“My name’s Eva,” she snapped, even as her defiance wavered.
“Yes, short for Evaline. Your brother told me.” He entered her space and hoped to get a reaction from her body.
“No one calls me that… except for….” Her words trailed off, sadness coating her features.
My mother, he finished silently for her. “Shit, I’m sorry, baby.” Damn it, I’m a fool.
Wrapping her into his arms, John was happy when she willingly melted into him as he gave her comfort. “I have a habit of putting my foot in it. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to upset you.” He’d only meant to tease, to stir emotion between them, but not sorrow.
“What do you want, John?” she whispered.
“That’s a complicated question.”
Looking away, Eva rested her head against his chest for a moment before she seemed to realize what she was doing and pulled away. “Everything in life is complicated.”
Good. Your first instinct is to come to me. He internally smiled, his wolf pricking his ears with smugness. You’ll learn to give in.
“I guess it is,” he agreed, aching from the absence of her touch.
“I’ll stay here, but can you please knock before entering so I’m not startled? Wolves seem to move without sound.”
“Can’t catch prey by being noisy.” He smirked.
“I’m not your prey, John.”
Just wait and see, little lady. You’ve no idea how long I’ll hunt for. “I’ll knock. I promise.”
“And you stay out of my room.” Serious, she eyed him.
“What if you invite me in?” He raised a brow.
Shaking her head, Eva took a seat on the sofa and picked up the book she’d been reading when he’d walked in. “Not going to happen, John.”
We’ll see about that. Taking a seat opposite her, John sipped his beer, before talking, “Do you have everything you need?”
“Yeah, someone fetched my things from the motel, and Olivia invited me over for dinner later, but I know where the pack kitchen is if I get hungry.”
“There’s snacks and drinks in the fridge and cupboards, just help yourself, and if you want anything else, let me know, and I’ll happily go buy it.”
After a nod, Eva read a few more pages of her book before looking back up. “John, is it okay I’m here? I mean, no one is going to be angry I’m using pack resources, are they?”
“You are pack, Eva,” John answered, getting to his feet. “Zac’s one of us now, so that means you and your father are too. I’ve got a meeting to get to and then a late shift. I won’t be back until about 2:00 a.m., so if you hear me in the middle of the night, don’t panic.”
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know.”
Walking around the back of her sofa, John reached out, itching to run a hand through her corn-blonde hair, but at the last minute, he curled his fingers in on themselves and pulled back.
Easy, John. Nice and easy.
He had his woman in his territory, and all that was left was to convince her to stay. It would require more patience than John was sure he had. Lucky for him, he was always up for a challenge.
***
Arriving at the pavilion, John neared the wooden structure and eyed the group. Bass and Katalina were talking with Jackson and Cage, while Logan was propped up in the corner, Mia fussing over him.
“Am I the last to arrive?” he asked as he jumped up the two steps onto the decked floor of the meeting place.
“No, we’re waiting on Nico and William,” Bass answered.
John nodded at his alpha, smiled at Katalina, then acknowledged River Run’s alpha before walking over to Logan. “How are you, pal?”
“Pleased to be out of my bed,” Logan answered, before smiling up at Mia. “Someone would be happy if I never left it again.”
Mia narrowed her gaze, her lips thinning. “Oliver cleared you off bedrest yesterday, Logan. Excuse me for worrying about you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Precisely. I’ve been cleared to leave my bed.”
“Well, I just thought you’d maybe stick to wandering around the house for a few days, that’s all.”
John suppressed his amusement. It was good to see Logan up and about after almost losing him; they’d had too many incidents where pack members had almost died recently. Logan, while a Dark Shadow wolf, was currently staying with Mia, his mate, on River Run land until their house was renovated. Pack members were currently taking it in turns in between shifts to help finish the work Logan could not do due to being shot a few weeks earlier. They’d been keeping the renovations a secret in order to surprise the pair, and since Logan was now off bedrest, they’d have to get the job finished sharpish.
“Okay, we’re all here,” Jackson said, drawing everyone to attention as Nico and William arrived from different directions.
“We’re here to discuss the two attempted kidnappings, which occurred today,” Bass began. “I had the chance to talk to one of the perpetrators earlier.”
“Just one?” William questioned.
“The first attacker was a little too dead to talk. The van he drove was stolen and registered in Utah. We’ve gotten nothing further from it,” Bass explained.
John suppressed the sudden surge of anger and bit back the growl of his wolf. He’d have to get his feelings for Eva under control; his pack couldn’t afford for him to be less than perfect.
“But as I was saying, the second guy who attempted to take Cassady in the supermarket was questioned. It seems Castor is luring humans with the promise of being turned in exchange for information. They’ve been watching us for weeks, reporting back our routines and details of any vulnerable members. Cass is pregnant, so they presumed she’d be easy prey.”
“Idiot,” muttered Logan. “Hope Cass gutted the bastard.”
Bass smiled. “She was quite restrained actually. Went willingly from the store until she was alone with him before knocking the asshole out and calling me. Evan had the pleasure of disposing of the scum after questioning. As you can imagine, he wasn’t very happy his mate had been targeted.”
“Anyone who’s willing to endanger the life of a child deserves death,” Jackson growled.
“So, Castor’s turning any old human who can get a bit of dirt on us?” Nico asked.
“As far as he was aware, Castor would only turn them after they’d proved their worth, hence the escalation from recon to kidnapping,” Bass explained.
It was a dangerous situation, one John hoped wouldn’t get out of hand. Being a wolf was a privilege, but it was also a power, and not everyone deserved to possess such things.
“We’ve got to presume he’s at least got a few recently turned men within his pack then,” Mia commented. “They tend to be more aggressive and stronger, but also sloppy with little control. It could be an advantage or disadvantage, all depending on the situation.”
John had to agree. Either way, it proved further how reckless Castor was. He was willing to do anything to win, underhanded or not. If they were going to survive, they had to be prepared for anything.
“What’s the likelihood my shooting was one of Castor’s hopefuls?” Logan asked. Mia gritted her teeth beside him, slipping an arm around his neck.
“I asked about that. He had no idea about a shooting, but they’ve also been working alone. It doesn’t appear to be an organized mission, simply Castor taking chances to get one over on us where he can,” Bass responded, looking as angry as Mia. “But we can’t rule it out like we previously had, because the shooter being human means we can’t automatically rule him out now.”
“Castor has effectively made no one safe,” Nico muttered. “Nice of him.”
“Locking down the packs isn’t a long-term option,” Jackson noted, running a hand through his messy red hair. “I’ve got pack members who live in town as it is, and bringing them all in isn’t going to work for more than a week, two tops.”
“I agree,” Bass replied. “Tensions are already at their peak. Cutting all
freedom over a prolonged period is going to be more dangerous than the threat Castor poses.”
“So, what do we do then?” Katalina asked. “Because if any human could be an attacker, it’s going to make life really difficult.”
“For now, I think all we can do is leave pack land for necessities and never alone. Jackson?” Bass slipped his hand into Katalina’s and brought their linked hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “And coffee dates aren’t a necessity.”
“To you maybe.” Katalina poked out her tongue.
“I have to agree with you, Bass. No one travels alone, round the clock guards on those living outside pack lands, and nondominants need guards if they leave pack lands. It’s the only way we can be sure we’re all safe.”
“Who’s deciding what’s a necessity and what isn’t?” Nico asked. “Because I can bet you Olivia will think teaching class is essential.” He seemed pained by the idea. John wondered if Eva would be as argumentative about such things; he hoped so. Sometimes a bit of heated discussion could be fun.
“I’m not a dictator, Nic. I think that choice is up to the individual,” Bass answered.
“It is her job, Nico,” Katalina defended. “I’d say that is important.”
“Of course you’d agree with her. Next you’ll be wanting a job,” Nico muttered.
“If I don’t stick up for the female population of this pack, we’d all be confined to our quarters while all you men walk about beating your chests like cavemen.”
Jackson sniggered, Bass looked miffed, and Nico openly laughed. Katalina was right, and yet her words only served to worry John because he had a female to worry about now.
“Okay, point taken, Kat,” Nico conceded. “Still don’t like it though.”
“There’s nothing about this situation to like,” Katalina responded, her eyes filling with sadness.
John had to agree. It needed to end, one way or another. “How long do we think we’ll carry on like this? While every week that passes gives our youngsters more training time, it also leaves us more strained.”
Bass glanced at Jackson before rubbing a hand over his face in a very uncharacteristic display of stress. “I think that’s a question that needs more than one person’s input. Either way has risks.”
“Discuss it with senior members before deciding on that matter?” Jackson suggested.
“Agreed.” Bass nodded. “Well, I think that’s it for now. Anyone have anything else to add?”
Jackson shook his head, and when no one else added anything, John jumped to his feet, exiting the pavilion. “I’ve got border patrol. See you all later.”
“John?”
“Hmm?” John looked back at Katalina as she and Bass headed toward him.
“How’s Eva?”
“Better than expected.” He smiled. “She’s got the heart of a wolf.”
Katalina’s responding smile told John that Bass had been whispering his news in her ear, but John expected nothing less; not even an alpha was expected to keep secrets from his mate. As long as she kept the information to herself, he didn’t care. It was best Eva stayed in the dark for a while longer. He’d sweeten her up first, make her crave him, and then he’d reveal the true extent of the connection between them.
Chapter 3
Eva
Knocking on what she hoped was the correct door, Eva waited for Olivia to answer. Unlike her father, Eva had avoided spending time at Dark Shadow. It wasn’t that she had anything against the people who lived there; she just didn’t understand them, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to understand them. There was already so much inside her head that hurt and confused her. Like mourning the loss of her mother yet being angry at her for leaving. It wasn’t Eva’s mother’s fault she’d died of cancer, yet the illogical emotion lived there anyway. And her brother, God, she loved him, but she also resented him. She resented giving up her life, her friends, everything. She resented the fact their father had done nothing but worry about him and how he’d cope with losing a mother, but not once had he worried about her. She was the eldest, the most mature. She was expected to be okay and look after herself.
And Eva was okay, and she could look after herself. It would just be nice to be more than okay for once and to have someone notice that maybe beneath all the crap of everyday life, Eva hid a ball of grief and pain. One she had no idea what to do with.
“Hey, come on in.” Olivia beamed as she swung the door wide.
Eva was instantly hit with the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread, and her tummy rumbled as her heart gave an uncomfortable squeeze. “You baked bread,” Eva murmured as she stepped inside.
“I did. It’s a hobby of mine.”
“My mom used to bake bread every Sunday,” she found herself sharing. “I miss waking to the smell of bread on a morning.”
Olivia’s hand brushed briefly over her back. “My mom died giving birth to me. It’s not the same, I know. I have no memories to miss, but I miss her all the same.”
The two women shared a sad smile. Eva hadn’t shared her mother with anyone since she’d died. She didn’t like talking about her because it hurt her father and brother, but it felt good to remember something before the cancer—the disease that stole her even before her death.
“There was no need to go to any trouble for me. I’d have been happy with grilled cheese.”
“Good God.” Olivia gasped, laughing. “You’ll soon learn I’m a feeder, and it will never be grilled cheese, unless that’s what you want, of course. Besides, I was making bread anyway, and the chicken stew didn’t take much preparation.”
“I can’t wait. I’m starving. John doesn’t stock his kitchen with much other than snacks and fruit.”
“They’d have fed you at the pack kitchen, Eva.”
Olivia led her into the main area. The cabins Eva’s father had built weren’t huge, but they also weren’t shacks either. As Eva took a seat on a barstool at the kitchen counter, she was reminded of a time she’d been skiing as a child and stayed in snow-covered cabins. The fire crackled in the hearth, the lighting low so that the whole room had a lovely cozy feel to it.
“I know they would have, and Zac brought me a muffin when he checked up on me earlier, but I just wasn’t in the mood for people to be honest. It’s been a long day.”
“I can imagine. How’s your face? The bruise isn’t going to look pretty come morning.”
“It’s my hip that hurts more. I think I must have jarred it when I planted my feet, trying to keep him from dragging me. It’s nothing major. I just ache all over.”
“Have you seen Oliver?”
“He came over earlier, but I said I was fine. I hope this doesn’t sound horrible, but I’m still getting used to this whole wolf thing, and I wasn’t feeling up to being prodded and poked by one.”
Olivia shook her head as she looked up from the pot she was stirring. “I can imagine. It’s totally normal to be freaked out. It’s not every day you learn myths are real. Now, this is just a suggestion, and feel free to say no, but if you’d like, I could take you over to River Run and have Karen look at you? She’s their healer, and she’s also a qualified doctor. Let’s just say her bedside manner is more approachable than Oliver’s.”
Laughing, Eva shook her head. “It’s honestly just some bruises. What I really need is a good soak in a hot bath with some lavender and salts.”
“That I can help you with.” Olivia smiled. Bringing a wooden spoon to her mouth, she blew on the stew before taking a sip. “Bit more salt and we’re good to go, though Kat isn’t here yet. I might just…. No, wait. Here she is.” Eva looked to the door, heard and saw nothing, and glanced back to Olivia with a frown. Olivia laughed. “Wolf hearing. Though it’s Arne I can hear, not Katalina.”
“I have noticed you guys seem to make no noise.”
Olivia shrugged. “Force of habit, though I’m not all that stealthy myself. I don’t train like Kat.”
“Oh,” Eva responded as the front door opened
, and Katalina’s dog came bounding in, tail wagging.
“Hey, Kat,” Olivia called before the woman appeared. Olivia turned her focus back on Eva. “We’re not all made equal. We’ve all got different strengths. The dominant members of the pack protect us. The maternal members make the pack a home. That’s a simplified version of it anyway.”
“And then,” Katalina announced as she came into view, “you get those awkward wolves who are an equal mixture of both. I’ve learned to not try and wrap my head around it all, Eva. Saves giving yourself a headache.” After entering the kitchen, Katalina hugged Olivia. “Smells amazing as always. I left the door open a little too long to tease my guard prowling around outside.”
Shock ran through Eva. “We need guards even in your homes? Is it that dangerous being a shifter?”
Katalina shook her head as Olivia began to fill bowls with stew. “No… hmm, how do I explain this?”
“Kat’s important because she is the alpha’s mate and the River Run alpha’s daughter,” Olivia answered for her.
“So you’re like royalty?” Eva asked.
“Please don’t say that word. I’m not special in any way. I’m just me. I just happen to have the unfortunate luck to land an alpha for a mate and a father.”
“And she joined both packs together and stopped a war,” Olivia added, grinning.
“Liv!”
Olivia laughed. “Sorry, just teasing. Katalina is as capable as anyone else when it comes to looking after herself. She’s just mollifying her overprotective mate and father.”
“Right,” Eva said, not sure she really did understand.
Sitting down at the table, the three women tucked into the food, conversation leaning toward simpler subjects. Eva was happy being quiet and enjoying a cooked meal. It had been a while since she’d eaten something homemade that she hadn’t thrown together herself. It wasn’t until after her mother had died and the initial haze of grief had passed that Eva realized how much she’d taken for granted. Homecooked meals, freshly ironed clothes, a kiss on her cheek whenever she’d return home. It was all the little things that hurt Eva the most, and the absence of them cut more than she’d care to admit. She’d seen the same sorrow in her father’s and brother’s eyes when they’d notice things missing, and so she’d begun to do the things their mother had done for them. Eva stepped into her role even as it killed her to do so. Every day became a reminder, she was cooking tea or worrying about Zackary because their mother wasn’t there to do it anymore.
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