by Michelle Fox
Andrew gave a slow nod. "Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I just don’t know if you’d pull in enough cash flow to cover such a huge land purchase."
"That’s why we’re bringing this to the pack. This land is for all of us, and we all have to work for it," Tao said. "Those of you who don’t have any money to spare can help with the work. I need help with the woodworking and Leo will need people to run the smoothie shop with him."
"We could do reciprocal coupons with proof-of-purchase for the smoothie shop," Christine offered. "They show me their smoothie receipt at the bookstore, and I’ll cut them a break on their purchase. Then, when they show you a receipt from the bookstore, you give them a discount on the smoothies."
"That would be great." Leo smiled at Christine.
"I took woodshop in high school," said Annie. "I might be able to help with the woodworking although I can’t promise I’m any good at it."
"I’ve built my share of picnic tables and bookcases," added Richard Smith who’d been quietly listening this whole time.
Danielle sighed. "I’ve got some money put aside. I can give you a couple thousand toward the property. With my job, I’m not going to be able to help much beyond that."
"I might be able to offer more competitive financing than the bank," Andrew said, his demeanor calmer now. "Not for the mortgage, but for any business needs. And I probably have some equipment you can borrow or buy at a discount from my restaurants." He pulled out his wallet and set some business cards on the table. "Email me, and my assistant will take care of it."
Tao took the cards, and passing one to Leo, said, "Thanks. This is exactly the kind of help we need."
"This is what makes a pack," Kai said with a happy smile. "Now, let’s have ice cream."
"I don’t have ice cream," Audrey said quickly with a small frown.
"Yes, you do. There’s a couple gallons in the garage freezer, or did you forget?" Kai met her gaze with a defiant lift of his chin.
Audrey’s mouth opened and then closed as he rendered her speechless. Finally, she threw up her hands. "No, I didn’t forget, but those weren’t for tonight. And how did you know about the ice cream anyway?"
Kai tapped the side of his nose. "I always know about ice cream."
"Hey, maybe we can do an ice cream parlor," Charlotte said.
"Glen Vine’s got one already," said Christine.
"Yeah, but they don’t have anything cool. No sea salt caramel or homemade hot fudge. We could do something more upscale," said Charlotte, warming up to the idea. "Ice cream has changed. You should see the stuff they have by my college. None of that’s here and people coming from bigger places would like it."
"All right, I’ll add it to the list," Leo said. "We’ll do a smoothie slash ice cream parlor, and you'll help do it."
"Me? Are you sure?" Charlotte put a hand to her chest.
"Why not? Half of this is your idea, and if you run the business, I’ll give you a cut of the profits."
"Like a real job?" She almost couldn't believe it.
He grinned at her. "Yeah, like a real job. You in?"
"I-I guess so," she stammered.
Kane chuckled and said, "I assume you’ll make sure pack members get a free scoop."
"Yes, of course." She gave a weak smile, wondering how things had spun so far out of control. This werewolf thing was full of surprises. At least landing a job was a good one.
Chapter Thirteen
Despite her irritation with Kai, Audrey served up the ice cream. She didn't even limit the servings, just opened up the big tubs, dropped in some scoops, and let the pack have at it.
Charlotte took hers outside, wanting to breathe air that wasn’t clouded with so many feelings. The ability to sense and smell emotions had been one of the biggest surprises about becoming a werewolf. She hadn’t realized how annoying it was until she started getting together with the rest of the pack.
Whenever they all got together, there were often heated discussions, and the most recent gathering was no different. Everyone was anxious, including her, and it stunk. Literally. Add in Andrew’s ire, and all Charlotte wanted was a few minutes to clear her nose...even if being outside meant being hyperaware there was a crazy killer on the loose looking for them.
Even though Leo had said the hunter wasn't around, she still sniffed the air, closing her eyes and trying to sense any trace of danger. She had super sharp werewolf senses, might as well use them, right? But all her nose caught was the crisp fall cold and the smoke of a faraway campfire. There were no sounds of twigs snapping or animals being disturbed. She looked back at the house, considering going back in, but catching the return of the sour look on Andrew's face through the window, she changed her mind.
Sauntering over to the fire pit in Audrey’s backyard, she set her ice cream down on a little wooden table and pulled several deck chairs in front of a wooden porch swing. Made of thick pine logs with high backs—probably to match Tao's height—they formed a loose shield as she plopped down in the wooden porch swing. Good luck to any bullets trying to get through that. And with the house at her back and thick bushes on either side, she felt relatively safe.
She ate her ice cream—a scoop of vanilla topped with a scoop of chocolate—while watching the stars. The frosty pre-winter air filled her sinuses and she relaxed, using her foot to gently push the swing back and forth.
The sound of the sliding door opening hit her ears, and she looked over to see Kane stepping outside. He inhaled and blew out grey mist.
Catching her eye, he said, "It’s nice out."
She gave a non-committal shrug, unsure of how she felt about him joining her. Aside from the negative emotions swirling through the pack, she’d also had to deal with Kane’s presence. She liked having him around, her awareness of him increasing throughout the evening, and that scared her.
"How’s the ice cream?" He came and sat down next to her.
She scooted over, making room for him and offering him her spoon. "Good. You want some?"
"Sure, if you don’t mind sharing."
"That’s how we always do it in my family," she said with a laugh. "We all share because none of us can decide on a flavor. We get all different ones and then decide we want what other people have."
"Sounds like you have to eat fast in your family if you want any ice cream," he said. Then he leaned forward and his broad, sensual lips closed over the spoon while his eyes locked with hers.
Charlotte’s mouth went dry and she felt her eyes growing bigger and bigger. Through her fingers, she could feel Kane’s tongue wiggling around, licking up all the ice cream. Her stomach clenched as her mind went to a naughty, dirty place full of wet desire, and her wolf began to preen, bouncing against her skin, clearly wanting more than just thoughts about a spoon.
She almost sighed with relief when he pulled away. "So, are you ready for tomorrow night?"
"You mean, dinner at my mom’s?" He puffed his cheeks and blew out more mist. "No. I’m not sure it’s such a great idea."
"I don’t know if we can back out. I’m sure she’s told people about it by now. Probably the same chain of gossip that alerted her to my existence. We'd make things worse if she ended up looking like a liar, or worse, a flake." Charlotte grimaced, sharing Kane’s doubts. If she could go back in time, she wouldn’t have volunteered for such a crazy idea. But she knew how gossip worked in the small town of Glen Vine. They’d aided and abetted a chain reaction and had a responsibility to make sure it didn’t turn on Kane’s mom.
Kane rubbed his forehead. "I didn’t even think of that. I’m sure she’s called Mrs. Harris back, and who knows who’s been told what outside of those two." He looked at her, eyes wide with panic. "What are we going to do?"
"Stick to the original plan. I’ll be the gold digging bitch from Hell, and it’ll all be over soon." She patted him on the knee and then drew her hand back like she’d been bitten by a rattlesnake. After the whole spoon thing, she really should keep her distance. Blinking,
she refocused on her ice cream and shoveled in scoop after scoop almost robotically, covering the battle she fought on the inside. Her wolf growled through her mind, not satisfied with sugar when there was a hunk of man meat to be had.
Charlotte closed her eyes and swallowed a big glob of ice cream. Maybe the cold would numb her lust. The reality was, no matter how hot Kane was or how much of a werewolf he was, he’d practically slept his way through the entire county. His reputation was such that even great-grandmas talked about him, often with a speculative look in their rheumatic eyes. I’m not his type,. so this isn’t going to happen. We’re just friends.
"You smell nice," Kane said. "I like it."
His words hit Charlotte like a slap. She opened her mouth then closed it, deciding she had no idea what to say. The way he was looking at her didn't help. His gaze smoldered as if she was the ice cream he wanted to lick. It was too much, and, flustered, she bolted out of the swing and headed toward the house.
"Charlotte? You okay?" He bounded up next to her, his long legs easily catching up with her. "I said you smell nice. Did you hear me?"
"Yeah," she said, plastering a smile on her face. "It’s just late, you know? I should be getting home."
His eyes narrowed, and he frowned at her for a second before saying, "All right." He moved in front and reached the sliding door handle first. "I’ll pick you up tomorrow around six, okay?"
She nodded and he opened the door. Stepping through, she hurried to leave him behind. Dropping her dishes off at the sink, she said her good-nights and left, eager to be alone. Too much was happening, and she needed space to process it all.
Chapter Fourteen
You smell nice? Since when was that a great pick-up line? Kane watched Charlotte run to get away from him, his stomach sinking. His wolf instincts were not helping him in the lady department.
But he hadn’t been trying to pick her up. It had just slipped out, like his wolf had taken over his tongue for a fraction of a second, just long enough to jam his whole damn leg into his mouth. And Charlotte had bolted like a frightened rabbit.
Maybe he was losing his touch.
Maybe being a werewolf was a turnoff.
Kane ran a hand through his hair and took a chair in the corner of Audrey’s dining room. The rest of the pack talked amongst themselves as they finished their ice cream, with one or two peeling off at regular intervals to say their good-byes and leave. He should go, too. Work started at six a.m. the next day, but at the moment, he found comfort in the presence of his pack mates. He wasn’t quite ready to be alone with himself, not yet.
"You okay?" Audrey asked as she sank into a chair across from him, a heaping bowl of ice cream in her hand.
Kane nodded. "Yeah, it’s just been a crazy day."
"I know. And tomorrow will be nuts too." At his confused look, she said, "Charlotte told me about the thing with your parents. You really think that’s a good idea?"
He shook his head. "Probably not, but it sure will shut up Mrs. Harris and the gossip brigade."
Audrey raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips, considering his words. Finally, she nodded. "That’s actually a good point. The gossip in Glen Vine is insane. Some places are just too small for privacy." She pointed at him with her spoon. "But did you ever consider that maybe you and Charlotte shouldn’t burn any bridges?"
He frowned at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, she blushes every time she talks about you. I caught her making goo-goo eyes at you when you weren’t looking. And then I saw you making goo-goo eyes at her just now. Are you sure you want to set it up that you hate each other, when it’s not true?"
"She's made it clear she's not interested, no matter how 'goo-gooey' her eyes are. So it doesn't matter what people think." Kane winced as he recalled how fast Charlotte had moved to get away from him in the backyard.
Audrey tapped her lips with her spoon, thinking. "Oh, I think she's interested all right."
"You do?" Kane felt his cheeks burn at how eager he sounded.
Audrey chuckled. "Yeah, I do. But," she held up a finger, "she's not in a good place when it comes to men right now."
"You mean her ex?" He slumped back in his seat.
"As bad break-ups go, hers has to be the worst one in history." She shook her head. "Can you imagine? Getting dumped like that, and then being left to be attacked by a werewolf? I would swear off men forever."
"Do you think that's what Charlotte is doing?" Kane frowned. While he was somewhat comforted by the idea that Charlotte's reaction to him had more to do with her own relationship demons than anything he'd done wrong, he was still confused about how to handle it. Should he leave her alone? Run after her? Why didn't women come with decoder rings so men had a fighting chance?
Audrey waved her spoon at him. "No, because she's letting you get close. This thing with your parents is how she makes you safe to be with."
"Maybe I should call the whole thing off," Kane said. "This is getting complicated, and I'm not sure it's a good idea."
She shrugged. "It's up to you, but if you like Charlotte, you might want to go through with it."
"Wait, I thought you said we shouldn't do it." Kane rubbed his forehead, thoroughly confused. Hadn't he agreed with Audrey and come around to her way of thinking?
"Yeah, I know, but if you do go through with it, she might learn to trust you and you guys can stop playing games." Audrey beamed at him, very satisfied with herself. "See? It all works out in the end."
Kane couldn't figure out how to respond to that and was relieved when Tao interrupted them. He lumbered over to stand next to Audrey's chair. "How did things go at the police station today?"
"Fine. I told them exactly what you told me to." It helped that no one believed in werewolves. People were happy to look for logical and human explanations for the smashed in windows on his cruiser. "What are we going to do about this hunter?" Kane asked.
"Set a trap and herd him into it." Tao cocked his head toward Kai. "Then Kai will do his thing and send him on his way."
"Just like before," Audrey said, her voice soft.
"Yeah, just like that." Tao gave her a crooked smile and reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "We’ve got this, baby. We’ve done it before. This hunter isn’t going to get his prey. We’re way ahead of him."
Audrey leaned into her mate with a little sigh. "Good. I hope you’re right. I miss the days when staying safe meant locking my doors, not going after people to get them before they get us." She tilted her head back and looked up at Tao. "Is this how all werewolves live?"
"Not usually," Tao said. "Most packs have established their pack lands and have been there. We’re new, which makes it harder for us."
Kane watched as the pair looked into each other’s eyes and tried not to be jealous. Tao and Audrey were a tight couple, always seeming to know what the other needed. He’d witnessed the way they synced together many times and had begun to wonder if he would ever have a relationship like that.
As if reading his mind, Audrey’s gaze flickered over to him. "Don’t forget what I said Sheriff."
"About what?" Tao gave Kane a curious look.
She waved her mate off with a hand. "Nothing, just something we were talking about."
Kane took that as his cue to make a quick exit. Standing up he gave a little bow to Audrey. "Thanks for hosting us all again." Turning to Tao, he offered his hand. "Let me know if you need me."
Tao shook the sheriff’s hand. "My brothers and I will be running patrols around the clock. If you want a shift, it’s yours."
Kane nodded. "I can take one, but not tomorrow. I have to work and..." He glanced at Audrey and decided not to say anything about the dinner with his mom. It was bad enough to have the alpha’s mate butting into his love life, he didn’t want to invite the alpha too. "I’ll be off the next day and can take a full day shift. That would give you guys a break."
"That would be great. I would ask the others, but they don�
��t have the experience you do." Tao walked with Kane to the front door of the small ranch home he shared with Audrey. "We need folks who either know how to wolf or know how to handle people like a hunter. You’re the only one we’ve got."
"Don’t forget Danielle," Kane said.
Tao rubbed his chin, considering Kane’s suggestion."When was the last time she worked in the field?"
"A while, but she has the training."
Tao lifted one big shoulder in a shrug. "I’ll talk to her, but I don’t think a desk job at the station gives her the same instincts you have. And the others are not ready for what needs to be done right now. They don’t know what to look for or how to deal with it."
"Maybe with time…" Kane started.
Tao finished for him. "Oh yeah, people are going to learn. Especially as they get used to their wolf. The problem now is they don’t understand they aren’t the same and never will be. They’re still fighting the shift, still thinking they can control their destinies." Tao shook his head. "My brother did more than turn you all into wolves, he changed your whole lives."
"That he did," Kane said, his stomach clenching as he remembered his run-in with the wolf, Nick. He was glad Tao and his brothers had thrown the crazed wolf off the giant sand cliff looming over Lake Michigan. It might be too late for him and the others, but at least Nick wouldn’t bite anyone else ever again. He took great satisfaction in that fact…and then felt a little guilty about it. Nick had been Tao, Leo and Kai’s brother. They’d had to kill their own blood. Hell, he couldn't even manage his mother and her obsession with grandbabies, let alone kill anyone he loved. It must've torn them apart to do it.
Although they never spoke of it, Kane was certain it had to hurt to look at the motley crew of newly made shifters that Nick had left behind. They would be cleaning up their brother’s mess for the rest of their lives, a daily, painful reminder they were too good to turn their backs on. He admired their strength of character. "Thanks for sticking with us here. I’m sure none of this was what you wanted. You left your pack and everything to help us. I can’t imagine what you had to give up."