by Liza Street
They had an easy way together and Hudson felt grateful that Viviana had come along. He’d never been great at small talk, but he had a feeling it was exactly what his mother needed right now.
While Viviana refilled her sparkling water at the fountain, Hudson’s mom leaned closer to him. “Your mate is wonderful.”
“My—no. Mom, that’s not it at all.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Honey, I know a match when I see one. The two of you—you’re mates. I saw how you look at each other.”
Just then, Viviana glanced back over at them. Hudson couldn’t ignore the soft look in her eyes. So it wasn’t just him who had these strong feelings. If Viviana felt the same way, how was he going to remain professional? Well, he’d already slipped up—more than once—but he had to get things back on track.
“She’s a job, Mom. I’m being paid to protect her.”
His mom shrugged. “Whatever you want to believe, honey.”
Their lunch passed quietly, with small chitchat. His mom used to be a total chatterbox, but now she mostly nodded and added a word or two here and there while Viviana and Hudson carried the conversation. It wasn’t like his mom, but he knew she’d be back to her old self. A sadder self, because nothing could ever erase the hurt of Clay’s passing. But at least she’d continue to live her life.
After visiting in the cafeteria, they went on a quick tour to see his mother’s sparse, but cheery room. From there, they decided to go outside and take in some sun. Viviana began walking ahead of them down the path. Hudson started to follow her, but his mom tugged on his hand. “Son, I see you’re afraid of this match. You don’t want to find a mate. But it’s not all heartache. If I had to do it all over again, even the terrible pain after, I would. I wouldn’t trade anything for my time with Clay.”
Her mouth pulled down in a frown, and she looked up at the sky. Hudson followed her gaze, thinking she’d seen something up there, but the sky was pale and empty.
His mom’s gaze shuttered, and he could see the exact moment that she’d pulled back into herself. “Mom,” he said. “Mom.”
Viviana turned on the path and rushed back to Hudson’s side. “Ellie?”
“She won’t respond again,” Hudson said.
“Okay,” Viviana said. “I’ll go find a nurse.”
Hudson waited with his mom while Viviana went back inside. Soon, Viviana returned with a nurse. The nurse took Hudson’s mom gently by the elbow and led her into the building.
Hudson looked around, not sure of what to do or where to go. “Well, I guess that’s it, then,” he said to Viviana.
“Yeah,” she said. “I’m sorry. Do you know what triggered her?”
“She said something about Clay, and doing it all over again.” Hudson ran a hand through his hair. He hated that his mom was hurting.
“We should leave, probably,” Viviana said, her voice gentle.
“I guess so.”
They passed through the building and signed out, then headed to Hudson’s car.
“Thanks for letting me meet your mom,” Viviana said.
“You’re welcome. Thank you for coming with me.”
She reached over and held his hand, and kept it in hers for the entire drive back to the Corona mansion.
Hudson liked the feeling. He never wanted her to let go.
Seventeen
When Viviana woke up the next morning, soft sunlight was coming through her curtains. It had to be just after dawn. She rolled over and saw Hudson sitting in his chair. He was looking directly at her, heat in his gaze.
He wanted her just as much as she wanted him—she could tell. Why did he have to be so damn honorable?
“I had a thought,” she said quietly.
“Yeah?” He looked wary.
Probably he thought she was going to suggest more lovemaking or seduce him or something untoward. She resisted an eye roll.
“Why weren’t there any photos of Clay?” Viviana asked. “I looked around your mom’s room. She had a photo of you up on her dresser. You were cute as a teenager, by the way.” His smile had been bigger, his eyes less guarded.
Hudson snorted.
Viviana continued, “But shouldn’t she have photos of her husband? He meant so much to her….”
“I thought that, too, but the alpha said it would be easier for her to grieve without them.”
“Well, I think your alpha doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Your mom misses Clay and it’s like they want her to pretend he never existed. If that’s their way of grieving, it’s going to make things doubly harder on everyone—your mom included. I mean, for Chase, we’re already planning the funeral and the alpha has commissioned a painting based on his mother’s favorite photograph of him. Nobody’s going to pretend he was never here or anything like that.”
“Makes sense,” Hudson said. “I could get some photos from the Evergreen Pack.”
Viviana sat up, stretched. “I think I’ll go with you.”
He raised his eyebrows at her. “Really? Did you know it’s two hours away?”
What the hell else was she going to do today? Wander around, avoiding her pride? Besides, even though it was a form of torture to spend time with Hudson when she wanted him so badly, it was a sweet kind of torture. “Yes, really,” she said. “I want to go on a trip.”
Her mother was so busy on the phone, talking with Gracie about the vampire problem, and helping Chase’s parents with the arrangements for his funeral, that Viviana had to stand in front of her desk, shifting from foot to foot, while she waited for a break in the conversation.
As soon as one call ended, Marlana started punching in another number. Viviana saw her short window of opportunity, and said, “I’m taking off.”
Marlana paused, her fingers over the screen of her phone. “Where are you going today?”
“Up to Anderson.”
“Wait—you’re leaving the territory?” Marlana set her phone in the center of her desk.
Viviana shrugged. “I won’t be gone long.”
“You’ll have to get permission from the alpha, Gregory Park.”
“I’m sure Hudson’s on it already.”
Marlana raised her eyebrows. “Going somewhere with Hudson again?”
“Yes,” Viviana said, not liking her mother’s tone. “He’s being a friend to me.”
“He’s also your bodyguard.”
Viviana was well aware. Hudson wouldn’t let her forget it, either. “So it’s safer this way, isn’t it?”
“Back before dark,” Marlana said.
Viviana nodded and hustled out of the office.
Viviana alternately dozed and talked with Hudson on the way up to the Evergreen territory. She was dozing again when the feeling of the car slowing woke her up. They were pulling onto a stretch of gravel road.
“We’re nearly there,” Hudson said, glancing over at her. “You slept through Anderson and Dolburn. Sleepyhead.”
“Hey, it’s hard to get a good night’s sleep,” she said. “Especially when I can’t run off my extra energy at night.”
“If we get back soon enough, I’ll go with you on a run before nightfall,” Hudson said.
“Thanks.” It made her feel warm inside, the thought that he cared about her sleep, that he’d help her figure out a new schedule to tire her body out.
The road changed from gravel to paved, and they passed first one little house, then another a couple hundred yards from that, all lined up along the narrow road. Viviana marveled at how insular it was—the Corona Pride was spread all around the mountains, with some of the members living in different towns. It looked like the Evergreen Pack all lived together in one little community.
Finally, Hudson pulled into a short driveway and parked the car. “This was where I grew up with my mom and Clay,” he said. “Now just my mom lives here. Or she will, when she comes back.”
Viviana nodded. “Can we go in?”
“First we have to say hi to Gregory.”
Of course. As a shifter visiting a new territory, there were certain codes she had to follow. Viviana stuck close to Hudson’s side as they walked down the road. Most of the houses they passed looked empty, their occupants probably working in town. A young man waved at them from a window, and Hudson raised his hand in greeting, but they didn’t stop to say hello.
They came to a little house sided with wood shingles. A lone geranium decorated the porch, resting in a pot next to a rocking chair. Hudson knocked on the door.
A commanding, yet soft-spoken voice answered, “Come in.”
The alpha sat at a simple table, drinking a cup of coffee. He was a little older than Viviana had expected, with curling, light gray hair and frown lines around his mouth and across his forehead. His gray eyes coolly appraised Viviana.
“So this is the ‘lion friend’ you brought along?” the alpha asked, his voice thick with amusement. “The Corona Pride Princess?”
Viviana felt her cheeks redden, but she didn’t say anything. She hadn’t been properly introduced, and she didn’t want to strain things between the Evergreens and the Coronas. Their territories were close enough that she had to tread carefully.
“Gregory, this is Viviana Corona-McKennon,” Hudson said. “Viviana, this is Gregory Park, alpha of the Evergreen Pack.”
Of course, Viviana knew these things, and Gregory knew these things, but the proper forms had to be followed. She bowed her head. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” she said.
Gregory looked up and speared Hudson with his gaze. “Tell me this isn’t some machination of Marlana’s, getting her daughter here to check us out.”
“No, not at all,” Hudson said.
Viviana spoke up. “I wanted to see where Hudson grew up.”
Gregory snorted, but he didn’t argue with her. She hadn’t lied, and they could both hear the truth. “What else are you here for?”
“We’re here to get some photographs of Clay,” Hudson said. “There should be a couple around, right?”
“I haven’t tossed them, if that’s what you’re asking,” Gregory said.
Viviana let out a breath of relief.
“Why do you want them?” Gregory asked.
“I have a theory,” Viviana said. “I think Ellie will actually recover more quickly if she has some reminders of her mate.”
“Clean breaks,” Gregory said. “We’ve survived this long with clean breaks. One mate dies, the other moves on.”
Viviana frowned. This guy seemed set in his ways. It wasn’t her job to change him, but she wanted to help Hudson’s mom. “Grieving isn’t shortened by pretending the person never existed. Ellie’s already in treatment. Please let us take some photos to her, and see how she does.”
Gregory looked from Viviana to Hudson.
Hudson shrugged. “It’s not like she can get much worse.”
Gregory sighed. “Fine.” He stood up and walked to a trunk that sat in front of a low sofa. After opening it, he pulled out something wrapped in brown paper. He pulled the paper back, revealing two framed photographs. He looked at them, touched the glass of one. “Clay was a good wolf,” he murmured. “We all miss him. It’s painful to be reminded day in and day out.”
“Our pride has different ways of grieving,” Viviana said. “I can see why this way seems to work for you. But when it doesn’t work, will you consider another way?”
Gregory nodded. “Will do, princess.”
“We’re gonna have a quick snack at my mom’s,” Hudson said, “and then we’ll get out of your fur.”
“Thanks for stopping by, Seth,” Gregory said.
Viviana felt her eyes grow wide. Seth? she mouthed.
Hudson shrugged. “That’s my name.”
They stepped out of Gregory’s little house and walked back up the drive. Viviana felt lighter. The crisp air smelled different from the Corona mountains, a little warmer and drier. The change was nice. She should have made a point to visit outside her territory before. This was helpful.
Maybe, when she became alpha, she’d travel to several of the surrounding territories. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know the other alphas in person, beyond the constraints of phone conversations, or the shifter forum.
They came back to the little house Hudson had parked in front of. Whitewashed siding, a bright blue door.
“You grew up here?” Viviana asked. It seemed so quaint and cheerful, whereas Hudson was dark and…cranky.
Nodding, Hudson unlocked the front door. When they stepped inside, Viviana sneezed. The place was a mess. Dusty, with items strewn about. “Did someone…ransack it?” she asked.
“No.” Hudson’s voice was rough. “I’m going to come back and clean the place up before Mom comes home. She left it like this—she was too depressed to do much, not even take care of herself. I’m still angry at Gregory for letting it get this bad.”
“It looks like she was looking for something,” Viviana said. She would have bet anything that Hudson’s mom was looking for memories of her husband.
Viviana started straightening the sofa cushions. From there, she picked up two throw pillows that leaned against the coffee table.
“What are you doing?” Hudson asked.
“We’re here now. I can help you clean.”
“Viviana, you don’t have to—”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to help Ellie. So let me.”
He didn’t argue with her anymore, and instead, grabbed the dirty dishes from the coffee table. Viviana gathered several items of clothing in her arms, and found her way to the back room. A bathroom adjoined it, and on the other side was a second bedroom. The place was a shoe box compared to Viviana’s house, but it felt like it had been full of love at one point. After dumping the clothes into a plastic hamper, she walked down the hall and pushed open another door.
“This was your room?” she called.
Hudson came up and looked in over her shoulder. “Yeah. Not much is left of my things, but the bed’s still here, and some of my books. Mom kept it for me in case I ever visited.”
“Did you? Visit?”
He shook his head. “Not often enough.”
Viviana walked to the bed and looked down at it. Hudson had slept here, as a boy, and into his teenage years. “How soon did you get out of this place? Did you stick around and go to college, or…?”
“I was out of here like a rocket,” he said with a wry laugh. “I did a couple of years at a community college, but I went to Idaho to do that. Tried to put some distance between me and the pack. I hated being bound by pack laws, even though I wasn’t a shifter. As far as I was concerned, Gregory wasn’t my dad or my family. I wasn’t a wolf. Turns out, lots of the wolves do that—spread out as soon as they get old enough. In the end, they always end up back here. Guess I’m just like them.”
“You don’t have to come back here,” Viviana said. “You have that other security job, right?”
“Not anymore. I work for your mom because I lost that job, and I wanted to be closer to my mom. That firm was all the way over in Washington, and I need to be closer in case Mom has a relapse.”
“Makes sense. Do you miss Washington?”
“Nah. Not enough mountains where I lived.”
His answer pleased her, but she tried not to let it show.
Viviana slept most of the way home. Or rather, she pretended to sleep. She kept thinking about Hudson’s life. What it must have been like to grow up as a human within a wolf pack. It explained so much about him—his quiet, inner strength, his strong sense of honor, his casual acceptance of the hierarchy within Viviana’s pride that might have befuddled other humans.
Viviana wondered if he’d be happy in the Corona Pride. There, he’d have to listen to an alpha, too.
Why was she thinking this stuff? She didn’t have any assurances from him that he’d stick around. She didn’t even know how much he liked her, or if he was capable of feeling as if he were mated to someone. Obviously, his mom had fel
t the mate connection, but could all humans feel that?
There was no way to know, and besides, it didn’t matter. He kept putting distance between them like there was something wrong with her. She knew he was attracted to her, but she just couldn’t know whether that was enough for them.
Eighteen
Hudson rushed the photos into Heritage Pines while Viviana waited in the car.
“Is Ellie Hudson available?” he asked the man at the front desk. He showed his ID.
The man checked his computer. “She’s in therapy right now with Dr. Powers.”
“Can I just leave these for her, then?” Hudson asked, setting the framed photos on the counter.
“No problem, I’ll make sure she gets them.”
Hudson thanked him and headed back to the car. It was getting late—and he had to get Viviana home by dusk.
She was quiet as he steered them through the curvy road toward the estate.
Hudson reached toward the power button on the stereo.
“Don’t do it,” Viviana said. “I don’t want to listen to that.”
There was an edge to her voice, so Hudson asked, “What are you thinking about?”
She shook her head, shrugged. “You, I guess.”
“Me?”
“Really, Hudson, don’t act so surprised. You and I have spent more time together in the past week than I’ve spent with any one person before. We’re together constantly, and we have this…this unstoppable chemistry. So yeah, I’m thinking about you.”
He downshifted as they reached the driveway to the Corona house. “I don’t think you should be thinking about me.”
“Of course you’d say that.” Her voice was brittle. Bitter.
When he parked the car, her door was already open. Mentally, she was probably all the way inside the house, slamming her door. He’d been in enough relationships to know when he’d pissed off a woman.
Instead of rushing away, though, she spun around and leaned into the car. “You know, we could have something great, Seth Hudson. We could be great together. But if you can’t get your head out of your ass long enough to figure that out, then we’re doomed from the start.”