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"That he was." She glared at the door as I started the check in process. "I gave you an extra week, on the house. Take the night to get yourself sorted, and we'll tackle the rest tomorrow. Here's your keycard, and your room is up those stairs and to the right. I'm here, or someone will be, if you need anything."
She thanked me then started to walk away, hesitating on the bottom stair. Even when she looked back at me, there was fear in her eyes. The fact that she was still holding that in even though the asshole was gone only made my anger reignite. "Are you sure he can't come back?"
"Oh,thatI can guarantee," I said, knowing damn well West would charm this place against the asshole the moment the lobby cleared out. Our wall of shame was not the same as a human’s. The wall display was a security system of sorts, and once someone’s photo was up on the wall, they were integrated into the ward. Anyone on the wall of shame would find themselves unable to enter the hotel.
Her shoulders straightened a little more, and she finished walking up the stairs. The moment she was in a room, I rushed outside, expecting to see West kicking some misogynistic ass. Instead, four men I didn't recognize were standing right outside a flashy pickup truck. West was leaning against the support pole of our porch, smiling like the Cheshire Cat.
"Our new guests have arrived," he cackled. "I like them already." The newcomers were toying with the abuser, the biggest of the four making a game slamming his car door shut every time the human tried to open it. They said nothing back to him as he screamed so loudly his voice cracked like a pubescent boy.
"I better get back in there. Good luck out here." I snorted, glad to see some justice playing out for once. The next thirty minutes were another rush of guest requests and directing the lunch crowd. Of course, in typical Mountainview Hotel fashion, the lights above the circular desk went crazy, flickering to the point my eye was starting to twitch. Knowing West was preoccupied, I went to the maintenance closet and grabbed the ladder, willing the guests to stay away for the next ten minutes while I changed the failing lightbulb.
'This is a terrible plan. I can't save you when you fall,'Zehra warned, but it wouldn't have to go that far. We knew I had the magic to save myself; she just liked to be a snarky brat.
'Quiet. I've got this,'I shot back as I climbed the ladder, new bulb in hand. The bulb was hot, so I pulled my sleeve over my hand to unscrew it, using a bit of magic as I tossed the bulb so it floated gently into the trash can. Being a dragon with the ability to manipulate the elements and objects around me definitely came in handy. The beauty of it was that with my amulet in place, my strengths could blend in with normal ‘witch’ magic, which was literally a life-saver. Aside from how much raw energy we were born with and could wield, there were a lot of similarities to how dragon magic and witch magic expressed itself, so masquerading as a witch was really the most logical option.
The new lightbulb was in place, my hand still tightening it, when it hit me—spiced peaches. The scent was strong enough that my body instantly reacted, my heart racing and mouth watering. My omega instincts reared their head, possessiveness hitting me so hard it was difficult to breathe or think.What the hell?!
The only thing that would cause this is…
'Mates!'Zehra's excited yell startled me enough that I tried to whirl around, forgetting the ladder and falling to the ground. A startled yelp escaped me as I fumbled for magic, but before I could do anything, strong arms caught me. The alluring scent changed, becoming a smoky and sweet mix, like marshmallows over a campfire. I glanced up into the man's eyes, the two of us sharing the same awestruck expression. I'd never felt this kind of connection to someone before.
My entire being wanted to gravitate closer, feeling safe in his arms. The alpha was huge, at least 6’5”, and bulging with muscles. His eyes were a gorgeous brown, with flecks of amber that drew me in. His gelled hair was combed back, not a hair out of place. His face was covered in stubble that I wanted to run my fingers over, and there was a dimple forming in his cheeks as he grinned down at me. Everything about him exuded alpha vibes, from his physique to the strength of his scent. But it was the feelings he pulled out of me that startled me most.
A strong sense of safety and lust hit me all at once, all too confusing. We could smell other supes and their designations, the alphas, betas, and omegas all holding unique underlying tones that were enhanced by their emotions. But this… this was different. His scent pulled me in until I was shamelessly taking in deep lungfuls as I stared up at him in shock.
"We found our mate?" I turned to the voice, the warmth of it full of so much awe. As the ginger man stepped closer, the spiced peach scent became stronger again. He was less intimidating than the first man, his smile gentle and eyes warm. He had that signature omega sweetness about him, but the pull wasn’t any weaker with him. In fact, I found myself equally as drawn to the adorable man. His emerald green eyes looked great against his copper hair and dusting of freckles. Unlike the others, he had what I’d call a dad bod, but I was all about it.
The man holding me didn't put me down even though I knew I had to be heavy, but I couldn't focus on that with the overwhelming scents and m-word casually floating around. Despite the comfort they brought me, my internal alarm bells were stronger. Their magical aura was unmistakable, and this shouldn’t be possible.
"Excuse me?" I said, too shocked to process it further. "But you're witches! You can't be my mates." My laugh was near hysterical, and that finally had the beefy man holding me putting me down.
"What kind of bullshit is that?" he asked indignantly. His voice sounded so harsh, yet I didn’t shy away. It wasn’t lined with anger, but confusion. I had a feeling he was just an intense person.
"Kane!" the ginger guy chastised, looking exasperated as he shot me an apologetic smile.
"The kind of bullshit I'm not explaining," I said evenly, brushing nonexistent dust off of my clothes for something to do. Two more men walked up, an alpha and a beta. The differentiating scents were unmistakable even under the other strong odors filling the room, giving away what they were just as much as the power levels surrounding them.
The beta had longer, curly hair that hit his shoulders. Between his goatee, hair, and single silver dangling earring, he had Captain Jack vibes that I was digging just as much as that almost dad bod. He offered me a gentle smile, eyes curiously studying me. He smelled of the sea, which almost had me laughing since my mind had gone for the pirate vibes. The alpha was serious and looked a bit intimidating. He had slicked back black hair, copper skin, and dark brown eyes that pierced through my soul. My hand instinctively clutched my amulet, holding on tight like Anya's magic could keep me grounded, help me make sense of this crazy day. His eyes never left mine, and he stepped forward. I swallowed hard, realizing the pull to him was just as strong.Four?!There was no doubt they were my mates, but it also didn't make sense. I was overwhelmed and in shock.
"Hello, gorgeous. I'm Nikolaus, or Niko if you prefer," the alpha said gently, though he was bold enough to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. I swear I nearly came from that alone. The man was sexy as sin and also scary as hell, and the twisted side of me was hungry for whatever brand of pleasure he was willing to give. "You were unexpected." His scent was heady, a mix of smooth, rich vanilla, tobacco, and bitter chocolate that was almost indescribable.
'They're our mates! You can trust them,'Zehra challenged. I ignored her because she was asking too much right now. I wasn't about to tell them why I was confused or put my guard down. Not yet. They were hard to resist for me to think I could avoid this connection forever. My omega instincts wanted them right here, right now. And it wasn’t just lust. There was a desire for intimacy that transcended that, wishing for their touch and closeness.
"Uh," I said eloquently, my mouth dry and brain empty.
"All right, guys, right this way," West called out, oblivious to my entire world tilting on its axis. They quietly gave me one last wistful glance before following him to the second floor where their suites would be. We'd gotten them ready over the last few days while we waited for them and permanently took the rooms off of the website for booking. I watched them go, my feet rooted to the spot, just as reluctant to watch them leave as they were to go.
'Zehra, this can't be possible,'I challenged.'They're witches.'
'And you look like a witch,’ she countered. ‘They're ours. I can feel it just the same as you can. I warned you this was a possibility, that your parents were wrong. I know it was important to you to hold on to what they taught you, but parents aren’t always right. Eventually, you have to tell them what you are and see that it can work. Fate doesn’t make mistakes.'
'Why should I tell them?'I shot back, refusing to give in that easily. I couldn't explain why I was clinging to the lessons of an extinct species. I knew there was no reason to uphold the values of a people that were no longer around to care what choices I made… But I couldn’t help it. There was something about this, giving up yet another remnant of who I was, that felt like a betrayal.
'I'm not entertaining this stubborn stupidity, child. Get yourself together, then we can talk.'Just like that, my dragon went silent, almost as annoyed with me as I was with myself.
"Hey, Farren," Lucy, one of our afternoon desk workers called out. I jumped, so lost in my head I hadn’t noticed her walking in. She sent me an odd look when I gave a tight smile and ran off to my room. I just needed a minute to myself, though I already knew the odds were high that it would turn into a whole night of hiding out. I'd see them again tomorrow. For now, I needed to confront my own realities that had been shattered to pieces. It was crazy how something that should have been exciting could trigger years of loneliness and grief. Tears fell down my cheeks, and I was suddenly ten years old again, reliving my family being ripped away in a moment of selfish greed.
Nothing left in me, I grabbed my favorite fuzzy blanket and curled up in bed, refusing to face the world. Tomorrow was a new day, but tonight was for grieving and pretending that I wasn't about to defy my parents’ teachingsandmy people. Because I wasn't strong enough to not give in. Who in their right mind would pass up the chance to share her life with four sexy men who were fated to be hers?
