Trouble In Disguise

▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥

She’s beautiful. No, I’m sorry, beautiful doesn’t even cover it. This woman is the most stunning female I have ever come across. Dark skin that practically glows under the sunlight, smooth and rich like the earth itself. Her black hair falls in waves, catching the light like silk, and every inch of her body tells a story. She’s curvy, with just enough softness to make me want to reach out and hold her, and there's a confidence in the way she carries herself that makes my chest tighten.

Her red strapless shirt hugs her like it was made for her, showing off the natural swell of her chest, and that brown flurry skirt… damn, it moves just right when she shifts, teasing me with every single movement. Her brown boots with heels make her legs go on for days, and I can already imagine how perfect they’d look tangled up with mine.

She’s not just pretty, she’s got that raw kind of beauty, the kind that makes everything else around her fade into the background. I can’t look away.

Except I do, to prevent myself from throwing her out of the car. Her attitude turns down how attractive she is.

She is crazy. On the drive to Dusty Creek, I learned she hates packs and small towns, she doesn’t carry a credit card in her wallet because she can pay for everything she wants with an app on her phone. I learned nothing about her personally because we were at each other’s throats with how different we were.

I’ve been to New York.

The wolves there don’t know how to be wolves for fuck sake.

I’m used to working with tough people, with people who think they know better, but this woman.... I want to pull over and kick her out of the truck. At the same time, I’m tempted to pull over, take her into the back seat and fuck her.

This is the most confused I’ve ever been in my whole life. God, this woman drives me nuts. Thankfully after arguing for another thirty minutes we finally came across the entrance to Dusty Creek. I love this little town.

And this is also where I’ll be dropping this hateful woman off. I need a beer after this drive. I can’t believe I offered her help. She just looked so frustrated, and I’m not gonna lie her looks made me want things I don’t normally want.

She’s one of those bad-news girls. The type that wants to ride you then dip. I’m the kind of man that wants to date, to be cheesy, to fall in love and get married. To find my mate and if not to form a mating bond. Not to be strapped to a girl who would be good in bed, but bad in my life.

I pulled over at the only mechanic in the town. It’s a big shop, several people work there but with there being only one place they’re always booked out for months.

“Wait here, darlin’ I’ll be back.”

I got out of the car before she could respond, and went in search of the owner. It was late when we arrived, the sun had set, and the shop would be closing in twenty minutes.

I found him in his office packing up his bag.

“Steve.”

“Colton!” he greeted me with a smile. “The truck having issues again?”

“No, you did a fantastic job. It’s just there’s this girl-”

His eyebrows wiggled, and he gave me a look that I had to correct.

“I am not fucking this girl, or in love with her. She’s a city girl whose car broke down. She doesn’t know these parts, and I offered her a ride.”

The thing about small towns is that everyone knows everyone. While I don’t mind that, it can be very annoying.

Steve stepped away from his desk, towards the windows of his office. There are four. Two facing the interior of his garage, and the other two facing outside. He could see my truck from here, and Vanessa was still in there staring right back at us.

He whistled. “You’re telling me that girl isn’t getting some? She’s hot.”

“Don’t be crude. Besides she is a full-on city girl. She doesn’t like small towns.”

He moved his head up and down, as though he understood what I was saying. “But she is hot. Well I’m fully booked, you know this. I can get started on her car in a month. That’s if it’s a tire problem. If it’s anything else, it could take me longer to order what I need and to get started. She’s looking at least two or three months.”

And that would be another issue with Dusty Creek. It’s not exactly the most thriving small town. Most people are fine walking, and most of the vehicles Steve and his team fix are tractors, trucks like mine, and other vehicles used for transporting heavy things. Such as animals and massive amounts of fruits.

Some people ride horses here or shift and make the run to where they need to be.

“Just check the car, and if you place an order this week it can come in next month.”

He sighed, I know he’s backed up but I... wait, why am I even helping this girl?

“Okay, get the car down and I’ll check it tomorrow morning and text the young lady.” Steve conceded, and I felt happy.

I thanked him feeling relieved that I could put this behind me. I returned to the truck. “Your car keys please.”

She handed them over and sighed. What’s the price?

“He’ll text you. You’ll have to sign a form. I’ll lower the car, and he’ll get one of his machines to move it further in. You can check it tomorrow.”

She leaned back looking tired and annoyed. “Okay. Do you guys have motels? Where I can spend the night?”

I frowned. “Forgive me for prying, but darlin’, did you not make any prior plans? Dusty Creek shut down its former motel. All we’ve got is some inn, that isn’t open to non-locals at this time of the season.”

“Shit!” she groaned and moved her upper body forward, I shoved my hand between her forehead and the dashboard.

Crazy woman. I left her to curse at every deity in existence so I could remove the latch on her car. Steve was coming out of his office at that time. He aimed his eyes at Vanessa, shaking his head.

“What did you do, Colt? She she seems upset.”

“she thought we had motels.”

He winced. “Poor thing. Dusty Creek has alot of beautiful things but a motel ain’t one of them. She shoulda’ done her research.”

I couldn’t agree more. Once her car was back on the ground, Steve handed me a form.

“Give this to her, have her bring it in tomorrow. Get your truck out. I’m locking up in five minutes.”

“Alright.”

She was still cursing when I returned to the truck.

“Why the hell does this place even exist? No motels, no service- oh there’s service but it’s shitty. Oh, screw this. Tell me, you guys have a bridge, I’ll throw myself over.”

Now she’s being dramatic. Don’t say anything, Colton, don’t say anything.

Damn, I wasn’t raised to leave a lady in distress. Even if said lady is a walking red glowing flag.

“You can stay at my place for the night, or however long it’ll take for them to fix your ride. I’ve got seven bedrooms in my house, you can get one.”

“And what would I pay you?” she eyed me with skepticism. I could tell she didn’t like the idea but her options were bleak.

“Nothin', it’s simply me being nice.”

“No one is ever just nice.”

“Maybe not in your blood-sucking cities and states. But here, we like to help people. Even ones with no manners.”

She scoffed. “I have no manners? Me?” She asked in disbelief.

I cocked an eyebrow up and folded my arms. Still holding the form between my fingers. “Well I don’t mean to offend you, but darlin’, you’re the first woman I’ve ever considered throwing out while my truck was still movin’. Then backin' up into, and running over.”

“Huh, you’re mannerless too. Cowboy, but I'll keep my words to myself. I’ll pay you. Five hundred a week?”

“No. If you insist on paying, I’ll only accept fifty dollars a week.”

I’ve never seen a woman look so shocked in her life. Sighing, I dropped the form into her lap and tugged on my seatbelt. This is going to be a long night.

Turning the truck on, I pulled out of Steve’s and headed for home.

“Fifty? Do you not know how to make money? I’m offering you a good deal.”

“I’ve got alot of money, I don’t need more.”

She laughed. “Oh, are you a millionaire?”

“A little higher than that.”

“WHAT?! AND YOU CHOSE TO LIVE IN A PLACE CALLED DUSTY CREEK?”

Ouch, my ears. Goddess, give me the strength.

“I don’t live here. I live next to the town. And my family supplies almost all of the fruits, and meat you get in Texas. We have the biggest farm and ranch.”

“Oh my god. Your family is THE Hayes family! The billionaire family on the monthly cover of the rich and trendy. Oh my god! How is this possible? Why would people want to live next to.... a place with no motels?”

This will be a very very long night for me. “Because we like it here.”

“Right. Living next to a dying town is something to like.”

God, this is infuriating. I tightened my fingers around the wheel. I can’t believe I offered her a place to stay. Mama, you shouldn’t have raised me like this. This omega here, and I can just tell she is an omega, is gonna drive me to my death.

I stopped responding to avoid giving myself a headache. The drive to the farm was an hour away and it was peaceful. Apparently, time slows when she talks, and quickens when she’s quiet. We arrived before I could fully realize it.

The crunch of the tires against the empty road signaled our arrival as the truck turned onto the dirt path leading to the ranch. The sun was sinking low, spilling streaks of orange and gold across the horizon, making the land glow like it belonged to another world entirely. Acres of open fields stretched out, framed by dense trees where the occasional movement of wolves caught my eye. They were subtle but always there, blending into the landscape, watching, protecting.

The fences that lined the road were rough and weathered, each post a testament to years of storms, labor, and resilience. We passed the first of the small houses scattered along the way—homes for the pack. Each one had its quirks: a porch swing here, a garden there, and kids’ toys left on the grass in some yards. It felt alive, even in the quiet of dusk, like every inch of this place had a pulse.

Further in, the barns came into view, standing tall and sturdy against the horizon. Horses grazed lazily nearby, their tails swishing in the breeze. And then, past all of it, stood the main house. The cedarwood frame caught the last light of the sun, its wide porches, and tall windows exuding a sense of grounded elegance. It wasn’t fancy, but it was solid—built to last, like everything else on this land.

I eased the truck to a stop in front of the house, turning off the engine. The air settled around us, thick with the sounds of crickets and the faint howl of a wolf in the distance.

“This is it,” I said, leaning back against the seat as I looked over at her. “It’s not much to some, but to me? It’s everything.”

“Yeah, it made you a billionaire. I can’t understand why your family chose to farm.”

“Oh darlin’, I’m gonna eat you alive.” I leaned over her, my eyes shifting. She stared me down.

“I could use some stress relief. But you’re not really my type.”

I cackled. “Neither are you. You’re pretty, but you’re not worth it.”

I pulled away and got down. Then I went around to help her out of the car. Once her feet touched the ground her eyes widened.

“Crap, I left my bags in the other car.”

“I told you to bring your bags. I thought that was the only bag you brought.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to put all my bags in a strange man’s car.”

Oh, goddess. Why me? Samson wanted to make this drive, I should have said yes.

“Just, go in. I’ll give you some of my clothes for the night. Tomorrow morning I’ll drive you out to the town.”

Her shoulders dropped. “Okay,” she murmured.

I led her into the house and unlocked the door. “Take the room upstairs, last right.”

She walked in, eyes taking in everything. I shut the door behind her and sat on the porch. How long will this woman be here?