by Unknown
Quietly, he nodded. “I’m grateful for your support, Ravenna.” He wanted to end the conversation and continue with his day. He knew Violet was headed back to class soon, and he really wanted to catch her during her lunch so he could ask to see her later. But Ravenna stepped in front of him, blocking his view of the courtyard below and demanding his complete attention.
“You know, Denver, I have a lot of pull with the council of elders. My family’s been around a long time, and we’ve always held more than a modicum of power. The only thing that works against you right now is that every other candidate on the list is seeing someone and likely leaves no question as to who will be his mate upon being chosen. You, however, haven’t been dating anyone or even shown any real interest in anyone in particular woman as I have seen.” She shook her head with a mocking sad look. “If you choose the right alignment, you’re a shoe-in, Denver. All you have to do is show a little interest.”
The seductive look she gave him wasn’t the least bit subtle. Damn, he thought. He knew Ravenna had been on his tail, probably longer than the council, and she’d been sniffing around him more and more lately. But he hadn’t expected an overt come-on, especially while he was working.
“Thanks, Ravenna. I’ll keep it in mind. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to speak to one of the other teachers before my kids circle back around.”
He stepped around her, noting the disapproval on her face for the dismissal, and looked for Violet, cursing under his breath to see she’d already vacated the courtyard. Now, he’d have to make sure and catch her after school. He watched with a deep sigh of annoyance as Ravenna swaggered away, her hips swinging in a tight A-line skirt that hugged her rear. She probably hadn’t meant to come on so strong, but somehow, her behavior around him was always so dramatic and over-the-top. But if he were completely honest with himself, he would have to admit that she was certainly sexy, and would definitely be the perfect political alignment to assure himself the charge of the pack.
But to commit to her, to mate with her when he knew to the depths of his soul that she wasn’t the one for him…
He would never fall in love with her, not with her haughtiness, or her egotistical nature. He admired confidence, but Ravenna went far beyond that. Was he willing to take up a position that demanded he do what was best for the pack, only to his own detriment? Denver didn’t want to be miserable. His parents had mated in the traditional sense, a truly loving relationship, and he knew it probably sounded weak and romantic – things not expected of an Alpha male – but he wanted the same in his life.
Besides, he couldn’t imagine Ravenna bearing him cubs. The thought almost made him laugh through his anger and confusion. And before he could think any further, his class came around the corner, most of them shifting from human to wolf fluidly in midstride with two or three stopping and forcing the shift before continuing with their run. Pride swelled in his chest again, and he was completely consumed by the job once more.
Chapter Three
Marking the grade on the last of the papers she’d collected today, Violet stacked them neatly and stuffed them into the class folder to return to her students tomorrow. It was time to head home, and she was starving. Not eating her lunch had really affected her this afternoon, and she felt weak and a bit lightheaded. She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out some beef jerky to snack on until she could get home and sear a steak for herself.
She wasn’t expecting anyone, so the knock on her classroom door made her jump. “Come in,” she called, and when Denver stepped inside, her mouth went dry. She couldn’t imagine what on earth he’d want with her; she couldn’t remember the last time they’d spoke in private. But she certainly wouldn’t turn him away.
He looked a little sheepish, but offered her the winning grin that put dimples in those perfectly sculpted cheeks of his. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
She shook her head and reached up and combed through her straight blond hair, hoping it wasn’t too ratty after a long day.
“Not at all, Denver, come on in. I’m just finishing up with some work and heading home.”
“I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to ask a favor.” For a moment, Violet wasn’t sure who was more shocked at his statement, her or Denver. He didn’t fidget, but she could tell he was uncomfortable. Denver had never been one to ask for help in anything, and the fact that he came to her and no one else spoke volumes about who he felt he could trust. And he was right; if he went to the usual crowd for a favor, they would likely label him as weak and use it against him politically.
Taken aback, Violet nodded. “Sure, Denver. I’ll do whatever I can for you. What’s going on?”
Denver rubbed the back of his head, wishing things were simpler. He hated relying on anyone else for any reason, and even though he trusted Violet, he didn’t really know her that well anymore. Her acceptance and willingness were both welcomed, if a bit hard to believe.
“Listen, Violet, I know we haven’t been the best of friends in awhile, but I trust you, and I know you’ve stayed distant from all the political talk in the pack. So, if it’s okay with you…I just thought I might be able to get your opinion on a few matters.”
Suddenly, Violet understood. “You need someone not politically affiliated who can give you an objective opinion.” He nodded, looking relieved, and while she was more than happy to help and warmed to know he felt that comfortable with her, a part of her died inside, that last little glimmer of hope that had kept her believing in the remote possibility of a future with Denver. “Sure, I can help with that.”
Denver knew he’d made the right choice, but the words from Violet’s mouth made his heart squeeze a little. “Great. Can you meet me tonight? I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk here… too many people around. I’ll be at the old mine entrance around nine tonight, if that works for you.”
Nodding, Violet agreed. She wasn’t a fan of the old mines, but if Denver needed her, she’d do what she had to do. Maybe she was a fool, or a pushover, but the feelings she had for him, whether reciprocated or not, wouldn’t allow her to ignore the request.
“I’ll be there.” The three-mile jog would give her a chance to stretch her limbs, as well. She watched him leave, her throat tightening at the loss she shouldn’t feel, considering the man had never shown an inkling of interest in her. And yet, somehow, she felt like she’d gone wrong somewhere along the way, whereas she should have managed to latch onto him and make him hers.
Denver paused outside the classroom door, leaning against it and savoring the scent of evergreen and limestone that blended with Violet’s perfume, which lingered in his nose and filled his senses. It was a sweet, lovely scent, one he remembered from long ago.
That’s how he’d known he could come to her. Even watching her from a distance, he’d seen her blossom, and he’d watched the bright young girl maintain her ethics and determination, even if she hadn’t remained confident, as she grew into an amazing woman. Of course, the time and distance, as well as the friends they’d made and the directions they’d taken, didn’t allow for them to keep close as they had been in school.
But he didn’t want to dwell on the past, and he strode out into the night with a smile on his face before sliding easily to all fours as thick, silver-gray fur began to cover his entire body. He sprinted home, letting his mind drift and his thoughts dissipate into the cool breeze that blew over his skin and tickled his ears. He enjoyed his human existence, but this part of the day was his favorite, those few moments he could be in his animal form and shake off all the stress and all the weight he carried with him.
So many people thought of him as a careless, easy-going, charismatic man. And he was all of that. But so many people missed seeing the man beneath the exterior, the man who would do anything for a friend, would give his own life for his pack, and worried about those he couldn’t care for on a daily basis. It was a heavy existence, especially alone, and a part of him wanted to be forced into mating, sim
ply so he could have someone share that burden.
Violet still saw that side of him…remembered it from years gone by. It was clear in her eyes and in the way she would smile warmly at him as though time had stood still and they were still the close friends that they once were. But there was more to her gaze than that...much more. He felt such strong desire when he was in her presence, a heated passion that he hadn’t felt before and it both thrilled and confused him. He wished desperately that he had the option of choosing someone like Violet as a mate. She was strong and healthy, with a balanced perspective and enough compassion to make up for where he lacked.
As he reached his house, he stood and shook, his body returning to human form as he stepped through the door, where he had clean clothes waiting for him. He ignored them, heading to the shower. For some reason, he wanted to be clean and fresh when he met Violet tonight. He was sure she’d be at her best, as she always was, and since she was doing him a favor and meeting him in a place he knew she hated, he wanted to be respectful of her generosity.
At least that’s what he told himself as he shaved, and put on cologne he hadn’t worn in years.
Chapter Four
As Violet sliced into her steak, and watched it bleed on her plate, her stomach growled and her mouth watered. At the same time, she knew if she didn’t get the food down quickly, her appetite would die, her nerves getting the best of her. She didn’t understand why she was so anxious, or why she felt the need to be dressed in her favorite pink jogging suit, other than that she felt it was slimming. Not that it would matter. This wasn’t a date, and she doubted he’d take notice of her anyway.
Still, she had to believe in something. Without hope, life wasn’t worth living, and until she found something else to hope in, she’d hold onto that last thread of possibility that something could ever come of her and Denver.
She downed the steak, knowing she hadn’t put away enough calories to make the run to the mines thus far today and needed something to fuel her. She methodically cleaned up after herself, and checked the time. It was just after eight, and time to head out. Drawing on every last bit of strength she had, she stepped outside and turned her face toward the moon, letting the reflected light of it soothe her as she dropped to hands and knees. In slow, smooth motions, her body changed, her face elongating and her elbows and knees reversing direction.
Her rust-colored fur covered her, and she let out a howl of delight as power flooded her body. She leapt off the porch and ran full steam toward the far southern edge of their reservation, feeling much more confident in the perfection of her lupine body than in her human form. Everything she lacked in beauty and figure as a human was erased when she became a wolf. On top of that, her power was almost unmatched among the females of the pack. The night called to her, the trees whispered to her as she sped between them and through the soft grasses and fallen limbs of the forest.
It seemed like no time before she arrived, and rather than transform, she remained the beast, her raw form comfortable, like a skin she’d shed for too long. Her senses were intensified this way, and she heard the long strides she recognized as Denver’s from miles away, and she waited with ears up and forward as he approached.
The sight of his shiny coat made something inside her clench, and if she didn’t know any better, Violet would have thought it was the quickening of a mating call. But that sensation would have to be mutual, and as Denver moved toward her, the muscles in his shoulders and back pumping and flexing, she didn’t believe for one second he felt anything similar.
It had been a long time since Denver had gotten a good look at Violet like this. She glistened in the moonlight, and her eyes were a light green that was almost eerie, even to him, exuding power and knowledge. He sat down in front of her, nosing her neck with his snout in greeting, and she snorted a breath at him in return.
He simply stared at her for several moments before he stood and slipped from his animal skin back to human, clad in the dark green shirt and jeans he’d chosen for the night. He smiled down at her long, lithe body as she, too, rose and let the transformation crawl over her with grace. Her hair was pinned back with a clip, leaving her face completely exposed, and the pretty pink jogging suit made him take notice of her curves and the perfect hourglass figure she had.
“Thanks for coming,” he greeted, his voice a little gruff with all the exhilaration of his travel here. “It means a lot.”
Violet shrugged, having difficulty meeting his eyes, which still held a hint of the wolf he was, the pupils elongated into slits. “Well, it means a lot to me that you asked me.” She looked around, trying to ignore the cavernous hole with the rotting wooden buildup around it behind her, and decided to take a seat on a nearby fallen log. Propping her elbows on her knees, she leaned her head in her hands and looked up at him in expectation. “So, talk to me, Denver. What’s going on?”
She seemed a lot more relaxed than she had this afternoon, and it almost felt like old times as he took a seat on a large rock near her. “I’m sure you’ve heard about Storm by now, and that the council’s talking. They pulled me in last night and told me I’m on the short list, Violet. It’s between me and three other guys. Now, I know I have the ability to lead the pack, but I’m not sure if I want that on my shoulders.”
Violet was both touched and taken aback that he would confide in her like this. “Oh, come on, Denver, you’d make a perfect Alpha. You know that as well as I do. Why would you hesitate to take it if, it’s offered?”
He shook his head. “That’s a lot of responsibility, Violet. I mean, being Alpha means always doing what’s best for the pack, even if it’s not necessarily something I want to do. I want to make sure the pack is well cared for, and sometimes, I feel like I’m too selfish for the job. What if I was appointed and then, because of my own childish nature, I made a decision that’s more about my happiness than the good of the pack?”
Violet scoffed. “You would never do such a thing. You’ve always done what’s best for everyone else in your life, Denver. It’s part of what qualifies you for the job, more than anyone else. Who else is on the short list?”
The question made a muscle in his lower jaw twitch as he thought of one in particular he was sure would be the ruin of the pack should he be chosen. “Parker’s a candidate. I would stand behind just about anyone taking lead, except him.”
Violet nodded in agreement. “If he takes over, we can defect together. I can’t put any sort of faith in him after the crap he’s pulled with empty promises, like he’s trying to woo everyone.”
Denver shrugged anxiously. “That’s basically what he’s done, and the elder council has pretty much bought right into it. But other than that, there’s Eli, who really doesn’t stand a chance. He’s powerful, but he’s no leader. He’s all brawn and no real capacity to make decisions.” Denver shook his head. He loved his old hunting buddy, but Eli didn’t belong in a leadership role.
Violet waited for him to continue, but he didn’t and she frowned. “I thought there were four on the list. That makes three, including you. Who else, Denver?” His reluctance to say anything caused her nerves to tense as she tried to pick through her brain at which one of their pack members would bother him so.
After a long silence, Denver told her, his voice barely above a whisper, “Trevor’s been put on the list.” Violet’s eyes widened, and he completely understood. Trevor was far too young to really be in charge, barely out of adolescence. He had immense raw power but not a great grasp on controlling it beyond what Denver had taught him. But he was Storm’s cousin’s son, the only remaining male lineage with an ounce of Alpha in them.
Electing him Alpha would mean he was the pawn of the council, which was not how things worked. The council was the reinforcement for the decisions made by the Alpha, not the dictating law body. Trevor would be swayed to do their bidding, maintaining no control of his own, and when things went wrong, he would either die young as another pack member stepped up to challenge him for the r
ole, or would remain a lame duck at the council’s disposal until he died, during which time the pack would suffer.
Both of those scenarios was cause for upset, and frightened Denver in a way he never wanted to admit. But as he met Violet’s gaze and saw the same reflected in her eyes, he knew she completely understood his struggle. He’d always enjoyed how she emoted through her eyes; no matter how stoic her expression, anyone who knew her could see her heart in those orbs.
As far as Violet was concerned, this was a side of Denver she hadn’t seen in ages and wasn’t sure anyone else had ever been privileged to witness. He was known for his decisiveness, his strength, his assurance in all things. There was nothing vulnerable about him, and to Violet, it only made him more attractive that he could have so many facets to his personality…that he could feel so deeply. She wanted to reassure him, but she didn’t always trust the judgment of the elders, either. And she could tell there was more bothering him, more he wasn’t saying.
Standing and pacing slowly in a small circle on the ground between their seats, she considered what he’d told her and what he could possibly be leaving out. “I don’t think Eli has a chance. I can’t remember the last time he even attempted to lead anything. And as for Parker, I know there are enough members of the pack who would protest that, even if he was named to the position, he’d be out on his ass in a heartbeat.” She chewed her right thumbnail. “As for Trevor, I think he’s too smart to let the council put him in a position to be used. He knows the drill, and he knows he’s still got a lot to learn.”
“So, you think there’s no question I’ll be appointed.” It was a statement, not a question, and the idea of her firm belief both fueled him and incited his nerves. “You know, I have a disadvantage in all this, too, as it was so kindly pointed out to me.” Ravenna’s words and offer slithered through his mind once again as Violet stopped moving and looked down at him with her head cocked to the side. She wore a questioning frown, and while he wanted to confide in her, Denver knew this was probably not an aspect of the situation that would be comfortable to chat with her about. Not when his feelings toward her were unresolved.