by Tasha Black
He landed and swung his head around to look for the proper gate.
His inner human whispered to him, and Mac took off like a shot for the proper gate.
When he reached it, he saw that all the seats were empty.
He pressed his snout to the glass, saw the airplane slide up the runway and reach heavenward.
Parker.
Parker was being carried away in that unholy metal bird.
He allowed himself one moment to hang his head and mourn.
Then he heard the pounding of feet on the marble and knew they were close to capturing him.
I’ll get to Glacier City, Parker. I’ll find you.
But he wasn’t going to get there running as a wolf. He had to go home and make arrangements first. Some things had to be done as a human.
Mac scrambled, his paws struggling for purchase on the smooth floor, and then took off in the opposite direction, hoping he could exit quickly.
But he came around the corner directly into the face of another group of security officers.
They had their tasers out and two very familiar German Shepherds on leashes.
Mac was flying toward them too fast to stop.
He braced himself for impact and the pain of the tasers.
At the last second, the dog that had tried to understand his message earlier shot out in front of the handlers and around, swinging his leash in a wide arc at knee level.
The whole group tumbled to the ground like a set of bowling pins.
Thank you, little brother.
Mac jumped over them, delighted to still be free.
He glanced back over his shoulder.
The humans were still trying to untangle themselves.
But his furry hero panted at him, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth as if he were laughing.
It was a lucky break, but he wasn’t free just yet. And the entire airport seemed to know he was there.
Mac ran past whole families holding their phones up to capture his progress.
He made another mad dash, and a few well-timed leaps. There were as many cheers as screams when he finally made it through the exit.
Another set of guards headed his way across the lot, but he wove between the parked cars, leaving his scent as many places as possible to confuse the dogs.
At last, he made his way back to long-term parking.
He looked around and smashed through the back window of a car.
If luck was with him, he could return and leave an envelope of cash in the glove compartment before the unlucky owner found the damage.
Once inside, he shifted into human form with a great sense of relief.
He had hoped to find clothing, even just a sweatshirt. But the car was so clean it looked like it had to belong to an FBI agent or a Realtor.
He made do with what was available. He certainly wasn’t going to break into a second car.
By the time he snuck back to the main parking gate, there were police and animal control cars everywhere.
He hoped no flights had been grounded on his account.
The poor woman who was on parking attendant duty stared at him in horror.
He could only imagine what he looked like. A naked thirty-something year old man with nothing but a car mat around his waist.
“May I use your phone?” he asked with as much dignity as he could muster.
31
Mac
Mac gazed out the car window at the passing marshlands as Cressida laughed her head off at him.
“Seriously, Mac,” she cackled. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“What would you do if it were Javier?” he asked her quietly.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said archly.
But he knew better. Cressida had already risked her own life without a second thought when her mate was in danger. And she’d do it again.
He turned to take in his friend.
He’d known Cressida forever, but there was something about her today. She was sitting up a little straighter. There was a glow of power hanging about her.
“Oh, so you finally noticed,” she said teasingly. “Guess who got made the new interim beta today?”
“Crap,” Mac breathed. “That was fast.”
“Yeah, you snooze, you lose,” Cressida said.
“No, that’s perfect,” Mac amended. “You’re a fantastic choice for beta.”
“I figured she’d pick someone more tweedy,” Cressida said, shrugging. “But she went a different way.”
She gave him a pirate grin, her heart-shaped pink sunglasses hiding her eyes.
Though it was the dead of winter, Cressida wore a lime green skirt so short Mac was literally afraid to look down for fear he would see parts of her he couldn’t unsee. Her long blonde hair lay tangled around her shoulders.
Cressida Crow was definitely the opposite of tweedy.
“You’re the most loyal person I know,” Mac said sincerely. “You’re smart, brave, and compassionate - all the qualities Ainsley needs in her anointed beta.”
“Well, I’m not anyone’s anointed beta,” Cressida said crisply. “I’m just keeping your seat warm.”
But she looked very pleased.
Mac was glad. And he was glad for Ainsley too, though he felt an ache in his heart so deep he was afraid he might not survive away from his pack.
“I don’t know about that,” Mac told her. “There hasn’t been much use for me in the pack lately. I’m sure everyone will be fine without me.”
Cressida took her eyes off the road for an uncomfortable amount of time to study him.
“You’re kidding, right?” she asked, looking back at the road.
“What do you mean?” Mac returned, thinking about the feeling that had been haunting him for some time. “At the last meeting— ”
Cressida cut him off with a hearty laugh.
“Why do you think we even have the pack meetings at the hardware store?” she asked, grinning and wiping a tear from her eye.
“Habit?” Mac suggested. Truthfully, he’d never really given it much thought.
“So you think that our alpha packs up her baby and we all crowd into a very public place that’s way too small to hold us, just because none of us are smart enough to think of something better?”
Mac wasn’t sure how to respond. Now that she said it out loud, it did seem a little silly, and pretty inconvenient for everyone.
Almost everyone.
“We’re there for you, genius,” Cressida chided him. “You’re always busy with teaching and running the store. Ainsley knows it’s the one place we’re sure to catch you. And she’d never discuss official business without you. None of us would.”
For him.
They rode on in silence for a while, Mac thinking about the implications of what Cressida had just said. His pack needed him.
It was so bittersweet.
Part of him swelled with pride at the thought, but he knew it was too late to worry about it. He’d made the choice to leave them behind.
He only hoped he could make it to Glacier City in time to catch up to Parker.
She would be his pack now.
Before he knew it, they pulled up in front of the house and he started to get out.
“Jesus, Mac, what about your neighbors?” Cressida hissed. “Here.”
He’d been so lost in thought that he’d forgotten he was completely naked.
She grabbed a pair of gray sweatpants out of the nest of debris in her backseat.
“They’re Javier’s,” she said. “In case he gets into a shifter jam.”
“Please thank him for me,” Mac said, putting the car mat on the floor and shimmying quickly into the sweats.
When he looked up, Cressida was arching a brow at him.
“You’re going to have to buy that guy a new mat,” she said.
“Oh, no,” Mac said. “I’ll go back and return it, and leave some money for the window.”
“I’ll take ca
re of it,” Cressida said. “I don’t think you should go back to the airport for a while.”
“That’s probably good advice,” Mac said. “But I’m going back there immediately. I missed her. But I’m going to catch up.”
“Take a shower first. And go heavy on the cologne,” Cressida advised. “So the dogs don’t recognize you.”
“Good advice,” Mac said. “Thanks again.”
She gave him a light farewell punch in the arm.
He hopped up and headed for the house.
Though he was hopeful, Mac knew the chances that Parker would make room in her life for him were slim.
She has a brother now. She has powers she’s never used. The last thing she needs is a gigantic mutt of an older boyfriend following after her. Especially after what I said.
But he couldn’t help it.
Parker was his mate - his everything.
He placed a hand on the front door, swearing he could smell her Honeycrisp apple scent on the air.
If he didn’t find her, or if she no longer wanted him, he wondered how long her sweet scent would linger. He wished he could bottle it.
When he opened the door, the scent grew stronger.
And then he saw her.
Parker Everly leaned against the chestnut staircase, wearing a whisper thin white gown he was sure he’d never seen before.
“Parker,” he breathed.
“You know, when I heard on the radio that there was a wolf loose in the Philadelphia International Airport, I thought it must be a coincidence,” she said sternly. “For about two seconds.”
She gave him a look of reproach, but the effect was lost when she began to laugh helplessly at him.
“Parker, I thought you left…” He trailed off, still unable to believe his eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t think I can risk it. Look what happened when I was away from you for less than a day.”
Something was different about her. He looked her over, still not entirely convinced he wasn’t imagining the whole conversation. It had been a long night.
“You don’t have your amulet,” he murmured.
“I gave it to Arkady,” she said.
“Why?” Mac asked.
“I gave up my power,” she told him simply.
“Really?” Mac asked.
“Seriously, watch this,” she held her cell phone near the wall and passed her hand over the lit screen.
The shadow followed her movements as she held up two fingers and wiggled them.
“I can’t even make a half-decent shadow puppet,” she said, setting the phone down.
“You did this for me?” he asked, afraid of her answer.
He was willing to give up his pack for her, his position, his home and his career.
But what if she had asked him to give up his wolf?
“I did it for us,” she said. “I’m not happy without you. And to be honest, I never asked for those powers.”
“Oh, Parker,” he said, sure she was just trying to make him feel better.
“I learned some stuff. Shadow magic requires both darkness and light,” she said. “I’d rather pick a side. And when your boyfriend is the super important beta wolf of a pack established for the protection of humans…”
“Oh,” Mac said.
“What?” she asked.
“Parker, I don’t know how to tell you this,” he said. “I gave up my position with the pack.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“I wanted to follow you, to help you find your destiny,” he told her.
“Even if darkness was involved?” she asked.
“Especially then,” he told her gruffly. “I love everything about you, Parker. I would be proud to watch you master your powers, even in the dimmest shadows. And if you wanted it, I would light you back out of the darkness.”
She put her arms up to him then, and he went to her, pulling her close.
“You won’t have to do that,” she told him softly. “The darkness isn’t in me anymore. I’m not sure it ever really was. Either way, it’s all in the amulet now. And that’s gone.”
32
Mac
Mac held her small form close, drinking in her sweet scent and absorbing her words.
There was no darkness in her. There never had been, and what had clung to her, she hadn’t wanted.
She had made a sacrifice for him today, there was no doubt.
But not a sacrifice she would resent him for, he hoped.
Though her brother might be unhappy about the way things turned out, Mac was sure they could bring him around. She could get to know him on her own terms one day, if she wanted.
For now, he would be her pack.
“I love you, Parker Everly,” he told her. “I always have. Even when I didn’t know it yet.”
He could feel her cheek press his chest as she smiled.
“I might not have believed you,” she said. “Except that you broke into an airport for me.”
“I would do it again,” he said vehemently.
“Let’s see if we can put that energy to use in other ways,” she suggested.
“Hmm, what ways?” he asked, nuzzling her hair.
He knew exactly what she meant, but he liked the idea of hearing the words come out of her mouth.
“Let’s go to bed,” she whispered. “I want to be your mate.”
And though his blood boiled with lust, Mac took a deep breath.
"Before we do, I want to be sure of something,” he said. “You’re younger than I am. You have so many choices ahead of you. Am I really what you want?”
“Mac,” she said admonishingly.
“No, Parker,” he said. “I mean it. The bond is for life. I don’t want you to regret it. I respect your wishes, but if you wanted to leave after we’re bonded… well, I can’t guarantee that I wouldn’t just follow you around anyway.”
“You think I’m going to get bored?” Parker asked.
Mac shrugged.
“Let’s see. You’re a wolf,” she said, counting on her index finger. “You’re fantastic in bed,” she tapped her middle finger.
“So far,” Mac put in.
“So far,” she grinned. “You’re great at unexpected camping, you’re not a big respecter of the law, you’re an excellent conversational companion. And there. I ran out of fingers.”
“What if this small-town life isn’t enough for you?” Mac asked quietly.
“Then we’ll go somewhere, together,” Parker said. “Look, you gave up your role in the pack to follow me. Is this even your house anymore?”
“I didn’t have time to call Tarker’s Hollow Realty Group before taking off, so yes, it’s still my house,” Mac said. “But that call was on my list. Didn’t submit my resignation to the college yet either, in case you were worried.”
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t, because I love this place, and you love that job,” Parker said. “But this is my point. You’re a team player, J.D. MacGregor. And that’s the real reason I love you.”
Something unlocked in his heart as he realized she was right.
But before he had time to unpack his feelings about it, he was slamming her into the wall, kissing her so hard he was afraid she would be frightened.
But his brave Parker just wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him back like he was going to war.
He carried her upstairs, cradling her head so as not to bump her into anything.
She giggled into his mouth and he sped up his ascent, anxious to claim her.
When they reached his room, he placed her gently on the floor.
She tucked her fingers under the waistband of his borrowed sweats, tugging them down and tossing them aside, leaving him naked once more.
He watched her ogle his naked body for a moment, enjoying her open appreciation.
“Wow,” she murmured. “You don’t look like a professor.”
“And you don’
t look like a schoolmarm, but here we are,” Mac teased.
“Hey,” Parker protested.
But she let him lift the gown over her head.
He knelt before her, sliding her panties to the floor, taking her hand to help her step out of them.
“Parker,” he murmured.
She held her breath as he pressed his lips to her tummy.
Her skin was so warm and fragrant. He pictured his child cradled in her soft belly.
She ran her fingers through his hair, sending tingles down his spine.
Mac nudged her thighs until she moved her feet further apart.
“Mac,” she breathed.
Needing no further invitation, he leaned in and pressed a kiss against her sex.
Her thighs trembled but she held perfectly still.
“Good girl,” he whispered, sliding a hand against her, opening her up to him.
When he took the first lick she cried out.
It was music to his ears. He lapped at her eagerly, flicking and stroking, refining his movements as her sounds told him the power he had over her.
When her hands tightened in his hair, he knew the time had come.
He leaned back on his heels.
She was so beautiful this way, her lips pouting, hair tousled, cheeks pink with unspent desire.
“Are you ready, Parker?” he asked her.
She nodded and he rose, leading her to the bed.
She lay on her back, chestnut curls spread on the pillow, and held out her hands to him.
He crawled on top of her gently, fighting his instinct to pounce and ravage.
“Parker Everly, will you accept me as your mate?” he asked.
“Yes.” She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling merrily as usual - even now, when she was serious in her intentions and desperate for his touch.
33
Parker
Parker felt protected in the warm glow of Mac’s love.
He gazed down at her, his eyes luminous.
She loved everything about him - his wild sense of humor, the crinkles that accentuated the corners of his kind eyes when he smiled at her, the scent of his skin like the forest at midnight after a rainstorm.