Hedgehog for Hawke by Fel Fern
Hawke
“And that’s why Manny and you should send Ghost a gift basket,” I finished.
My brother eyed me from behind his desk, then looked out the glass windows of his office. Right at my Omega. I meant, River. He wasn’t my anything. Yet.
The moment I entered that elevator, his enticing scent wrapped around me like a favourite blanket. I wanted to hold him close, memorise his scent. Kiss those tempting lips if he let me.
I didn’t even understand where these thoughts were coming from. I never had such a visceral reaction to a complete stranger before. River made it clear we were just that. Strangers.
It hurt my ego that he didn’t want to have lunch together, although I secretly followed him all the way to the sixth floor. I stalked him all the way to the parking lot, where he ate lunch with Michael in his car.
It was easy to mistake the cute duo for a dad and his kid. They seemed so close. I wondered what the story was. Why was Mike with him and not his real dad?
Heck, I had a dozen questions about River. Too bad it didn’t seem like I was getting any answers this instant. River was as prickly as the animal that shared his skin.
“Hello, Hawke?”” Walker interrupted my train of thoughts.
“What?”
“Did you really come into my office to talk about Ghost or it’s just an excuse to ogle Hunter’s new assistant?” Walked asked.
I gave my brother a shocked look. “Of course the latter, I mean the former,” I blurted. “Ghost should call or text us if he’s sick.”
“It was sweet of Tony to visit him. It’s not an easy drive,” Walker mused out loud.
“Tell me about it. The drive was rough on Betsy’s wheels. I’m going to give her a tune-up soon.”
My brother chuckled. He knew how much I loved dad’s old car. Well, Betsy was my car now.
“Either way, you don’t need me to warn you. Don’t try anything funny with Hunter’s new PA. I know he’s cute, but there are other fish in the ocean.”
I slumped in my chair and glowered at him. “Hunter already warned me to keep my paws to myself, but what if I can’t?”
Walker blinked at me. “What do you mean?”
“What if I don’t care about the other fishes? I’m just interested in River?”
“I am a little surprised. He doesn’t seem to be your type.”
That rankled a little. “What exactly is my type?” I asked him pointedly.
My inner wolf was usually calm most of the time but right now, he was a little annoyed. I prided myself on being a laid-back guy. I usually avoided fights if I could, but if backed into a corner, I held nothing back.
“Someone irresponsible, carefree, and easy. River seems like the exact opposite. He’s only been here for a day but Petunia’s already complained to me twice how he’s too hardworking.”
“What?” I asked with a laugh. “Is there something wrong with that?”
“She says it makes her look bad,” Walker said with a tired sigh. “Anyway, River also has a kid. You once mentioned you wouldn’t go out with anyone with kids.”
Walker had a point there. I didn’t even know why I was so sensitive when it came to River. I knew nothing about the guy. I did tell him I wasn’t about to give up on him. On us.
There wasn’t an ‘us’ yet, but I had a feeling there would be if he gave me a second chance. Dang. Which direction were my thoughts heading to?
I was probably just going through a phase. Maybe the mate-bug bit me. Being around happy couples like Walker and Manny, and Hunter and David, made want something more… but was more right for a guy like me? Someone who couldn’t even settle down in one place?
Walker didn’t realise it, but he just pointed out why River and I were exact opposites. We’d never work out. River had responsibilities. A kid to take care of. A new job to focus on. I was just getting in his way.
Leaving him alone was probably for the best… except my wolf disagreed with that decision. He hated it so much; he kept scratching at my insides. He wanted out. I took a deep breath. I needed to get out of here. I rose to my feet, intending to leave, but Walker’s next words caught me off guard.
“I get it. I’ll tell Hunter he was wrong. That he should back off,” Walker said with a nod. He seemed too smug for my liking. What was he up to?
“Why would you do that?” I asked my brother, puzzled.
“Who knows? You’ll find out soon enough. I’ll persuade Manny to make a muffin basket for Ghost,” He said.
“Can you tell him to make additional double chocolate muffins? I love those,” I added. Walker rolled his eyes, but I knew my brother and Manny loved me to pieces.
“Sure, sure.” Walker waved me off.
I exited his office. Walker was right. I had other motives for entering his office. I looked in River’s direction. The last time I checked up on him, he was busy hammering on his keyboard like some kind of maniac.
River met my gaze. I waved at him like an idiot. His cheeks turned slightly pink and he returned his attention to his computer. Cute.
Petunia looked up from her desk and beamed at me. Oh no. She set her knitting needles down and stood up, carrying a hideous scarf in various shades of pink.
“I just finished this. Here,” Petunia pushed the scarf into my hands.
“Oh no. I couldn’t take this beautiful scarf, Petunia. I still haven’t gotten to using the last scarf you gave me,” I told her.
I swore this woman purposely gave me all her ugly ones. The scarves she handed out to Walker and Hunter were a lot nicer. Dark blue, green, and even black ones. Petunia wounded the scarf around my neck before I could hand it back to her.
“There, perfect.” She returned to her desk.
Hearing a muffled laugh, I glared at River. The Omega quickly returned to his computer. While it was tempting to flirt with him, I decided I needed a better plan. I left the office, whistling under my breath. Maybe a run in the woods would help clear my head.
* * *
After parking my car next to the cabin, I did a quick check on Ghost. To my relief, I found my brother snoozing in his room. I noted the empty tray and plates on the small table next to the bed, along with a bottle of pills. There was also a get-well card next to it, along with an adorable stuffed white wolf with a pink ribbon tied around his neck.
I knew snooping was bad, but when had that ever stopped me? I picked up the card to see who it was from. Antonio.
“Don’t read that,” growled a voice. “It’s private.”
Ghost glared at me from under the covers. Most of the time, Ghost looked threatening and big. Definitely someone you wouldn’t want to go up against in a fight, but right now? My big brother looked miserable and weak.
“If I get sick, will Antonio give me a card and stuffed animal, too?” I teased.
Ghost flung his sheets aside. The murderous expression on his face would normally make me want to run, but I stayed put.
I wasn’t sadistic. Despite my jokes and the many pranks I’ve pulled on my brothers over the years, I loved them like crazy. We might not be related by blood, but we always had each other's backs.
“Calm down. I’m not going to tell anyone,” I said, setting his card down. “I just think it’s sweet Antonio cares about you a lot.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Oh, what do I think?” I pressed.
“What are you even doing here?” He asked gruffly.
“Checking up on you. Is that such a crime? But I see someone convinced you to eat and take your meds.”
“Tony’s just a caring person. Ever since Manny mated Walker, he sees us all as his adoptive sons.”
“Uh-huh. He lets you call him Tony?”
Ghost didn’t answer me. He simply turned on his side and ignored me.
“Hey, I met an adorable Omega today. He’s a hedgehog shifter. How cute is that? River is Hunter’s new PA. He has this nephew, Michael, that he’s been taking care of. River’s a little prickly, but I’m determined to bug him until he agrees to go out on a date with me,” I told Ghost conversationally.
“A date?”
I was surprised Ghost was listening. I thought he’d drifted off to sleep.
“Yup.”
“You never go on dates.” Ghost turned again to look right at me. I’d seen my brother grumpy or pissed, but seldom curious.
“Yeah, well. Hunter and Walker tried to warn me not to mess with him. There’s plenty of fish in the ocean, Walker says, but what if I’m just interested in this one special fish?”
Ghost grunted. “Why are you even discussing your love life with me? I’m not interested.”
“What? I can’t have to heart-to-heart talk with my favourite brother?” I said with a gasp.
Ghost closed his eyes. “Walker’s your favourite brother.”
“That’s what I like him to think. Walker and Sam were close.”
Talking about Sam still hurt in some ways. Sam was the only Omega in our family. Walker blamed himself for a long time for not being there for him. I supposed Ghost, and I felt the same way.
Ghost grunted and closed his eyes, signalling our conversation was over.
I left Ghost’s room. I swore he let out a sigh of relief when I closed his door. Hearing a click, I chuckled. Ghost really wanted me to leave him alone.
After leaving my wallet, keys, and phone on top of the shelf next to the front door, I exited the cabin and headed for the woods.
Once I was a respectful distance away from the cabin, I stripped down and shifted. Fur covered my chest and shoulders. I fell to all fours. Bones broke. Organs moved. Changing forms always hurt, but it was worth it.
I dug my claws into the earth. It was the first thing I always did before a run. During my travels around the country, I’d explored all the national parks and plenty of woods in my wolf form.
I’d seen my share of amazing sights, but there was still something special about the woods I grew up in. Our foster dad had taken Ghost, Walker, Sam, and me to the cabin often. He taught us how to control our animal forms in these woods.
Ghost, Walker and I hadn’t been the easiest kids to teach or deal with, but our foster dad was probably the most patient dad in the world.
Sam was the good kid. The one who always broke up fights. I never told the guys I’ve slept with about my past. To them, I’d always remain a mystery, but if River and I started dating, I had no intentions of keeping anything from him. I wanted him to know me inside out and he’d return the favor—or so I hoped.
I’d never opened myself to anyone before. It was daunting. Scary in more ways than one, but for River, I would bend the rules.
I was getting way ahead of myself.
I had a feeling if I asked River out on a date right away, he’d immediately refuse. I had to come up with a way, a strategy to get him to see me as more than a flirty and sexy Alpha who was up to no good.
I knew he found me attractive. I saw the way he looked at me in the elevator, but he was holding back. Something or someone had probably hurt him in the past. I needed to earn his trust. From there, it wouldn’t be hard to win him completely over. Then he’d surrender his heart, body and soul to me.