Max Taylor inhaled deeply and was surprised at two things. One, Nella’s scent was very weak. He could tell she was a werewolf, and close to her first shift, but nothing else. There could be almond coming off her, but mostly he could smell the rising protective aggression coming off of Frankie. The blonde raised a brow and looked at the older man with confusion. Why is he secreting aggression and worry at me? All I did was say hello?
“A pleasure to meet you sir.” Nella slid back in the booth as much as she could to put space between them and turned to face him. She fussed with her skirt first and then offered her hand to him with a smile. “My name is Nella Hendrix.” Her new homeroom teacher lit up with a dashing smile. His wavy light blonde hair looked effortlessly windswept backwards and had lighter highlights in it. His green eyes were pale and his lips thin as he smiled at her. Nella thought he looked like he would belong on a runway, with his high cheekbones and racing snake figure. She definitely believed he was a teacher from his attire. He wore brown leather shoes, lighter brown trousers, a white oxford shirt, and a dark blue cardigan.
“Oh not Monroe? Apologies. I’ll have that changed on the register.” He shook her hand briefly and retrieved his cell to make a note to himself to do that first thing on Tuesday. It was Saturday today and the full moon was Monday night. Like the rest of the town, GV High was shut on the day of a full moon, which really put the pressure on packing in the curriculum across the school year. Thus being and on his way into work on a Saturday to do some marking and lesson prep. Admin wouldn’t be back in school until Tuesday, so he’d have to get her name changed when everyone was back in school. Ratty and exhausted like the rest of the staff and cohort. Not a great first day for Nella. Especially after her first shift.
Nella distracted both men when she started to look around and sniff at the air.
“Is everything alright?” Frankie asked first, and Nella hummed curiously.
“Yeah I just…” She sniffed again and turned to face Max, swaying her long brown hair as she did. “…I can smell coconut?”
“Oh that’s just me.” Max answered with a chuckle, only for Frankie to kick him under the table. “Hair product.” He added and cleared his throat. “Coconut shampoo. Good for the scalp. I always use it. So I’ll always smell like coconuts.” Max looked over at Frankie and saw the glare the man was giving him when Nella wasn’t looking. That, and the almond scent of the Beta was getting spiced and angry. “Well I wanted to say hi, and I have.” He put his best teacher smile on and focused on Nella. “I will see you on Tuesday morning, 8am sharp, and I will give you your GV High induction. Enjoy your tea and the rest of your day.”
“Goodbye Mr. Taylor.” Nella politely waved, none the wiser, as Max obeyed the instinctive behaviour to back off. Frankie may be smiling politely while Nella was looking, but his wolf was pissed. Hackles raced and pacing angrily. Not only did Max come and sit next to Nella, which was a big no-no from Ruby’s orders about no strangers, but he sat next to his pup! Without asking first! Bitterly Frankie knew if he was an Alpha the Omega wouldn’t have dared to approach them so casually like that. It certainly wouldn’t have taken him that long to get the message to fuck off. Especially when they nearly screwed up and admitted that he had a scent signature. At least he recovered quickly with that line about shampoo.
On that note? It was reassuring that her senses were getting sharper. That bode well for her first shift. Her body was getting ready for her pelt.
Once Max left the diner, Hannah came over and placed their pancakes in front of them. The fellow Beta sniffed at the air and raised a brow at the levels of aggression, but didn’t comment on it. This time she didn’t linger and left them to it.
“So?” Frankie busied his hands with his knife and fork as he cut into his pancakes. Nella took this as a cue to do the same. “For a while people will be curious about my daughter and will come over and say hi like that. I can’t really stop them.”
“Not even with those eye daggers?” Nella smirked and pointed towards his face with her syrup-smeared knife. “Mum told you no strangers, didn’t she?” Frankie nodded with a nervous chuckle. “It’s cool. He only came over to say hi. It was nice actually. And now I know who to look for on my first day at school.” Frankie exhaled with relief and sipped his espresso.
“So I told you a lot about myself. Fancy telling me about yourself? Dad?” Frankie paused his fork in front of his mouth and lowered the strawberry back to the plate. She just called me Dad. His wolf’s tail started to wag and his mood shot right up into the clouds.
“Yes.” He released the fork and beamed at her. “Er, well I like fishing. I’m not into musicals and shows either. I prefer watching football. Love a good brownie. I’m the fire chief and I also work as the Mayor’s assit-got to be kidding me.” Frankie groaned and palmed his face. Nella noticed that he saw something over her shoulder that made him grimace and turned to locate the source.
“Good morning!” A man wearing leather cowboy boots, jeans, and a button-up blue shirt that was tight over his muscles walked into the diner.
“Good morning Mayor.” Hannah stressed, like she was making some sort of point, and bobbed her head to him briefly. “How can I help you today?”
“I’ve come for two cups of coffee to go. Better put cream in them both, and one of them a shot of caramel. Emma will like that.” Without waiting for any sort of confirmation of his request, the man turned to look directly at Nella. “Ah! Good morning.” The godly-looking man with raven hair, long on top and short at the sides with a trimmed beard smiled at her like a charming devil. His icy blue eyes made something inside Nella squirm, and not in a good way. “You must be Nella?” He pushed off of the service counter and strode with confidence toward her.
“Oh I don’t think so.” Frankie got up quickly and hurried around the table to sit beside Nella.
“…Frankie?” She asked him curiously and waited for an explanation, but got nothing more than an apologetic smile. Why do I feel like he’s boxed me in here to at like a human barrier for me?
“Hi there sweetheart.” The man lowered to sit in Frankie’s old seat opposite them and was totally at ease. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Caleb Johnson. I’m the Mayor of Glen Valley. I’m your Dad’s boss and very good friend.”
“Oh erm hi I…” Oh my God, what is that smell? Something mint was burning her nose. Her eyes stung with it and she subconsciously pushed herself as far into the red leather seat as she could. What the hell?!
“Here.” Frankie picked up her cup of tea and held it under her nose. She tried to push it away at first, as the last thing she wanted to do when choking in fumes was to sip her tea. However, he didn’t relent so she awkwardly tried to take a sip. Before her lips touched the cup she realised that the hot steam coming up from the tea filled her nostrils. Very quickly she cupped either side of her mug and held it beneath her chin like a lifeline. She looked up through her lashes with her brow furrowed in confusion.
A, What the hell is that smell?
B, How did you know what to do so quickly?
C, Why aren’t you wanting to gag and cough your lungs up?
Frankie looked uncomfortable but the mint eyebath didn’t seem to affect him as it did Nella. “Is there something you need help with Mayor? I was under the impression I had today off to spend quality time with my daughter?” Nella smiled and sipped her tea with a blush and a flutter in her chest. He called me his daughter.
“You do, of course, but as I’m here waiting for coffee for me and Emma I thought I’d just come and say hi.” Caleb smiled, unphased by the smell, and in fact inhaled deeply. Frankie subconsciously moved his left arm across her shoulders to hold her close. She noticed a mild almond scent coming from Frankie and leaned into it. Oddly that helped her to her relax. “So tell me about yourself Nella. What kind of-”
Movement to their left drew all their attention. Stood on the other side of the window was a beautiful woman with short red hair and hazel eyes. “Oh I’m in trouble.” Caleb chuckled nervously as he smiled and waved at the woman wearing pink medical scrubs. The woman currently giving him the stink eye. Even Nella could tell the Mayor had done something naughty. “Help me?” Caleb aimed at his second with a grimace.
“No.” Frankie shook his head and chuckled. “She warned you.” Frankie clearly remembered the Luna warning Caleb not to pop up and assess Nella and Ruby, like he did with Emma and Beth. Nella had no idea what was going on but was grateful that the obnoxious minty scent was being masked by her tea and the almonds she could smell. That dude must use some sort of nasty mint cologne. I can smell it in my eyes. Ek.
“Crap.” The door to the diner opened and the redhead marched right over to their booth. “Darlin’? Look at this for a coincidence? I just ran in here to get our coffees and Frankie’s here with his daughter. I saw them here and had to be polite and say hi.”
“U huh.” She glared at Caleb for so long everyone felt uncomfortable under her stare. Slowly she put her hands on her hips and turned her attention to Nella. “So sorry for interrupting your breakfast…Ella?”
“Nella.” The brunette smiled over her cup of tea. She’s dressed in scrubs. Is she a nurse? I’ve never seen pink scrubs before.
“Nella, right, sorry.” Emma smiled and reached her right hand down to take Caleb’s left one off the table. She proceeded to drag him out from the booth and hold his hand by her side like he was a naughty child. “We’ll just be getting out coffees and going. I’ve got a long day at the clinic and the Mayor is very busy with meetings. Like the fundraiser proposal he’s going to make to the Glen Valley ladies society in 30 minutes.” She turned her head and gave Caleb a scathing look.
“I’ll go get the coffees.” Caleb lifted their clasped hands and kissed her knuckles. “I asked for a caramel shot in yours?” He sang and she huffed and rolled her hazel eyes at him. Those were the magic words though as she released him to go and fetch their drinks.
“Sorry Frankie. He just can’t help himself.” Emma apologised to Frankie who smiled and nodded up at her in forgiveness. She folded her arms and naturally found her eyes turning to look at Nella. The brunette was staring and looking her up and down curiously. The level of scrutiny she was getting made Emma look down to make sure she didn’t have a stain on her clothes. “I didn’t spill my cereal on myself did I?”
“Oh, no!” Nella lowered her tea and was grateful that the burning mint seemed to have gone. In its place was something sweet like honey which was a nice reprieve. “No, sorry, I was just looking at your clothes. Are you a nurse?”
“I’m a Midwife.” Emma shrugged.
“Emma Carter is in charge of all the midwives in Glen Valley.” Frankie added with a smile.
“And some.” She chuntered to one side. “Why’d you ask?”
“Oh, erm, well I’m hoping to go to college after 12th grade to become a nurse.” She looked off to one side with a curious smile. That would be cool. Babies wouldn’t care I’m trans as long as they are warm, fed, and clean, right? “A Midwife…so you’re like a nurse for babies?” Nella asked.
“HA!” Emma barked with laughter and wiped a tear from her eye. “A nurse for babies she says?” She teetered with mirth and she smiled sweetly down at Nella. “Midwives deliver prenatal care for parents, antenatal care for pregnant patients, deliver babies, and do routine postnatal checks on both parent and baby. And that’s just an overview.” Caleb came to stand beside her and offered the redhead her coffee like a peace offering. “…I tell you what?” Emma accepted the coffee and pointed at Nella with it. “Settle in here first, like really settle in, and you can come and take a look at the work I do at the clinic. See if being a midwife is the kind of nursing you’d like to get into.” Caleb grinned and wrapped his arm across her back to hold he far shoulder.
“That would be awesome. You could take her on as your apprentice through Del’s connections to Portland U and-”
“Down boy. You’re getting ahead of yourself again.” Emma raised a brow poked his shoulder to indicate they were leaving. Now. “Welcome to Glen Valley Nella. If you ever want someone to talk to who isn’t bonkers, you can find me at the clinic. As long as I’m not with a patient, you can have my ear."
“Thank you.” Nella smiled and intended to take her up on that, as long as her mother said it was okay.
“Sure thing. Have a good day.” Emma kept her smile and rolled her head to look at Caleb.
“Right, yeah see you around.” Caleb got the message and accepted his marching orders. He reached down to pat Frankie’s shoulder and nodded at him. “Talk later?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good man.” Caleb winked at Emma and offered his arm to her. “Shall we my lady?”
“Such a dork.” She rolled her eyes and linked arms with him anyway. They walked out of the diner and passed the window on their way. Arm in arm.
“Ah that’s so cute.” Nella giggled to Frankie. “They’re a couple right?”
“Oh yeah.” Frankie chuckled and finished his espresso. He dragged his abandoned pancakes back over to tuck into. “I wouldn’t be surprised if wedding bells were on the horizon for those two. If he can convince her to take long enough away from her clinic to put on a dress and go to church, that is.” Frankie chuckled and enjoyed the sound of Nella’s laughter. “Shall we finish these and go grocery shopping?”
“That sounds great.” Nella laughed and filled her mouth with pancakes. As they ate in comfortable silence, side by side, Frankie stole glances at her and thought about the way Nella reacted to the werewolves she met today. She could smell Max and Caleb. With Max she could smell his Omega pheromones but it didn’t bother her. As soon as Caleb came over she became really uncomfortable. His Alpha scent was overwhelming for her. Her reaction was way too strong for her to be a Beta like me. She was fine with Emma too. That can mean only one thing.
Nella is an Omega. Oh no. That means I’m going to have to talk to her about Heats and Ruts. Ah shit.
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