Chapter Text
It’s winter in this slip of the world.
Between the massive walls of Jackson, it seemed like all the snow brewing in the great expanse of sky settled here.
It enveloped the town, covering your house until It rotted through sheet rock and roofing. Etching into the crevice of your walls and freezing the pipes responsible for heating your house.
A grimace painted its way onto your face as you scratched beneath your wool covers, trying to burrow yourself within the fleeting bubbles of warmth.
Breaths coming out in frustrated puffs as you kept shifting beneath the sheets.
“Useless waste of fiber, should’ve used it for a sweater.” You muttered as you thought back to the trades you made in preparation for the storm.
It took working a double shift at the town’s bakery, for two nights in a row to score some spare wheat. The wheat was traded to the butcher’s wife, Mrs. Skinner, for a fresh cut of beef. Which was then given to some cocky supply runner named Hank.
Turns out Ellie was right in telling you not to go to Hank, who was a younger Alpha notorious for demanding better quality shit than he could offer.
Despite his blatant robbery, he always delivered on the supplies he offered no matter how lackluster the quality was.
“Guess it’s my own fault.” You muttered through a foggy haze of sleep.
Blinking away the remnants of last night’s dream, you rose silently from the bed. Fighting the discomfort that blossomed onto your lips as the cold nipped at the softest parts of you.
Limbs refusing to buzz to life out of spite, leading to a soft stagger into the bathroom that’s tiles reflected the bitter chill of outsides snow.
The view from the small window caught your attention, eyes flickering to the frost climbing its corners. Revealing the massive storm that had darkened yesterday’s sky’s.
Winter sucked.
You wished desperately you could spend the better half of these cold days huddled in your too thin bedsheets, sipping tea that burned in a soothing way as you entertained whatever new book Ellie had given you.
Winter sucked and it was chilly moments like these that had you despising the quiet thrumming in your veins. The one that called out to him.
Craving the incessant warmth he seemed to carry whenever he was near, in spite how much those fleeting interactions left a burning pit within your stomach.
____________
The clouds of yesterday’s sky swelled and darkened with every minute that passed. You remember the looks people gave the storm as it gathered its strength.
The gentle towns people occupied themselves through their preparations. Gathering supplies incase of a snow-in that seemed more eminent with each gust of wind that whipped against your winter coat.
“Shit. I should really get some more firewood.” You uttered beneath your breath as it came out in white clouds.
Each stride in your journey to get to the bakery for last minute goods to fill your cupboards, seemed more futile than the last.
Being in bed sounded real good right about now. Though you knew as well as anyone else that this storm wasn’t gonna prepare for itself, it was up to you to ensure all your ducks were in a row.
“Speaking of ducks,” you grinned as a horse moseyed on up to you. Ellie pulled on the reins of her horse as he trotted to a full halt beside you.
The Alpha who was as close to a sister as it got, dismounted with a cheeky smile.
She clicked her tongue as she eased on the reins, dropping down until leveled with the ground. She wrapped the leather rope around her palm. Only turning to glance at you when her companion fell into the gentle step.
“You see this kill?” She beamed as she walked around Crow, the midnight colored horse that was loyal enough to follow her outside of these safe walls.
Your eyes peer over to the deer she was lugging on the back of Crow, freshly slain and butchered partially to lighten the load.
“Hard to miss it, Duck.” You teased the nickname she seemed to loathe as you walked beside her.
She ignored the sing song tone of acknowledgment. Quietly blocking out the funny reminder of the way you two met.
That was from a time that was simpler, and filled with peace. You couldn’t give the nickname up because it reminded you of what you’re missing.
“I’m just glad I could get something to trade for some last minute supplies, Dina’s heat is brewing and we might as well be snowed in with everything we need.” She hummed out as she grabbed a slab of her catch and offered over the thoughtful wrapping to you.
“Thank you.” You sighed graciously as you mindlessly checked that off your list of supplies.
“No problem dude, just making sure my people are taken care of,” she puffed her chest in a cocky way. Knowing unconsciously that her words were calculated to tick you off. A slight pay back for the embarrassing nickname.
“I can take care of myself, Ellie.” You faltered in your steps as you threw her a glare.
“Oh, I’m sure.” She nodded in disbelief as she playfully tugged the crumpled list out from your grasp.
“Hey!” You snapped as she skimmed the scribbles of last minute planning.
Despite the fact that Tommy and Maria had held a council meeting since Wednesday of a potential storm.
The warning wasn’t particularly heeded on your end, not entirely.
You thought to make a wool blanket, and get some more dry ingredients for some baking. Though that was the extent of your planning. Which may have seemed idiotic but the last ‘weather warning’ they gave was a shot in the dark.
As much as you appreciated their due diligence, all that over planning did was stress you out.
It was Friday now, and here you were being judged for not taking this one serious enough.
Ellie’s face scrunched up in a way that was familiar to the man she often mirrored. She looked down at you with a frown that left you meek.
“This is missing firewood, and about half a dozen other shit.” She pointed out as she stood before the bakery entrance and watched you walk off to flee inside.
“Why don’t you go home to bother that sweet mate of yours? I can get my crap sorted before it hits,” you deflected her concern to someone closer to heart.
It didn’t seem to work as well as you wanted to. Instead of her leaving, she waited until you had grabbed all the supplies you needed before blocking up the front entrance.
“Seriously though, dude. Please tell me this isn’t some last minute list and you got everything stockpiled at home.” She pressed as she leaned against the railing, arms crossed as her horse sat tied up.
“Go, and stop worrying about me. I’m fine El.” You assured her in the most convincing manner you could. She raised her brow at you in a way the Millers only seemed capable of. It was an interrogative look that was honestly starting to trigger you a bit.
It wasn’t until your scent soured the air did she ease back from her protectiveness.
“Fine,” she sighed as she mustered up a small grin.
“Don’t go outside unless it’s dire, and the second you need something use your radio to call me, or…..Jesse.” She warned before pausing to think. You could tell there was another name on her lips but she was moving cautiously to not upset you.
She knew better than to bring up the past.
Well you thought she knew better.
Halfway through your trading you decide to head home and drop off your haul. As you approach you caught sight of that tall muscled back that seemed to tense upon your approach.
The scent of sandalwood and salty seas crawl into the vacant space of your heart making it skip a beat.
You schooled your expression and tried not to stare as he turned around.
His brown leather jacket covered layers of flannel and fabric that smelt of him. Winter boots turning against the creaking front porch as you took in his soft gaze. Clay pots of brown earth disguised as irises seemed to light up, just from the glimpse of you in that cautious trek over.
The salt and pepper in his hair seemed darker in the wake of the storm, you thought it was because of the sun’s absence. Deciding not to dwell there, you took in the big box in his hand, one that had his arms flexing to counter its weight.
Goddamn that fucking Alpha.
Duck obviously told him you were short on supplies, there’s no other way he would’ve known.
You guessed it was sweet that she was concerned enough to tell someone, but to think that someone was him.
It pissed you off.
“Hi sweetheart.” His deep rumble filled your ears as the baritone in it softened as he spoke.
You don’t say anything, your eyes squinted in discomfort and confusion as he held his gaze down at you.
“I brought you some things. I reckon the storms brewin’ to snow us in.” He drawled out softly as he lifted the box to draw more attention to his gift rather than the way you had been staring with a poorly masked frown.
You nod once, unsure of what else to do in that moment. The curt acknowledgment was silent but it pleasantly stirred him nonetheless. He opened his mouth to say something again but you brushed past him. Fiddling to open the door with one hand as the other struggled under the weight of your stuff.
You could tell he wanted to help, he wasn’t discreet in the pheromones that washed over you in thick waves. The proximity that pushed the stilling frost of winter out from your short frame, only leaving that tingling warmth that you fought to loathe.
The door opened and he watched you walk into the home he only ever caught passing glances of, as you moved to shut it in his face without so much as a word.
“For the last time, leave me alone Joel. I fucking mean it.” You yelled through the door as you stormed off into your kitchen. Kicking off your boots by the door, it left the walk to drop off pounds of goodies damn near freezing.
You had been reeling from the sight of him for the first time in months. Admittedly, it had been a while.
The searing of the untouched gland by your neck had you recalling exactly why you took that baking job across town. It had been as far away from Joel’s new contracting job as possible.
Jackson had plenty of other interesting positions, and possibilities for whatever omegas that did miraculously survive the outbreak.
Though you deliberately did whatever meaningless position you could in order to avoid him.
Cause as much as you loved Ellie, she could never fully replace the sister that you had lost. It was sometime after you made it to this seeming slice of paradise that Joel had shot her before your very eyes. It had been on the very same night you met him.
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You spat the last of your mouthwash in the sink, blended mint leaves and a few other questionable ingredients swirled the drain as you flicked the water on.
The heat was starting to go in the faucet and you knew it was only a matter of time before you were in trouble.
“Crap, I don’t even have fire wood,” you whined into the air as your head tilted up to the ceiling. How many times had you brought up grabbing some yesterday and still managed to forget?
You wished now more than ever that you just stayed in bed.
Dragging yourself from the early morning pity party of one, you decided to make your way downstairs to see if you could salvage what little wood you did have.
Though before you could set foot in the living room, thunderous thuds rapped the door making you jump out of your skin.
Not thinking because it was far too early to, not thinking because you hadn’t even had a sip of water or a bit of fucking food, you head over to the front door underdressed and half asleep.
Hardly creaking it open before the snow and wind kicked in the rosewood barrier between you and the icy world.
Before the barrier between you and a frost covered Joel was removed.