Chapter 3: Bear

Chapter Three

Bear

T he bar is packed, and the dance floor is thickly lined with bodies. The majority are from the docks and the fishing boats. The rest are from the businesses necessary to keep the bustling fishing industry moving in town. Our population quadruples after winter, but for now, it’s back to familiar faces.

It’s Friday night, and everyone is looking to blow off steam.

I drop the bottles in front of the guy at the bar and snatch up the money, tossing it in the cash register.

Shit.

Jacky is going to have my ass when she counts out the drawer at closing. I keep forgetting to check for tips and separate them out.

My bar manager is around here somewhere. She’s splitting her time behind the bar and at the tables because we’re so short-staffed, it’s ridiculous.

“Hey, Bear,” Jacky calls out, sliding through the crowd with her hand held out. I frown, spotting the landline phone in her outstretched hand. “It’s Rush. He says it’s an emergency.”

Goddammit.

No matter how short-staffed he is over at the bed-and-breakfast, he can’t have any of my employees.

I don’t have any to spare.

Rush and I might be fraternal twins, but I’m four minutes older. Not that it really matters in the grand scheme of things, but it counts—I’m the oldest.

“What?” I growl, shoving my office door closed with my boot.

“I need a favor…”

“No, I’m getting slammed over here as it is,” I tell him truthfully as I make my way over and toss myself down in my desk chair.

Taking over Dry Dock and the bed-and-breakfast from our parents’ pack has been a learning experience. Next year, we’ll know better than to let so many employees off all at once. For now, we’re suffering with the consequences of our actions.

“I don’t have anyone extra here tonight,” I say. “We’re going to have to toughen up on letting the staff off at the same time.”

“Yeah, I know,” Rush agrees. “I’ve been working the bar and the check-in desk all damn day. That’s not why I’m calling, though.”

I frown, scratching at my beard.

“I had a pretty little omega check in this afternoon.” He sighs, and it reminds me of an old man. Usually, I’m the surly one. “She’s on her way to Dry Dock right now.”

Apparently, I’m not getting the point. “Okay, so her pack should keep a close eye on her?—”

“Listen to what I’m saying, Bear,” he growls. “She’s an unbonded omega. No pack. She’s alone.”

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, swiping a hand over my face. “This is the last shit I need tonight.” The phone receiver hums, picking up the sound of my heavy exhale. “What does she look like?”

“You’ll know when you see her,” he says, like he’s purposely trying to piss me off.

“Rush!”

“Her name is Lennox. She’s five-five or five-six,” he says. “Long brown hair, big hazel eyes, and she’s young. Her ID said she turned twenty-one last month, so you’ll need to make sure she doesn’t overdo it.”

I pull the phone away from my face to check that it’s really my brother I’m talking to, but it’s the landline.

“I’m not her damn babysitter,” I growl. “She’s a grown woman.”

“Yeah, tell me if you feel the same way after you catch a whiff of her. She smells like…” He trails off, and my mind races.

“Smells like what?” I shove myself out of my chair and head for the door.

“Like creamy orange heaven, with hints of vanilla. It’s a light, juicy scent. I know that makes no fucking sense, but trust me, you’ll get it when you smell her.”

“Great,” I mutter, hanging up on my twin.

Tonight is never going to end.

That woman needs a goddamn keeper. No, she needs an alpha to toss her over their shoulder, cart her out of here to somewhere safe, then tan her backside until she learns her lesson.

I watch her drink not one, not two, but three and a half mixed drinks.

It’s the middle of winter in New England, and she doesn’t have a fucking coat.

I’ve turned up the heat in the building three times. The other customers are sweaty and complaining, but they’ll live.

She might not if she catches fucking pneumonia.

My palm actually itches as I watch her grind on the dance floor between two of the fishermen who come in regularly. They’re drunk, too, from the looks of it, but that’s not going to fly as an excuse tonight.

You don’t run a bar without learning when to cut someone off.

I ignore a lot of tipsy patrons leaving to hook up.

It’s a nightly occurrence.

I always make sure no one is utterly shitfaced and do my best to intervene if I think someone is past the line, but I’ve also been told to fuck off and mind my own business more times than I can count.

At that point, I figure I’ve done what I can without coming off like a total asshole. Not that everyone around doesn’t think of me as one, anyway.

That approach is not how I’ll be handling the little omega currently being led off the dance floor between the two fuckers with a death wish.

“I need you to close up,” I growl at Jacky.

“Yeah, I saw that coming,” she mutters. “I want a raise.”

I nod, but my eyes don’t leave Lennox as I stomp across the room.

“Wanna get out of here?” one of the men asks.

“I promise, we’ll take real good care of you,” the guy flashing half the room her ass says.

I’m not here to control or cock-block anyone. Or I normally wouldn’t be, but she’s had a little too much to drink for me to feel comfortable letting her walk out the door, unless it’s with someone I trust.

Maybe I should ask Jacky to get her back to the bed-and-breakfast?

No, it’ll be safer if I’m by Lennox’s side.

My massive, six-foot-seven frame comes to a stop in front of the clusterfuck of bad decisions in the making. “They’re right. It’s time for you to go.”

“We’re solidly down to share with each other, but that wasn’t an open invitation,” the first guy says with a condescending laugh that makes my fists clench.

The urge to remove his head from his shoulders is strong.

“I’m sorry,” Lennox says, squinting up at me with glassy hazel eyes. “Did I forget to pay?”

I eye the omega from head to toe.

She’s in heels and a short-sleeve wrap dress. It’s tight, hugs her curves in all the right places, and doesn’t do a goddamn thing to protect her from the frigid New England weather.

There’s no way she’s not cold as hell.

She. Needs. A. Fucking. Keeper.

“You paid,” I acknowledge. “Now it’s time for you to get back to where you’re staying.”

“What the hell, Bear?” one of the guys growls.

Okay, so he knows me.

I still don’t recognize either of them by name, but if they keep trying my patience, they’ll never set foot in my establishment again.

I wave a hand at Hank, one of the bouncers. He and I used to work security together before I was forced to take over.

We’re no longer letting people in, so his job has switched to making sure everyone leaves without a fight.

Hank nods and starts walking in our direction.

“You two can head out,” I say to dismiss the men. “I need a word with Lennox.”

Her eyes widen, and she raises a hand, pointing to her own chest like she’s verifying I’m talking about her.

It would be cute normally, but now, all I can wonder is if she’s too wasted to remember her own name.

I should have had Jacky stop serving the guys too. The last drink and a half made their way to Lennox through them because I was sidetracked handling other customers.

Her long hair falls around her shoulders as she moves back a step, like maybe she’s thinking about bolting.

“My name is Bear.” I hold out a hand until she places her cold fingers in mine. “I believe you met my little brother. Rush asked me to make sure you get back to the bed-and-breakfast safely.”

“The guy from the hotel asked you to babysit me?” Her forehead wrinkles as she tries to snatch her hand from mine. “I’m totally fine.”

“Do you know how many drinks you had?” I quirk an eyebrow.

“A few, I guess.” Her lips push together, and she shrugs. “The Christmas cocktail special, the one with peppermint pieces, went down so smooth. Loved it. Ten out of ten, would recommend.”

Everything in me wants to toss her over my knee for being so flippant about her current state. Rush frequently tells me I’m an overbearing, cantankerous asshole, so I center myself before replying.

“Not remembering the number of drinks you had isn’t a good sign.”

“I appreciate it, but I’m fine.” She might be convincing, except for the fact she stumbles over several of her words. “I’m not driving. Okay, so I’m a little tipsy, but I’m not drunk or anything.”

That might be a record.

She destroyed my zen-like state in less than twelve seconds.

I’m in motion before I can stop myself, leaning down and getting close to her ear.

“I might not be your alpha, but I am an alpha. I’m not going to stand by and watch you make questionable choices while you’re impaired.” I pull back enough to see the petulant look on her face. “Get their number if you want. You can continue this disaster another night, when I don’t have to bear witness to it.”

“What the hell, man?” the other guy growls.

“I will ban both your asses indefinitely.” I glance between them. “Don’t push your luck with me tonight.”

Lennox jolts at the growl in my tone, and I grimace.

“I don’t understand what I did wrong. I’m over twenty-one.” She tries to pull her hand away, but I don’t release it. “My ID is in my boob.” Her forehead wrinkles, and she busts out laughing. “Bra. I meant my bra.”

“She passed on exchanging info, so have a nice life,” I tell the dicks, nodding for Hank to engage.

He takes over, guiding the guys away.

They mutter and complain, but that’s fine.

I’m sure I did ruin their plans, but when they sober up, they’ll be thanking me. They’ve witnessed the same shit I have. It should be a wake-up call if they have any brain cells between the two of them.

“Where’s your coat?” I ask, refocusing on the omega.

She glances down, and her head tilts.

“I did bring one,” she says. “I think there’s a small possibility I left it in the cab.” Her head swivels as she looks back at the bar. “Or maybe around here somewhere. I’m not really sure, but I did bring one.”

My head falls back as I curse at the ceiling.

“I can buy a new one,” she says, like I’m overreacting.

Hell, I probably am.

I growl, gently pulling her into my chest. “Come on, I have one in my office.”

I keep my hand on her hip and my head on a swivel.

This place doesn’t cater to the fanciest crowd, but it’s not like we’re in danger.

My instincts feel otherwise.

She’s been drinking, and she’s in an unfamiliar environment. I don’t know what the hell she was thinking, coming here tonight.

She’s an unbonded omega.

Where the hell is her security?

“You’re so damn lucky I’m not your alpha,” I mutter. “Your backside would never recover from the trip you’d take over my knee.”

“Yeah, how dare I try to have fun for the first time in months?” She scoffs. “Sorry, Daddy. I didn’t know I was grounded.”

We make it to the hallway with my office, and I stop dead in my tracks.

“I’d be very careful who you bait, little one.” My eyes meet her huge hazel orbs, and she blinks rapidly as her chest rises and falls. “We’re short-staffed, but all I did tonight was watch you to make sure you didn’t get yourself into trouble.”

“That sounds sweeter than I think you meant it to.” She stares up at me from under her lashes as her teeth dig into her lower lip, and it takes everything in me not to tug it free for her.

“Come on,” I grunt, pulling her along by my hold on her hip. “You need to sleep off the alcohol.”

“Okay,” she agrees.

This woman is a disaster.

She grunts as I drop my big-ass coat over her small frame. “It’s heavy.”

Okay, she’s technically not tiny for a woman, but everyone is little compared to me.

“I’ll bet it is for you,” I agree, pulling her hair into a bunch and tucking it into the hood.

“Is that really necessary?” Her freckle-covered nose wrinkles.

My nostrils flare as I get the first hit of her scent. There were so many bodies in the club that it wasn’t easy to pick up, but with just the two of us in my office, it’s unmistakable.

She’s a scent match.

My mouth waters with the urge to taste it by licking her skin.

Rush was right.

It’s like creamy orange vanilla and, unlike most omega scents, it’s not cloying or overpowering.

It’s potent, but light and understated.

“Oh,” she whispers, swaying toward me. Her face hits my T-shirt and rolls around my pec. “Cedar and lemongrass…” Her nose wiggles deeper—if that’s even possible. “It’s nice. I mean, you smell handsome.”

I clear my throat, awkwardly patting the top of her head. “Thank you. Your scent is appealing to my senses too.”

“Are we going home now?” she asks, tugging on the sides of my T-shirt.

I frown down at her and finally get the hint. My hands wrap around her ass, and I lift her.

The dress she’s wearing rides up her thighs, practically disappearing under my jacket. To be fair, it wasn’t all that long to begin with.

She stretches up, using her hands on my shoulders to move higher until she can bury her face in my neck.

I blink at the side of her head, frozen and unsure what to do next.

I’m not Rush.

Women don’t throw themselves at me or make any indication they want me to flirt with them.

My size makes me an oddity most women want no part of, and I’ve come to terms with that over the years.

It’s why I’ve encouraged Rush to go to The Exchange on the other side of the island to see if he clicked with any other alphas or omegas. He shouldn’t have to be alone forever because of me.

Finding an omega who wants both of us equally would be like hitting the lottery.

If anything, I’ve always suspected someone would want him enough that they’d settle for keeping me around for back-up dick during a heat.

That thought isn’t appealing in the least.

It’s also not my little brother’s job to drag me around like a consolation prize. It’s complicated even more by the fact that we’re twins. Statistically speaking, alpha twins end up bonded to the same omega more often than not, and the rates are even higher for identical twins versus fraternal.

“It’s probably going to be pretty cold out there, so I’m not complaining, but are we leaving?” Lennox asks.

Her lips brush the tender skin where my beard ends, and I fight the urge to shiver.

It’s time to get myself together.

“Do you have your room key hidden somewhere in that dress?” I ask, walking us toward my office door.

She gasps, shaking her head. “No, crap. I shoved my ID and some cash in my bra… Ohmigod, my phone is in my jacket pocket too.”

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Every new piece of information seems to send my blood pressure soaring even higher.

She’s unbonded.

That much is clear from her scent.

With unbonded female omegas, it normally falls to the family pack to keep close tabs on them until they meet a pack of their own. Once she’s bonded, her alphas would take up the mantle of ensuring her safety.

It’s pretty standard protocol for how things work in our society because of the risks of being kidnapped and trafficked.

So, that begs the question…

Where the hell is her family pack, and why aren’t they here, ensuring her safety?

It’s almost fucking Christmas.

“What am I supposed to do without my phone?” She sounds alarmed for the first time, and my instincts hate it.

I much prefer the feisty version of Lennox that I met on the dance floor. “I’ll call Ned and ask him to bring it by the bed-and-breakfast in the morning.”

“That was the cab driver’s name,” she says, laughing. “How’d you know?”

“Magic,” I mutter, tugging open the door.

Really, it was a fifty-fifty shot, since only two of the drivers work nights, but I also saw him when he dropped her off.

I made sure I was running the door, so I could check her ID personally and turn her away if she wasn’t of age.

Her fingers dig into my throat as she huffs. “Tonight didn’t go anything like I thought it would.”

I frown as I stomp us toward the back door that leads to the employee parking lot.

“What do you mean?”

“I just wanted to forget for a little while and really have fun.” She sighs.