Paranormally Yours: A Boxed Set

by Alisha Basso

  Gesturing awkwardly, Phoebe led her into the kitchen. Zoe was there and looked surprised when she realized who had been at the door. The atmosphere in the room immediately became thick and uncomfortable. Elise sat on the edge of the chair and cleared her throat. Deciding not to pussyfoot around the issue, she jumped right in.

  “Okay, you two, I’m pretty sure I know why you were acting the way you were yesterday. It’s because of Rose, isn’t it?” She watched them shoot glances at each other, but didn’t wait for a reply before continuing. “She told you that she saw me in town with another male and that she saw us hug and—”

  “Don’t forget the part where you said you loved him.” Zoe interrupted spitefully.

  “Right. I did say that. It’s all true. But what Rose didn’t know is that the male was Bryan and he’s from my old pack. We grew up together and he’s like my brother, not a lover.”

  “Oh!” The two ladies spoke in unison, an equally stunned look on each of their faces. The expressions then changed to embarrassment as they realized their mistake. It was almost comical how alike the two were. They then began to fall over themselves offering apologies and explanations.

  “It’s just that we’re all so fond of Kane and hate the idea of him being taken advantage of,” Phoebe explained.

  “That’s right,” Zoe added. “Kane doesn’t show his feelings, but we all wondered how hurt he really was when Marla dumped him for Ryne. We couldn’t bear the idea of it happening again. Mind you, it was a lucky escape in my estimation. You’re a much more suitable mate for Kane than she ever was.”

  Phoebe jumped in when Zoe stopped to catch her breath. “So when Rose told us about seeing you with another male, we wondered if you hadn’t really wanted to be with Kane and had just been putting on an act all along. It seemed possible that you might go back to an old lover. No offense intended, but it was an arranged mating after all.”

  “I know what you mean. Don’t worry.” Elise was so relieved to finally be able to tell someone what had happened that she didn’t hold any hard feelings. It had looked pretty bad, after all; her hugging another man and telling him she loved him. “At one time, Bryan and I thought we had something between us, but then we realized it was just friendship. I’m happy with Kane.” She hesitated, and then made herself say the words. “I...I love him.”

  Both women squealed with delight and hugged her, exclaiming how they knew it was meant to be all along. Elise wasn’t so sure about that statement, but let it slide. She was coming to realize that the two sisters were very different from their mother. Both were flighty, but overall basically harmless. In the future, they’d be fun friends but probably not the type that she’d want to depend on in an emergency. Julia and Carrie seemed much more sensible.

  Reassured that all was well with their Alpha and his mate, Zoe now wanted to hear the whole story about how Elise had grown up with Bryan, and they spent some time discussing the young man and his future.

  “I just hope he’s making the right choice,” Elise confided. “It’s a big step, striking out on his own with another wolf he’s never met. Establishing a new pack won’t be easy.”

  Phoebe frowned. “I wonder who it could be that he’s meeting. It must be someone who’s just passing through. No one’s mentioned a new wolf in the area and we usually know right away.”

  “It couldn’t be Ryne, could it?” Zoe proposed.

  Elise felt the colour drain from her face. Ryne? He was responsible for shooting Thomas! She didn’t want Bryan heading off with him. “I never thought of that. I’m going to have to try and get hold of Bryan and warn him.” Automatically she reached for her cell phone, but remembered that she had left it at home. She stood up quickly, almost tipping over her chair. “I’ve still got a few minutes before I leave for work, I’ll call his home and see if he’s still there.”

  She ran home and dialled the number with shaking fingers. “Hello? Sarah? Is Bryan still there? ... He isn’t? ... Do you know where I can reach him? ... He’s headed here? To Smythston? … Okay. Thanks.” Hanging up before Sarah could ask any questions, Elise quickly tried Bryan’s cell phone only to find that it wasn’t on. She checked her watch. Darn! It was time to leave for work. Maybe once her shift finished, she could try to find Bryan, though she had no idea of where she’d look.

  Her nerves were on edge the whole time she was working. Usually, the soothing ambiance of the restaurant made her feel calm and at ease throughout her shift. Soft music played in the background and numerous potted plants ensured the air was always fresh, while the burgundy and cream decor created a warm, hospitable atmosphere.

  Today it was a totally different story. The smell of the food, the sounds from the kitchen, the murmuring of the patrons—everything seemed heightened and grated on her nerves. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, she inhaled deeply, pasted a smile on her face, and tried to look patient while her customer dithered over the cream of tomato soup and grilled salmon, or quiche and a roll. It was all Elise could do not to scream at the woman to hurry and make up her mind. Was this what being in heat was supposed to be like? Or was it a combination of frustrated desire, lack of sleep and nerves about telling Kane and finding Bryan? It was with great relief that she hung up her apron at the end of her shift.

  There was a small area near the rear of the restaurant, which housed the employee’s washroom, a place to hang coats and a few chairs for sitting. Elise plopped down and dug through her purse for her phone. First she called home, but Helen said Kane had already left. Chewing on her lip, she wondered if Kane had gotten her message and if he’d noted the ‘love’ at the end or not. Would he see the significance of it? She hoped so.

  Since he wasn’t home, she had a few minutes to try and find Bryan and discover who he’d met with. If it was Ryne, she’d warn him about how dangerous the other man was. On the off-chance that Bryan had turned his cell phone on, she tried calling him again. It rang through and she gave a silent cheer! Something was finally going her way!

  “Bryan! Thank heaven I got a hold of you ... No, everything is fine, but I have to see you right away ... Really? ... Okay, I’ll be by my car in five minutes ... It’s parked right across the road from the Grey Goose ... Right. Bye.” Elise smiled as she hung up the phone. Bryan was just around the corner from her. She could meet him in the parking lot, quickly warn him not to get involved with Ryne, and then be on her way home to Kane.

  As she flipped her phone shut, she noticed that Mr. Mancini was standing in the doorway. From the look on his face, he wasn’t pleased with her.

  “Er... Hello, Mr. Mancini. I was just talking to a friend.”

  “So I heard.” He nodded towards the phone in her hand. “Might I remind you, Elise, that you are married?”

  She forced herself not to roll her eyes and respond calmly. “Yes, I’m fully aware of that fact, Mr. Mancini. The call you heard, it isn’t what you think. Bryan and I are old friends. We grew up together.” Mr. Mancini gave her a sceptical look and Elise opened her mouth to explain further, but the man was called to the kitchen and he left before she could say anything.

  Exhaling gustily, Elise pulled on her coat. Why was everyone so quick to believe the worst of her? She wasn’t promiscuous. Just because she was talking to a man didn’t mean she was involved with him. What was it with the people in this town? Yes, they were all fond of Kane, but why assume she was cheating? So what if Marla had been two-timing him? That didn’t automatically mean that she was! Well, she’d deal with Mr. Mancini tomorrow and make sure he understood how wrong he was. Right now, Bryan was waiting for her.

  *****

  Standing in the parking lot watching the traffic go by, Elise gave a start of surprise when someone’s hand landed on her shoulder. Swinging around, her arm automatically rising in a defensive gesture, she laughed when she realized it was Bryan. He’d always enjoyed sneaking up on her, supposedly proving his superiority through his stealth.

  “Ha! Caught you off guard again, E
lise!”

  She playfully shoved his shoulder. “Bryan, quit doing that. You know I don’t like it.”

  He simply grinned at her before enveloping her in bear hug. The hug lasted slightly longer than necessary and Elise noticed that Bryan was sniffing her neck. Blushing, she realized that he was reacting to her being in heat and extracted herself quickly, all too aware of how things could easily be misconstrued.

  Bryan cleared his throat and looked over her shoulder rather than at her, obviously realizing what he’d unintentionally been doing. “Er...sorry about that.”

  “It’s all right.” She decided to overlook the matter and get to the point of why she’d needed to see him. “Bryan, I called you for an important reason. That wolf you were meeting with—the one who wants to start a new pack—what was his name?”

  “You mean my new Alpha?” Bryan seemed to swell with pride, forgetting the awkward moment that had just occurred. “His name’s Ryne. I’m going to be his Beta, and as soon as he finishes some personal business here, we’re heading out.”

  Elise shut her eyes and groaned. Trust Bryan to get mixed up in something like this. She shook her head. As much as she hated to burst his bubble, she couldn’t let him go off with Ryne. It was too dangerous. Taking his hand, she led him to a nearby bench. “Bryan, let’s sit down. I have something I have to tell you.”

  After explaining what she knew about Ryne, Bryan looked at her silently for a few minutes before speaking. “Elise, I know you mean well, but I’ve met Ryne. You haven’t. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt his pack. Yeah, I believe you about the challenge, but I think there must be more to it than you know. Something’s been left out of the story. And the other stuff—the traps and the shooting—there has to be an explanation. The Ryne I’ve talked to wouldn’t do that.

  “Maybe he’s just putting on a really good act. The people in my new pack wouldn’t be attributing these things to Ryne without good cause. His scent was at the scenes, for heaven sake!”

  Her friend stared at the ground, slowly shaking his head. “I don’t know, Elise. My gut is telling me you’re wrong about him.”

  Elise leaned towards Bryan, beseechingly placing her hand on his arm. “Please, Bryan, think this over. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  Bryan looked at her intently and she hoped he could see her sincere concern for his well-being. Finally, he sighed. “I’ll think it over, but that’s the most I can promise you.”

  She’d hoped for more, but knew from past experience that Bryan wasn’t easily swayed. He’d need to mull the situation over on his own and come to his own conclusions. Hopefully, they would be the right ones. With a nod, Elise stood up and Bryan walked her to her car.

  “I hope I get to see you again, some day.” He took her hands in his.

  “You will, Bryan. This isn’t goodbye. Our paths will cross again, I know.” Elise desperately hoped she was telling the truth. Bryan had been a big part of her life and she was going to miss him.

  Bryan gave her hands another squeeze, but Elise wasn’t really aware of the pressure. A strange feeling was washing over her, as if someone was watching. Slowly she turned to look across the road towards the Grey Goose. Standing on the steps talking to Mr. Mancini, was Kane.

  Even from this distance, Elise could feel the anger radiating from him. It felt as if his eyes were boring holes right through her and she gave a shudder of fear. Never had she thought she’d be on the receiving end of such wrath.

  Sensing her distraction, Bryan turned to see what had caught her attention. A low whistle escaped his lips. “Hey, Elise, isn’t that your mate?” She was only capable of giving a short nod. “He seems majorly pissed off.”

  “He is. You’d better leave.” Not even looking at Bryan, she shoved him away.

  “Will you be all right? Maybe I should stay.”

  “No!” Elise forced her gaze away from Kane and looked at Bryan’s worried face. “Leave. Please. I’ll be okay.” She remembered how territorial Kane had been last time he’d met Bryan. Now, with her being in heat, he’d be even more so and she didn’t want the two of them ending up having a fight in the middle of town.

  Reluctantly, Bryan left. Elise kept half an eye on him to ensure he kept going, while trying to watch Kane at the same time. Mr. Mancini was talking to him, but Kane wasn’t really listening. Briefly, Elise considered leaving, but knew she’d have to face Kane and explain at some point in time. She might as well get it over with now.

  She didn’t have long to wait. Either the conversation ended abruptly or Kane just walked away for suddenly he was crossing the street towards her. Vaguely she was aware of Mr. Mancini shaking his head as he watched Kane leave, giving a melodramatic shrug before going back inside, but mostly she focused on Kane’s approach. His nostrils were flaring, no doubt picking up the scent of her pheromones wafting towards him on the gentle breeze that was meandering down the street. Oh great! That was just going to set him off even more.

  Her mouth felt dry and she was sure her knees were knocking. Licking her lips, she started to speak as soon as he reached her side. “Kane, I can explain everything.”

  “Explain? How can you begin to explain meeting with an unattached male when you’re in heat?” His voice was so low and filled with anger that she could scarcely get her next words out.

  “Bryan’s not another male, he’s my friend.”

  Kane snorted. “I remember the kind of ‘friendship’ the two of you have.”

  “No! It’s not like that anymore.”

  “No? Then tell me, why have you been secretly contacting him?”

  “I haven’t been secretly contacting him!”

  “Of course, forgive me. He’s been contacting you.” Elise opened her mouth to protest, but Kane continued speaking, his voice increasing in volume. “Don’t try and deny it. I heard him on the answering machine—three times he’s called you!”

  “What?” Elise hadn’t meant to shout, but she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “Next time you remind me to change the tape in the answering machine, make sure you’ve erased all the old messages first. I suppose you never thought I’d listen to it before throwing it out.”

  Elise stared at him open-mouthed as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. Bryan had only called once and Marla had taken the call. Wait! Hadn’t Marla said that someone had phoned for her several times and she’d let the answering machine take the calls before finally deciding to pick up? It had completely slipped her mind until this very moment. That must be what Kane was talking about. “But I can—”

  “Explain? I’d like to see how.” Kane looked around as if suddenly recalling that they were standing in the street and their raised voices were attracting attention. He grabbed her arm, opened her car door, and pushed her inside. “We’ll finish this at home and don’t try to run off with your friend. I’ll be following right behind.”

  It took Elise a few tries to get the key in the ignition; she was so upset her hand was shaking. Kane was really angry and she could see his point, in a way. On the other hand, he should have some faith in her; she’d done nothing previous to this to warrant such suspicion.

  Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw that Kane was driving about two car lengths behind her. Hopefully, he’d cool down on the way home and be willing to listen to reason. His background while growing up would make him more sensitive to the idea of infidelity. Marla had dropped him for Ryne, so possibly he was expecting the worst based on past experiences. He’d just watched her with Bryan and those phone messages were pretty incriminating, but at least there was nothing else. Unless he’d heard Rose’s rumour. But if he had, surely he would have mentioned it.

  Unsure of what to think, Elise felt herself becoming increasingly tense the closer she got to home. By the time she pulled into the driveway, she was a mess. Would Kane be reasonable or angry? Had he heard the rumour or not? Would he listen to her explanation or just continue to jump to conclusions based on his o
wn past?

  The more she thought, the more her agitation increased. Suddenly, she realized she was sweating. God, it was too hot in the car! It felt claustrophobic; the air was stale. She unzipped her coat, while pushing the door open, welcoming the rush of cool air over her skin. As she went to get out, something jerked her back inside. Damn! She’d forgotten to take off her seatbelt. Fumbling, she worked the clasp, wanting to scream in frustration as the lock resisted her initial efforts. Finally free of the restraint mechanism, she slammed the car door shut and stomped towards the front porch.

  The sound of Kane pulling in behind her had her turning to look his way. Through the windshield, their eyes met and she could easily tell by the set of his face that he was still upset. Suddenly and inexplicably, she was angry at the whole lousy predicament she’d landed in. With a glare in his direction, she spun around and with a flip of her ponytail stalked inside. It was a distinct snub, but at this moment she really didn’t care.

  Chapter 27

  Elise stormed up the stairs towards the bedroom. The front door slammed behind her as Kane entered, but she didn’t look back. Her emotions were vacillating rapidly; at the moment anger was foremost. How dare Kane accuse her of infidelity? She’d done absolutely nothing wrong!

  Once in their room, she headed for the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Running cold water, she splashed some on her face, trying desperately to cool down. She was so hot, her nerves were on edge, her skin was crawling... Leaning against the vanity, she looked into the mirror. Oh great! It was last night all over again: eyes dilated, cheeks flushed, rapid breathing. At least this time Kane was here, but he was too mad at her to do anything to ease her discomfort. Somehow she doubted that jumping her bones was his main priority right now, and quite frankly, she was too put out with him to find the idea very appealing either.

  The sound of the door handle rattling caused her to jump. “Elise, come out of there this instant!”