Dad’s eyebrow rose and his mouth fell open.
Mom clapped her hands. “This will be so fun. Finding forever homes. Match making. I love it. How can I help?”
“I have to go to a meeting this morning. I need a change of clothes. While I’m gone, can you match dog and cat to crate to see if I have enough? I also have a few of my own in the shed.” If not for family, friends, and Ken, she’d be in the corner rocking by now. She was a blessed person.
“I’ll do the cats. They don’t like your father.” She winked and went to the cat house. That’s what Betty called the space where she housed all the felines.
Dad waited until she left. “Keep the Chihuahua. I’ll take her home.”
“She’ll kill you.” Betty pointed to the cat house.
“No, she won’t.” Dad already owned a pit bull, a German shepherd and a corgi. Mom was outnumbered. “She’ll try, but she’s not strong enough.”
Betty glanced at the time. “Can I borrow your car? I’m going to be late.”
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t ding it.”
“Like you could tell if I add any more dings.” Her mother had trouble parking.
“I can. I have a system.” He handed over the keys. “How do you think I keep track when your mother adds a new dent?”
Betty rushed to her closet in the apartment above and changed into a pair of khaki pants with a pink blouse that was missing the bottom button. Whatever. The corporate landlord already knew she was broke. She wasn’t going there to dazzle with her fashion sense. Secondhand clothes with a hint of dog hair, bruises on her face, and not a dime in her pocket. The company man would take one look at her and either call the cops or evict her tomorrow.
Maybe she should have Trixie come along. She was good with people, where Betty tended to lose her crap. She’d better keep her shifter instincts in check. No snapping her teeth or growling.
As an unofficial rule, humans did business with humans, shifters with shifters. They had different needs and tolerances—not that they didn’t cross lines, but she had rented the house as a human. Being around Ken had triggered some of her old habits.
She waved goodbye to her parents as she exited the building. Her dad’s compact car was parked in front. She plugged in the address of Ken’ichi Inc. on her phone’s GPS. The building was downtown in the business section. She drove the unfamiliar streets since she never had any reason to be in this part of town. Well-dressed people strode along the sidewalks. Determination in their steps. They all seemed so focused like they had jobs or projects to attend. Things to do, meeting to adjourn, teams to bond.
Poor them.
Their lives and hers were probably equal in stress. The only difference was the source. Her life was falling apart and theirs were taking off.
It only took Betty three tries to parallel park. She popped money in the meter and hurried to the Ken’ichi building. The tallest one on the street. Inside the lobby, her steps slowed as her gaze rose to the clear glass wall she had just walked through. Sunlight streamed inside and reflected off a crystal sculpture hanging mid-air above her head.
Someone shoved her aside from behind and she caught her balance on a cast iron garden chair. It stood by a fountain trickling water into a pond filled with huge orange and white koi fish. She walked toward the reception desk, taking her time. Dark green plants lined the lobby, leaving only narrow paths to follow.
Was this place shifter owned? It had that feel. What kind of shifter though? Knowing her luck, they’d be bears. They usually didn’t like wolves. At least in Riverbend they didn’t.
“May I help you?” a young woman, who should be gracing fashion magazine covers instead of being behind a desk, asked.
“I have a meeting with…” She pulled out a slip of paper where Trixie had written the info. “Derek Mansfield.” The woman smelled like wolf. Maybe this was a mixed shifter venture? Wait. Betty took a deeper breath through her nose. Dirt, water, plants, the receptionist’s expensive perfume. Her sense of smell was growing stronger?
The receptionist checked her computer screen. “Betty Newman?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Mansfield had a family emergency this morning. We’ve been trying to accommodate his appointments. If you can have a seat by the koi pond, I’ll see who’s available to help.”
“Sure.” Betty returned to the garden chair, then spotted a sitting area hidden from the front door by the miniature jungle. The person taking over her case probably was not familiar with her situation. This could be a good thing. She might be able to convince them easier to give her a few more weeks to find the animals homes.
Stomach tied in knots, she sat gingerly on the edge of her seat and chewed her bottom lip.
“Betty? Are you here to visit?” As if conjured by her worries, Ken appeared through the plants, a predator in his territory and looking very pleased. “I can give you a tour.”
“Mr. Birch?” The receptionist rose and flipped her hair over her shoulder, breasts shoved out. “Ms. Newman was waiting for an open spot to meet with Mr. Mansfield’s associates.”
Betty restrained the urge to smack the receptionist and tell her Mr. Birch was taken. “You work here?” she asked her mate. Suddenly her stomach ache was like a vise grip tearing her apart inside. “I thought you worked for Ryota.”
“I do. Ken’ichi is his last name. I manage investments and some of the major projects.”
“I assumed Ryota’s last name was Birch.”
“No, he let me keep my birth name. It’s the only thing I have left of my parents.”
“Oh, that makes sense.” She eyed his tailored business suit, admiring the fit. “Wait a minute.” Her eyes narrowed. “What kind of projects? Real estate development?”
He paled and guided her deeper into the vegetation toward an elevator.
She broke his hold on her arm. “Like the one buying all the real estate in my neighborhood?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t believe you.” Betty planted her hands on her hips. People walking other narrow paths through the indoor garden slowed to watch, but she didn’t care. Ken had had ample time to tell her the pack had bought her building. “You’re the one evicting me from my home?” Heart in her throat, it grew harder to breathe. “Is this why you’re helping me with the adoption day? To get me out sooner?” Her voice cracked and so did her heart. Traitorous tears spilled over her cheeks. One week with her soulmate had turned her into a cry baby. Then she gasped. “Are we really soulmates? Was that a lie too?” She’d thought she had smelled it. She was sure, but maybe she’d just been wishing real hard instead.
Ken’s mouth fell open. “Of course we’re soulmates.” He reached for her hand but she retreated from his touch. “I found out about the eviction after we met. Offering you a spot at the fundraiser seemed like the perfect solution for both of us.” He stalked after her, step for step.
She stood her ground and snarled, the vicious sound echoing in the large room, and she shoved him away. Or tried to. It was more like she projected herself backwards. “It’s the perfect solution for you. Did it ever occur to you to stop the eviction? I’ve paid my rent on time every month even when I had only enough money for one measly meal a day.”
She was in no state to listen. Her head spun. Betrayal sizzled in her chest. All she wanted was to lash out. Make him hurt as much as she was. She couldn’t bear to listen to excuses. Twisting from him, she searched for an escape through the foliage. Keeping this information to himself was worse than a lie. Soulmates didn’t hurt each other. She ran aimlessly.
Using his superior speed, Ken blocked her path. “You’re overreacting.”
She spotted the exit and sidestepped around him. “I don’t ever want to see you again.” Those words left a wound on her soul, but how could she face him again after he taken away her rescue? Her dogs. Her one true pack. The one that really loved her.
“Betty…”
Without a glance over her shoulder, she left her
future behind and returned to her father’s dinged car. She sat in the driver’s seat and leaned her head on the steering wheel. Her vision was too blurred from tears to drive.
Just hours ago, she’d been trying to picture how she could fit in Ken’s perfect life. It had all been a lie. No wonder she didn’t feel like she belonged. She should have listened to her inner voice. Everything had seemed to fall into place too easily. Nothing in life was that easy.
She strangled the wheel in her grip, holding on as if it was the only thing keeping her afloat. She’d been heartbroken before when Riverbend Pack had labeled her human, but this was worse. Ken had given her hope. He’d offered her her dream on a silver platter, then dumped it on the ground. He’d called her a shifter. Made her believe.
It was all a lie. She couldn’t change shape. She couldn’t be a shifter. That meant she wasn’t his soulmate.
She wished she’d never met Ken Birch.
She wiped her tears from her cheeks and checked her face in the rearview mirror. Yep, she looked like shit. She took a deep shaky breath. No amount of crying would solve her problems.
Her eviction loomed over her head and she had a rescue filled with pets. She might be homeless in a few days, but they wouldn’t be. She would use tomorrow’s opportunity at the fundraiser and find them forever homes.
Ken be damned.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ken sat on a stool in his grandparents’ home, staring into the steaming cup of honeyed green tea. Leaning his elbows on the L-shaped counter, he tried to focus on what Baba, his granny, was saying, but his heart ached so bad he could only concentrate on breathing.
Betty was supposed to meet them today. She should have been sitting next to him, meeting two of the most important people in his life. Ryota had nurtured the shifter part in Ken, but his Baba and Jiji had helped develop his soul. Ken had spent much of his short childhood in this little house.
Delicate, dry fingers wrapped his with a squeeze. He met the dark, wrinkled gaze filled with concern. Baba’s sad smile eased a little of his pain. No matter what, he’d never lose her love. “She’s your soulmate, Kennikun. She’ll forgive you.”
He lifted and kissed her hand. She’d been chopping ginger for soup and smelled wonderful. “Have you ever heard of soulmates staying apart?” Betty refused to answer his calls and texts.
Her lips thinned. “You’re a good boy.” She patted his cheek. “That won’t happen to you.”
He shook his head and rose to his feet. “I’m going over to her place. Make her listen.”
Using her shifter strength, Baba kept hold on his finger. “Tomorrow.”
“But…”
“Tomorrow. Listen to an old woman who’s had more than her fair share of arguments. Let your mate be furious for one night. When you see her tomorrow, she will be less likely to kill you.” Baba pointed to his chair. “Then you can grovel for her forgiveness. Sit. Eat. Stay the night.”
“Grovel, huh?”
“Are you saying it wasn’t your fault?” She released his finger and went back to cooking.
“No…” It was all his fault. He should have said something sooner, but he’d never claimed to be perfect. The whole soulmate thing had his head spinning.
“Bring her something tasty to eat.”
How could he ignore such sage advice from his petite baba? She was wise and he had heard that his grandparents’ spats had been legendary. Ryota had told Ken that she’d even tossed their car at his jiji’s head once.
The kitchen door swung open and Jiji, his grandpa, sauntered inside. He halted and eyed Ken’s cup. “Tea?” Jiji knew all the details of how Betty had dumped Ken.
“Want some?” Ken lifted the small cup.
Jiji was an older version of Ryota, with white hair that hung down his back. His head only reached Ken’s shoulder but he still treated Ken like a pup. Heck, he treated the alpha like one too. It was nice sometimes to come here and let them dote.
Ken had wanted to share this special place with Betty. Introduce her to the people who had accepted a scruffy, orphaned shifter boy into their lives as if he was their full-blooded grandson.
With a shake of his head, Jiji joined him at the counter. Herbs grew on shelves in the window and the delicate scents filled the room. Stainless steel met antique cabinets. Ryota had offered to buy them a new home in Ken’s neighborhood but they loved their odd little house in the city. Every scrap of land in their small yard was used for gardening. Urban farmers, Ken called them.
Baba set some freshly steamed dumplings on a tray. “Your father is on his way. You can snack on these while we wait for him.” She took the ginger to her soup pot.
Once she was at the stove, Jiji moved with his shifter speed and set a tall glass in front of him. He pulled a mason jar filled with clear liquid from under the sink and filled Ken’s glass to the brim. “Kennikun, you need something stronger to drink than tea.”
“Saki isn’t strong enough.” Shifters processed alcohol quickly. Might as well drink the tea…
“This isn’t Saki.” Jiji took a sip and grimaced. “It’s full-moon shine.”
Ken sat up straighter and stared at his full glass. “Where did you get it?” he whispered. Full-moon shine wasn’t legal since humans could go blind if they accidentally drank the stuff.
Baba turned a frown on them. “Your father won’t approve.”
“Oh, let the boy be a man.” Jiji kissed Baba tenderly. “He’s heartbroken.”
“You only want someone to drink with you.” She swatted her husband on the butt.
Ken’s heart broke even more. He had wanted this with Betty. Have a family. Grandchildren. Spoil them rotten. Slip them full-moon shine when they were dumped.
The first sip tasted like pure paint remover with a touch of fennel. Ken coughed.
Jiji pounded on his back as Ken caught his breath. His grandpa grinned. “Smooth, right?” He pushed the glass back in Ken’s hand.
Ken drained the glass. What the hell? What else did he have to do tonight but get drunk with his jiji?
His father, his dad, would be pissed.
Betty parked in front of the Almost Home Rescue. She stared up at the building, noting that it tilted to the right. Instead of flower gardens like Ken’s home, she had weeds bordering the walls. A six-foot chain-linked fence surrounded the property. A few of the pups watched her, wagging their tails. She managed a weak smile. They, at least, loved her.
It wasn’t a wolf pack, yet still a pack. She had known better than to fall for a shifter. What had she been thinking? She snorted. She’d been thinking Ken was hot and her Prince Charming. A total crock of shit and she’d eaten it with a soup spoon.
She managed to drag her body inside the quiet lobby. The animal crates were all lined in neat rows labeled with corresponding animal names. Her parents were so efficient.
A note was taped on the counter in large print. They’d gone for supplies for tomorrow, like extra pens and bottled water. Betty sat in one of the many empty chairs, note in hand. A tear splashed on the paper smudging the ink.
Enough tears. She’d been a fool. Not for the first time and probably not the last. She needed to pull on her big girl panties and make the best of a terrible situation. Once the animals had homes, she’d move. She’d heard Lake City was a nice place to live. There wouldn’t be much to pack. She owned very little worth packing.
Might as well start now. She wanted to leave ASAP. The longer she stayed in New Port, the longer it would take her to heal. In the next city, she’d embrace her humanity. No dogs. No false pack. She’d only date humans and shun all shifter events. No challenge arena events or shifter restaurants that served appropriate sized portions. She’d find all the animals homes then find herself a new one after.
In her apartment, she pulled out a few boxes she still owned from the last move and started in her bedroom, packing memorabilia and books. She’d have to rent a car to travel.
Hanging her head, she took a deep breath. W
here would she find the money? She couldn’t stay in New Port. Just couldn’t. Maybe she should return to Riverbend until she made enough for the move? Her stomach rolled. That seemed like a worse idea.
Chris would hear of her return eventually. She suspected he wouldn’t stay away. The thought of another shifter courting her made her dry heave. No Riverbend. She focused on packing, pushing the things out of her control from her mind.
One thing at a time. One day at a time. Breathe. And breathe some more.
The sound of footsteps drew Betty out of her stupor. Heart racing, she jumped to her feet and rushed out to the living room. “Ken?” She stumbled to a halt, hands clamped over her mouth. The question was out before she knew it.
“Sorry to disappoint!” Trixie finished climbing the stairs. “Hey, your parents didn’t know you were here. We were just arranging things for the morning. Your dad is ordering pizza for dinner.”
Betty glanced out the window at the setting sun. She’d lost track of time while packing. “Oh.”
Trixie drew closer, her movements slow as if worried Betty might run. “Are you feeling okay? You look pale.” She herded Betty to the couch.
“I’m fine.” Even to her own ears, Betty could hear the lies. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
Her friend knelt in front of her. “I’ll get you some juice.”
Before Trixie could leave, Betty grabbed her by the hand. “You’re the bestest friend I’ve ever had.”
“That’s nice.” She glanced at Betty’s hold on her arm. “Are you going to let me go now?”
Betty gave a nervous laugh and released her. “I just wanted you to know that.”
Trixie went to the kitchen and returned with a drink. “Down the hatch.”
Betty emptied the glass. “It could have used some rum.” There was no point in withholding information from her family and her friends. They needed to know. “Trixie, I broke up with Ken today.”
“Why?”
“Guess who’s behind my eviction?”
“No.” She sat next to Betty. “I don’t understand.”
Book 2 Not his Werewolf Page 18