by Jade Alters
“So don't forget it, but don't hold it against me either. I can't help what I am, any more than you can help being female, or Caucasian. Friends don't have to be exactly the same, right? I mean, don't you have friends that aren't female, or Caucasian?”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course. But what I don't have is friends who are wolves.”
I looked down at Grayson and with a smug smile in his direction I said, “You seem to like the dog. Wolves aren't much different, just bigger, stronger and better looking.” Grayson started to lunge at me but Cheyenne had her fingers linked through his collar and pulled him back. He had a collar. I was cracking up inside over that. Damn, the boy must really worship Ridge to have agreed to this.
“He really doesn't like you,” she said, again.
In Grayson's head I said, “If you're really thinking of attacking me, I'll have to shift and defend myself. You think she'll want anything to do with either of us then?” Gray stopped barking, but the low rumble in his throat remained. I looked at Cheyenne and smiled and said, “It's the wolf thing. He can smell me. We're okay though, aren't we boy?” Gray stopped growling as I squat down in front of him. “That's right boy, it's okay. Who's a good boy?” I rubbed the back of his neck and he made eye contact with me. In my head I heard him say,
“If she wasn't watching right now, I'd bite your hand off.” I laughed in my head and said,
“See, he's a submissive little thing, all calmed down.”
“You're an asshole.”
I laughed again and then I looked up at Cheyenne and said, “How about I buy you a cup of coffee?”
“I don't know...”
I looked as non-threatening as I could and said, “Please. Public place where they make the coffee with the lids on, you can pick it up yourself off the counter and I won't touch it? I'm a nice guy and I don't want anything from you, just a friend.”
Grayson growled again.
He was going to tell Ridge everything and I was probably going to have to fight my best friend...and lose. But once I lay eyes on her tonight, I couldn't help myself. I suddenly really did want to know everything about her, and I wanted to spend time looking into her deep brown eyes while I found it all out.
“Okay,” she said at last. “Let me put Gray away.” Grayson barked and took a step back. Cheyenne smiled at him, got down on her knees and put her hands on either side of his face. She fluffed his fir and then kissed him on the tip of his nose. “It's okay boy. I won't be long.”
“Ridge is going to kick your ass,” Grayson said as she led him over to the stairs. I laughed and said,
“Yeah, probably. But while you're licking your dog bowl and he's stuck on the compound, which one of us is having coffee with Cheyenne?”
Ridge
I was so tired, but I couldn't sleep.
Maybe because even though I'd been exhausted for two days, it was only just after sundown, or maybe it was my thoughts of Cheyenne driving me crazy.
She was on my mind all day, every day, no matter who I was with or what I was doing. And now, as I waited for Grayson to report in, I was worried that something had gone wrong and he'd blown it for me, completely. I finally got out of bed, deciding I would shift and go for a run. Just as I slipped off my pajama pants, my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but it was local.
“Gray?”
“Yeah, it's me.”
“Whose phone are you using?”
“House phone. I couldn't very well walk in here with mine in my mouth.”
“True. How's it going?”
“Well, it was going good, for a while.”
“What's that mean? What happened?”
“Chase happened.”
“Chase? What the hell? What did he do?” I listened as Gray told me about Chase showing up and talking Cheyenne into going out for coffee. The anger that was slithering through my veins was hot, and as it grew, I almost forgot it was my best friend that we were talking about. Maybe he had a plan to help me. That has to be what it is...it had to be...When Gray finished, I said, “Where did they go?”
“No clue. I shifted as soon as she left and looked out the door. I saw them walking west across the street and then they disappeared behind the buildings.”
“Why didn't you follow them?”
“You're kidding, right? What if her roommate comes home and tells her I wasn't still inside the locked apartment when she got here? You want her to believe I'm a dog, I have to act like one.”
“Shit. What the hell is he up to?”
“Ridge, I don't want to cause trouble...”
“What Gray, just say it.”
“I smelled Chase when he was close to her. He's aroused by her, Ridge. Chase wants her too.”
“No. You have to be wrong about that. Chase has never gone after any woman I wanted, wolf or human.” Not that we'd had many she-wolves to go after. There had been one or two passing through and that was it. But I'd taken plenty of human women back to their place at the end of a night at the club, and Chase was always content to take the ones I didn't want. No way was I going to believe he'd choose the one he knew I wanted to mark as my own to go after.
“I don't think I'm wrong, Ridge.”
“Has she said anything about me, Gray?” He hesitated, for a long time. I thought he was going to tell me there was no hope, that she hated me. Instead he said,
“Yeah. She is still interested. She's just scared.”
Relief washed over me. As long as she wanted me, there was hope. “Well then, I have to find a way to ease her mind.”
“Ridge...” He hesitated again.
“What Gray? What are you trying so hard not to tell me?” I knew this kid since he was a pup sucking on his mama's teat. There was something on his mind.
“I just wanted to tell you, Cheyenne is a good choice. I like her.” I heard something in his voice that said he more than just “liked” her. What the hell was going on? My two best friends were feeling things for my mate? Hanson might be right and we just might have to go back to the old ways. Sadly, I wouldn't want to beat up either one of my friends, but I hoped that no one made any mistake that if it came to that, I could...easily.
I took a deep breath and said, “Thanks Gray. Stay put. I'm going to see if I can find them, and talk some sense into Chase.” Gray started to say something else. I didn't want to hear a lecture on how pissed Chelsea or the other alphas would be. I wanted Cheyenne, too badly to let anything, or anyone get in my way.
I started to leave the compound and then I decided I wasn't going to sneak around any longer. If I was ready to man up and go claim my mate, I had to man up first to my alphas.
I walked over to their cabin, took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Will pulled it open. He was dressed in a pair of flannel pajama pants and not shirt.
Since they weren't in the military any longer, most of them had let their hair grow out. Clay didn't let his get too long, just not military short.
Manny's was down to his shoulders, Titan kept his as sharp as it had been in the army, and then there was Will. His hair was down to his shoulders. He'd gotten it braided into Dread locks somewhere on the main island and he had a wild beard.
But if I had to pick my favorite of Chelsea's four mates, it would be Will.
He was the most easy-going and laid back of them all, and I was slightly relieved that he'd been the one to answer the door.
“Ridge. What's up?”
“Hey Will. I'm sorry to bother you. Can we talk for a minute?”
“Sure. Let me grab my shirt, I'll be right out.” He left me standing on the porch and went inside. He was back quickly with a shirt and slippers on. He lit a cigarette and offered me one.
“No thanks. Will, I have a problem. I don't know what to do about it. I want to do things the right way, and I want to respect my alphas...”
“This is about the girl?”
“Yes. I can't stop thinking about her, Will. How can I just walk away when I know she's m
y mate?”
Will gave me a sympathetic look and said, “You know, if you'd gone about this the right way in the first place, none of us would have asked you to walk away from her.”
“I know, and I'm sorry about what I did. I can't explain it, but it's in my DNA, Will...the old ways. Plus, it's what I grew up with. I know that you and Chelsea and the others have your own set of rules and I am doing my level best to respect those rules, I promise you, I am... but I feel like this is killing me.”
“Even if I was able to put in a word for you, how do you know the girl would still want anything to do with you...or that we could trust her not to rally the islanders to get us thrown out of here.”
“She's had three weeks, Will. If she was going to expose us, she's had ample time to do that.”
“You don't think her fear of Chelsea's warning had anything to do with her not saying anything?”
“I don't know, maybe. But, if she really wanted to give us up, she could have done it and just asked for protection from the police or something...I don't think she wants to. As far as her wanting me, she still does. Please don't ask me how I know that, but I do. If I have to live on this small island with her, you know I'll eventually run into her again and what if that happens after she settles for someone else? I would like to promise you I could control myself, but I don't think I can do that either.”
Will sighed. “All I can tell you, Ridge, is that I'll talk to the others. I can't promise anything though. Exactly how are you proposing to go about it this time?”
“I'll start over. I'll do it right. I'll take her out and court her just like the humans do...whatever I have to do, Will. I just have to see her.”
Will nodded. He understood.
I see how much he loves Chelsea, and the others. They all loved her so much they were willing to share their lives with her, and their children. I don't think I could do that, but I don't judge them for it. That was all I wanted, a chance to not be judged for who I chose as a mate. I had to have Chelsea...one way or the other.
Will told me to go home and wait for him to confer with the others. It was hard, especially knowing Cheyenne was out with Chase...but, I did it.
I paced.
I drank a beer.
I paced again.
I drank another beer.
When the knock finally came at my door, I'd been so distracted I hadn't even heard or smelled anyone approaching. I ripped it open and found Chase on my doorstep.
“You,” I said, through gritted teeth.
“Calm down,” he said. “I'm sure you've talked to Gray. All we did was talk and have a cup of coffee together.”
“Why?”
“Can I come in?”
“No. Why were you with Cheyenne?”
“Never mind. If you're not going to be reasonable...” He turned and started to leave. I was usually the dominant one between Chase and I. His sudden...assertiveness surprised me.
“Fine. Come in.”
He smiled and brushed past me. He wrinkled his nose once he was inside and said, “Did you get a dog?”
“Shut the fuck up. Tell me why you were with my mate.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Your mate, huh? Are you sure she's your mate Ridge? I mean, you've been with a lot of women, human women...you sure you're not just bored with the easy ones and looking to go after a challenge?”
“Screw you, Chase. Of course I'm sure. I'm so sure that I went to Will tonight and told him, I have to have her.” Chase's eyes widened at that. I was beginning to worry that Grayson was right and maybe Chase was interested in Cheyenne the same way I was.
“What did he say?”
“He's going to get back to me. Now tell me what you and Cheyenne talked about.”
“Got another beer?” he asked, as he strolled over to my refrigerator. He was suddenly so confident. Where did this version of my friend come from? He got his beer and sat down at my table and twisted off the top. I was trying to keep myself in check, but I was growing more annoyed by the minute. Finally, after taking a long swig of his beer he said, “We talked about us.”
“Us? You and her?” That anger was beginning to sizzle in my blood again.
“No. Us...wolves.”
My pulse quickened. “You spoke to her about us?”
“Come on man, she saw you and me and Chelsea shift...hell, she's seen me naked.” I clenched my fists at my sides. He looked at my hands but ignored them as he went on. “She wanted to know more about us, how we lived.”
“What did you tell her?”
“The truth. I told her we basically lived as humans, but that sometimes we got the itch and had to run in the woods, or mountains, or along the ocean, or whatever. She kind of got that. She told me that she likes to walk on the beach when she's feeling stressed.”
“So,” I said, sitting down in another chair at the table, “It seemed like she would be agreeable to that lifestyle? Our lifestyle?”
“She did, actually...for the most part.”
“What do you mean...for the most part?”
“She's human, Ridge. She doesn't want to be claimed. She doesn't want to be marked, or in her words, “owned.” She's not going to be the submissive that you want or imagine her to be.”
“I don't see her as submissive. All those times we talked at the club, she told me about coming 3000 miles from her home and her family to take this job and make it on her own. I saw the pride in her eyes, and it made her even more beautiful. I'd never want to take her independence from her, Chase. I just want her...worse than I've ever wanted anything.”
Chase's features softened and the smug look he'd had since he came in the door faded. “You really think she's your mate, don't you?”
“I know she is, Chase. I need her. She's the other half of me.”
“Ridge...there's something I need to tell you...” he was interrupted by a knock on the door, and something told me, it was probably a good thing.
Cheyenne
“So,” I said, as I sat down on the couch next to Gray and pulled his head over to my lap. “I know you didn't seem to like Chase, but I honestly enjoyed myself tonight.”
Gray looked up at me and I would swear he had a sneer on his cute little face.
“He's a wolf,” I told the dog. “That's probably what confuses you. He's a nice guy though, and he's funny. He seems almost childlike, sweet, kind of innocent...”
Gray growled low in his throat and I raised an eyebrow.
“What's that about?” Just then Myrna opened the front door. Brett was with her. I guess that was what Gray was growling about.
“Hey,” she said, “Still have the dog, I see?” Gray got up with his paws on the back of the couch and barked.
“Hey! Stop that. You met Myrna and this is Brett. Be nice.” To Myrna I said, “I put up posters, but no calls yet.”
“Brett and I rented a movie and picked up Chinese. We're going to watch it and eat in my room. You want some food?” Before I could answer, Gray barked again. I laughed.
“No sir, no Chinese for you. You didn't touch your dog food, and I got the good kind for you.” Again, I think the dog sneered. He was almost human sometimes, it was a little bit freaky. “I'm good, Myrna, thanks.”
Myrna was smiling at me. “You're funny with that dog. You talk to him like he understands what you say.”
“I really think he does,” I told her.
“Where is he going to sleep? Brett has to leave early in the morning...I don't really like the way he's looking at him.”
“Me neither,” Brett said. Gray growled again.
“Hey. That's not nice!” I told Gray. “I'll keep him in my room tonight.”
They thanked me, took what they needed from the kitchen and went to Myrna's room.
I put on a romantic comedy movie and Gray and I snuggled up to watch it.
As I lay there petting the dog and staring at the movie, I realized something strange. I hadn't thought of Ridge since Chase first showed up.
I lay there and pondered that until suddenly I woke up, hours later, I assume, cuddled up to a sleeping Gray with some sitcom blaring on the television.
I hated to disturb the warm dog, but I shook him slightly, almost like he was human and said, “Hey guy, we need to go to bed, okay?” He yawned and stretched and got up off the couch. He waited for me to turn things off and then he followed me down the hallway.
When we got to my room, I took my night clothes into the bathroom. I know it was silly, but I was shy about my body...even in front of a dog, I suppose. When I came back, Gray was curled up in the center of the bed.
“Hey! Who said you could sleep on the bed?” He raised his head and looked at me with his blue eyes, pleading. I rolled my own eyes. “Okay fine, but don't hog the covers.” He rolled over on his back and put his legs in the air. I laughed and rubbed his belly.
Then I kissed him on the nose and we cuddled up and went back to sleep. I could get used to this dog stuff.
Ridge
I had a restless night, and almost left the compound a few times, but I talked myself out of it. I told Will I would wait to hear back from them, so I did, but not happily.
I fell asleep once, and had a dream...or a nightmare, that Chase and Cheyenne hooked up. I felt like I wanted to kill someone when I woke up. I did leave my cabin after that, just long enough to walk over near Chase's cabin and make sure...number one, that I could smell him inside and number two that I couldn't smell Cheyenne.
She wasn't there and he was, so I went back home, but I didn't get any sleep. I was on my second pot of coffee when Chelsea knocked on my door in the morning.