Convincing the Alpha (Hobson Hills Omegas Book 8) Read online

  Convincing the Alpha

  Hobson Hills Omegas: Book Eight

  C.W. Gray

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  Also by C.W. Gray

  Excerpt

  Excerpt

  Copyright © 2020 C.W. Gray

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact: [email protected]

  Cover by Cosmic Letterz

  Edited by Kiki Clark at LesCourt Author Services

  Created with Vellum

  Author’s Note

  Thank you for visiting the world of Hobson Hills. I love this series and appreciate each and every one of you that read it. The events in Convincing the Alpha overlap with those that occurred in book seven of the Hobson Hills Omegas, The Alpha’s Christmas Wish. While Juan and Jackson are becoming a couple, Zed and Noah are getting to know one another. Below, I’ve included a few family trees made by the wonderful Missy Schwarz.

  Chapter 1

  October

  Noah Wilson perched precariously on a ladder and gently placed an apple into his basket before reaching for another. Since he had a little trouble with balance, it had taken some arguing to get assigned a ladder position, but Noah could be as stubborn as any other Wilson, and they had a lot of work to do.

  Noah took a moment to breath the sweet scent of apples and cool fall air. The apple trees in Elijah’s orchard were heavy with fruit, and the whole Wilson family gathered to help Noah’s brother with the last harvest of the season.

  Elijah danced below as he picked the apples hanging on the lower branches of Noah’s tree. His lips moved as he sang, and Noah smiled and wished he could hear Elijah sing. Then again, with how often Olive complained about him being off-key, maybe Noah should be happy he couldn’t hear him.

  Elijah caught his smile and winked at him. “Do you need a break? I can work from the ladder.”

  It took a moment for Noah to process his brother’s words. He speechread well, but it took time, more time than some people were willing to spend on him for a simple conversation.

  “No.” Noah shook his head and went back to work. Ever since Noah moved to Hobson Hills, Elijah had embraced being an overprotective big brother. If Noah so much as sneezed, Elijah pulled out the allergy medicine and thermometer.

  His ladder shook a little, and he looked down.

  Elijah held up a bottle of water. “Hydrate.” The stubborn look on his face told Noah he had best just accept the coddling.

  At least he isn’t making me get off the ladder. Noah smiled wryly and took the water. “I’m okay, Eli. It’s not even hot.”

  Elijah hugged his leg, then went back to dancing and picking apples.

  Elijah’s husband, Carter, started to pass them with a basket of apples but stopped when he saw Elijah dancing. His eyes heated, and a familiar expression covered his face. Carter set his basket down.

  “No, don’t do it.” Noah wrinkled his nose, well aware of what that expression meant. Unfortunately. “If you two start, you’ll never stop.”

  Carter spun Elijah around and bent him over his arm for a kiss.

  “And… there goes our productivity.” Noah’s shoulders slumped when the two’s kiss got a little out of control. They were at the bottom of his ladder, so he couldn’t move on to the next tree. He looked around for help, but everyone looked busy.

  Noah sighed and took one more drink of water before he dumped the rest over their heads.

  Carter jumped back and glared at him, making Noah smile.

  Elijah slapped Noah’s leg and said something, lips moved too fast for him to read.

  He grinned. Elijah was probably cursing.

  Carter picked up his basket and walked away, nose in the air.

  Elijah propped his hands on his hips and pouted. “That was mean.” His lips moved at a normal rate this time.

  “I’m not sorry.” The slight strain on his throat told him he had likely said that too loudly. Oops.

  He climbed off the ladder and combined his basket with Elijah’s, then ruffled Elijah’s hair, making his brother scowl. “I envy you two.”

  Elijah’s eyes widened, and his mouth formed a little round O of surprise. “Really? You want an omega of your own? Are you saying you’re ready to start dating?”

  After processing Elijah’s words, Noah shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not unhappy exactly. I love my job and being close to the family. It’s just that sometimes I want a little more. I think I might be ready to try to get out there. Maybe.”

  Noah may not have been able to hear Elijah’s squeal, but he knew the whole orchard had to have noticed it. Elijah shook his arms over his head and hopped around, flailing like he was being attacked by bees.

  Elijah really can’t dance, he thought for probably the thousandth time in his life. Noah couldn’t catch even half of what his brother was saying, but he recognized one word. Zoe.

  “No, no, no.” He grabbed Elijah’s shoulders and pulled his brother to him, muffling Elijah’s words with his hand. He looked around to see how much attention they had garnered. “Damn it.”

  Zoe smiled widely and ran to them, fingers dancing quickly as she signed. “Noah, I know so many omegas to match you with. We’ll start this weekend.”

  “No, thank you.” He shook his head. “I’m perfectly capable of… Holy shit!”

  Grammy and Aunt Anna ambushed him with a hug from behind, and he stumbled before righting himself.

  Anna practically glowed when she leaned back. “Donnie Milligun has an omega nephew your age,” she said, carefully enunciating. “I call dibs on the weekend after next.”

  Grammy kissed his cheek. “You’ll be a good father, Noah. You already spend so much time with Olive and the twins.”

  Maybe they aren’t saying what I think they’re saying. He whimpered and looked around for help.

  Uncle Marco gave him a sympathetic look and pulled him away from the growing horde of Wilsons. “Back to work, Wilsons. We have apples to harvest.” Marco hugged him. “Leave Noah alone.”

  Elijah smirked. “If you insist, Uncle Marco.”

  Noah stayed close to Marco for the rest of the morning. His uncle was one of his favorite people. Marco was a quiet man with a comfortable presence. Noah didn’t have to work hard to understand him or struggle to express himself. With his uncle, he could just be. When they spoke, it was usually through American Sign Language, which made it intensely easier for Noah to really participate in the conversation.

  While Noah was very good at speechreading and used that to communicate most of the time, the majority of his family and friends had learned Signed English when Noah came to live in Hobson Hills. It took some of the load of communicating off Noah’s shoulders when he was stressed or confused.

  A few, however, had joined him in learning ASL as well. Noah had been surprised at how much he preferred the more complex language. It had taken him time, and he still had so much to learn, but ASL was quicker and more expressive to use than Signed English or speechreading. He didn’t have to guess at wh
at people meant. They just told him.

  When he lost his hearing, he hadn’t known a thing about sign language, little less that there were so many types or that ASL was a whole language all on its own. It had been a very confusing time in more ways than one. Noah shivered and pushed his thoughts away, wanting to enjoy the rest of the day.

  They moved from tree to tree until the last of the apples were loaded in the back of Gramps’s truck. They would sell some of the apples in their family’s store, Farm Fresh, but Elijah would use the majority of them to make apple bread, apple cider, apple wine, and a thousand other apple products.

  I need to remember to grab a loaf of apple bread before I go home today, Noah thought. His stomach growled, and he smiled as he felt the vibration under his hand. He looked around for Grammy. She and Grey were always in charge of the food.

  He spotted them beneath a few of the larger apple trees. Grey smiled softly, eyes full of contentment as he spread another blanket on the ground. He loved taking care of other people, especially by feeding them. Grammy was the same. She smiled brightly and practically wiggled in place as she set out the food.

  Elijah gets his love of dancing from her, Noah thought, smiling. Sometimes he let himself envy Elijah’s close relationships with the rest of the family. Noah’s brother had grown up with Grammy and Gramps and all the other Wilsons. Noah had grown up with their asshole parents.

  Marco gripped his shoulder, drawing his attention. His fingers moved deftly as he signed, “I’m happy that you’re ready to start dating again. I know you wanted to adjust to your hearing loss, but it’s been a while. Bennett and I were worried that you would cut yourself off from the world.”

  Noah breathed out slowly and tried to keep his voice low. “It’s easier to be alone.”

  Marco gave him an understanding look. “Yes, but it’s damn lonely.”

  And lonely gets old after a while. Noah looked around the orchard. Even when he was surrounded by friends and family, he still felt alone sometimes.

  Elijah pushed between them and linked arms with Noah. “I’m hungry.”

  Noah kissed the top of his omega brother’s head. “Me too.”

  Arms wrapped around his waist, and Noah smiled softly. Olive squeezed him once, then let him go. She signed, “I love you,” then ran to catch up with the other younger Wilsons.

  Noah looked at Elijah. “I think you should give me Olive since I don’t have any kids and you have three.”

  Elijah shook with laughter. “She’s the best behaved. Take one of the others.”

  “Not until they’re potty trained.” Noah grabbed Marco’s arm with his free hand. “I should get Elijah’s piece of cherry pie, right, Uncle Marco? Since he won’t give me Olive.”

  Marco threw his head back, laughing. Noah didn’t catch his answer, but he knew his uncle. Marco would give Noah his pie.

  The bed shaker under his pillow vibrated, and the motion pulled Noah from sleep. His heart beat fast as he reached out, hands shaking, to turn the alarm off. He should feel well-rested after a full night’s sleep, but Noah was exhausted. Stupid dreams, he thought.

  He yawned and rolled out of bed, standing still for a moment to center himself. The openness of the high ceilings in his room helped him breath, and the tension in his neck started to ease. In his dream, he’d been tied down to the hospital bed in the tiny room of the institution. It was a familiar dream.

  He shook his body and released a big breath. Enough of that. We have a big day today.

  No one was here to look at him strangely, so he stomped his feet a few times, smiling at the vibrations. Sometimes he wondered if other deaf people got a thrill from things like this too. Not asking Diane that question, he thought and snorted. His friend was a CODA, a child of deaf adults, and had been a huge help to him in adjusting to losing his hearing, but he still held back asking her about things that embarrassed him. Maybe one day.

  After working through his morning routine, he dressed in jeans and a sweater, then made his way downstairs for his coffee. He could already smell it brewing, the rich scent sending a shiver down his back.

  Elijah and his family had gotten the fancy coffee machine for Noah’s birthday, and he’d never loved a gift more. It had a timer, and he could make everything from an expresso to a plain black cup of coffee.

  Elijah gives me too much, he thought fondly. When his brother saved Noah and brought him to Hobson Hills, he’d given Noah an old water mill to renovate into a home.

  Noah was proud of his place. It had plenty of space, high ceilings with wooden beams, and refurbished stone walls. The water wheel even still worked. It converted water flow into energy for Noah’s home. It didn’t power everything, but it made his utilities a bit cheaper.

  Elijah gave me a life. Noah swallowed the lump in his throat. He hated dreaming about the institution. It did things to his head and made him maudlin.

  Rain fell against the windows of the living room, and he stopped a moment to look out into the dark. He remembered the sound of rain falling and tried to line the memory with the raindrops, but it didn’t quite work. Now it was just silence.

  He pressed his hand to the glass and tapped his fingers against the smooth, cool window pane. It was still mostly dark out, but he could see glints of light on Wright Mill Creek. They were getting plenty of rain this fall, so the current was fast and the creek overfull. He thought of the rush of water and the sound it would make.

  Enough of that. Noah yawned again and followed his nose to his coffee. He pulled out his favorite mug, a gift from Olive, and smiled. It had a horse silhouette with a lightsaber and said May the horse be with you.

  He sipped his coffee and took his time making breakfast. This was his favorite time of day. Most of the world was still asleep and everything was quiet. Completely losing his hearing had made everything silent, but there was more than one way for the world to be loud.

  A flash of his dream made him drop his spatula. He shuddered at the memory of the orderlies shaking him and slapping his face to get his attention. He felt some noise escape him. He had tried so hard to read the words on their lips, but his mind had been fogged from the drugs the doctors had pumped into him and his hearing loss had been so new. All he had been able to do was scream until his throat gave out.

  Noah evened his breathing again and got a new spatula. He scooped the bacon from the frying pan to his plate before starting on the eggs. His time in the fucking institution haunted him more than the violent attack that had caused him to lose his hearing.

  Diane told him it was the loss of control he’d suffered there. Sometimes he wished his therapist wasn’t so damn insightful.

  It’s going to be a good day, he told himself. Saul and Emmet are coming by, Diane’s bringing a new patient, and Dean works today.

  By his second cup of coffee, his dreams were locked away, and he was ready to start the day.

  He sat at the kitchen table and watched the sun rise through the windows. It really was his favorite time of the day. There was no struggling to understand anyone, no trying to piece together the conversation around him. Just peace.

  He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and looked at the text.

  Olive: Love you, Uncle Noah!

  Noah smiled. Every single morning his niece texted him. He sent back a message wishing her luck on the presentation she was giving in school today and his phone buzzed again.

  Ray: Dean’s bringing lunch for everyone today. I found honey ham on sale yesterday.

  Noah shook his head. Ray had turned into a big mama bear since marrying Dean. He replied back and had just pushed send when it buzzed again.

  Juan: Poker night this week will be a hunt instead. Ernie and I want to check out the woods by The Irish Rose. Be there with all your gear, little alpha.

  Noah groaned. Damn it, he hated those damn Big Foot excursions. Ernie and Juan enjoy them, though. He put his phone up. Fucking Bigfoot.

  He checked the clock on the wall. If he didn’t get mov
ing, he’d be running late.

  He thought about his uncle’s words from the day before. Loneliness was something that was only now really pulling at him. Right after Elijah rescued him, Noah’s life had been about adjusting to a new normal. He hadn’t had time to be lonely. In fact, he had needed time alone to recover from the exhaustion that came with constantly struggling to communicate with a hearing world.

  Now, sometimes when he was by himself, it actually felt lonely. Of course, his family still didn’t leave him alone often. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad sharing my mornings.

  He put his dishes in the dishwasher and pulled on his boots. He didn’t bother locking the door to the house. His horse ranch was literally in his backyard.

  The chill of the air tickled his nose as he walked across the wooden bridge leading from his back porch to the other side of the creek. Water rushed below and he stopped a moment to admire his water wheel. Watching it turn fascinated him for some reason.

  A new fern caught his eye. The bushy green plant sat between two swamp azaleas in the flowerbed next to his porch. “Janelle,” he muttered. Every time he turned around, Janelle had somehow managed to plant something else in the shaded flowerbed.

  He shook his head and hurried across the bridge. He had two large barns on the five acres directly behind his house. One barn was meant for rescued horses that needed a little time to adjust to people, and the other was for his therapy horses.

  The familiar smell of horse, hay, and dirt greeted him as he entered the rescue barn and made him smile. For the past three years, Noah had immersed himself in all things horse and had managed to find a place for himself and the animals he loved so much.