by Bethany Shaw
Devon turned his attention to Emily, a genuine smile on his face. Lark felt her breath catch in her throat, not once had she seen him smile. He looked handsome and carefree.
“That’s great, Em,” Devon replied, his hands jammed in his pockets.
Lark quirked her brow at him, but didn’t say anything. Realization filtered in, Emily had come to her and asked for help. Emily thought Devon would be excited for her. Lark wondered if Devon had only been giving her a hard time, and not Emily.
“What time should I be here Sunday,” Lark asked.
“Is ten or eleven too early?” Emily asked, her green eyes wide with worry.
Lark smiled, that was late for her. “That’s perfect.”
“What time do you close tomorrow, Lark?” Devon asked softly.
Lark turned toward Devon, her heart thumping harder. He’d said her name before, but not like that. It had been tender with a slight drawl to it.
“Eight.”
“I’ll be there a little before then,” Devon nodded as he turned and headed back into the house.
***
Lark turned on her blinker as she merged onto the highway. The air conditioner buzzed working overtime to filter out the hot sticky air. She used her free hand to push her long blonde strands to the side alleviating the sticky mess building at the nape of her neck. Silently cursing herself for taking her thick curls out of the ponytail.
“So how was your horseback ride?” Lark asked unable to keep her smile contained. She highly doubted her sister just went on a horseback ride for two hours. Not that she could really say anything, she’d been eighteen and reckless not too many years ago.
“Fine,” Sarah said a wide smile on her face.
“Careful, next thing you know you’ll be participating in a mating ceremony,” Lark teased.
“Ha ha,” Sarah laughed. “Are we going? Preston invited me, but I don’t want to intrude. He doesn’t really know much about the actual ceremony. I guess they don’t do them very often anymore.”
“Yeah, Emily asked us to come while you were out with Preston. I told her we would love to. She wants help with her hair and dress,” Lark smiled. It was nice to be officially invited by the bride, if you could call her that. It would be nice to have some girl time, she was really looking forward to it.
“This whole thing is horribly romantic,” Sarah said.
“It’s something, I’m not sure romantic is the right word, but-”
“They love each other and will do anything to be together,” Sarah interrupted. “That’s romantic.”
“Okay, maybe a little,” Lark conceded.
“Do you think…” Sarah started then stopped, turning her head to look out the window.
“What?”
Sarah sighed and fidgeted nervously in her seat. “I love Preston. I just sometimes worry that I’m not enough because I’m not one of them he’ll move on. It’s silly, right?” She laughed, but it came out hollow and Lark turned seeing the tears that churned in Sarah’s eyes.
“Why, did he say something to you?” Lark asked, her heart clenched with pain for Sarah.
“No, I’m just worrying.”
Lark bit her lip. She wasn’t really the one to come to for relationship advice.
“Preston loves you, Sarah. If something as silly as that breaks you up than he doesn’t deserve you.”
She sighed and looked at Sarah who nodded but turned back to the window. “Sometimes things just don’t work out and sometimes they do. Besides I don’t think you have to worry about him falling for a lady wolf. In case you haven’t noticed there aren’t many around.”
Sarah remained silent for a long time and Lark couldn’t help but wonder if she’d helped.
“Why do you think that is?” Sarah finally asked as Lark pulled into their driveway.
“What?”
“That there are no women. Emily’s the first female wolf I’ve met other than Beatrice. Don’t you think that’s odd?” Sarah asked.
Lark nodded confused by Sarah’s fear when there were no other women. “Yeah. Now that you mention it, it is weird.”
“It’s just Preston is the only guy there that’s in a real relationship. The rest of them are kind of man whores or don’t date. Nobody there has a real relationship,” Sarah said, hand on the door handle as Lark turned the car off.
Lark opened her door and climbed out. She wrapped her arm around Sarah as they walked to the front door. “I don’t think Preston is leading you on or anything like that, Sarah. All guys are different, and I won’t pretend to know anything about them. Preston seems like a good guy. Why do you all of a sudden doubt him?”
Sarah exhaled slowly as Lark unlocked the door, and they walked inside the dimly lit sky blue living room. “One of the guys was giving Preston a hard time while he was saddling up the horses. I know it’s silly, but he was being really rude.” Sarah confided, after a long moment.
“Guys do that, who was it?”
“Garrett Miller,” Sarah huffed.
Lark frowned, he was one of the newer guy’s maybe only been there for a year or so. New faces didn’t pop up often, so she noticed them. “Well, he sounds like an ass. I don’t think I’ve ever talked to him. He’s probably just jealous of you two.”
“Maybe, but he was really…” Sarah’s face contorted as she tried to find the right words, “nasty.”
There seemed to be no shortage of that lately. Sarah didn’t need to know about her own run in with Devon. Devon’s nastiness seemed to be only directed at her. “Come on, sweetie, it’s Friday. We can stay up late, snuggle under a blanket with ice cream, and watch movies.”
Sarah smiled, her blue eyes lighting up. “Sounds fun.”
Chapter 7
Devon’s breath came out in pants as he ran through the woods. The earthy scent of oak trees and grass cleared his mind. Birds chirped and wildlife rustled in the sparse thicket. This felt like home.
Vincent, Gene, and Marcus ran beside him. After lunch, it became a part of their daily routine to run. Relaxed and exhilarated, he came to a stop at the large creek bed that ran through the back of the property.
“You cheated,” Vincent exhaled, as he bent over clutching his knees.
“Or I’m just faster.” Devon clapped a hand on Vincent’s back while inhaling a large gulp of fresh air into his lungs.
“We all started at the same time,” Marcus chimed in.
Vincent knelt on his knees and splashed water on his face. “Years of working out at the gym and I still can’t beat you in a race.”
“I didn’t realize we were even racing.” Gene planted himself down on a log.
Devon shook his head and swiped his hand across his sweaty brow. “Everything’s a competition with Vincent.”
Vincent shrugged. Standing up, he pushed his wet brown hair back causing it to stand in tiny spikes. “I can’t help myself. Wait until we go to a club, which by the way, I think we should do tonight to celebrate your last night as a free man.” He threw his arm around Marcus’ shoulders, a mischievous grin on his face.
“I don’t know.” Marcus eyed Vincent warily.
“I second that, a night of drinking before the big day doesn’t seem like a good idea,” Gene added.
“You two are no fun, what do you say Dev?” Vincent asked.
Devon opened his mouth to respond when a branch snapped to his left. He spun around, eyes scanning the dense surroundings. There was nothing there, but he was certain he’d heard something.
Gene stood up and pointed to the tree line. “I think it came from over there.”
Devon followed his finger but still saw nothing. It could have been a wild animal, but his senses told him otherwise. His entire body stood at attention ready to spring into action.
Vincent walked quietly to him, his hands clenched into tight fists. “Do you see anything?”
“No, but I heard it.”
The four of them remained silent, eyes trained on the sparse trees. The birds
sang in the tree tops and the leaves swayed in the wind, but otherwise nothing sounded out of place.
Devon’s head whipped to the right, movement catching his eye. A blur of brown rustled through the trees and bushes, without a second thought Devon rushed towards it. Someone had been spying on them.
He could hear the thundering of Vincent, Gene, and Marcus’ footsteps behind him. Devon pushed his legs faster, determined to catch the lurker.
The trees flew by in a blink. Branches whipped against his skin, stinging as he darted through the woods. He was gaining on the spy. That knowledge encouraged him to sprint harder, pushing his aching lungs to the max.
The black pavement and bright sun peaked through the tree line, cars swooshed by. A car sat on the edge of the road the passenger door hung open. The intruder could not be allowed to escape.
Throat burning and breath whooshing, Devon tried to close the gap. There was no doubt in his mind they were Emmett’s men.
Devon growled and came to a halt as the dark shirted snoop dove into the car. The vehicle sped off, tires screeching across the pavement. Leaving the acrid smell of burnt rubber in the air.
“It’s one of father’s men. I recognize the scent.” Vincent came to a stop next to Devon.
“We need to get back and warn the others,” Gene wheezed, out of breath.
Devon nodded. They needed to get back, and quickly. Without a second thought, he darted further into the woods. He closed his eyes and focused his mind on the transformation. Fabric tore as his clothes shredded away in pieces. Pleasure and pain riddled him, as bones snapped and then reformed.
He landed on the ground with a thud on all four paws. With a growl, he took off back toward the ranch. The sound of bones cracking behind him, quickly followed by twelve paws beating on the ground.
***
Devon paced the room, his senses on overload. It had been too long since he’d run as a wolf. His body still hummed with adrenaline. The thrill of the chase and disappointment of defeat made his blood pump faster.
Emmett was here, maybe not specifically, but his men were. Apprehension and rage filled him causing his stomach to twist in knots.
Rick sipped his coffee, sitting at his desk. His demeanor remained remarkably calm. Everyone else stood on edge, crammed into the dreary grey den, awaiting his orders.
Devon stopped his frantic pacing when Rick stood up, and cleared his throat.
Rick glanced around the room hands clasped behind his back. “As some of you may have heard another wolf was chased from our property this afternoon. For the time being, I would advise everyone to stay within the confines of the estate. We do not know his intent, but it is safe to say that he may be hostile. Should you come across anything strange or out of the ordinary, I implore you to alert me or Gene at once.”
Rick looked around the room, his eyes taking a moment to personally assess each person. “With that said, I have activated The Guard. We will do three different watch groups, so the entire lot is under constant supervision. The first shift is already surveying the borders as we speak. Should an enemy attack occur, we will be prepared and we will defend each other and our territory. I refuse to let tyrants determine how we live. On that note, we will continue to live our daily lives and not live in fear of an impending attack. The mating ceremony between Emily and Marcus will commence tomorrow with festivities to follow afterwards.”
Chit chat filled the room as Rick sat back down at his desk. Slowly people began to filter out till Devon and Gene were the only ones left. Gene sat down in one of the chairs opposite his father and Devon followed suit.
“Do you think there will be an attack tonight?” Gene asked.
Rick leaned back in his chair, scratching his graying beard. “I supposed that depends on what Emmett knows. If he knows of the ceremony, then yes. If not, it’s less likely. If he knows our intentions, that means we have a spy amongst us. It doesn’t surprise me that he found you. Family would have been the first place I looked.”
“If he attacks it will be after nightfall.” Devon was certain there would be an attack.
“Agreed, Preston has already taken Sarah home, and I asked him to stay with her there until Lark gets home. I don’t want Lark or Sarah here should an incident occur,” Rick said.
“I already discussed picking up Emily’s cake with her. I’ll be sure to tell her not to come by.” Devon could already see how well that conversation would go.
Rick nodded and leaned forward to take a drink of his coffee. “Good, I’ll speak with Lark later this evening about tomorrow. I know Emily wishes them to be here, but we will see how the night plays out.”
Gene sighed, and turned to Devon. “If you’re going to get to the bakery before close, you should go. Lark is a stickler for punctuality. If you don’t show up by 8:01 she’ll pack up the things and head here. I’ll try to give her a call, let her know you’ll be a few minutes late.”
Devon glanced at the clock, he had less than ten minutes. He would not make it on time even if he broke every speed limit there was. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
***
Lark sipped at her Coke, her body supported by the cool white counter. She needed the caffeine boost. No more late nights with Sarah when she had to wake up at five in the morning. It had been nice and relaxing last night, but today her body was exhausted and eyes unbearably heavy.
To think, she was actually looking forward to seeing Devon. It was only because she wouldn’t have to make a trip to the Harris ranch. He might be gorgeous and ripped, but he was a jerk and she did not have time for that.
The shop bell chimed and she glanced at the clock. Ten minutes till close. Lark stood up straight, turning to the door. She put on her best smile, “Hi, how can I help you?”
The two men exchanged a glance with each other before they stalked toward her. The tall man with jet black hair and ice blue eyes smirked as his eyes appraised her.
The second man slowed, lagging behind his friend. Sweat beaded on his brow and his face was ghastly pale as if he might vomit or pass out.
Something seemed off about these two. Her skin crawled and her arm hair rose. A shudder coursed through her body, and her heart pounded in her ears.
Lark jumped, startled when the shrill pitch of the phone sliced through the silence. Normally, she would answer the phone, but she didn’t want to take her eyes off the two men in front of her. Every nerve in her body screamed at her - she was here all alone.
“You know I’m actually not hungry, let’s just go,” the second man said. His brown eyes nervously flitted around the room. He ran a shaky hand through his short brown hair.
The black haired man turned to his friend chuckling, “Why don’t you go wait outside. I’ll be out shortly.” The two men stared at each other as if having a conversation without words.
Lark took a step back from the counter as she watched the wordless exchange between the two men. The brown haired guy gulped but made no effort to move.
“I’ll have a chocolate chip muffin,” the black haired man replied with a smile, turning back to her.
Lark nodded and opened the case, too nervous to take her eyes from him. She cast a quick glance to the clock. She would be ecstatic when Devon got here, hopefully he showed up quickly.
She had a canister of mace, but it was in her purse. Which, of course, was in her office? Lark had dozens of customers a day, but none had ever given off this vibe before. Goosebumps rose on her flesh as a cold chill ran down her spine.
“Word is your muffins are the best,” the dark haired man said. His eyes drooped down to her chest.
Lark cleared her throat, hoping the creep would advert his eyes back to her face, but had no such luck.
“Here you go,” she placed the muffin on the top of the case and walked to the register.
She’d taken her apron off earlier, she didn’t do any preparations on Saturdays since she wasn’t open Sundays. Now she wished she’d left it on. Her blue top wasn’t ris
qué by any means, but it was a scoop neck and she was showing a little cleavage.
“Keep the change, sweet pea.” The man slapped a five dollar bill down on the counter.
“Uh, thanks,” Lark murmured. She took the bill and slipped it into the register. “Have a nice night.” She forced a smile. The words had popped out, out of habit.
“You too,” the black haired man smirked. He took a large bite of the muffin and moaned as he turned on his heel.
Lark sighed, closing her eyes as the door dinged and clicked shut. That had been eventful. A quick glance at the clock confirmed seven minutes till close, and still no Devon. Early or not, she was ready to close. Goosebumps still obscured her skin from those creeps.
With a shiver, Lark walked to the door and flipped the lock. Devon could knock. It wouldn’t kill him, she reasoned. If he didn’t show by the time she got everything packed up she would just deliver the cake.
Tiredly, she organized her desk and stuffed her belongings into her purse. It had been a long day. She covered her mouth yawning. Flicking the lights off, she then headed up front.
In an effort to keep her body functioning, she pulled down two boxes and set the cake out for when Devon showed up. Might as well have everything prepared.
The first box was stuffed full and she was sealing it shut when her cell phone chimed with a new text message. Exhausted, she picked up her purse and searched for her phone.
Two hands shot out and wrapped firmly around Lark’s mouth and waist. She let out a muffled scream as she was roughly jerked backwards into a hard lean body. Her hands gripped her purse like a lifeline, searching for the canister of mace that was attached to the inside of her bag.
“That muffin was delicious,” the dark haired man from earlier hissed in her ear.
Tears pricked her eyes. Her heart pounded, and her skin crawled where his hands touched her. Lark was drug towards the back of the shop. Her sneakers squeaked against the tile floor as she unsuccessfully tried to stop the momentum.
Refusing to go down without a fight, her hand found the mace. Lark lifted her heel and slammed it down on top of his foot. His grip loosened and she jabbed her elbow backwards, connecting with a firm muscled torso.