Madison's Two Princes

Chapter 5: Smells

I'm in the kitchen plating food when I hear the front door. My brother runs in and scares me. "Madison, dad sent me in here to make sure everything is on track." 

"Joe, everything is on track, I just need to know when they are seated and we'll begin service. I believe that one of the Omegas printed a menu of tonight's dinner and everyone has a copy at their spots, so there are no surprises. I have back up meats, in case someone doesn't eat Filet." I'm doing the Filet's table side with Henry (an omega)."

"Good, good. Let me know before dessert is served. I'd like to help." He said the last part with a weird smile but knowing that I didn't have time to sit and figure it out, I simply nod at him and continue plating the first course. He rushes out the door to leave me to my work. 

I hear bustling by the front door and realize that it must mean that the Alphas and their families are here. I'm waiting for the signal from an omega to bring the first course when the most tantalizing smell hits my nose. I'm not sure where it's coming from, its coffee mixed with fresh-cut grass. I know those smells sound weird together but to me. Oh my goodness. Just as I shake myself out of the daydream I had just entered, another smell invades my nose. This one is the same fresh-cut grass but instead of coffee, it's sawdust. The smells are competing for attention in my nostrils, and I'm completely distracted as Crystal grabs my arms and begins shaking them and me. As I'm violently pulled from yet another daydream in a matter of seconds, I'm brought back to my reality. "I'm sorry mam, I zoned out there for a minute." 

"Stupid girl, you know how important tonight is to this family. Don't f**k this up for us. Get your ass out there, serve these courses, keep your head down and your mouth shut." I nod my head and smile. When she's happy she storms away. I can still smell coffee, sawdust, and fresh-cut grass, but I have to put those thoughts behind me and focus on this dinner tonight so that I can get out of here. I just need to focus. 

*The Twins Point of View*

"Why do we have to go to this stupid diplomatic dinner tonight? We've heard this town has the best clubs in the whole area." Kaleb whines to his parents. "Because Kaleb, this dinner is important for the future of our warriors, for the future of our packs. This isn't just about us. We need Mr. Sterling to train them. This is our future, this is yours and your bothers future. Please behave tonight." She smiles and grabs Kaleb's hand in her own, "I promise that as soon as talks over dinner are finished, you and your brother can leave. But please, just help us convince Mr. Sterling and his family to come to our lands." Kaleb glances at his sleeping twin Karter and agrees, "alright mother, we promise to be on our best behaviors and help, but this place better have GOOD food." 

We pull up to a modest-looking home. Nothing like the packhouse we were just in. Kaleb thinks "Man, I hope they have a HOT daughter or at least some sexy omegas. I'm so bored."  Karter stirs and says out loud, "Kaleb, you just promised mom we'd be on our best behavior. Looking for hot daughters and sexy omegas isn't that." Karter laughs when Kaleb realizes that their twin powers are on point today. Karter has been reading Kaleb's mind all day. "Kaleb, you just promised." Kaleb's mother Kourtney says pouting. This catches the attention of Kaleb's father Jackson, who hates to hear his wife sad.

"Kaleb, what did I tell you earlier at the Pack House. Please just for one night, don't embarrass us and help this family. Help our pack. This is not just our future, it's yours as well." Jackson was about to go into one of his lectures about the future of the Atlas pack, about how it was his and Karter's future when their driver saves them by announcing that they've arrived. "Finally!" Karter says. "I'm starving." The twins don't wait for their driver to open their door, they jump out. Karter turns to help his mother step out.

They see the Alpha of the Apollo pack with his family exiting their car. They all walk up to the door together. It opens as soon as they reach it. "Please Alpha Jackson, Alpha Ben, and families come inside. Welcome to the Sterling house." Just as the twins step inside the house the strangest scent fills their noses. It smells of lavender and fresh-baked cookies. Kaleb mind-links Karter and asks "do you smell that?" Karter jumps out of his daydream and replies with a smile on his face "Yes, it smells like lavender and fresh-baked cookies" The last part the boys say in unison. Both boys turn to find where the smell is coming from, when their father says, "These are my twins, Kaleb and Karter. They are joining us this evening to learn how to negotiate and eventually one day take over the pack. Boys, please say hello to Mr. Sterling, his wife Mrs. Sterling, and their boys Joseph, Damien, and Derrick." 

"Thank you for having us in your home, sir," Both boys say at the same time. 

"Please won't you all join us in the dining room. Our chef has spent all day creating the most magnificent food you'll taste this side of the Mississippi. There are menus at your place settings, please let our omega what you'd like to drink and they'll happily get it." Crystal says sweetly while leading everyone to the dining room. 

"Sterling, this is an amazing home to raise your family in. Earlier at Alpha Ben's home, we briefly discussed how you got here. Care to finish the story. It's my understanding, Mrs. Sterling is your second chance mate. That's a rare happening in our kind. Your first wife, what happened to her?" Alpha Jackson pries. 

Kaleb mind-links Karter, "that smell is getting stronger. I don't know how much longer I can just sit here without finding it. What should we do? Are you feeling the pull too?" "Yes, of course, but we promised to be on our best behavior. We can't just get up and start searching this house." 

"So, my first wife died only a minute after giving birth to our daughter. Unfortunately, the baby died with her. So it was all for nothing. Four years later, Joseph and I were lucky enough to find Crystal and her two boys." Sterling drones on. 

*Madison's POV*

I'm doing my best to now tray up the first course but the smells got stronger. I think it's coming from the dining room, but I'm so confused. I just need to focus, because a beating in the middle of dinner in front of the Alpha's and their families would be bad. "Stay focused Madison, Stay focused." I keep saying to myself over and over. I look over the boards going out and follow behind the omegas. The door to the dining room swings open and the smell hits me again. Only it almost knocked me down. I was trying to regain my composure when suddenly, I'm surrounded by two identical wolves. My eyes meet the first wolf and they fog over and he passes out. I gasp and get light-headed. Then I look over at the second wolf and our eyes meet. I see the wolf fall to the ground just before my eye glaze over and I pass out.