If Liam wasn’t careful, he’d quickly become entangled in that heavenly scent. He’d be trapped.
“You’re right,” the Omega finally said.
That defiant look made his dick rock-hard, an inappropriate reaction given this Omega was supposed to be a paying guest.
Guest.
A foreign word. Liam and his brothers hadn’t had guests in years. Sure, his younger brother Lucas put up that website months ago but none of them expected anything.
They kept this lodge running to remember their parents but that was all. They never anticipated anyone would show up at all.
The locals in town, both the humans and paranormals, distrusted and feared Liam and his brothers. They had their reasons. Sons of murderers were seldom welcomed with open arms. Liam and his brothers had given up trying to change the opinions of the locals a long time ago.
“My real name is Eli.” Eli’s voice was wonderfully soft, a sharp contrast to the fire in his eyes.
The last thing Liam wanted to do was bring unnecessary trouble to him and his brothers. Liam should turn this Omega away but Liam couldn’t bring himself to do it. That would make him an uncaring bastard in Eli’s eyes.
His inner grizzly growled in agreement. Liam was stumped. He never cared what others thought about him before. For some reason, it mattered what Eli thought of him.
Liam didn’t know why he reached out and touched Eli’s left cheek, the spot right below Eli’s swollen eye. A growl rumbled from his chest. Anger stirred inside him like a lost friend. Only an insecure coward would hurt someone who was weaker than they were. Was it another Alpha?
“Who hit you?” Liam’s voice came out harsh and growly.
For some twisted reason, Liam was pleased Eli didn’t back away. Most shifters and paranormals in town were scared of him. The few Omegas Liam did come across in his lifetime avoided him at all costs. Eli showed no ounce of fear.
Eli touched his hand and it struck him how small and soft Eli’s fingers were compared to his. Soft and nice. Eli peeled Liam’s hand off his cheek gently.
Liam’s breathing turned harsh when Eli squeezed his callused hand. No one had touched him in years, so it was kind of a shock. Liam was supposed to be offering Eli consolation, comfort.
One simple gesture and Eli turned the tables on him. This Omega wasn’t just bad news. He was lethal, although using that adjective to describe Eli was laughable. Liam was the Alpha here.
Eli was five-foot-seven and slender as a reed. Eli had the most expressive pair of brown eyes Liam had ever seen and dark gold hair Liam wanted to run his fingers through.
Liam could imagine tugging Eli’s hair to expose the slender column of his throat and sinking his teeth there. He could give Eli his mate mark. It would be easy. Liam also had a feeling Eli wouldn’t fight him. Much.
That way, this Omega wolf would be his alone. Any dirty bastard who so much as looked at Eli wrong, who so much as touched Eli with their filthy fingers, would make an enemy out of Liam. Liam didn’t possess a shred of mercy in his body. All his enemies died screaming or begging for mercy.
“That’s none of your concern,” Eli said.
The Omega’s harsh tone yanked Liam away from his murderous and ridiculous daydreams and placed him back to reality. What was Liam thinking?
He had a business to run, Liam remembered.
Eli was a guest at the lodge. Plus, Eli looked like he could use a hot shower. The Omega’s clothes were all rumpled and wet. He looked like he’d been traveling for a while.
“Fine.” He walked behind the reception desk.
Placing some kind of barrier, some distance between them was the best solution after all. Liam didn’t understand why he touched Eli’s cheek in the first place. Why was he attracted to this stray Omega?
Liam didn’t know a single damn thing about Eli but suddenly, he hungered to know every single detail about him. Where did Eli come from? Who hurt him?
Hell, Liam would break the fucker in half if he managed to wrangle a name from Eli’s lips. Liam was acting like a crazy person. He stared at the black computer screen in front of him blankly. Liam forgot what he was supposed to do next.
He looked at the notepad on the table and found a hastily scribbled note from Lucas there. There it was. A booking for Ben Brooks and the amount he owed. Ben was going to pay by cash. Didn’t most folks used their credit card these days?
“A single bedroom,” he said. “For six nights?”
“That’s right.” Eli seemed relieved Liam had gotten back to the business at hand. Liam printed out Eli’s receipt and showed it to him. Eli pulled out his wallet and handed him the bills. Liam accepted them.
“You can take any room here. You’re the only guest. I’ll give you the suite,” he said abruptly.
“W-why would you do that?” Eli asked with wide eyes. “Wait, did you say I’m the only guest? It’s because of the storm, isn’t it? When I made a booking I saw half the rooms were booked.”
Those bookings were fake, a way to draw in guests, according to Lucas.
“Yeah. They cancelled at the last minute.”
Liam lied because if Eli knew the truth, this gutsy Omega would leave. Liam’s bear didn’t like that thought one bit. Liam gave Eli the key to the only suite in the lodge. Eli plucked it from his fingers. Liam didn’t imagine the spark that leaped between his fingers to Eli’s. If he acted on impulse and kissed Eli suddenly, how would the Omega respond?
“Okay, then. Thank you so much.”
Eli flashed him a smile so bright, it rendered Liam completely speechless. This Omega was a creature of the light but Liam belonged to the dark. Eli was not for him. He was special. Different.
“I’ll help you with your luggage.” Liam offered.
Liam didn’t know why he did that either. Eli looked ready to protest but Liam had already
