by Breezy Jones
“I’m so sorry,” I offered.
She swiveled her gaze to mine, and my breath caught in my chest. She was small, like me, maybe an inch or so taller. Her blonde hair was striking against her lavender eyes. Like Joe’s, I thought. Exactly like Joe’s. Strange.
“I didn’t see you,” I stammered out, shaking the weird déjà vu moment from my mind.
“Well, obviously,” the girl replied, crossing her slender arms and glaring.
“Nina!” Goose bumps rose on the back of my neck as I instantly recognized the sexy timbre of the voice behind me.
I whirled around to see Ryker quickly heading toward me. The angry part of me wanted to run away while my headstrong side was attracted to Ryker who was damn sexy when he was determined about something.
I stuck out my chin and folded my arms over my chest as I waited.
“Ugh…wolves.” The girl behind me sniffed and snagged my thoughts away from my internal battle.
I whirled back to her, shocked and wary. “What did you say?” I asked.
“Nothing. You should pay better attention to where you’re going,” she said, stomping away.
Ryker reached me just as the girl disappeared behind the buildings. My jaw slacked at the girl’s strange comment. Turning all my attention to Ryker, I pretended the sight of him didn’t send tingles into parts of me I hadn’t paid much attention to in a very long time.
“What?” I demanded.
“I want to explain,” Ryker said.
I shifted my position, jutting out a hip, as I waited for him to continue.
“Listen, Eric is just doing his job as my second. He has to evaluate all options.”
I cocked my head to one side, unsure of whether I agreed or even understood.
“More importantly, he’s just trying to find the best way to protect the pack.”
“Well, he didn’t have to be such a dick about it,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm.
“In his mind, he’s just trying to get his point across and as werewolves we’re not always polite about it.” Ryker studied my face as the wind whistled around us, before finally he added, “But you’re right. Eric was a dick. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” I bobbed my head up and down. But part of me wondered if maybe Eric was right. “I don’t want to put other people in danger because of me.”
Ryker sunk his hands into his pockets, his shoulders curving forward. “It’s what the pack does, we protect our own,” he said his voice low and insistent, and I shivered at the way his words cracked my defenses.
Ryker took his hands out of his pockets and placed them on my arms. As he rubbed my flesh, I tensed. His hands stilled as our eyes met. The world around me faded, and I found myself asking myself, what it would be like if Ryker kissed me. What it would be like to kiss him back?
The thought startled me out of my daydream, he was talking to me, not trying to kiss me.
I swallowed hard and backed away from Ryker. “We should go inside and get out of this weather.”
Ryker agreed, so I gestured toward the bookstore entrance a few feet away.
He followed me into the shop. We wound our way through the shelves, headed to the tiny room that served as the office. When we reached it, however, it was already occupied by my boss.
“Hey, Joe,” I greeted.
“Hey, Nina.” He smiled kindly, though curiosity swam in the pools of his eyes along with something else. Worry maybe? He blinked, and it was gone. “You’re not on the schedule today, are you?”
“No, I was close by and figured we’d come in to get out of the…” Suddenly, I remembered I hadn’t made any introductions. Frankly, I was nervous since I’d never brought anyone into the store before—because there wasn’t anyone to bring. “This is Ryker.”
“Nice to meet you,” Joe said, shaking Ryker’s hand. “It’s good to meet one of Nina’s friends.” He winked, adding, “I was beginning to think she didn’t have any.”
My head jerked back. Was Ryker a friend? I considered the possibility for a moment before deciding that Ryker was more of a disturbingly sexy but frustrating acquaintance.
“Likewise,” Ryker said, leaving me to wonder if he’d also assumed I had no friends.
“Is everything okay, Nina?” Joe asked, his brow creasing as he studied me.
I smiled reassuringly. “Of course,” I bit my lower lip. “We won’t be long.”
He rocked back on his heels, watching the two of us skeptically. “I’ll be at the front desk if you need me,” he said, before slipping out to give us some space.
I sat in the chair Joe had vacated, offering the other one to Ryker. He inched toward it, but then stopped when he realized his large frame wasn’t going to fit in the tiny space.
“Joe seems nice,” Ryker said, leaning against the doorframe with one hand in his pocket. “How did you two meet?”
I shrugged, “Not long after I moved to town, I came in here looking for answers about my condition. Not that there was much reliable information in any of these books.” I gestured around me for emphasis. “After seeing me in here a few times, Joe offered me a job and a place to stay.”
“Does he know?” he asked.
I stared at him for a few seconds before answering. “That I’m a werewolf? Yeah, I was living with him and it got harder to hide, so I told him.”
Ryker raised one eyebrow but gave no indication he was upset about it. I relaxed a little, thankful he wasn’t going to lecture me about telling a human my secret.
“Listen, I know it’s a lot to take in, but joining the pack is your best option,” he said.
I thought for a moment before replying, “Why exactly is that? Because so far, I’m not quite so sure.” I still struggled with what had happened at the coffee shop. “All of those people were angry and judging me… Safety is not my first impression when you quite literally threw me to the wolves.”
Ryker shook his head. “You have to join a pack. If you don’t join one, it leaves you vulnerable to vampires and other packs. As Eric said earlier, others are going to want you for themselves or they’ll destroy you.”
“Eric.” I snorted.
“Yeah, he can be an asshole.”
“Then why do you have him on the council?”
“Sometimes an asshole makes good points, too. Besides, if my entire council always agreed, I’d only ever get one point of view, and a good leader considers multiple opinions before making a decision.”
I paused and looked down at my hands. “Is it really such a bad thing to be a female werewolf?” My voice rose with each word.
Ryker’s eyes went wide then his brows dipped in confusion. “You think I view you being a werewolf as a bad thing?”
“It’s all you guys talked about back there,” I said. “Like I’m this catastrophe that needs managing.”
Ryker closed the space between us and knelt in front of me. He glanced at the floor for a moment and cleared his throat. His voice became earnest as he said, “You’re not a catastrophe, Nina. You’re a fucking miracle.”
I averted my gaze—too embarrassed to face him. But he had more to say.
“You’re an impossibility and that makes you amazing.” His lips quirked, and he added, “No one who exercises so little should have managed to leap across that bar at me so fast.”
“Must be all that yoga.”
He grinned, and I couldn’t help smiling a bit myself.
“I want you in the pack because I want to know you better,” he admitted, and my breath caught.
“I want to know you better, too,” I said quietly.
Ryker’s gaze flicked to my mouth. I froze as my eyes locked on his. He leaned in close, and my heart thudded wildly against my ribs. My blood sang in my veins as if some dormant part of me had finally reawakened. I’d forgot what it was like to want a
nyone like this.
But at the last second, Ryker leaned away, shutting his eyes as if cringing at what he was about to do.
My shoulders sagged, and I drew in a ragged breath.
“You know what,” I huffed, feeling exhausted. “I can’t handle this right now. I need to think through all of this.” I drew my attention to a random stack of papers on the desk beside me.
“We need to discuss your decision about the pack,” Ryker said in a low voice.
I continued to stare down at what looked like invoices for purchase orders—stuff Joe usually handled.
“Okay, I get it,” Ryker said, his words clipped.
So, he was capable of frustration after all. Part of me was kind of glad to have gotten past his impenetrable wall of control. The other part felt guilty over how childish I was being.
I looked up at him and said quietly, “I’m sorry, but I’m doing my best here. This is a lot for me.”
Ryker shoulders relaxed. “I know,” he said. His gaze fastened on mine, and his expression softened. “I’ll give you some space. Let you think it through.”
He turned for the door.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Distance, that’s what I needed now. Space to think.
“I’ll see you in the morning then,” Ryker said. “We can run again.”
“Uck with the running,” I groaned, earning a smolder from his eyes. It made my insides heat a little.
“Yeah, it’s a wolf thing.”
“I’ll see you in the morning,” I said with a small tug on my lips as he turned and left me alone.
When I heard the bell ring, announcing his exit, I set the papers aside, leaning back into the chair. But it wasn’t relief that had my body slumped. Feeling more alone than I’d ever felt, I hid my face in my hands.
It wasn’t long, however, before I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked up, rubbing my face, and saw Joe hovering over me.
“You want to talk about it?” he asked.
I shook my head, burrowing my face once more. “Oh, Joe,” I said, exhaling loudly. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
Joe chuckled, turning the other chair around and straddling it. “Why don’t you start with the gentleman who just left. Who is he? I’ve never seen him around before.”
“Ryker? I don’t really know much about him yet,” I said. “He just showed up last night, and now, just like that, I’m a part of his wolf pack.”
“And what do you think about that idea?”
I explained everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours which only exhausted me more. Joe watched me and listened as I poured out all my frustration. “He wants something from me, but hell if I know what that is.”
Joe quirked his lips. “I think I have some idea what he wants. Should I go beat up Mr. Muscles to defend your honor?” he asked.
Laughing once, I then choked out, “No. Well, maybe… It’s too soon to tell.”
Joe smiled, patting my shoulder. “Well, you tell me when you figure it out.” He rose then paused thoughtfully. “I think you just need to give him more time. Let him explain. Maybe you’ll finally get the answers you’ve been looking for.”
His words rang through my mind, echoing my thoughts.
“Maybe,” I agreed quietly. All I could think about, however, was Ryker’s explanation about what triggered the change. If I’d killed someone to become like this, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“You’re stronger than you think,” Joe added. I stood, making my way around the desk, and we walked out of the office toward the front of the shop.
“I’m headed home,” I say.
Joe nodded, taking his seat behind the desk. As I reached the door, it opened, and a girl I’d never seen before walked in. She was beautiful in a fiery way—long red hair and a glint of lavender in her eyes. Déjà vu hit me for the second time today. She reminded me of the girl I’d bumped into earlier. Both of them looked strangely like Joe.
She beamed, gliding past me, and her gaze settled on Joe.
“Joe!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up.
“Jack,” he said sadly, doing a double-take.
“It’s been so long,” she said, taking his hand in hers.
The corners of Joe’s lips lifted, tugging at the lines of his withered face.
The girl swiveled to me as if remembering my presence for the first time. She offered me a sparkling, toothy smile, and extended a hand. “I’m Jack,” she said, “Joe’s…” She paused thoughtfully, before landing on, “Cousin.”
My wolf was alerted, and my intuition pinged at her hesitation. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” Joe asked. “I’d like to catch up with Jack here.”
“Sure, I’m exhausted, anyway. Let’s catch up then,” I said, sidestepping them both as I headed for the door, the bell ringing in my wake.
Chapter Four
On my walk home, the hair on the back of my neck lifted, and I whirled, scanning for whatever threat had set my wolf’s senses on alert, but the streets were empty now. I brushed it off as the cold air getting to me—or maybe the stress of recently learning I indeed had a stalker. I was fairly certain Ryker wasn’t watching me anymore. Not covertly, anyway.
While I walked, I mulled over Jack and her place in Joe’s life.
I’d talked to Joe before about his family, but it was never a detailed conversation. Meeting his cousin made me wish I’d asked him more. Something wet landed on my nose. I swiped it away just as another hit my cheek and then another. I looked up squinting into the slush that had begun to fall from the sky. Snow. It was a little early in the year for snow even for Pinefall, but it was cold. I didn’t think too long on it as I admired the sun, lost behind heavy clouds hanging low in the sky.
Holiday lights could be seen off in the distance, twinkling annoyingly from the eaves of a cottage up ahead, but my wolf senses told me that wasn’t the cause for the unease I felt.
“Ryker?” I called out quietly.
No answer.
Slowly, I scanned the area again, but I found nothing and no one. The feeling of being followed or watched wouldn’t go away though.
It settled within the pit of my stomach, pushing me faster along the nearly snow-covered sidewalks. The snow helped muffle my own footsteps silent as I listened for a second set, but the only sound was the distant calls from people entering the bar on the corner.
I had to be losing my mind. Clearly the events of the day—or week—were getting to me.
The last two blocks to my apartment felt like the journey of a lifetime. I was practically running when I reached the rustic building. With a final glance behind me, I quickly climbed the stairs and unlocked the door, shuffling inside. I was careful to lock it behind me before finally allowing myself to breathe for the first time since leaving work.
What was that all about?
I dropped my things and headed to the kitchen for a mug and a K-Cup.
With coffee in hand, I sank down on the couch, pulling my phone out and opening the app to order a pizza. By the time the order had been placed, the silence around me was beginning to echo. My thoughts drifted back to everything that had happened today, but rehashing all the drama was the last thing my jumpy brain needed right now. To drown out the noise, I reached for the TV remote and began searching through movie titles.
A distraction, I realized. Coffee. Pizza. Movie. It was all I needed to keep from thinking about the things Ryker had told me.
But I didn’t care. In this moment, it was quiet and safe—and I just needed to enjoy that for a while longer before it was all swept away.
I focused on the movie choices. Twilight—no. Teen Wolf—a definite no.
As I pondered the choices in front of me, the doorbell rang. Pizza! I set my coffee aside and hurried for the door.
Instead of a delivery guy,
I found Lexi—the friendly waitress from Hot Shots—waiting on the other side. Snow blew in lazy spirals around her.
“Lexi?” I frowned as my mind raced with possible reasons why she would be at my house.
“Um… Hi.” She winced as if she realized this was a weird situation. “May I come in?”
“Sure.”
I stepped aside, allowing Lexi to enter then closed the door behind her. I watched as she wandered farther down my short entry hall, her eyes moving from the living room to the dining room and back again. I stayed where I was, still contemplating why the waitress would be here. Lexi slid out of her coat and laid it over the back of my couch, still looking around at my place.
Finally, she looked back at me. “Wow, nice place. You live here alone?”
I blinked, trying to decipher the reason for her question.
“Uh. Yeah.” I waited for her to go on. When she didn’t, I asked, “Can I get you anything?”
“Sure, that’d be great.”
Retrieving my half-empty mug from the coffee table, I made my way into the kitchen.
“Oh, it smells like coffee in here,” Lexi said, following behind me. Her eyebrows touched as she asked, “Coffee at night?”
I pursed my lips, studying her over my shoulder. “Doesn’t everyone drink coffee at night?”
Lexi giggled. “No, that’s probably not normal considering the caffeine, and it’s effect on people. But I’d love a cup, thank you.”
I smirked and loaded the machine for another cup. Once finished I handed it to her and sat down at the kitchen counter. I waited for Lexi to offer some clue as to why she’d come.
But Lexi was apparently in no hurry to explain as she sipped her coffee from where she stood.
“I don’t mean to be rude,” I said when the silence stretched. “But, uh… Why are you here?”
“Of course, sorry.” Lexi smiled sheepishly. “Well, for starters, I thought you should know that I’m Ryker’s sister.”
My eyes widened as I realized why Lexi was in my apartment. “Ryker sent you.”
She shook her head vigorously. “Oh no, I didn’t tell him.”