Page 4 of Knot the Stray

The sterile scent of industrial bleach and old dog treats hits my nose.

I stop dead in my tracks just inside the entrance.

A woman stands behind the reception desk. She rests her hands on the laminate counter, wearing a polite customer-service smile. I take her in. She wears a messy dark bun, practical cargo pants, a black shirt, and a faded denim jacket smeared with dry dirt. She looks rough around the edges, but she holds herself with a quiet, undeniable strength.

My Alpha instincts flare to life, catching me off guard. An undeniable urge takes root, pushing me to step closer. It demands I keep her attention focused right on me. It scrambles my focus, replacing my usual calm with a possessive interest.

The shift in the room feels thick and sudden. We stare at a woman who triggers a deep, unexpected draw. My pulse picks up a steady, hard beat against my ribs.

I step forward. I rest my hands on the high counter, planting myself in her space.

“I’m Officer Jake Hayes. I think you’ve got our mud monster locked up back there.”

I hook a thumb over my shoulder at the two men standing behind me. “These two are Edward Brestein and Nolan Pearson. We share a farmhouse out on the edge of town. They’re my packmates. Duke is our dog.”

The woman offers a polite nod, unfazed by our size or the energy we brought into the room. “I’m Dr. Jessica Smith. Call me Jessie.”

I take a deep breath through my nose. I brace myself for the intoxicating, sweet aroma of a compatible Omega. I expect honey, sugar, or fresh fruit to hit my senses and explain the intense reaction sparking in my chest.

I catch a cloying, synthetic floral perfume. It smells like cheap air freshener. Beneath that sharp rose and musk lies a flat, neutral scent.

A Beta.

I try to make sense of the heavy attraction sitting in my chest, but nothing lines up. Alphas don’t get this kind of instant, possessive urge for a Beta. We don’t feel a deep, instinctual draw toward a woman without a scent match. It breaks every natural law we have.

I shoot a bewildered sideways glance at Nolan. The guy teaches high school science. I can see the gears turning in his head, trying to process the contradiction standing in front of us. Edward shifts his weight, his heavy work boots squeaking against the floor. His thick brow furrows.

Her designation makes no sense, but the physical attraction remains potent. Lust pools in my gut. I stare at her, searching her face for any clue, any hidden detail to explain the chaos erupting inside my chest.

Willowside offers a haven for Omegas, but it still lacks a large pool of unclaimed ones. My pack spent years searching for a scent match. Now, a woman stands in front of me, setting off a deep hum of interest in my blood, and she smells like a goddamn Beta.

I consider the stress of losing Duke today. Maybe the panic scrambled my senses. I glance again at Edward and Nolan. They stare at her with the same intense, baffled focus. The pull is real.

Jessie projects a quiet, steady confidence that throws me off balance. She refuses to shrink back. Instead, her posture stays rigid and composed. She treats us with a cool, polite distance, ignoring the charged energy the three of us radiate into the room.

I pull my leather wallet from my uniform pocket. I slide my driver’s license across the laminate desk.

“Here’s my license. to confirm my name.”

I turn on my usual charm to test the waters. I lean in closer to the counter, invading her personal space just a fraction. I put on a bright smile. “Welcome to Willowside, Doc. Thanks for keeping the idiot out of traffic.”

Jessie glances at the plastic card, her expression flat. “Don’t roll out the welcome wagon too far. I’m just here for the short term.”

I frown, the smile dropping from my face. “Oh, really?”

“I do roving relief work.” She taps a manicured fingernail against the counter. “I cover rural clinics between permanent hires, handle staff shortages, or step in during natural disasters. I plan to stay three months max. Then I move on to the next town.”

The concept of her being temporary hits me with a sudden sting. A sharp pang of disappointment fills my chest. The thought of her packing up and leaving this town makes my jaw clench.

A faint, pink flush creeps up the side of her neck. I reach out to take the ID back. Our fingers brush against the counter. Her breath hitches. It happens in a microsecond. She hands the ID back without making direct eye contact. Those physical cues tell me a different story. She feels the pull, too.

The realization fuels a steady, hard curiosity. I want to see what happens when she drops the professional mask.

“Everything matches.” She turns away from the desk. “Let’s go get your dog.”

She leads us back through the clinic to the chain-link runs. Duke lets out a joyful bark the second he sees us. Jessie grabs the metal latch on the kennel. She lifts the lock and swings the chain-link door wide open.

Duke bolts out of the enclosure. He tackles Edward the moment his paws hit the linoleum.