's a Beta. Or at least, that's what she wrote on the registration form.

Which means two things. One, she lied, and two, my packmates are putting our project in jeopardy to play around.

Red seeps into my vision, and I struggle to keep my emotions in check, to hang on to my temper until the one guest we're relying on for a positive review leaves.

As she bounces to a stop in front of Holden, the sight is both adorable and maddening.

"Here are your belongings." Holden holds out the linen bag. As their fingers brush, electricity crackles in the air between them.

Cheeks flushing, he leans down, and the Omega rises onto her toes to meet the kiss, sending a jolt of envy through me.

When they separate, Holden smiles shyly, but the insecurity remains. "Can I walk you back?"

I can't hear her response, but Holden's face brightens.

"Let me grab my raincoat and an umbrella." He backs toward the kitchen. "Don't move. I'll only be a second."

He disappears through the door, and the Omega bounces in place.

When Holden returns, he wears a bright yellow slicker and holds a full-sized umbrella in the crook of his arm. He carries a picnic basket, and even from across the room, my mouth waters at the scent of fresh-baked goods.

The woman grabs the basket to peek inside.

He rubs the back of his neck. "It's just some treats for the road."

Back on her tiptoes, the Omega pulls him back down for another kiss, this one lingering more than the first, and the weight of my longing twists in my gut, heavy and oppressive.

When Holden straightens, a goofy smile spreads over his face, and he gestures toward the door. "It sounds like the rain is slowing, so we better head out."

As the front door closes behind them, I stand and make my way the rest of the way down the stairs, hand gripping the railing.

Blake stops at the bottom, looking up at me. "Her name is Chloe."

The tender expression on his face sends fear shooting through me. Things are even worse than I thought. We can't afford this kind of risk.

I glare at him, my tenuous hold on my anger snapping. "I know who she is, Blake! She's the only damn guest on this island! How could you and Holden be so irresponsible as to put the moves on our very first customer?"

My voice echoes through the empty room, and the cell phone buzzing in my pocket goes ignored. Right now, I have more important issues to deal with than potential investors.

Blake scrapes back his long, brown hair, the motion sharp with irritation, and ties it up in a tight bun. "We didn't plan this. It just… happened."

"Dammit, Blake!" I storm down the stairs toward him, my pounding pulse fueled by anger and anxiety. "We have a lot riding on her review! The last thing we need is for her to leave here broken-hearted, or worse, to tell everyone this is an island of horny Alphas who can't keep their hands off the first Omega who steps off the boat!"

As I reach the ground floor, my nostrils flare, unable to resist dragging the Omega's intoxicating floral scent into my lungs. The temptation to seek her out threatens to overwhelm me, but I push it aside, focusing on my packmate, who doesn't appear nearly regretful enough.

"Can't you see this is a distraction we don't need?" I get in Blake's face. "We have a resort to launch, and you're jeopardizing everything!"

"We're not jeopardizing anything!" His face reddens with the stirrings of anger. "We're here, one hundred percent?—"

"No, you're not!" I roar. "You're never here. You're off the island taking care of your niece because your sister can't be bothered! And now, even when you are here, you're fucking around!"

"Don't you dare bring Quinn into this. Family comes first." He shoves me away from him. "That's how it's always been."

"Exactly!" I try to rein in my temper, the pounding in my head worsening. "I'm thinking of our family when I'm telling you to shut down whatever you and Holden think you're doing with that Omega."

"You don't get to make this kind of decision for us," he grits out, his voice strained. "Our pack is a democracy, not a dictatorship."

"Right now, the future of our pack depends on us making smart decisions." I force myself to look away from him. "Pursuing an Omega guest isn't one of them."

"Or it's exactly what we need." Blake taps the hard bulge straining the front of my pants. "If you stopped being so uptight, you could be distracted by her, too."

Anger reignites, and I shove him against the stair rail, my hand fisted in his shirt collar. "This isn't a joke," I snarl, our noses touching. "I'm so uptight because you're not here, and with Dominic gone all the time trying to bring in investors, I'm the only one here making sure this resort actually succeeds!"

"That's bullshit!" Blake shoves back at me, his smoked applewood and cider scent getting in my nose and threatening to soothe my frayed nerves. "You know you're not alone. You're just being a hungover asshole right now."

Shuddering, I lean in and bury my face against his throat. "You're fucking stressing me out, Harrison."

"I hear you." His arms come around me. "And I'm sorry I've been MIA. I'll try to talk to my father again about Sadie. Get her back in another rehab. We'll figure this out."

I nuzzle behind his ear, his pheromones easing my pounding headache. "The Omega is only here for another week. It's not only her heartbreak I'm worried about."

"Holden's already gone," he murmurs.

"And you?" I push away from him to study his face. "How far gone are you?"

Blake's eyes drop from mine. "Part of being a pack includes an Omega."

"Of course, it does." My gut twists with anxiety. "But not now."

"Then when?" he challenges, his chin jutting with a determination I usually value in him. "After the resort opens? After we're turning a profit? In five years? Or ten? Why give up the chance with someone who's already proven to be compatible with two of us in order to wait for a more ideal time?"

Growling, I turn away from him. "We'll know when the time is right."

"Or we take a chance now ." Blake grabs my shoulder and spins me back around to grip my arms. "Tell me she's not already in your nose."

Unable to deny it, I state the facts. "She's leaving ."

Blake's chin juts out at a familiar, stubborn angle. "Not if we give her a reason to stay."

"There's too much happening right now." His pheromones make it hard to think clearly, and I try to shrug him off, but he holds on tight. "We need to focus on our work, not on satisfying our urges."

His nostrils flare as he drags air into his lungs, but he doesn't let go of me. Instead, he leans in closer, his warm breath fanning across my face. "You say that, but you already want her before you've even met her."

"Enough!" I snap, shoving him away from me. "I'm not talking about this now. When her stay is up, she's off the island."

The words taste like bile in my mouth, but I swallow it down.

"Don't think this conversation is over!" Blake yells as I turn on my heel and storm out of the house, heading toward the construction site.

My heart pounds as I put distance between myself and the heated argument, but not even the rain can cool the desire burning under my skin.

It will eventually pass, though, because this is the best decision for our pack.

There will be other Omegas.