Pack of Trouble

by D. M. Turner

  Ian pulled the folded document out of the inside breast pocket of his sportscoat. The jacket was his one concession to the wedding tradition. He’d grabbed it after Tanya, Donna, and Annie had ushered Sophia out of her room in a short-sleeved summer dress and sandals. Their contribution to the ceremony. He handed the license to the pastor then gently recaptured Sophia’s hand.

  Fleming looked over the document then nodded. “Everything looks in order.” He grinned at Sophia. “You never know when the Clerk’s office might make a mistake on the form. It’s best to check it. I had one where the bride’s name had been misspelled and another where the groom’s date of birth put him at twice his age.”

  “Ouch.” Sophia winced with a soft laugh.

  He skirted them, peered into the outer office, and then closed the door, lowering his voice. “Brett said we need to get out of town for a few days. He made arrangements for us to stay at the pack’s cabin near the Grand Canyon.”

  Eyes wide, Sophia shot Ian a glance.

  He smiled then turned back to the pastor. “How did you convince your wife to go?”

  “Brett said it’s an early anniversary gift.” He glanced at Sophia. “We celebrate twenty-five years in less than two weeks.”

  She smiled. “Congratulations.”

  “I told her what Brett said. I think it was just what she needed. Neither of our boys can make it home to celebrate with us.” The smile fell away. “Truth be told, we need the time away. I’m afraid I’ve neglected her with the demands of the church. I have to find a better balance between loving my wife and meeting the needs of my flock.”

  “Maybe the two of you should work on it together.” Ian cocked his head. “Figuring it out, I mean.”

  “You could be right.” His smile was fleeting. “Brett told me about the threat to the pack. It sounds serious.”

  “It is. We wouldn’t ask you to leave town if it wasn’t.”

  Pastor Fleming nodded. “I’ve told Fred to take the next few days off, too. It sounds like it would be best if no one is around. Brett seemed to think the threat should pass by the weekend.”

  “I hope so. The sooner the better, as far as I’m concerned.”

  A tap on the door silenced further conversation.

  “Come in.”

  The door opened to admit a woman in her late forties. Claudia’s eyes sparkled when her gaze landed on Ian. “You’re such a sweet man.” She hugged him then stepped back to join her husband, gripping his hand. “Allowing us to use your cabin like this is such a welcome surprise and an incredible blessing, to boot.”

  Ian forced the smile to remain on his face. Would she still feel that way if she knew the truth behind him wanting them out of town? Their upcoming anniversary had been merely a matter of convenient timing.

  Humor lit the pastor’s eyes. “And we’re not having cellphones on while we’re gone.”

  Her eyes widened. “But… what if the boys try to call? What if there’s an emergency with them or someone in the church?”

  “We’ll only be out of contact until Saturday, love. I don’t think the world will fall apart between now and then.”

  Sophia chuckled. “You can let everyone know you’ll be out of contact. Then turn your cellphones on once a day to check for messages in case of world-shattering emergencies. Otherwise, leave them off and enjoy your time together.”

  Claudia’s eyes lit up. “That’s a wonderful idea.”

  “Good compromise.” Pastor Fleming nodded. “You wouldn’t happen to want a job as a conflict mediator, would you?”

  “I think I’ll have my hands full for a while.” Sophia glanced at Ian.

  “Of course, she will.” Claudia grinned. “Newlyweds don’t need outside responsibilities heaped on them. Give her time to settle into married life before you start hounding the poor woman, Taylor.”

  “She’s right. I’m sorry.” He looped an arm around his wife’s waist and pulled her close to his side, kissing the side of her head. Then his smile brightened. “So, what do you say we get this wedding underway? Assuming Fred’s here, of course.”

  “He’s polishing the wood in the sanctuary.” Claudia pointed in that general direction. “He said he might as well get some work done while he waited for us.”

  “Well, then, let’s not keep him waiting any longer.” Pastor Fleming motioned all of them to precede him into the main body of the church.

  Chapter 27

  Butterflies flitted through Sophia’s insides. Are we really doing this? The butterflies swarmed into a whirlwind, flipping her stomach into a huge knot. That morning’s dizziness rose again. Her knees grew weaker with each step. She clung to Ian’s arm. I don’t think I’m ready for this… not yet.

  They entered the sanctuary. Though small by present-day standards, it still resonated like a huge cavern, making the disconnected feeling worse. She stumbled over the threshold, tightening her grip on Ian to keep from planting her face into the carpeted floor.

  “Are you alright?” Ian slowed then stopped and turned to face her, both hands gently grasping her upper arms. Concern wreathed his handsome face. If he knew how close she was to passing out, he’d hang on tighter.

  “I don’t think so. I need to sit down.”

  He directed her to the nearest pew and eased her onto it. Then he knelt in front of her, his hands swallowing both of hers. “Is it the same as this morning?”

  Now that he mentioned it…. Maybe it wasn’t the fact they were getting married that caused her symptoms. It had been at least two or three hours since she’d eaten. Did she need to eat again after the multiple pounds she’d already consumed? A shiver ran up her spine. What if she collapsed again, like in the kitchen earlier? Oh, God, no. Please, not here. Not where humans might see it. If I Shift again… if the wolf takes charge…. Breaths coming in short bursts, she tried to stave off panic.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Ian kept his gaze on her. “She’s been sick. I think she’s overdone it today and needs rest.” A rather simplistic explanation for the weirdness that had been her life the past several days, but whatever worked.

  Pastor Fleming’s brow furrowed in concern. “Do you need to lie down? There’s a couch in my office. You’re welcome to use it.”

  “Perhaps you should put off the wedding for a few days,” Claudia suggested from somewhere behind Sophia.

  Ian cocked his head, his gaze questioning. “Maybe she’s right.”

  “No.” Sophia shook her head then closed her eyes and stilled when that only made the dizziness worse. They needed to be married that day. The certainty winding through her resembled desperation, though she had no explanation. Especially considering she’d spent the last hour or so, off and on, wondering if she was ready to commit to Ian and the pack. Opening her eyes, she looked into Ian’s worried gray eyes and whispered, “This is too important.”

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait?”

  Don’t nod, or you’ll kiss the carpet. “I’m sure. I think I just need to eat.” She couldn’t help the wry twist on the words. After all she’d eaten that morning, she shouldn’t need food for days. Apparently her body had other ideas.

  Ian glanced up at the pastor. “Do we have to do the ceremony standing up? It would probably be better if she stays seated.”

  “Not a problem.”

  Still gripping her hands, Ian rose from the floor to sit next to her on the pew.

  Sophia concentrated on breathing as Pastor Fleming’s voice droned in the background. If she could steady her breathing and keep her heart rate down, hopefully the dizziness would ease off and she wouldn’t pass out. Stay conscious and calm, and the wolf would remain buried where it belonged.

  “Sophia?” Ian gently squeezed her fingers.

  She blinked and looked at him and then the pastor, who studied her with an expectant look. “Oh, I do.”

  Pastor Fleming chuckled. “We hadn’t gotten to that part yet.”

  “Sorry.” With a grimace, she met hi
s gaze.

  Sympathy warming his eyes, he smiled. “I’d say I got my answer though. We’ll keep this short, so Ian can get you home to eat and rest.”

  Sophia glanced at Ian. What had she missed?

  “He asked if we want the standard ceremony and vows or a shortened version.”

  “Oh.” Heat flashed up her neck, driving a new wave of lightheadedness. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s alright.” Pastor Fleming shook his head with an understanding smile. “Do you have rings?”

  “No.” Ian grimaced. “I knew I forgot something.”

  Despite her queasiness, Sophia laughed. Could they even wear rings? Might be painful if they forgot to remove them before Shifting or Shifted without warning like she had on multiple occasions. She shivered.

  The pastor chuckled. “Okay, then we won’t worry about that part.” He flipped through a small book in his hand then looked at them each in turn. “We’re here today to bear witness to the lifelong covenant Ian and Sophia wish to make to one another before the sight of God and those present. Ian, do you take Sophia as your helpmate and partner for life? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish her as Christ does the church? To offer support and encouragement? To be her lover and best friend as long as you both shall live?”

  Ian’s gaze met hers. “I do.” Only a catch in his breathing gave away the emotional turmoil flashing in gray eyes. The fact fear lingered there gave her courage. She wasn’t the only one afraid of what the future held.

  “Sophia, do you take Ian as your partner for life? Do you promise to love and honor him and to submit to him as the spiritual leader of your home? To offer support and encouragement? To share in his victories and failures and be his helpmeet, lover, and best friend as long as you both shall live?”

  “I do.” Oh, God, did I really just say that? Lord, help me follow through on all of that. I’m not sure I can do it without Your help. Waves passed through her vision. Calm down. Deep breaths. Calm down before you pass out.

  “Then, by the power vested in me by Almighty God and the State of Arizona, I pronounce you husband and wife.”

  A slow grin curved Ian’s mouth and lit his eyes.

  “Ian, in case you didn’t get the implied part, you may kiss the bride.”

  Apparently that was all the prompting her new husband needed. Ian leaned close and kissed her, keeping the contact light and tender enough to pull tears to the surface. Did he have any idea how deeply that kind of exquisite care touched her heart?

  After a moment, he eased away.

  She opened her eyes to find his gaze locked on her face.

  Worry flickered in his eyes. “You holding up okay?”

  “Yes, but I think we really need to get something to eat.”

  “I can handle that.” A wide half-smile turned up the right corner of his mouth.

  “Before you go, I need signatures.” Pastor Fleming handed Ian the license and a pen. “All of us need to sign it. You and Sophia go ahead, so you can leave and get her fed. We don’t want her passing out from low blood sugar.”

  If only that was the root of the problem. Sophia signed the form where the pastor indicated after Ian had done so then gave it and the pen back to the man.

  Ian stood up and gently pulled her to her feet. “Thanks for meeting us here today.” He shook hands with both men and accepted a hug from Claudia Fleming, who then hugged Sophia.

  “Thank you for the desperately needed get-away.” Pastor Fleming smiled, but a serious undercurrent showed in his eyes. “Take care of each other until we see you again.”

  “We’ll do that.” Ian nodded, his gaze solemn behind the smile on his face. “Enjoy your vacation.”

  “Oh, we will.” Claudia hooked her arm around her husband’s elbow with a big smile.

  Sophia allowed Ian to lead her through the church and out the front doors.

  The instant the doors closed behind them, he leaned down and swept her off her feet.

  She gasped and grabbed for his neck. “I can walk.”

  He chuckled. “I know, but this is more fun.” When he glanced down at her, his gaze was serious despite the humor in his voice. “Besides, the more active you are, the worse you’ll feel. I’ll let you walk after you’ve got food in your stomach.”

  Rather than try to argue, since she really didn’t want to anyway, Sophia rested her head on his shoulder and let him play the role of protective male. She was safe.

  * * *

  By the time they reached the Preserve, Sophia had eaten enough fast food cheeseburgers to feed a basketball team. Nowhere near as tasty as the elk had been, but her body hadn’t cared. Her stomach had settled, and the dizziness was gone as Ian drove the SUV through the inner gate.

  More vehicles sat outside the house than had been there when she and Ian had left for town. So many lives. They were now as much her responsibility as Ian’s.

  Tension squeezed her stomach. She laid a hand over it and studied the house. What if she messed up? It wasn’t like being responsible for a kitchen and its staff. A bad decision in the kitchen could mean, at best, a meal that flopped or, at worst, a bad case of food poisoning in some poor customer. A bad decision as the leader of a werewolf pack could mean a brutal death for someone in the pack, or more than one.

  The SUV pulled into the garage and fell still and quiet.

  “You look like you’ll be sick.”

  Sophia glanced at Ian, who had one elbow propped on the steering wheel and was partially turned in his seat, watching her. She smiled weakly. “Good assessment. I’m terrified I’ll mess up and hurt the pack. This doesn’t bear even a passing resemblance to running a kitchen, you know.”

  Ian reached for her left hand, which still rested against her stomach, lacing his fingers with hers. The back of his hand pressed into the uneasy knot in her gut. “You’ll do fine. I wouldn’t have married you, and the wolf wouldn’t have chosen you, if that wasn’t the case.”

  “I wish I had your faith in me.” She met his gray gaze. “Aren’t you going to tell me I’m making more of it than I need to? That the responsibility isn’t as big or heavy as I’m convincing myself it is?”

  “No.” He shook his head and half-smiled. “As a rule, I make it a practice not to lie to my mate, even if I think I can get away with it.” The smile faded. “The burden of leadership is seldom light. In our world, it’s heavy and serious. You’ve read the stories about me. You know I never wanted this job. Still don’t.”

  Sophia nodded.

  “Still, this is where God dropped me.” Ian cocked his head. “I’ve come to realize that God seldom asks one of us to do something because we’re the best person for the job. He hasn’t asked me to walk in this role because I’m great at it or have some special insight into solving all of the problems that arise.”

  “Then why?”

  “Because He knows I’ll do it. He can rely on me to be obedient and to do the best job I can with the gifts, knowledge, talents, and people I have at my disposal.” He lowered his gaze, much to her surprise. It felt… wrong for him to show even that much submission. “Truth be told, if I knew He’d let me get away with it, I’d find someone else to step in as alpha and leave this place.”

  Sophia frowned. “And go where?”

  “Anywhere. Everywhere. Nowhere.” He chuckled and a half-grin peered out through his beard. “Wherever I felt like going on a whim. Just… off-grid, no responsibilities. Certainly no life-and-death ones.”

  She waited in silence until his gaze returned to hers. “You ever do that and leave me behind, I’ll hunt you down and skin you alive.”

  Ian barked a laugh then lifted their hands off her belly to kiss the back of her hand. “I’ll be sure you’re at my side as I abscond into the night. We’ll be partners in crime.”

  “As it should be.” She nodded. “After all, we are married now.”

  “That, we are.” Desire flared in gray eyes, and his voice dropped almost a full octave. “Hopefully in every way befor
e the night’s over.”

  Sophia laughed softly and lowered her gaze, helpless against the heat that shot up her neck and into her face.

  A husky chuckle sent a shiver up her spine. He kissed the back of her hand again then released her. “We better get inside. I need to get an update on Brimfield’s pack.” He turned, opened his door, and slid to the ground.

  Just that quickly, the moment of passion-filled promise disappeared as though it had never been. With a sigh, Sophia pushed open her door and hopped to the ground, just as Ian rounded the hood.

  He frowned. “I was coming to open your door.”

  “I’m capable of opening a door for myself.”

  “I know that, but….” He pushed the door closed when she was clear.

  “Besides, it’s kind of dumb for you to come all the way around to open my door when I can do it myself and the door into the house is on your side of the vehicle. Not very efficient.”

  “I know that, too, but….”

  “But?”

  Ian sighed in exasperation. “You could just indulge me, you know. It wouldn’t hurt anything.”

  She cocked her head and studied him. It seemed to matter a great deal to him. Odd, in an old-fashioned sort of way. She shrugged. “If it matters that much to you, okay.”

  “Great.” He smiled and held out his hand.

  Sophia put a hand in his and followed him into the house. Men. Who could make sense of them?

  Chapter 28

  Wishing there was a way to circumvent the bulk of the house and go straight to the bedroom, Ian led his wife into the house. If they didn’t have a houseful of pack members and guard duty in a couple of hours, he’d have her in the nearest bedroom before she knew what hit her.

  Probably just as well, though, given the tentative state of her health. She was still eating more, needing more food, than a healthy wolf should. Besides, she might not be ready yet for that step in their relationship.

  Not that he had such an issue. She was his wife, and he was attracted to her. Highly. That was all he needed. But then, he was a man. The male of the species tended to be very easy to please in such matters. He suppressed a grin as they rounded the base of the stairs into the hallway, headed for the dining room.