Chapter 1
The alpha of the Greene Pack could honestly care less about the actual baking that needed to be done for the upcoming weekend-long charity event.
If she were to be truly vulnerable she would say that she was more concerned about the individual that put themselves in charge of the baking that needed to be done. But she would never admit to that. Not to anyone.
When the ranger came to visit the den the previous week they’d subsequently mentioned that they had prematurely taken the week off to do as much baking as possible the alpha almost immediately offered up her services and home.
And although the ranger refused the offer of using the den as their bakery they welcomed the alpha’s assistance with a relieved smile and open arms.
Claire had not baked since high school and even then it was one of those cheap box mixes. That was about the most the alpha knew about being in the kitchen but if that meant spending five excruciatingly long days in front of an industrial-level oven with her “least favorite person” then she’d be more than happy to do so.
“This is not a date.” Not a date. Not. A. Date.
Then why was Greene so worried about what she would be wearing… her mind running a million kilometers per millisecond.
Claire…
Claire.
“Claire!” The pack beta almost screams at her best friend, “Jesus, I can’t remember the last time you looked so uneasy about -well anything.” Her head snapped in the direction of the beta best known as Bethany.
“Hmm?” Claire had concluded that her brain was indeed no longer working, with neurons firing in all the wrong directions.
“Hm?” she repeated. Realizing that the thunder of her heart blocked out any and all sounds that could otherwise be occurring in the space around her. “I was sayinggg you look a bit tense.”
“I am not tense.” she almost interjected.
“Also what is going on with the all-black… and skinny jeans come on Claire.” it was only at this moment that Greene took a moment to truly analyze the apparel of the girl in a black and grey flannel shirt and the skinniest of black skinny jeans staring right back at her.
She looked ridiculous.
Seer would've sworn she’d walked straight out of an episode of Twilight.
Hm, what a lovely pair they were…
***
Going according to the fashion advice of her beta and an overly excited Genevieve who had offered to drop her off at the park ranger’s house before embarking on their own actual dates with their mates. Claire found herself in the softest cotton wide-legged sweats, sown together by the pack’s tailor accompanied by a simple white shirt. This was a whole other level of comfort in contrast to what she'd had on prior.
And just like that they'd hit the road.
When Ranger told Claire that she lived alone in a house on the hills, Greene thought of a small cabin-like structure in the middle of nowhere -you know to fit the whole park ranger, nature enthusiast aesthetic the ranger had going for her.
Not this.
This single individual lived in a mansion-like building on the hillside, barely overlooking the station and reserve almost if not equal in size to the den that housed a solid 6 people on average.
Even to Evie, the ranger seemed to greatly downplay the extent of their ‘spare finances.’ The park ranger was by no means a millionaire that was for sure but bloody hell one might as well think she is.
As the trio made their way towards the cathedral of a house they were greeted by the quiet instrumental of rhythmic blues and the melodic harmonization of an angel. Ranger?
“Since when does khakis sing?!?” Beth quietly exclaimed as they ventured closer to the house. Neither of the two even dared to answer, the ranger was a mirror funhouse of a person. You never quite know what to expect from such a reserved individual. Always full of surprises.
So there they stood at the door. Genevieve had rang the doorbell and they waited to be welcomed. Their noses were ambushed by the aromatic bliss of baked goods. Citrusy, sweet, savory… heavenly
In that moment
Beth had wished she were able to eat through her nose. Maybe ingest it through her pores. She’d then be able to rub in Knight’s face afterward. But alas nobody had figured out a way to enable that just yet so until then-
The misted-marbled door swung open to reveal Glenwood’s favorite park ranger.
The shorter girl looked so different when she wasn’t in her military green or dirt brown khaki pants -and yes they did come in multiple colors or her lovely little cowgirl’s hat which wasn’t officially a part of the Glenwood Park Rangers’ uniform which seemingly became a park ranger staple tradition. First, it was an occasional accessory. Worn by the rangers on special holidays: Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Halloween. They always made it a point to ensure that their hats fit “the theme”
For Valentine’s Day, they’d be coated in red sparkles and covered in pink hearts. Some would go as far as adding a baby Cupid to the front of their hats. For Christmas the classic red and white. Halloween, they’d decided on a black base either sparkly or matte, depending on the ranger, and covered in spider webs, etc.
But now, the park ranger was dressed in a pair of plaid pj pants, an off-the-shoulder top, and her blind bat square framed glasses that she never wore or nowhere near as often as she needed to be, but anyway. She greeted the trio with a smile and at that moment Claire found herself releasing a sigh of relief realizing she would have made a fool of herself in her skinnier than skinny jeans.
The ranger was swiftly lunged at by an overly energetic Genevieve. Moving out of the doorway to create space, Genevieve still in hand the ranger begins
“Make yourselves at home guys” The poor girl was barely audible as a result of being smothered by the vampire’s hair.
“Already on it khakis.” Beth mused making a b-line for the kitchen confectioneries.
***
A quick ramble from the vampire, a whole bucket of cookies and a swift scolding from Claire later the pair went on their way leaving the unusually anxious alpha with the stupidly adorable park ranger.