Francis pulled off the road outside Denver and closed his eyes, trepidation filling him. This was either the biggest mistake of his life, or it could end up being the best thing he’d ever done. Would his actions be forgiven? Hell, just thinking about how he’d walked out on Jimmy, not saying anything as he dressed and slipped out hours after they’d made love, made his stomach churn. Like a thief in the night, he’d made his escape, slinking back to his car like he hadn’t cared. But he had.

“What the fuck am I doing?” he whispered to himself. His throat closed as emotions he’d tried to distance himself from hit hard.

His boss had told him he was making a colossal mistake quitting the Bureau, but long days and an empty bed made it impossible to stay. He wanted to have a life, and continuing to be an undercover agent wouldn't allow him to focus on any man, let alone a dominant Alpha that got his blood running hot. He guessed he could have taken a different position, but he refused to ride a desk in some uppity office in Denver.

Coming back now after a year of silence, Francis knew Jimmy would hate him. No question there would be hell to pay. He’d walked out. No note, no letter. He hadn’t called. He’d ghosted Jimmy. But not anymore. He would look Jimmy in the eyes and take full responsibility. Then if the stars aligned, the weather was right, the gods sang in the right key, perhaps Jimmy would forgive him.

“Fat chance,” he said to himself as he pulled back onto the road that would take him to Lyons.

When his parents moved away from Lyons all those years ago, they hadn’t sold their house; instead, they'd rented it out. Now, the one story, rough around the edges home was his. Seeing the place brought back memories that flooded his mind. For a while, he’d been happy. But the pressure of needing to be an Alpha had turned him into a little shit before his presentation hunt. He’d wrongly thought he'd present as an Alpha, never thinking he'd be a Zeta. It was no wonder he'd not had any close friends at school between his bullying and elitist attitude.

He tugged opened the front door to his childhood home, seeing dust moats floating in the air. The house had been vacant for six months after the last tenants had moved, and the place smelled a little stale. It wasn’t anything he couldn't fix with elbow grease and a good breeze.

He should call Jamie and Max and tell them he was back in town, but he didn't want to drag them into his mess yet. He knew they'd had their baby and Jamie had begun volunteering for the fire department as a medic alongside Jimmy who was pitching in as a firefighter.

Francis’ should have called them when his parents had died, but they’d just had their child. It was best if no one knew they were gone. He’d had enough headaches dealing with the case against the Brethren and testifying in the trial that sent most of that group to jail.

Maybe he should have opened up, and then he wouldn't be some loner punk who couldn't even say goodbye because he feared his emotions would make him less of a badass.

He shivered as a knock sounded at the door, drawing his attention away from his musings. He pulled the door open, not expecting to find their old neighbor, Mrs. Flora.

“Aren’t you the little Kirby boy?”

His lips twitched up a little. He hadn’t been that ‘little Kirby boy’ in a long while. “Yes, ma’am.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I moved in.”

“Are your parents coming back too?”

“No” sadness hit hard but he forced a smile, hoping to win her over “just me.” The old bat had been nosy twenty years ago. Looked like nothing had changed. Another pang of memories of his parents hit, but he pushed it away.

“Well, if you need anything, I’m next door.”

He nodded, hoping she’d go and then he wouldn’t have to talk about his parents’ death or any of the other things he’d been through but didn’t want to discuss. “Yes, ma’am.”

She turned to leave, then stopped and turned back. “Could you do me a favor, young man?”

“Sure, if I can help, I will.”

“I need something from the attic. I’m too old to go up there.”

“Okay, I can help you. Let me open a few windows so I can start the process of cleaning out the place, and I’ll be over.”

“Thank you, dear.”

Francis went from room to room, memories popping up, tightening his throat. He opened windows and propped doors, thinking that if life had been different, he never would have left Lyons. But leaving this town, his parents searching out a safe place for him, had led him to the FBI and to Jimmy. He closed his eyes as embarrassment over how he’d acted mixed with the anger of being discriminated against so many times he just assumed people in the shifter community would bag on him. He needed to get his head on straight if he wanted a chance with Jimmy. Maybe it was a lost cause, but he had to try.

He pushed away the feelings and straightened his shoulders. The breeze blew in, eliminating some of the staleness. If only the breeze kept up, then it wouldn’t be too bad in here.

His work with the FBI meant he had few personal relationships. He loved the work, but hadn’t known his neighbors, and they hadn’t known him at all since most of the time he'd been using a fake name. The connection he had with his parents had been good then worse then back to good. In the end, they’d been on good terms and talking. It hurt thinking about them and coming back here would open up those old wounds, but he had to try.

Helping Mrs. Flora wasn’t so bad. The task took little time, and she made him a sandwich before he left. Maybe she wasn’t quite as nosy as he remembered. Instead, he found her nice. Perhaps, back then he’d just been a little shit and hadn’t wanted people catching him doing things which were mostly wrong in the first place.

Once back in his parents’ house, he opened the refrigerator, regretting his decision immediately. Whoever had moved out last hadn’t taken their food. With the electricity turned off for the past few months, the smells from the thing made him gag as his shifter nose picked up every spoiled item. He pulled the refrigerator away from the wall and unplugged it. He’d rented a furniture dolly for the week and used it to roll the stinky appliance outside. He wrapped duct tape around the thing, making it so no one could get inside and suffocate.

Before he left for the appliance store, he checked the washer and dryer, deciding both appliances needed replacing. He turned on the microwave, glad it worked. The oven didn't heat so that would need replacing. Then he opened the dishwasher and slammed the door shut again. Who left rotten food in a dishwasher? That would have to go too.

The cash he'd have to spend to buy new appliances wasn't the issue. He'd really hoped he could get moved in and live out of the place sooner rather than later. Now he'd have to rough it for multiple nights and eat takout or microwavable food.

Lyons was too small for a large appliance store so he headed over to Longmont to shop there. He plopped down a few thousand dollars to make his house livable, and then he headed to the mattress store. He wanted a California King mattress, determined to treat himself after years of living out of a suitcase and in cheap motels. After buying his items, he was hungry, but he didn’t want to eat here. He wanted to be in Lyons with people he knew. He snorted, angry at himself for pushing everyone away so hard for so long.

First Watch was open, and he stopped in for a sandwich. He didn't know anyone working behind the counter, which wasn't really a surprise. He refused to focus on the regret he felt from pushing everyone away when he was younger. Instead, he would work to build new relationships. Somehow he’d come to know the people of this city again. And if luck were with him, he’d find a way to apologize to Jimmy. Maybe he was crazy to think they could be friends or more.

The food hit the spot, and he decided he needed to head home to reassess and see if he needed to buy anything else. Maybe he should have thought of that before going to Lowes, but he guessed he'd be making frequent trips now that he was taking up the mantle of homeowner.

He’d just stepped out of the diner when awareness hit him so hard he whipped his head up, wishing he’d planned this better. Jimmy stood there staring at him, his mouth open, and his cheeks turning red.

Francis took a step toward him, but Jimmy turned and took off at a fast clip. Regret thick as sludge filled him, but he had no choice and chased after the man.

“Jimmy,” Francis called out. For a second he thought Jimmy was going to shift and take off running down the alley between the buildings, but he stopped and turned slowly to face Francis.

Anger churned in Jimmy's eyes, and his fists were clenched. No question, Jimmy hadn't forgiven him one ounce. Francis readied himself to be hit, thinking he deserved a good beating.

“What are you doing here?” Jimmy growled.

“I meant to call.”

“No.” Jimmy’s voice bounced off the walls. “You walked out and didn’t say goodbye. That was a dick move, Kirby.”

Francis took a step closer, and Jimmy's scent almost knocked him on his ass. There was anger and lust mixed with the dark pheromones that were all Jimmy. It made his mouth water and his balls pull up. He had it bad for this wolf, but he might have blown his only chance.

Francis raised his hands, his fingers splayed out as he begged for forgiveness. “I’m sorry. I suck. I know what I did was wrong.”

Jimmy was on him in a flash. There was a wildness that hadn’t been there the last time they’d seen each other.

"Don't fuck with me again," Jimmy spit out. "If all you wanted was a one-night stand, you should have said so. Stay away from me, and we'll be fine."

“I swear I’m not—”

Jimmy barked out a laugh, then shoved him away hard enough that Francis fell. He stared up at Jimmy, desperation filling him. Had he really blown it for good? Was there no way for them to reconcile?

“Your word means nothing, Kirby.” Jimmy took off, racing away.

Francis slowly stood as he watched after Jimmy, his heart cracking as his hope died. He brushed off his pants then moved to brushing his ass, his hands pausing as he hit something sticky. He pulled his hand away and stared at the mess. “Great, gum. Just terrific. Exactly what I need.” This time he’d really screwed up and he didn’t know if he could fix what had gone wrong.

The next morning Francis woke to rain. Gray cloaked his mood, leaving him agitated. His attitude had fallen fairly far in the twenty-four hours he'd been in town. After dressing, he headed to the convenience store for coffee and a biscuit on his way to the fire station. When he decided to move home, he called up the fire chief, asking if he could volunteer for the Big Elk Fire Department. His parents had left him enough cash, and along with the money he'd saved while working undercover for the FBI, he didn't need to work a full-time job if he was frugal. Heck, if he played his cards right, he may be able to coast for a few years until he figured out what he really wanted to do.

He stepped into the Big Elk fire station’s reception office and drew in a slow breath, taking in all the scents. Alphas, Betas, and Omegas all worked here. The sounds of laughter filtered down the hall, and his heart squeezed. Back in the Academy, he’d liked working with others. Once in the field, he’d become a lone wolf so to speak. He’d been great at undercover work, but it had isolated him.

A door opened that led to the fire station’s living quarters, and more smells hit him. A tall woman, good looking, smiled when she saw him. “Hello, I don’t think…wait, I do recognize you. You were here last year, during that whole mess with the Brethren.”

“Hi, I’m Francis Kirby.”

“I’m Debbie, but I swear that’s not the name you were using before.” Her eyes narrowed, and she put her hands on her hips.

The door opened again, and Francis felt like he'd been punched in the chest. He should have known he would run into Jimmy the first day with the luck he’d been having. The guy looked good in his too tight blue T-shirt tucked into form-fitting khaki pants. The Omega part of him drooled while the Alpha part wanted to fuck Jimmy again, right there and then. The dueling makeup of his Zeta designation fought for dominance until Jimmy glanced up from his phone and his whole body stiffened. His eyes said it all—disdain and annoyance filled them. But if Francis' nose was correct, some lustful pheromones filled the air too.

There was a smidgeon of hope Jimmy held some attraction for him. He didn't pump his fist in celebration. Instead, he stood still, waiting for another sign from Jimmy.

The curl of Jimmy’s lip and the stiffness of his shoulders wasn’t a good sign. “Are you stalking me?” Jimmy’s voice grew deep, the words crisp and harsh. His lips thinned, and his brows bunched as his eyes narrowed.

Francis drew a calming breath before he answered. “No, I’m here to talk to the chief. I’m volunteering for the department.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jimmy spit out before turning and stomping away.

“What’s up with him?” Debbie looked puzzled. “Normally he’s Mr. Mellow.”

"Sorry, that's probably me," Francis said. He could tell Debbie was curious, but he didn't want to talk about Jimmy with a stranger.

Another door opened, and a big guy, an Alpha, stepped out, his smile wide. “Hi, I’m Chief Renshaw. You must be Mr. Kirby. It’s good to meet you. So I understand you already have your EMT training and certification.”

“Yes, sir.”

"Well, we're glad to have you on board. Our other volunteer medic is an Omega and has a small pup, so he can only pitch in two shifts a week. We've been short an EMT ever since Rollins left." He glanced at Debbie. "I see you've met Ivey, but how about you stay for a while, and you can meet the guys?"

Francis nodded. “I’ve got some free time, sir. I think it would be great to spend the day here.”

“Good. Come with me.” Renshaw introduced him to the crew of six. He shook hands with them all. A few of the names he remembered from grade school, but he hadn’t been friends with any of them back then. Jamie was the only person he knew well. His friend stepped close after the initial introductions, his back-slapping hug a little rougher than Francis had remembered.

“My goodness, if it isn’t Special Agent Kirby. I had no idea you were moving back.”

“It’s just Francis now, Jamie.”

Jamie raised an eyebrow. “Left the Bureau, uh?”

He nodded and glanced around, seeing Jimmy had moved to the other side of the room. “Yeah, long story. I decided to move into my parents’ house.”

“Huh, I didn’t know they still owned the place.”

“Yeah, they never sold it. It’s been used as a rental for a while,” Francis said.

Renshaw’s booming voice interrupted. “It’s good to see you getting to know each other already.”

“We went to school together,” Jamie explained.

“Good, then maybe you can show Kirby the ropes, Gaines. Today is our lawn and outside maintenance day. While you do that, you can get reacquainted. Laughton, you too. We have to make sure the new guy settles in.”

“Sounds great,” Francis said as he turned to look at Jimmy. The ice in his gaze made Francis shiver. This day was going to be anything but great. He just hoped they could find some way of working together without killing each other.

“Come on, Francis. We’re washing windows today. If we get a call, you can ride along with us,” Jamie said as he headed into the garage. “The chief told me we were getting a new EMT, but I didn’t realize it was you.”

Francis carried buckets and hoses while Jamie and Jimmy grabbed squeegees and rags. They'd washed two windows, and he was working on getting the squeegee for the third set up when Jimmy huffed and rolled his eyes.

“That’s not how you do it,” Jimmy said.

Francis glanced up, realizing they were alone. He didn’t see or sense Jamie anywhere nearby. He must have gone inside for a moment, slipping away without Francis noticing.

“What do you mean?” Francis asked, trying not to sound agitated.

“You’re making a mess.”

He glanced around, not seeing the mess Jimmy claimed he was making. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

"This is all wrong." Jimmy took the squeegee from his hand. Their fingers brushed, and Jimmy honest to God growled and bared his teeth at him. For a second, he thought Jimmy would snap, trying to take a bite.

They both turned when they heard laughter behind them. Jamie stood there staring at them, a huge grin on his face.

“What’s so funny?” Jimmy asked.

“You two. You’re bristlier than a porcupine on a bad day. Francis looks like he’s about to puke if you look at him cross-eyed. And you, Jimmy, you look about ready to break like glass. Tension, tension, tension. You guys should just fuck and get it over with.”

“Bullshit, Jamie. Francis here doesn’t have anything I want,” Jimmy argued.

“Yeah, right, Mr. Alpha,” Jamie responded. “I should call Max and have him come down here to see you guys dance around each other. It’s better than porn.”

Jimmy threw the sponge into the bucket, and soapy water splashed out. Francis jumped back, but he wasn't fast enough to save his shoes and pants from getting wet. Jimmy only paused for a second before stalking off, muttering something to Jamie under his breath that sounded distinctly like “asshole” or close enough to it.

Francis kept his mouth shut. He was the new guy here, and he wasn't going to do or say anything to cause any problems. Plus, he didn't know how tight Jamie and Jimmy were. Maybe no one else knew he’d fucked Jimmy and run out on him. Francis knew he'd need friends if he intended to stay in Lyons, and he didn't want to alienate Jamie, and through Jamie, Max.

For the rest of his time at the fire station, he stayed out of Jimmy's way. Jamie showed him the setup and gear for the ambulance, and they talked shop, not even discussing what had happened last year with the Brethren.

By the time Francis got home, he was exhausted. His POD full of furniture had been delivered, which he was excited about. He didn’t have much, just a few chairs, his TV, and some kitchen items. His new bed and mattress would be delivered tomorrow. He resigned himself to another night sleeping on the air mattress in the spare room.

He started moving items in, trying to figure out a placement that would work in the house but making sure it wasn't exactly like what his parents had. He wanted this home to be his own like he was an adult who had moved in, not just an extension of his parents trying to hide in their shadow.

There was a knock on his door, and he half expected it to be Mrs. Flora. It wasn't her. His ex-lover stood on his porch, eyes blazing. Francis swallowed over the panic rising. Jimmy looked like he could eat him in one bite. Emotions swirled as he stared at Jimmy, praying he could come up with the right words, but figuring he’d fail at this too.

It was time to face the music.