Page 12 of A Snowy Escape

Holy shit.

Bryant’s roommate is a scent match.

At least one of the brothers he mentioned is.

Packs often end up being filled with compatible scents. When an omega meets one alpha from a pack, they often find themselves drawn to the other members.

Technically, to be a pack, there has to be an omega, at least legally speaking. That doesn’t change the fact that alphas are drawn to those who they’re emotionally compatible with, sometimes before they ever meet their omega.

It’s one of those random parts of life.

Nature seems to anticipate who will work in a family pack, and it somehow brings them together as they wait for their missing piece.

Does that mean I’ll also be drawn to Bryant’s scent?

It’s highly likely.

The man has been a little too respectful in regard to giving me space.

How am I ever supposed to scent him if he stays five feet away from me at all times?

“Sorry, I really am a shitty host. Let me help.” Bryant crosses the room, grabbing the other pillow. He shakes it into the pillowcase, and his head tilts. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, all good.” I force a smile. “Thank you for letting me stay here.”

“No problem,” he says, finishing his task. He strides over and tosses the pillow near the top of the bed. “The comforter is pretty thick, but I did want to mention, there are extra blankets in the hall closet. If the power goes out during the storm, you’ll need them. This place doesn’t have a generator.”

“Is there a good chance of losing power?” I ask, finally getting the pillowcase in place. Stepping over, I toss it onto the bed and turn back to Bryant.

“You know, I’m not exactly sure,” he says, shrugging. “We lose power regularly up at our cabin, but we have a generator, so it’s not a big deal. Here, maybe twenty percent of the time?”

Okay, so that’s an eighty percent chance the power will stay on. I’d normally like those odds, but I’ve had a rash of bad luck lately that makes it hard to stay optimistic.

I might end up needing those extra blankets after all.

“The stove is gas, so you’ll be able to cook, even if the power goes out. At least on the burners.” Bryant shoves his hands into his pockets. “Do you know how to use a gas stove?”

I nod. “Yeah, but you have to light the burner with a match or something, right?”

“Exactly,” he says, nodding toward the door. “Why don’t I give you a quick recap?”

“Okay, thanks.”

He strides out into the kitchen, and Echo follows like she thinks she might get a snack.

Bryant shows me a box of long matches in one of the kitchen drawers and goes over what I’ll do if I want to cook while the power is out.

He steps around me, and my nostrils flare, desperately trying to scent the air.

His scent is something I’ve never smelled before, and I instinctively sway toward him as he opens one of the top cabinets.

“This is where you’ll find the plates and cups. Silverware is in the top drawer. Cooking utensils are in the ones below that.” He shuts the cabinet and bends over, opening one of the doors on the bottom. “Pots and pans are down here. There’s not much variety, but it should be enough to get you through the storm.”

I hear his words, but I’m more focused on how he smells.

At first, I get hints of fresh rain, but the more I analyze it, the more confused I become. There’s something stormy and electric mixed in with his natural scent.

It’s indescribable.