Any news about Jack is important. What if he’s gotten hurt? I have the perfect outfit to nurse him back to health. I’ll look so sexy taking care of him that he won’t be able to resist me. Oh yes, please let him be hurt.
“All right, here it is. I was at Dakota’s earlier and overheard Jack telling Grant, Gabe, and Nicholai that he found his fated mate today. Turns out the new girl in town everyone keeps going on about was delivered to Jack by fate, or some shit like that. He won the bid to do the work on the house she just bought. You know, the big one on the lake that’s been empty for a while. I’m happy with the news myself. He’s always sticking his nose in my business. This is just the distraction I need to finally get some real work done around here.”
Fred pauses for a few seconds. When I don’t respond, he continues. “Well, I thought you would want to know. Catch you later.” The call disconnects.
I fall back onto the chaise lounge in complete shock. What the fuck! He’s told me for years that alphas can’t mate with humans. He even said it yesterday. The new girl in town is a human. I can barely contain my rage. There is no way she’s better than me. No one is better than me.
This is my town. I have spent too many years training these animals to do things my way. It hasn’t been easy for me to carry this burden. I seem to be the only one trying to educate them and make them useful. Once Jack comes around to my way of thinking, I’ll have his whole pack at my fingertips. They’ll have to do as I command.
I’ll own this town. I can’t even imagine the control I’ll have at my disposal. My superior intelligence leading these powerful beasts, the combination will make me unstoppable. I’ll be a queen. Nobody is taking that from me, especially her.
I need to do something to put a stop to this nonsense. Jack is a wolf, an animal. I’m sure he’s just confused. I’ll explain everything to him. He has to listen to me. I’m the human here—the voice of reason and the more superior species.
Wait a minute. Let’s think about this. Should I talk to him first, or do I get rid of her first? Yes, it should be easy to run her out of town. I heard the gossip at the diner. She doesn’t know about shifters. It won’t take much to scare her back to wherever she came from. Once she’s gone, I can be there to comfort Jack. I’ll be his savior. And the town will thank me for getting rid of her.
I pour a glass of white wine out of the newly opened half-gallon jug and sit at the table. I wonder what it will take to get the job done. As I tap my fingernail on the side of my glass, a plan starts to come together in my mind. Scaring this bitch out of my town will be child’s play.
Fred’s the one who made me aware of this problem and that makes him the perfect person to help me handle it. I don’t need much. I think one phone call and a little information will suffice. The less anyone else knows about the details of my plan, the better.
The more I think about it, the more I see it clearly in my mind. The perfect solution to all that troubles me. It’s funny really. Imagining her reaction is almost too much. I wonder if there’s a way I could film the whole thing? Nah, that would require more of Fred’s involvement than I’m willing to allow. I’ll keep it simple. Get rid of the girl, then claim my prize.
CHAPTER 9
Jack
This morning, I’m just as unsettled as yesterday to go to Ashley’s house. My instincts and my wolf are telling me she’s my mate, but a small part of my brain is telling me she’s not. She’s human. An alpha shifter and a human cannot mate. The truth is simple: together they cannot produce alpha shifter offspring.
I need to concentrate on one thing at a time. First is to figure out if she’s my mate. Then, if she is, plan out how to tell her about shifters and that I’m one of them. Living in this town, she’ll find out eventually. Better for everyone if she learns about it sooner rather than later. She’ll have to decide if our way of life is something she can live with. Finally, I’ll have to tell her about fated mates and that once mated, the bond cannot be broken. It’s a forever commitment.
Getting all the gear packed to go to her house has been a welcome distraction. I think we have everything we need loaded into the trucks. Not much real work will be done today. Only a few of the guys are going and we’ve already talked through a plan for the day at breakfast. The whole crew won’t go until Monday.
“We’re ready when you are!” Max shouts over his truck, letting me know it’s time to leave.
All the guys have been giving me interesting looks. They’re aware that something is different with me. Thankfully, they know better than to bring it up.
“OK. Hey, guys, one thing before we get there.” I’m nervous and Grant is looking at me with a confused expression on his face. “Our client, Ashley Carson. She’s mine. It’s complicated, so don’t ask. Give me a little time to figure it out. Let’s go.” I hop in the truck and close the door.
Grant pulls the truck out of the driveway. “That’s it? That’s your big plan? Confuse the hell out of everybody?”
I shrug. “I didn’t want them to go over there completely blind, and I didn’t know what else to say. I wanted to be vague on purpose. There’s still a chance she’s not my mate. If she isn’t, no one gets her. I want that clear up front.”
I try to go through my mental checklist of what we need to accomplish today. I should’ve driven instead of Grant. That would give me something to do besides sit in the passenger seat and think.
“Poor Max. You should have given him something at least. They’ll be drilling him with questions the whole ride over, and he’s just as blindsided as they are.” Grant chuckles.
Grant’s probably right about Max, but I won’t tell him that. The rest of the ride to Ashley’s house is relatively quiet. Arriving, I’m nervous. Getting out of the truck, I’m surprisingly calm. I don’t make eye contact with any of the guys. Now is not the time to go into details or answer any questions. The sound of the front door opening is a relief.
Ashley steps out onto the porch. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming. Morning, Jack.”
I’m instantly hit with a tsunami of emotions as her scent fills the air around me. I walk up the steps toward her, drawn like a magnet. I see it in her radiant smile, feel it in the pull of the strengthening mating bond, and unable to fight against the desperate need to be near her. There’s no denying it, she is my mate. There’s no other explanation.
“Morning, Ashley.” I stop just before I reach the top step, meeting her at eye level. I want to pull her into my arms, but I can’t touch her. I don’t trust myself. Not until she knows the truth.
“I know you have lots of work to do, but I made banana bread for everyone and there’s coffee ready. I hope that’s OK.” She’s nervous to see me and leaning toward me like she wants to touch me too. I love her reaction.
“Sounds perfect. Thank you.” I turn back to address everyone. “Hey, guys. We’ll meet at the island in the kitchen before we get to work. Ashley baked for us. I’ll make the introductions inside.”
There’s a little chatter from the guys while they move around the trucks and go inside. I’m trying not to listen to what they’re saying. I need to concentrate on the work at hand if I’m going to get through the day.
Once everyone is gathered around the island, Ashley greets them and offers them breakfast. They eagerly attack the bread while remaining surprisingly civilized. No one is talking and they’re all looking back and forth between Ashley and me. I know that they’re aware of more than I’m willing to admit. This would be much simpler if she was a shifter.
I start making the introductions, needing to move this along a little faster. “Ashley, this is Grant, my brother. He has all the paperwork ready for you to sign and will be getting the permits together to submit. He’s going to set up a makeshift desk in the front room and work from there. I hope that’s OK with you.”
I look over at Ashley, who smiles her approval.
“Next is Max. He’s the project manager for the job. He’ll know everything I know, a
nd either he or I will always be here. Today is mostly for him to get all the information you presented yesterday. Then we have Tanner. He’s going to go through the whole house and property and install motion lights, that type of thing.” I scramble a bit. I didn’t think this through. I don’t have a good reason offhand to explain why I’m installing a top-of-the-line surveillance system. I look at Tanner for help.
He takes my cue and speaks up. “This is a new system. It includes indoor and outdoor lighting that will also work if the power is out. It comes in handy during the winter, and it can transition easily to a security system once all the setup is done. It’s easier to install when the rest of the wiring is being inspected. Today I’ll start working on a layout for the wiring and get an estimate of how much I’ll need.” Good save by Tanner.
I nod in his direction.
“Finally, there’s Preston and Runt. We call him Runt because he’s the youngest and smallest of the crew. I want them out in the woods today.” I wink at Preston. He already knows that I want the whole property marked and a perimeter set. He nods back as I continue. “Yesterday, I noticed several trees down at the edge of the woods. I want them to survey the area for more fallen trees and start cutting logs to build a woodpile. Once the permits come through, there will be no time for the guys to stockpile firewood. That means they have a short time frame to get that done.”
“OK, guys. Finish up your coffee and get busy. We have a lot to get done today. AJ, do you have anything to add?” I turn to AJ who’s enjoying the banana bread with gusto. He joined the group during my introductions.
AJ opens his folder on the counter as Preston, Runt, and Tanner leave the room. “Good morning, Ashley. Thank you for the banana bread. I have good news. First, both fireplaces were inspected and cleaned, and I have the certificates giving them the all-clear.” He passes me the certificates and continues. “Next we have the roof. Completely replaced two years ago like I suspected. Here is the final inspection notice.” He slides the notice over to me.
I push the paperwork back to him after glancing over it briefly. “Excellent news, AJ. This will save us time and money. Make sure Grant gets copies of everything you have. He’ll talk you through how we document everything for our records. What gets submitted to the town, and what gets passed on to the client and when. Anything else?”
AJ smiles. “Yes, the windows. I want to go through the house and verify, but it appears that all but three have been replaced. The remaining three have an outstanding work order that has been paid in full. I called the company, and they’re anxious to finish the work and close out the job. We just need to set up an appointment. I told him I would call back on Monday.”
AJ looks up from the invoice, toward Max and me. “I didn’t know if we needed to wait for the permit to schedule the installation. Before I call, I want to check to see where the broken window upstairs falls on the list. If it’s one of the ones to be installed, perfect. If it’s one that’s already been replaced, then a new replacement might be covered under warranty. I want to be sure before I make the call.”
I nod. “Good work. You’re thinking like a project manager already. After you check the window list, go ahead and set up an appointment. Window installation does not need a permit. If the windows to be installed are in the room upstairs that needs the most work, try to push out the installation date as far as they’re comfortable with. I’d be happy with a little more time to replace the damaged drywall, and that can’t be done until the permits arrive. Anything else?” This is all good news. If I’m being completely honest, it’s a lot more than I expected. This job is turning out to be nothing like I anticipated.
“Yes. These are the various inventory lists of all the materials that should be here on the property.” AJ displays several documents. “This one seemed different from the rest, so I called the number provided. The guy said that there is one pallet of supplies in his warehouse that is paid for and he wants it gone as soon as possible. I arranged for him to deliver it here this afternoon. I hope that’s OK. I figured I could inventory all of it at one time and we’d have a better idea of what we have to work with. I’m not finished going through the files, but that’s what I have so far.” AJ looks nervous as he waits for my response.
I pat him on the back. “AJ, you’ve earned your keep. Great job. Having the supplies delivered today is perfect. Keep going through the files, and if you find anything else, let Max and me know. This morning I want you working with Grant. He’s getting the permits ready to sign, along with some other paperwork. Make sure he tells you everything he’s doing and why. When he goes to the town later to submit the permits, I want you with him. You can learn a lot from Grant, so pay attention. After you get back from town, catch up with Max. Any questions before we get busy?”
The decision to bring him in as a subcontractor has paid for itself. The files detailing the completed work is proving to be more of an asset than I originally thought. If he would have had a little more experience and known the value of those documents, then no one else would have won when bidding against him. Interesting how everything works out.
“No questions. Grant, I’m ready when you are. Ashley, the banana bread is really good. I’m going to take one more slice.” AJ puts a slice of bread on a napkin and picks up his coffee.
Grant grabs his folder and coffee and leads AJ out of the kitchen.
“Ashley, if it’s OK, I’d like you to join me on the walk-through with Max. If I miss anything or have some of the details wrong, please speak up. When we get to the basement, I want you to explain your vision of what you want down there. Max, I know we talked about this earlier, but we need to be clear on everything that can be done while we wait for the permits to come in. Demolition for sure. I want as little downtime as possible.” I look over my list, ready to proceed.
Ashley goes to the sink and rinses her cup. “Sounds good to me. Let me get the list out of the bedroom, then I’ll be ready.” She disappears around the corner.
“Holy shit. She’s your fated mate.” Max is whispering.
It’s so wrong to see this huge wall of a man whispering. He’s best described as a bull in a china shop. Despite his size, he’s pretty laid-back. He just goes with the flow most of the time. He’s a beta like Grant, but he’s the weaker of the two. It’s unusual for a pack to have two betas. We have a good arrangement that works for us so, there’s no need to change anything. Grant oversees the paperwork, billing, and permitting and the household in general. Max runs the work crews on the jobsite. If an issue arises that falls into a gray area, they work it out together.
I put my mug in the sink beside hers. “Shh, she’ll hear you. I know, but she’s human. I need to figure this out before I can do anything. And to complicate things even more, she doesn’t know about shifters.”
Ashley returns, before Max can reply.
We go from room to room, like yesterday. Ashley and I taking turns communicating the details to Max. Having all the information AJ shared this morning, a clearer plan is coming together in my mind. Not having to spend money or resources on the roof, windows or fireplaces is significant. I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole place is completed by the holidays. The deal she made to get this place so cheap is more incredible than I originally thought.
It’s close to lunchtime by the time we finish, so we decide to take a break. Max being here made it easier to keep my attention on work. Just as we reach the kitchen, the doorbell rings. I hear the door open before anyone can answer it.
“Hello? Anyone home?” Nicholai’s voice echoes through the empty house.
I shout out a reply. “In the kitchen, Nicholai. This is a surprise. I didn’t expect to see you today.” What is Nicholai doing here? He has to be up to something.
Nicholai walks into the kitchen carrying a box. “Hello, Jack. I didn’t come to see you.” Nicholai passes me and places the box on the counter. He then turns his attention to Ashley.
“Hello. I’m Nicholai Alexeev. Welco
me to the neighborhood. I hope you enjoy wine. I brought you three of my favorites. I couldn’t decide on just one so, I brought them all.” Nicholai pulls the bottles out of the box. Thankfully, he’s not trying to shake her hand. He knows not to touch her.
“Hello, Nicholai. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ashley Carson. Thank you so much for the gift. And yes, I do enjoy wine. Would you like some coffee? I made homemade banana bread this morning. Please help yourself.” Ashley pulls another mug out of the cabinet and passes it to Nicholai.
I watch Nicholai watch her. What is he thinking with this unexpected visit? Maybe he’s trying to figure out the same thing I am: Is this human my fated mate or not?
Grant walks into the kitchen and places documents and a pen on the counter in front of Ashley. “Ashley, I have the permits ready to sign. Each location is marked with a yellow tab. Jack, as soon as Ashley is finished, AJ and I will go into town to drop them off. Want us to bring back some lunch? We shouldn’t be more than an hour.”
“Lunch is a great idea. Ashley, is that OK with you? Do you want anything?” I wait for her reply as she signs the documents.
“I’m up for anything. I’ll get some money.” She turns to go back toward the bedroom.
I move quickly to block the way. “No money needed. We got it. You’ve made breakfast twice. It’s my turn to treat you.”
She stops right in front of me and looks into my eyes, slightly glancing at my lips. Her smile is hypnotizing. For a moment I’m lost in her gaze, and the urge to pull her into my arms is powerful.
“Nothing for me, Grant. I just stopped by to introduce myself. I’ll most likely be gone before you return.” Nicholai’s voice brings me back to reality. His visit will be short, so he must have the answer he was looking for.
Nicholai continues. “So, Ashley, what has brought you to our little piece of heaven? Job relocation? You do seem far from home. And this house is very big for just one person. Will more of your family be joining you?”
Delivered: (The Blackpaw Prophecy, Book 1) Page 7