“Ally’s fine.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Well, if you get a little hungry, there’s some food in the guest lodge you’ll be using.”
They were putting her in a guest lodge? Ally had been expecting them to order her to stay with Derren, given how unwelcome she was here. This was a huge relief. Ally liked space and privacy, and she certainly didn’t want to constantly be in close proximity to him all the time.
“You can meet the rest of the pack in the morning when you come here for breakfast. After that, I’ll give you a tour, since it’s a little too late for that now.” Shaya turned to Derren. “We’ve put Ally in the guest lodge nearest to yours. Can you escort her there?”
He gave Shaya a nod before signaling for Ally to follow. Giving the Mercury wolves a brief good night, she followed him through an archway that led to a dining area and kitchen, liking that it was all one open space. Outside, a Labrador was wagging his tail excitedly.
“That’s Bruce,” said Derren, watching as the dog rubbed his body all over Ally’s legs and butted her hand for a stroke. His wolf was jealous, wanted the same attention, which was just plain pathetic. “Let’s go.” Bruce stayed at her side as Derren escorted her to the guest lodge, irritating his wolf and pricking at his jealousy. Pitiful.
Feeling his negative emotions slap at her as they walked in silence, Ally wondered how she could possibly be attracted to someone who not only disliked her so much but caused her such physical discomfort. Yet, the hunger was there all the same, taunting her and making her feel edgy. Her wolf’s fascination with him wasn’t helping matters at all. Nor were his flashes of raw need that were like fingers teasingly trailing down the length of her spine.
Oh, help.
As the lodge came into view, Ally halted with a gasp. She hadn’t envisioned this at all. It was just . . . beautiful. The timber L-shaped lodge had a wraparound porch, which would no doubt overlook the lake she could see just beyond the building. The front of the lodge was glazed glass, allowing plenty of natural light to fill the space. Situated on a rise, it was perfectly positioned for her to spot anyone approaching. “It’s . . . Wow. Just wow.”
Derren smiled a little. “If you like the outside, you’ll love the inside.”
It turned out that he was right. The two-story den was gorgeous with its stone fireplace, corner sofa, chest-like coffee table, and a massive TV on the wall. From there, it was easy to see the lofted bedroom, which was located above the small dining area and kitchen, overlooking the den.
The oak flooring continued through the entire space, matching the oak kitchen. At the rear of the lodge was a staircase that led to the bedroom and bathroom. The right wall of the bedroom was all glass, giving the space plenty of light. But . . . “This glass is reflective, right?” she asked Derren, who was placing her luggage at the foot of her bed.
Amused, Derren assured her, “Yes. No one can see inside.” He pointed to his own lodge, which was bigger than hers but simpler in its design. “I live across the lake.” Then he found himself blurting out, “Why was your childhood pack assassinated?” Just like that, her expression shuttered. “Don’t do that,” he said. For some reason, the idea of her closing down on him . . . it offended him.
Memories smacked into Ally. Screaming. Howling. Her nails snapping as she clawed at the—
Ally slammed a door on the memories. When she finally spoke, her tone was flat. “I don’t talk about it. Ever.”
As she headed for the stairs, Derren realized he’d been effectively dismissed. He didn’t like that. And if she thought he was so easily handled, she was in for a big surprise. He followed her into the kitchen, where she switched on the coffeepot. “I won’t press you on that.” For now. “But there is something else I need to know.”
Finally finding the cupboard where mugs were kept, she grabbed only one to make a statement to the persistent asshole that he wasn’t welcome to stay. Annoyingly, that seemed to amuse him. “What’s that?” she said.
He leaned against the counter, intensely aware of this female in a way that unnerved him. His eyes settled on her luscious mouth; images of just what he could do with that mouth flickered through his brain. “What really happened in the Collingwood Pack? I’ve heard a little from Cain, and I’ve heard Matt’s version, but I haven’t heard yours.” And when he’d watched her overpower Rachelle, it had become blindingly clear that Ally wouldn’t have needed to attack her from behind. So just maybe Ally had been wrongly accused after all.
“You know all you need to know. She said I tried to kill her. I didn’t.”
“There’s more.” Cain had said the pack had been giving her a hard time. “I’ve been charged with protecting you. I can’t do that if I don’t know everything.” And, yeah, he was being nosy too. His smile widened as he watched her pour more milk in her mug than coffee.
Turning away, she headed outside with her drink. “I’m away from the Collingwood wolves now—that’s all that matters.” Seeing a hammock on the porch, Ally knew she’d be spending a lot of time out here, relaxing.
Derren followed her, coming to stand in front of where she sat on the porch step. Bruce settled beside her, his wagging tail tapping the deck. “You really think they’ll leave you alone? Obviously you didn’t see the possessiveness on Zeke’s face when he looked at you.” Derren’s wolf growled at the memory. “He still considers you his, and neither he nor his wolf is going to like that someone took you away.”
She believed Zeke still cared for her, but not that he’d had any trouble letting go—particularly since he’d bought Rachelle’s lies and refused to get Ally a transfer. “If that were true, he wouldn’t have turned on me the way he did.”
“Trust me, he hasn’t let you go yet. As for his mate, she was genuinely angry that you left.” He took a single step toward Ally, compelled by the wicked urge to touch her that he very barely resisted. It didn’t help that he took her enticing scent inside him on every inhale. “Tell me.”
Caught in the power of his dark gaze, Ally did. She gave him the entire story, beginning when Zeke met Rachelle and ending with the things Zeke had said after the interrogation. “I think she wanted me executed eventually. But not yet. What she was doing wasn’t really much different from someone physically torturing their captive as they lead up to the main event.” She sighed, getting to her feet. “Well, it’s late. Good night.”
Dismissed again. Derren went to grab her wrist but she jerked away, avoiding his touch like it was a poisonous snake. It shouldn’t have bothered him. Not a tiny, little bit. But a growl seeped out of him just as his wolf tugged at the reins, offended and angered by the rejection. “Problem?” he rumbled.
“There won’t be as long as you don’t touch me.”
He stepped right into her personal space, leaving only inches between them. “Oh? And why is that?” And why did he care?
“It’ll hurt.”
Both he and his wolf stilled. “My touch will hurt you?”
“If someone’s emotions are strong enough, they can bleed into my system through touch. You’re so angry at me, so bitter. It’s uncomfortable enough to just be around you. If you touch me while those emotions are running through you, it’ll hurt.” And having his need pour through her body, adding to her own, would have Ally so turned on she’d be shaking with it. But he didn’t need to know that.
Derren had heard that picking up the emotions of others caused physical sensations for Seers, but he hadn’t known it could be painful. “I’ll keep my hands to myself.” Why a part of him balked at that idea, he didn’t know. His wolf viciously clawed at his gut, enraged by it. “One last thing. Don’t think about running.”
Startled that he’d suspect she would do anything of the sort, she asked, “Why would I run?”
“I think you may have figured out that not everyone here is going to be as welcoming as Shaya. I don’t want you fleeing.”
Affronted, she sniped,
“I don’t flee. And I may not trust you, and I may not be convinced you have any interest in whether or not I’m safe, but I do trust Cain and his judgment.”
The faith and affection in the latter words added to the jealousy that was already riding his wolf. Not a jealous person, Derren had always been able to roll his eyes at his wolf’s envy. But right now, he shared it. This female messed with his fucking head just as much as she messed with his senses.
“If you both trust and care for each other so damn much, why hasn’t he claimed you? Why would he overlook his mate dating other guys? And why would you want to?” An emotion flickered across her face, but it was gone too quickly for Derren to identify it.
“Why do you have so much rage and pain inside you that it’s a total wonder you haven’t gone insane with it?” she shot back. As she’d known he would, he closed down. Her laugh was empty of humor. “Unless you’re willing to share your own business, don’t ask me about mine.”
Perversely, her defiance entertained him as much as it did his wolf. This was a female who could hold her own, who brooked no bullshit. Derren could respect that, even as it irritated him that he had no answers to his questions. “Remember: don’t think about running. You wouldn’t get far anyway. I have your scent.” A scent that seemed designed to fucking tantalize him, his cock, and his wolf.
Her voice hardened. “Let me assure you that if at any point I do decide to leave here, that’s exactly what I’ll do. But I won’t run. I’ll walk right on out of here while you watch.”
“I’d stop you before you got anywhere near the border.”
Ally knew her smile was a little feral. “You could try.”
Derren’s mouth curved. “You should know better than to challenge a Beta.” With that, he spun on his heel and strode away, taking Bruce with him.
Once he was out of sight, Ally exhaled a heavy sigh. Being so close to Derren was hard on her composure. Not just because his emotions battered at her, but because he pulled sexual reactions from her body that alarmed her.
She hadn’t realized that he assumed Cain was her mate, though she supposed it was an easy leap for him to make since Cain was so protective. For a single moment, she’d thought of correcting him. But instinct had made her stop. While the Mercury wolves thought Cain was her mate, they would be more inclined to let her be. After all, shifters would launch full-scale wars over their mates.
She didn’t like to lie, but this was just a teeny-weeny lie of omission that wouldn’t hurt anyone but might keep her safe from these people who didn’t like outsiders, didn’t like Seers, and didn’t want her here.
Sure, it was hiding behind Cain, in a sense. Her pride—as strong as that of any dominant female wolf—bristled at that. But her pride had also balked when she’d considered leaving the Collingwood Pack months ago, and look where that had gotten her. So if hiding behind Cain’s reputation would keep her safe, so be it.
CHAPTER FOUR
Ally kept her head held high as she walked into the main lodge the next morning. Any other time, she would have had a small breakfast in her own lodge. For one, she was very far from a morning person. And two, if the shifters were as unwelcoming as Derren predicted, it was going to be physically uncomfortable to be around them all. However, to turn down Shaya’s invitation would not only be seen as rude but as if she was scared to face the pack. Although Ally wasn’t interested in pointlessly striving to earn their approval or respect, she wasn’t going to have them thinking she was spineless. Shifters pounced on weaknesses.
In the kitchen, Shaya, Eli, and two males were seated at the long table, while Kathy was at the stove. Shaya beamed. “Morning! Come sit!” She patted the seat beside hers. “Guys, this is Ally.”
Instantly, Ally sensed that the two submissive males were mates. “Nice to meet you,” she said as she sat, wincing internally at her gruff tone. “I’ll seem friendlier when I’ve had coffee.” Reaching for the coffeepot on the table, she then poured some into the mug that had been left on a coaster in front of her.
The dark wolf tipped his chin, a slight curve to his mouth. “I’m Caleb. This is Kent.” Neither exuded any unwelcoming vibes. Instead, they appeared to be neutral on the subject of her presence.
The spiky-haired male’s words were unexpected. “I love all that long, silky hair.”
“Um, thanks.” Feeling something rub against her legs, she peeked under the table. Bruce. He’d settled at her feet, chewing on a slice of bacon.
“Like me, Kent used to be a hairstylist. Seeing such healthy, gorgeous hair is like a stroke to his senses.” Shaya took a sip of her own coffee. “How do you like your lodge?”
Ally smiled, knowing her delight was evident. “I love it.” After unpacking the night before, she had shifted forms and done a quick scout of the area to assure and calm her wolf, who had been going crazy at all the new scents and had wanted to explore. After that, both Ally and her wolf had felt calmer, lighter. And Ally knew that for as long as she stayed here—unwelcome or not—the lodge would be her haven.
Shaya’s next words were low. “Has Derren been okay with you?”
Apart from the fact that he made her want to do wicked things to his body? “Yeah, why?”
“He doesn’t always make the best first impression.”
Recalling his pushy, tenacious behavior, she said, “You’re right, he doesn’t.”
Shaya chuckled. “He’s a good guy. One of the most decent guys I’ve ever met, even if he is hard in many ways. Nick would never have chosen him as Willow’s godfather if that wasn’t the case. Derren adores her, just as she adores him. And he looks out for his pack, dutifully fills a role he doesn’t even want. But . . . he has a thing about Seers. It’s a blind spot for him. What I’m trying to say is: don’t take his sullenness personally.”
But how could Ally not take it personally? The Seer side of her nature wasn’t separate. If he had something against what she was, then it was most certainly personal. Instead of voicing that thought, she said, “Thanks for letting me stay here.”
Kathy plonked an empty plate in front of Ally, snatching her attention. “So . . . you’re a Seer.” Kathy had said “Seer” in the same tone one might use for “serial killer.” Again, the woman’s antipathy was like the slash of a razor.
And so it begins. “I am.”
A haughty sniff from Kathy. “You don’t get a lot of dominant Seers. They’re mostly submissive.”
“Are dominant Seers more powerful than submissive ones?” Eli spooned some cereal into his mouth. His dubiousness and distrust hadn’t left him, making her scalp prickle again.
“Not that I know of.” Ally piled some food onto her plate. “I think it just depends on the individual.” She hadn’t spent enough time around other Seers to really know for sure. It was difficult for two Seers to exist in one pack unless one of those Seers was a child. Adult Seers tended to clash and battle for the position, much like two alpha males would fight for the position of pack Alpha.
“You don’t look or act at all like a Seer.” Caleb nudged his mate with his elbow. “Does she?”
Kent shook his head. “I would never have guessed.”
Three males entered, laughing among themselves. Shaya gave them a smile as she said, “Ally, this is Bracken, Jesse, and Zander. They’re three of our enforcers.”
They were also totally hot, but since all three were oozing so much wariness that her skin itched, Ally wasn’t enamored. Her “Hi” was met with stiff nods.
“We also have two other enforcers, Roni and Marcus,” added Shaya, “but they’re not here this morning. You’ll meet them in a few days.”
Apparently not done, Kathy planted one hand on her hip as she glared down at Ally. “I’m a straight shooter, so I’ll tell you right now that I’m not convinced you didn’t try to kill your Beta female.”
Ally shrugged. “That’s all right. I’m not convinced I care.” She had to show these people she had claws, that no bullshit would be tolerated.
“At least you have spine. But that won’t earn you any respect here. Not when you are what you are.”
“You mean bored?” Ally’s wolf bared her teeth at the older female, but her anger was quickly replaced by anticipation as the scent of Brazilian coffee beans, oak bark, and hot sex tickled her senses. A moment later, Derren was striding into the kitchen. He walked with a sense of purpose that had her wolf growling with arousal. It flustered Ally a little too, if she were being honest.
Flashes of his usual negative emotions slammed into her, chilling her body. Again, though, the chill was alleviated by the need she felt pulsing through him—acting as a stroke to her inner thighs. It took everything she had not to squirm in her seat. Settling into the chair next to her, he exchanged greetings with everyone before looking at her. Eyes of dark velvet drank her in.
He said quietly, “I went to your lodge to walk you here.”
It was an admonishment . . . as if she should have been waiting for him like a good little girl. “Huh. Not sure why you think I need you to hold my hand.”
The comment should have irritated Derren, but he found himself wanting to smile at her prickly manner. Noticing that Kathy was snarling at her, he arched a brow. “Problem?”
Kathy shrugged. “I was just about to tell Ally here that if she has any visions while she’s with us, we don’t want to hear about them.”
“Just to clarify”—Ally sat back in her seat, arms folded—“if I was to have a vision warning me that one of you was in danger, you wouldn’t want to know? You’d prefer I kept that information to myself?” She wasn’t surprised when Kathy hesitated to answer or when the other wolves shifted restlessly. They might not like what she was, but they’d have no problem using her if it really came down to it. Nice to know.
Finally, Kathy replied, “We’re a strong pack. We don’t need help from outsiders.”
Shaya sighed tiredly. “Kathy, I know you mean well. And I know you’re just looking out for us. But it seems you’re forgetting who is Alpha female around here.” The reprimand was gently delivered, but it still rang with Shaya’s strength.
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