Paranormally Yours: A Boxed Set

by Alisha Basso

  She bit her lip, not looking forward to meeting so many new people. Names, and scents and hierarchy placements to remember. It sounded overwhelming. Possibly sensing her trepidation, Kane reached over and clasped her knee. “It will be fine. We’re not as...traditional...as your old pack. They’re a friendly bunch and will be happy to meet you.”

  *****

  As they got closer to Kane’s home, he offered further explanations as to who the pack members were as well as pointing out areas of interest. There was a medium-sized town nearby that they went to for supplies, though for the most part the pack stayed within their territory. It was heavily wooded and at the farthest point touched her father’s land. Several streams fed a small lake and there was even a waterfall due to ancient, glacier-cut ravines.

  They stopped once along the way to get gas and then Kane pulled into a small strip mall, explaining that he needed to pick up a few things. Elise opted to wait in the truck and watched Kane sauntering down the sidewalk. The few people he encountered nodded at him but none stopped to talk. What was the pack’s relationship with the townsfolk? Were they friendly or did they secretly whisper about the strange group of people who lived just outside of town? From her own experience with her pack, she knew that most people were wrapped up in their own lives and didn’t give a great deal of thought to the close knit group that lived nearby. People thought they were odd, but that was it. No one suspected that a pack of werewolves lived next door.

  That hadn’t always been the case. She’d heard tales of packs that had been persecuted by the human population, not because they were werewolves, but because their close knit society was somehow deemed unnatural. Some packs had even been forced to leave their territory for fear of being discovered. All it took was one or two curious humans to start questioning their lifestyle. Elise hoped that wasn’t the case here.

  Soon Kane returned and stowed his purchases in the back. He climbed into the cab of the truck and smiled over at her. She noted that he seemed happier and more relaxed the closer they got to his home. It was only natural, of course. No wolf was comfortable if it was away from its pack for too long.

  By the time they pulled into the driveway that led to Kane’s house, Elise was a bundle of nerves. She did her best to mask the fact; it wouldn’t do for the others to smell fear on her. As the Alpha’s mate, she had a status to maintain. In ancient times, a weak mate might have been challenged by one of the other females who wanted to usurp her position, but that wasn’t done now and Elise was thankful for the fact. Being a new pack member would be hard enough without someone wanting to bump her position.

  The truck came to a stop in front of a sprawling two storey home that featured a wrap-around porch. Situated in the middle of a large treed lot, there were woods on three sides. As Kane climbed out, the front door opened and people spilled out, calling his name and enveloping him in hugs. Elise watched the activity from inside the truck, and when it became apparent that it would be a while before Kane could free himself from the crowd, she stepped out of the cab on her own.

  Hesitantly, she stood by the vehicle, unsure of what to do. Kane looked up at that moment and, catching her eye, made his way over to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “Everyone, this is Elise, my mate.”

  His announcement caused everyone to stop talking and stare at her. The silence was uncomfortable and she had to force herself not to cower against Kane’s side. Tentatively, she smiled at the small crowd and finally a petite, red-haired woman about her age stepped forward with her hand extended. From the size of her belly, Elise decided this was Carrie, the Beta’s wife.

  “Hello, Elise. I’m Carrie. Welcome to our pack.” Her voice was calm and friendly, making Elise immediately feel welcomed. Some of the tension in her body began to relax.

  “And I’m John, her mate, and Kane’s Beta.” The man was about the same height as Kane, with blond hair and friendly blue eyes.

  “I’m pleased to meet you.” Elise tried to sound confident and shook their hands firmly. After that, everyone started talking at once, stepping forward with greetings. Soon her head was swirling with names.

  The group moved towards the house and Kane grabbed two of her bags from the vehicle. “Come on inside. The others will bring the rest of your things.” A few of the men immediately headed towards the truck, grabbing the remaining boxes. Kane hadn’t issued a command, but they knew implicitly what he expected and obeyed unquestioningly.

  Elise followed behind Kane until they got to the door. Just as she was about to walk in, another female pushed her aside with her hip and cut in front. “Excuse me.” The tall, blonde woman threw the comment over her shoulder, blocking the doorway for a moment, effectively separating Elise from Kane. From her tone of voice, Elise knew there was no real regret for the action. She searched her mind for a name but then realized that this female hadn’t stepped forward to introduce herself outside.

  “Marla.” John was standing behind Elise and growled a low warning to the individual blocking the doorway.

  “Oh. Am I in your way? Sorry, John.” The woman—Marla—flashed John a smile and sauntered into the house as if nothing had happened.

  Elise looked at John but the man shrugged and gave her a tight smile. “That’s Marla. Just ignore her. She has some...issues.”

  Watching the woman slide up to Kane and rest her hand on his arm while smiling brightly, Elise wondered what the ‘issues’ might be. Somehow, she knew that Marla was not going to be welcoming her to the pack.

  Chapter 4

  Elise sat on the edge of Kane’s king-sized bed and surveyed her surroundings. The black and white colour scheme was definitely masculine and matched Kane perfectly, but it left her feeling rather cold and out of place. The idea of her under-things draped here and there, or her makeup scattered on the dresser seemed wrong. A slight shiver ran through her; would she ever be able to feel at home here?

  She spent a few minutes thoughtfully considering how she could make the space more appealing then checked her watch again. It was now four-thirty. After showing her to their room, Kane left, promising to return and give her a tour of the house once he dealt with some pressing business. That was two hours ago. Since then, she’d explored the three rooms of their suite, finished unpacking her things, and familiarized herself with Kane’s collection of music, movies and books. Now what should she do? Kane had said he’d be back, but she’d run out of ways to occupy herself and was beginning to think he must have forgotten that he now had a mate.

  She couldn’t quite figure out how he viewed her. He seemed to vacillate between careful attentiveness to her feelings and blatantly ignoring her. Right now she was feeling ignored, just as she had upon arriving. Her mind drifted back to a few hours previously...

  *****

  Once Marla stopped blocking the doorway, Elise made her way inside and looked around with interest. She could see into several rooms from her position in the main foyer. A living room was to her left, a staircase with an oak banister was in front of her, and a dining room could be seen down the hallway. A few rooms were to her right, but their closed doors gave no indication as to what might be inside.

  Elise’s first impression was that the house was simply, yet tastefully decorated in a homey, traditional way with comfortable looking stuffed chairs and small occasional tables scattered about. Gleaming hardwood floors and neutral walls were a perfect foil for the dark green curtains that hung from the expansive windows. Light shone in from all sides and the impressive view of the outdoors, combined with the earth-toned decor, gave a feeling of being one with nature.

  Not sure if she should follow the men carrying her boxes upstairs, or wait for Kane, Elise stood in the middle of the foyer, debating the best course of action. When she hesitantly stepped towards the stairs, Kane quickly called out her name.

  “Elise, wait! I’ll just be a minute.” She wondered how he knew what she was doing when his attention was so focused on Marla. The other woman was speaking intent
ly to him and Kane nodded several times before ending the conversation with a one armed hug. After watching Marla walk away, he moved to stand by Elise. “Sorry about that. Marla needed a bit of reassurance.”

  Glancing over to where the woman stood near a window, Elise noted that Marla was shooting daggers at her with her eyes. Why did the other woman seem to have taken an instant dislike to her? About to question Kane on the matter, he took her hand and led her upstairs. As she trailed her hand on the wooden rail, she could feel eyes watching her and had to resist the urge to turn around and see who it was.

  At the top of the stairs, a hallway led in two directions. Kane turned to the left and guided her to a set of doors at the end of the small corridor.

  “Our rooms are up here. Since the house is usually busy, I have my own little retreat. There’s a bedroom, bath and a sitting room that are strictly off limits to the rest of the pack. Sometimes, even social animals like wolves need their own space.” He offered this explanation with a crooked smile, while opening the door and ushering her inside.

  The room was large and bright with sunlight streaming in from three sets of windows that spanned the outer walls. A king-sized bed dominated one side of the room and a large closet took up most of the other. Through an open doorway, Elise could see a sitting area with a fireplace and couch, while a second door appeared to lead into a bathroom. It was much grander than she’d expected. Apparently Kane’s pack was well set, financially.

  “It’s very nice.” Elise wandered about the room, peering into the closet and then into the sitting room.

  “Carrie moved some of my stuff over, so there’ll be room for your things. She’ll help you unpack or rearrange anything that you want.”

  “Thanks, but I can do it myself. If she’s going to whelp soon, I’m sure she’s tired and doesn’t need the extra work.”

  “That’s considerate of you.” Kane came up behind her and squeezed her shoulders, then guided her to the window. He pointed over her shoulder and explained the view. “See over to the west? That’s the direction of your father’s land. Of course, you can’t see it, but possibly it will make your old pack seem not quite so far away.”

  Elise looked up at him in surprise. It was a nice thing for him to say. She hadn’t supposed he’d understand how she felt. Kane guided her around so she was facing him and cupped her face.

  “I know this has been hard on you, Elise. Leaving behind everything you know on such short notice has to have been a bit overwhelming, but I’m proud of how you’re handling things; no whining, no temper tantrums, no angry accusations. I was expecting all of that and more.”

  His words filled her with warmth but also made her stop and reflect. After a moment, she responded to his comment, “I think I’m sort of...in shock, maybe?” She furrowed her brow trying to sort out her thoughts and feelings in her own mind. “Everything happened so fast, that I didn’t have time to think or react. I just instinctively followed the Alpha’s orders.” She shrugged and sighed. “Besides, there really wasn’t much choice was there? I could fall in with the plan or leave the pack.”

  “You’re right. A wolf that refuses to comply with the Alpha doesn’t stay in the pack long, though I doubt your father would have immediately thrown you out.”

  “Maybe not right away, but he’s rather traditional and expects obedience...” Elise let her voice trail off. What would have happened if she had kicked up a fuss? She couldn’t remember her brother or sister complaining when they’d mated to form alliances, but then again, she hadn’t really paid that much attention either. Searching her memory, she tried to recall an instance when her father hadn’t been obeyed and what he’d done as a result, but no such occasion came to mind. Suddenly, she realized that Kane was still talking.

  “—and after supper, I’ll take you for a walk around the immediate grounds. Tomorrow morning, we can go for another run.”

  “I’d like that. It looks to be a nice territory.” Elise twisted around and focused her attention on the view again, noting the trees stretching as far as the eye could see. It was nice, she said to herself, but probably not as nice as her father’s land.

  Not aware of her thoughts, Kane spoke with pride. “It’s a beautiful place, especially down by the lake. I think you’ll enjoy it here, but just like at your old home, don’t go too close to the edge of the property. We have the same problem with hunters and trappers that your old pack has.”

  She murmured her agreement, his comment about her old home causing her to shift slightly and study the view to the west—that was where her pack was. Pressing her hand against the window pane, she felt a wave of homesickness wash over her. Kane turned her in his arms once again, running his hands down her back, before pulling her body flush against his. “It will take some time to adjust, but soon this will feel like home. Don’t worry. I’ll be here to help you.”

  Elise studied his eyes, curious as to how he knew what had been running through her mind. At this moment, he seemed so kind and understanding. Heat from his body seeped into hers. It caused a funny little flutter to occur in her stomach. Before she could examine what the feeling meant, Kane pressed a kiss to her forehead, then let her go. “I have a few things I need to do. You stay here and get settled. Check out the sitting room—feel free to move my stuff about, I’m not fussy. I’ll be back in about an hour to give you a tour of the house.”

  *****

  Well, she’d unpacked, and explored, and shifted things about—now what? The idea of wandering around the home of a new pack by herself was rather intimidating. Wolves were territorial and her unknown scent might cause some ruffled fur; she’d much rather be escorted by her mate the first time she ventured out. Still and all, sitting and waiting endlessly for Kane to return wasn’t that palatable either. If she stayed up here much longer, the other wolves might think she was hiding from them—that would really be a black mark against developing any status and rank.

  A newcomer to a pack was immediately checked out for how dominant they were, and where they would fit within the hierarchy. As the Alpha’s mate, she would automatically be given a certain degree of respect and status, but if she showed herself to be weak and submissive then her position would start to crumble.

  Elise decided she’d had enough of waiting. For whatever reason, Kane seemed to have abandoned her, so it would be up to her to establish herself in the house. Setting her chin, she put on a brave front and exited the bedroom suite.

  The hallway was quiet but she could hear the sound of voices below, and the scent of cooking was drifting enticingly through the house. Well, the kitchen was as good a place to start as any. Following the mouth-watering aroma of roast beef and fresh-baked cookies, Elise made her way down the stairs. Even though she thought she could pick Kane’s voice out of the general murmuring, the idea of food was more intriguing at that moment. Her stomach was growling, causing her to recall that she hadn’t eaten lunch. Sniffing the air, she stepped eagerly towards the delicious scents. It was only as she got closer that nerves began to surface and she took a deep steadying breath before pushing open the door and stepping into the kitchen.

  Her first impression, as it had been with most of the rooms in the house, was one of brightness. Whoever had designed the home had ensured that the outdoors was allowed inside. An impressive view of the backyard and the woods beyond could easily be seen from almost anywhere in the room. Sunlight streamed in through gleaming windows and sparkled off of the copper and stainless steel pots, the gleaming marble counter tops, and the polished appliances. It might have been almost too bright if not for the homey touches of herbs growing on the window ledge and bits of folk art adorning the walls.

  Two women were standing at the counter and immediately looked up at the sound of the door swinging open. One was Carrie, the Beta’s mate, who she’d met earlier. The other woman was older with greying hair and a rounded figure. She was probably in her late fifties or early sixties.

  “Oh, Elise! Good to see you. I was
just saying to Helen that I wondered when you’d appear.” Carrie smiled over at her and Elise felt herself relaxing. The tiny redhead had a soothing quality about her, and Elise speculated whether she was always that way or if it was impending motherhood that was making her so mellow.

  “I was unpacking and waiting for Kane. He said he had a bit of business to attend to and then he’d be back, but I guess he was delayed so I’m exploring on my own.” Elise shrugged, not wanting to let on that she was upset by Kane’s abandonment.

  “Welcome, Elise. I’m Helen.” The older woman eyed her up and down before smiling.

  “Hi, Helen, I’m pleased to meet you.”

  Carrie gestured towards the table. “Why don’t you sit down and we can talk while we finish making dinner.”

  “Isn’t there something I could do?” Elise looked around, thinking she should offer to set the table or prepare vegetables.

  “Not today, Sweetie.” Helen pulled out a chair and indicated that Elise was to take it. “It’s your first day here and we already have everything under control. You sit here and let us talk your ear off. Would you like some coffee and cookies? They’re fresh.”

  Elise smiled and nodded, sitting down as she’d been told. The two women seemed genuinely pleased to meet her. As Helen handed her a plate of cookies and a cup of coffee, Elise felt she should offer condolences to the old Alpha’s widow. “Kane told me that your mate died recently. I’m sorry to hear of your loss.”

  Helen paused and looked sad for a moment before giving her head a little shake and heading towards the sink. She picked up a peeler and began to prepare some carrots. “Thank you, Elise. It was a shock, to say the least. Some days I still can’t believe Zack’s gone but we’re lucky that Kane was here to take over. He’s doing a fine job. You can be very proud of how he stepped up to the plate.”