Delivered: (The Blackpaw Prophecy, Book 1)

by Leona Crowley

  Brooks is fun to be around. We haven’t stopped the whole day, but it hasn’t felt like work. It seems like we’ve laughed more than anything. Surprisingly, we can do both.

  Dinner is almost ready and the table is set. I’m glad we decided to put a roast in each slow cooker after breakfast. I’m not sure if two will be enough so we added a few extra sides just in case. Nicholai has been here most of the day and has decided to stay for dinner. I think I’ll open one of the bottles of wine he brought over.

  The aroma of fresh bread and the roasts cooking makes the house smell like a home. I like how this feels like home too, and a family. I need to keep reminding myself not to get used to it. When the work on the house is complete, they’ll all leave. I wonder how serious Jack is about a relationship. It feels like a forever kind of serious, but it’s only been one day.

  The first official day of construction has gone well. I love their work ethic. So much has gotten done and I’m surprised at the progress in just a short amount of time. I can understand why Jack’s so confident that the house will be ready for winter. It’s already getting cool at night. I’m looking forward to sitting by a fire.

  CHAPTER 16

  Jack

  We just finished breakfast, and Grant and I go to the office at the front of the house. The bread was good, and I like that Ashley wants to help Brooks. I’ve been getting strange looks from some of the guys. I know it’s time to tell them more about Ashley and me. Keeping everyone in the dark too much longer will lead to more trouble. Maybe I’ll ask for their advice.

  “I see the whole no-touching Ashley plan seems to be working perfectly.” Grant closes the office door behind us and looks at me, a huge grin on his face. He smells her scent and her arousal all over me. Even after a shower, a shifter can still smell it.

  “Shut the fuck up, Grant. You lay in bed next to your fated mate and don’t touch her. Let me know how that works for you. I was actually doing good until I fell asleep. In our sleep, neither of us could keep our hands off each other. I have to figure out how to tell her and soon. I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to resist.” I take the chair behind the makeshift desk.

  Grant sits in a folding chair opposite the desk, looking over the estimate I’ve been working on. “She doesn’t seem to mind that we brought in some furniture. I’m pretty sure she only saw the dining table. How long before she notices more of us are sleeping here? Once the rooms upstairs are finished, we’ll all be moved in. And I thought she’d be more upset this morning about last night.”

  “I think it’s because of the break-in that she doesn’t mind more people here. I told her to let me worry about it. Oh, get this. She heard what the people were saying outside her window. She said it was a female voice who said, ‘That bitch can’t have him. He’s mine. Now go scare the shit out of her and be convincing. I want her running out of town, screaming.’ I need to tell Gabe. We all know it was Christi because her scent was unmistakable but hearing that bullshit pisses me off.” I push back from the desk and get out my phone. I send Gabe a text and wait for his reply.

  “I wonder what her motive is. It can’t just be about you.” Grant’s marking up the estimate with a red pen. I was the one who trained him.

  I put my phone on the desk. “Gabe says he’ll be here later this morning. I’m not done with that estimate yet. Are you going into town later? I want to get an idea of what the gossip is like. Gabe said he wanted it quiet, but you never know.”

  “Not today. I thought Brooks was going. If you don’t want Ashley to go, you better tell Brooks now.”

  I grab my phone again and text Brooks as Grant keeps talking.

  “I wonder what the rogue was planning to do? And why didn’t he do anything besides walk around? It all seems strange, you know. Like he didn’t finish what he came here to do. Good thing for Ashley, I guess.” Grant puts the estimate on the desk.

  “Oh, I can’t believe I haven’t told you that part either. When I went down to the basement to get Ashley, her scent stopped. It was like she vanished. I couldn’t smell her at all. I called her name. The bifold doors opened right beside me. Before I could move, she fell off the washing machine and onto the floor right in front of me. I pulled her to me and still couldn’t smell her. At all. Not until I buried my nose in her hair.”

  I scratch my chin and continue. “It was the most bizarre thing I’ve ever experienced. Looking at someone, physically holding them, and not being able to smell their scent. I have no idea how she did it or if she even knows what she did. But I bet it’s why the rogue left. He couldn’t find her.” I watch Grant for his reaction.

  “Holy shit. I’ve never heard of anything like that before. I wonder if she can teach others how to do it? We can’t talk to her about it until she knows that we’re shifters and how important scent is to us. I agree with your assessment. If you couldn’t smell her right in front of you, then he couldn’t find her hiding. That explains why he left. When are you going to tell her?” Grant looks at me with raised eyebrows.

  “I need to figure out how to tell her first. I have no idea what to say or how to say it.” We’re interrupted when we both hear someone on the porch outside. Grant goes to see who it is.

  A few minutes later, Nicholai and Gabe come into the office with Grant. I offer them coffee and beer bread while we move toward the kitchen. Max joins us and we all go out back to the deck. Gabe and Nicholai are both enjoying the bread and preserves. Against my better judgment, Brooks and Ashley went to the grocery store. Until Ashley knows about shifters and the pack dynamic, I’m having to let things slide that I normally wouldn’t.

  While I was saying goodbye to Brooks and Ashley, Grant updated Gabe and Nicholai on what Ashley heard Christi say before the glass broke. I join them outside just as Grant finishes telling them about not being able to smell Ashley’s scent when I went to find her.

  “Holy shit. That’s incredible. I want the whole police force to know how to do that. Can you imagine shifter police who can go in undetected? We would be unstoppable.” Gabe’s thinking of all the possibilities.

  Nicholai sits back further in his seat. “I’ve never encountered that particular skill. I wonder if she would be undetectable to me? I wish there were a way to test it. I guess you can’t really ask her how she did it, not yet anyway. And because she isn’t a shifter, she likely isn’t even aware that she has this skill.”

  Nicholai waits a few seconds, appearing deep in thought. “Last night I was out for a flight and saw the commotion down here. I should have offered to help, but it was too late. Everyone was leaving. I did, however, see a boat skirting the shoreline. It was going fast for the middle of the night and heading toward the public boat landing.”

  Gabe puts his empty coffee cup on the railing. “There was nothing for you to do, Nicholai. We already know it was Christi and that they came by boat. She must’ve hired a rogue, but he seems to be gone. Jack, do you know what you’re going to tell Ashley? Sleeping here is going to get more difficult. I’m surprised you made it through the night.”

  “I almost didn’t survive last night. But I did tell her that she’s the only one for me and that I knew it as soon as I met her. She liked the idea of us being a couple and wants to start a relationship.” I stop talking, interrupted by Max and Grant laughing.

  “I’ve never known you to have a girlfriend. It sounds weird.” Max is still chuckling.

  “What else was I supposed to say? Telling her she’s my mate would have led to a whole bunch of questions I don’t know how to answer.” My frustration is evident.

  Nicholai leans forward, watching me. “I vaguely recall something similar from a long time ago, about five hundred or so years maybe. An alpha shifter, possibly a black panther, was mated to a human. There was something special about the female. I wish I could remember more. It was a long time ago, and I didn’t know them personally.”

  “Well, that’s something. You’ve heard of it at least. The bond between us is already stron
g. We won’t be able to resist it for long. I need to tell her soon. This morning she said I was licking her neck in my sleep.” I look at my feet. I don’t want to see their reactions. Claiming a mate without their consent is unforgivable and punishable under shifter law.

  Gabe is standing tall and getting serious. “Damn, Jack. You can’t claim her during your sleep or hers. You sure as hell can’t claim her before she knows about shifters. Even with the bond getting stronger, you have to let her choose.” I think he would actually try to arrest me.

  “I know that, Gabe. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing here. I’ve never told a human, ever. And she’s not just a human, she’s my mate.” I point to Nicholai. “At least one of us has heard of an alpha mating with a human before, so that’s something. I don’t think it matters anyway. She’s my mate, and for me it’s a done deal. I just need to figure out how to tell her about shifters.”

  As I finish talking, I see that Preston, Timothy, Chase, and Runt have approached the porch steps. I don’t know how much they heard. Probably most of it.

  “Hey, guys, you heard me. Ashley is my fated mate, and she’s human. Have any ideas about how I should go about telling her about shifters?”

  The looks on their faces are mostly shock as they look around at the others. Shocked because my fated mate is a human and because the alpha asked them for advice.

  Preston’s the first to speak. “Do you want to tell her alone, or have all of us there?”

  “Good question. Let me think about it. Both are good options. I think just the two of us, but I’m not sure. The whole group might be intimidating, and I don’t want to scare her. So, I guess alone is best. There, that was easy to figure out. What next?” I look at the group with fresh hope. Everyone quickly starts throwing out ideas.

  Max: “Just say it. Blurt it out.”

  Chase: “One of us can shift. Might be easier to explain after she sees it happen.”

  Grant: “Take her on a date and tell her in a public place. Where’s a good date place in this town?”

  Preston: “Tell her in the bedroom. That you’re a real animal in bed.”

  Gabe: “Start by asking her if she believes in mythical creatures like werewolves, dragons, and stuff like that.”

  Nicholai: “This can’t be helpful. These ideas are terrible.”

  “Well, Nicholai, what do you suggest? I like the bedroom for the location. I like the idea of asking her what she believes. That could start the conversation. Yes, we might be on to something. Pillow talk. It wouldn’t help me keep my hands off her though. If she got scared, I would have to comfort her. Can’t think about that now. I could work with this, guys. Yeah, I like it.” I pace around the deck, formulating a plan for how this could happen.

  “Great. When are you going to do it?” Leave it to Grant to burst my bubble.

  “Let me figure out what to say first. Maybe tomorrow. I want to talk to her later and get a feel for how she thinks the day went. She might come back from town upset, depending on the gossip. Just because Gabe wants it kept quiet doesn’t mean that’s happening. I need her to be relaxed and comfortable.” I stop pacing.

  “If word got out, it came from Christi. I gave strict orders.” Gabe pulls out his phone and sends a few texts.

  Max and the guys go back around the house. I’m sure he’s putting them back to work. At least one of my problems is solved: the pack knows what’s going on with Ashley. The longer I went without telling them only created more tension within the pack, and that’s never a good thing.

  Grant is looking at his phone. “Jack, I just got an email from the town about our permit. They want us to come by in the morning at 10 o’clock. It seems they want to discuss the plans in more detail. Possibly extend the existing permit in our name instead of issuing a new one. It makes sense. AJ is on our team and the original permit was in his company’s name. That could work. That would give us a permit tomorrow. What do you want me to tell her?” Grant has his phone ready and is waiting for me.

  “Tell her we’ll be there. Make sure AJ goes with us. Is he still in the basement? He’s proven his worth. What do you think about bringing him on permanently? We could buy him out.” I contemplate the idea. It could work.

  “I like it. He can work with both me and Max, which could be useful depending on the situation. It might be good to have a human on board permanently. We’ll have to talk to Max, see what he thinks.” Grant looks up from the phone.

  “I like it too. Let’s run it by Max and then wait a few weeks. If we’re all in agreement after we work with him some more, then we’ll make him an offer.” I feel like we’re accomplishing things today, even though we’ve been mostly sitting around and talking.

  “I’m going to walk down to the dock to return a phone call. I won’t be long.” Nicholai heads toward the water.

  “They’re back from the store, and I hear them laughing. Must have gone well.” I look over at Gabe.

  “None of my guys have said a word. There’s nothing about a break-in around town. And Christi’s staying close to her apartment, not much movement. I hope to keep it this way all week. I have to go back into town, get back to work. I’ll let you know if I hear anything. I don’t want to make Ashley nervous, so I’ll go around. Thank her for me.” Gabe takes off down the steps to walk around the house.

  “See you later, Gabe. Thank you for everything.” I turn to go into the house and signal Grant. “I need to finish that estimate. You coming?”

  “Yeah, right behind you. I’ll go tell AJ about going to town in the morning and then I’ll meet you there. I should probably pull some stuff together to take with us. Try to be prepared for whatever they ask for.” Grant replies to the email and follows me into the house.

  Grant and I go in opposite directions after we enter the kitchen. I want to stop and talk to Ashley, but I keep moving. The more time I spend with her, the harder it will be to get back to work. And maybe keeping my distance in the daytime might help us get through the night. I’ll try anything at this point. The need to claim her is already powerful, and it’s only going to get stronger with each passing day.

  CHAPTER 17

  Nicholai

  It’s peaceful and relaxing down here by the lake. I’m sitting on a bench at the end of the dock, preparing my thoughts before I call Snowbie. I hear Gabe leave. I’ll wait until Jack and Grant are inside to place the call. Not that I think they’ll listen. I’m far enough away. I don’t want them to feel as though they have to wait on me.

  I pull out my phone and hit send.

  “Nicholai, thank you for calling. Please tell me everything you know.” Snowbie sounds tired. Calling her as soon as I found out about the break-in last night was the best decision, but it has taken its toll.

  “Good morning, Snowbie. I’m here at the house now. Jack’s presence has been of great comfort to Ashley. Judging by everyone’s attitude, you wouldn’t even know anything had happened.” I want to give her all the information slowly. She’s not going to like all of it.

  “Very good, Nicholai. Do they know who did it?” Snowbie’s following my lead.

  “Gabe and Jack know who instigated the break-in, but the actual intruder seems to have vanished. They’re trying to track him down. They believe him to be a rogue wolf shifter. The person who hired him is a female human in town. She’s been obsessed with Jack for years, but he has consistently declined her advances to the point of avoiding her. I never told you about her because she was a nonissue.

  “Apparently, someone overheard Jack telling us that he had found his fated mate. This information got back to her, and she wanted to scare the new human, Ashley, out of town. It seems she was using the fact that Ashley doesn’t know about shifters to her advantage. The plan failed. The rogue shifter couldn’t find Ashley.” I’m sure this will get Snowbie’s attention. Nothing gets past her.

  “What do you mean, he couldn’t find her? You said he’s a shifter, yes?” Snowbie’s as sharp as a tack, even when she’s t
ired.

  “I thought that would get your attention. Yes, he’s a wolf shifter and should have found her quickly. Her hiding place was not a good one. Jack said that when he went to find her, her scent literally stopped. Even when she revealed herself to him, he could not catch her scent. He had to bury his nose in her hair to get the slightest whiff. We’re all extremely interested to know how she did this. But it can’t be discussed with her until she knows about shifters. I would like to know if she could go undetected by me. My sense of smell is far greater than theirs.” I watch a duck glide across the water as I continue to think of what this might mean.

  “This is very interesting, Nicholai. I have no idea what power she may possess, if any at all. There’s absolutely nothing known about natural-born alpha females. It’s very possible that just by meeting her mate, the pull of the mating bond has started to awaken her abilities. Even before the actual mating takes place. You will need to watch her closely to observe any changes. I wonder if she knows what she has done?” Snowbie is deep in thought and seems to be writing everything down.

  “We were all wondering the same thing and agree that she’s completely unaware.” I pause for a moment before I continue. “There’s something else you should know, Snowbie. I may have interfered. Jack was in such anguish. I didn’t intend to say anything, it just came out.”

  “What have you done, Nicholai? We cannot interfere directly. Our actions may have already altered future events, and despite how careful we are, we’re influencing the outcome beyond our original goal. What did you tell him?” Snowbie’s voice is shaky and her anger is apparent.

  “I told him I vaguely remember a human that was born several hundred years ago with alpha female traits and that she could mate with an alpha. I also told him that I didn’t know anything more and do not remember what happened. He said it didn’t matter anyway. He has already decided that she’s the mate destined to him by fate, and he’ll do anything to make her his. Just as soon as he figures out a way to tell her about shifters.” I wait patiently for Snowbie’s wrath.