by Hawke Oakley
“Of course not. Hell, you’ve seen the guest room. The only other person that hangs out here is Jericho, and you two are much better house guests than he is.”
Charlie laughed. It sounded like bells, and I loved seeing that genuine smile.
I felt the urge to put an arm around him, but I thought it would be too much. I restrained myself despite how difficult it was.
“Let’s have dinner and get to bed early,” I said. “We have a long day of clothes shopping tomorrow.”
As I finished my nightly routine before bed, a gentle knock rapped on my door.
“Come in,” I called.
The door slowly creaked open to reveal Charlie’s face. Casey’s popped up underneath him. They looked like two floating heads and I resisted the urge to laugh.
“Come all the way in,” I said.
“Are we bugging you?” Charlie asked cautiously. Casey, on the other hand, had no qualms about simply waltzing into the room after I gave her the OK.
“Not at all,” I said. “What’s up?”
Charlie joined his daughter inside. I noticed he was carrying a blanket, and Casey had her little arms wrapped around a pillow almost as big as she was. She threw it on the ground with a triumphant expression.
“Casey was a little scared,” Charlie murmured to me, quiet enough so that she couldn’t hear. “I think the incident with Hector spooked her more than she’s admitting.”
I wondered if Charlie felt the same way.
“That’s understandable,” I said with a grimace. “She’s only a pup.”
“I think she feels safer around you,” he said. “Do you mind if we sleep on the floor in your room? Just for the night,” he added quickly.
“The floor?” I said. “What are we, animals?”
The joke flew right over Charlie’s head. “Well - “
“I’m kidding,” I said. I moved over and patted the bed. “It’s a king mattress. There’s plenty of room for all of us.”
Charlie fidgeted uncomfortably, but I wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t want to share the bed, or if he just thought he was being a burden again. I slapped the bed again, harder and more insistent.
“Come on,” I urged. “Before the poor pup falls asleep on the hardwood floor.”
Charlie scooped her and the pillow up off the floor and plopped her carefully on the bed.
“This is much better,” she announced with a nod.
“Say ‘thank you’,” Charlie murmured in her ear.
She turned to me. “Thank you, Mr. Flint!”
“Enough with the mister stuff,” I said, waving it off. “And there’s no need to thank me. I’m not having guests sleep on the floor, end of story.”
Casey sighed and settled down into the bed, curled up against her pillow. “You’re nice, Mr. Flint.”
A blush crept over my face.
“She’s right,” Charlie joined in when he saw my embarrassed expression. “You are nice. The nicest alpha I’ve ever met.”
The heat in my face burned hotter. I turned over so that they couldn’t see me. “Goodnight, Charlie and Casey,” I grumbled as I turned the bedside table’s lamp off.
Darkness descended upon the room. The only thing to break the darkness came through the skylight in the ceiling, pale moonlight and starshine filtering down.
Casey was already asleep, judging by the steady rhythm of her breathing. On the other side of her was Charlie, who I heard murmur, “Goodnight, Flint.”
5
Charlie
As we ambled through town, I noticed a couple things that struck me as odd. The sidewalks, for example, were freshly paved and many of the streetlamps lining the road looked brand new. Little architectural details took me off guard because there was so much less of it in Scarlet Ridge.
“How do you get the town to look this nice?” I asked Flint.
He looked a bit surprised at my question. “Hired help.. But if you mean all the new things, it’s because we recently had human workers come into renovate the town.”
That was one more thing that surprised me. “Humans? Like, real life humans? Here?”
Flint gave me a wry smile. “No, fake humans. But seriously, we all pitch in for infrastructure. It was getting a bit dated, so we called a nearby human company for help.”
“And they came over, just like that?” I asked.
Flint’s expression was one of confusion. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t they? Is this another weird Scarlet Ridge thing?”
“It must be,” I said. “Gunner banned all interactions with human society. Our previous top alpha never forbade it, but Scarlet Ridge has never really interacted with humans at all. Gunner says our technology is more advanced and that we don’t need their help.” I shrugged. “I guess that’s just another thing they drilled into me that’s not true at all.”
“That is strange,” Flint agreed. “I’m glad you don’t have to deal with that shit anymore.”
“Me, too.”
We entered a store with a charming striped awning. A bell rang as the door opened and closed behind us. From the front desk, a woman smiled at us. Judging from her scent, she was a beta shifter.
“Hi there,” she said. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Flint nodded. “Of course.”
The woman tilted her head and stared curiously at me. “You must be Charlie.”
“I am,” I confirmed. “And you are?”
“Oh, sorry. I’m Mattie. I’ve heard about you from the hunting guild,” she said. She peered over the counter. “And that must be Casey?”
Casey perked up at the sound of her name. “That’s me!”
“You are just the cutest thing!” Mattie said. “Are you helping your dad go shopping?”
“Yes,” Casey said, nodding.
“I didn’t know we were so popular,” I murmured to Flint.
“Word gets around quick here at Indigo Mountain,” Flint said with a wry grin. “But that’s not a bad thing. Everyone’s mostly just curious since you came from outside the pack.”
“We don’t have many outsiders around here,” Mattie said, smiling. “So you probably seem hot and exotic to all the alphas.”
I didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or offended, but I ended up blushing either way. I’d never thought of myself as hot or exotic, and now I was apparently both.
“Anyway,” Flint said, with an edge to his voice. “We’re here to buy Charlie and his pup some clothes, so we’ll just be browsing around.”
“Of course. Let me know if you need help.”
“We will.”
Now free from the conversation, I instantly ambled past the expensive front racks to the clearance section at the back of the store. Flint caught up with me with a quirked brow.
“What are you doing all the way over here?” he asked.
I blinked. “Finding deals.”
He fingered through the rack and picked up a particularly ugly polka-dot spotted shirt. “Gems like this, you mean?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to buy that one,” I mumbled.
He chuckled and gently took me by the arm. “Come on. I’m not letting you walk around in clearance rack disasters. We’re going to get you some real clothes.”
I almost protested but Flint had already dragged me to the front of the store, where the prices made my mind boggle. But I had to admit the clothes were quite nice; nicer than anything I’d ever worn. I was so used to shopping at either the clearance rack or the thrift store back at Scarlet Ridge that this was a whole new experience for me.
“Pick out anything you like,” Flint told me.
Casey was flipping through the clothes on the rack as if they were TV channels. “This one, daddy!”
She pointed to a green plaid flannel shirt, similar to the one Flint had given me to wear the other day. I wondered if she did that on purpose or if it was just her mind associating that style of shirt with me now.
“That does look nice on you,” Flint agreed. “Try it on.”
>
I put it on over my shirt - another one that Flint let me - and found that it was a tighter fit than Flint’s plaid shirt. It fit nicely around the shoulders and arms.
“It looks good,” Flint said, nodding. “Throw it in the basket.”
Casey tossed it excitedly into the shopping basket. It was her job to hold it and she took the task very seriously.
“We should look at jackets and pants, too, since mine are all too big for you,” Flint said, then paused. “I mean, I don’t mind if you wear my clothes, but I’m sure you’d like your own.”
“I get you, don’t worry,” I said with a smile. I couldn’t believe how kind Flint was. He was nothing like the alphas back home at Scarlet Ridge.
No, not back home. Scarlet Ridge wasn’t my home anymore - Indigo Mountain was my home now.
Flint pulled me from my thoughts by calling for me across the store. “Hey, Charlie. Come look at these and tell me if you like them.”
He held out a pair of nice black trousers, and a pair of casual blue jeans.
“I do like them,” I said.
He nodded towards the fitting room. “Go try them on. No use buying pants before you know the fit.”
I tried on the jeans first. They were casual and comfortable, like I’d been wearing them my whole life. But they were brand new and didn’t have any rips or holes like any of my old pairs. The denim felt taut and clean against my legs.
“The jeans are good,” I called over the door.
“Let me see,” Flint said gruffly.
A blush crept onto my face. He was paying for the clothes, so I guess he wanted to make sure they were a good fit, too. The door creaked open and I stood there, feeling like an awkward model. Flint’s brows raised and he nodded slowly.
“Wow,” he said. “They look amazing on you.”
My blush deepened. “Thanks.”
I couldn’t tell if it was my imagination, or if his eyes really did linger a moment too long on my ass. Finally he wrenched his gaze away. “Try the trousers, too.”
I folded the jeans and set them aside before slipping into the sleek black pants. In the mirror, my legs seemed longer. I looked like I was ready for a fancy job interview. I opened the door again for Flint to see. Beside him, Casey was clapping.
“Daddy is snazzy!” she cried.
“She’s right,” Flint said, looking me up and down. I tried not to show how embarrassed I was on my face, but I’m sure I failed. Thankfully, even if he did notice, Flint didn’t say anything about the flush on my cheeks. “Well, that’s settled. Put those both in the basket.”
After about an hour had passed, the basket filled up with all sorts of clothes - plus a few pairs of brand new underwear that I picked out without any help from Flint, mostly because I was already too embarrassed.
It was time for Casey’s turn - we huddled in the children’s section and let Casey go hog wild. She had the time of her life punching through the racks, exploring the shelves, and picking out her own outfits.
“She certainly is an active pup,” Mattie commented. We were the only ones in the store so she paid us her full attention. She had picked up our already full basket and was waiting for Casey’s basket to ring us up.
The attention made Casey stop and turn around. “I am!” she announced. “Look what I can do!”
She put down the armful of clothes she was holding and suddenly attempted a cartwheel. But her balance was off - she fell and tumbled in the wrong direction before hitting her head on one of the metal racks. A moment of silence swept through the store before the pain hit her and she began to cry.
I rushed to her side. “Oh, honey… Are you okay?”
In a movement so fast I barely had time to blink, Flint was by her side, scooping her up off the floor. His brow furrowed in concern as he swept her hair back, exposing the blooming bruise on her forehead.
“She’s not bleeding,” he growled. “But it must hurt a lot.”
She nodded, her eyes watery and her nose sniffling.
“Do you want to go home?” I asked her gently.
She swallowed hard and mumbled, “Yeah.” Her eyes glistened with tears as she looked up at Flint. “I want Mr. Flint to carry me. He’s warm.”
Flint’s gaze softened. “Of course I will, Casey.”
I shot him a silent appreciative glance.
“The cash is in my back pocket,” Flint said to me. “You can grab it to pay for the clothes.”
I’d forgotten Mattie was still waiting for payment. Flint’s arms were full with Casey now and he couldn't get the money himself. I didn’t know if this was bad luck or amazing luck. Before I could chicken out, I carefully slipped my hand into his back pocket and took the wad of cash. I tried - and failed - not to think about how firm and warm his ass felt in the brief moment my hand brushed against it. A jolt of electricity ran up my spine. Touching Flint felt amazing but I forced myself not to dwell on it. It wasn’t the time or place for those kind of thoughts.
“Here,” I said hurriedly, handing the cash to Mattie. “Sorry we have to run.”
“No worries. I’ll quickly count out your change,” she said with a sympathetic expression - she was probably upset a pup got hurt in her store, even though it wasn’t her fault.
“I’ll be outside,” Flint grunted at me. “The fresh air will do her good.”
“Okay,” I said with a nod.
The bell tinkled again as Flint exited the store with Casey curled up in his arms.
“Not to intrude, but... I think he really likes you,” Mattie said quietly as she counted up the cash.
I blinked. “Who? Flint?”
She nodded, a slow smile appearing on her lips. “He doesn’t have a mate of his own, you know. He never has. As long as I’ve known him, he’s been kind of distant and unapproachable. Today was the friendliest I’ve ever seen him.”
Her words sunk in.
Flint? Likes me?
“A-are you sure?” I stammered. A rising anxiety filled my chest, but it wasn’t a bad feeling, exactly. It was one of confusion, anticipation, cautious optimism.
“Definitely sure,” Mattie confirmed. “The way he rushed in to help Casey like that… It almost seemed like he was her father, you know?”
I blushed deeply. I couldn’t deny that I’d never seen an unrelated alpha try to comfort and protect a pup that wasn’t his own before.
But there was no way Flint was actually interested in me - he was probably just being nice. All of his strange behaviour must be an Indigo Mountain thing. I chalked it up to a culture difference and swallowed my feelings of optimism. Flint wasn’t interested in me. I was just a poor omega with a fatherless child. What did I even have to offer him?
“I should get going,” I mumbled to Mattie as she handed me my change. “Thanks for the help today.”
I quickly hurried out of the store before she could say anything else to me.
The tears on Casey’s face dried, but her eyes were still rimmed red and puffy. Flint told me she hadn’t cried on the way back home, but that she must have been trying her hardest not to.
Back home at the cabin, he placed her gently down on the leather couch. Her hands were balled into fists and a frown contorted her expression.
“Are you feeling better?” I asked, sitting next to her.
She nodded slightly. “A little.”
Flint came back from the kitchen and wordlessly handed her a tall glass of chocolate milk. Her eyes glittered and she took it eagerly. He watched her down the drink with a relieved smile.
Mattie’s words rang in my mind. Could she actually be right? I watched Flint’s face as he sat down on Casey’s other side and put a gentle comforting hand on her shoulder. Alphas didn’t just do things like that to other omega’s pups. Why did he seem so invested in her health and happiness? Was it really just a cultural phenomenon?
Flint must have noticed the thoughtful expression on my face. “What’s up?”
“It’s nothing.” I shook my h
ead, then mouthed I’ll tell you later.
He frowned curiously but didn’t press the topic. Instead he asked Casey, “Do you want to watch a movie?”
Her expression brightened like the sun. “Yes! Can I pick?”
“Of course.” Flint turned on the TV and media console before handing Casey the remote. She pressed the button - with more force than she needed to - until it reached her favorite movie, Pup Patrol.
Flint gasped playfully. “You like this movie, too?”
Casey bounced in her seat, her pain completely forgotten now. “Yes!”
“Who is your favorite character?” Flint asked.
“Jake!” Casey exclaimed, referencing the German shepherd dog character from the film. Her eyes glittered with joy. I was suddenly endeared beyond belief towards Flint. He managed to bond with Casey on a level I never expected from an alpha, especially one that wasn’t even related to her by blood.
A tender feeling bloomed in my chest. Did I really have a chance for a relationship with Flint?
After a whole evening of movies, winter weariness descended upon us. Casey slumped on my arm, half-asleep, and mumbled something about not wanting to go to bed yet. But I knew she was beyond tired and it would be best for her to go to sleep.
“I’ll help tuck her in,” Flint said, rising from the couch as I carried her to the guest bedroom.
My heart fluttered as Flint followed us. I’d managed to keep him - and any concept of a relationship - out of my mind as we mellowed on the couch and watched movies, but now the tsunami of thoughts had returned with full force.
I laid Casey down on the mattress and Flint moved her long hair out of the way so it didn’t get stuck underneath her. I pulled the covers over her while Flint made sure she was tucked in nice and warm. Our hands brushed each other’s while pulling away from the comforter and our eyes met. Thankfully it was dark so Flint couldn’t see the blush on my cheeks.
“Goodnight, Casey,” I said softly.
“‘Night, daddy,” Casey mumbled.
“Sleep well,” Flint added. “Goodnight.”
“G’night, daddy…”
Flint and I both froze. We both heard it. But Casey was already asleep, snoring quietly, and there was no way to ask for clarification.