by Emma Dean
Shane reached over her to grab his own phone and frowned when he looked at it. “Still no update from Alexander’s program. I have no idea how those fuckers hid the call so well. Until we have more information on where the threat came from there’s nothing I can do other than stay close to you.”
The reminder of the threat made Bonnie shudder. But Shane’s body on top of hers was warm and comforting. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
“Let me call everyone and cancel everything. The decorator, the maid…I took off two weeks from work, but I might just email my letter of resignation.”
Shane perked up at that and stared at her with eyes wide. “Have something you want to tell me?” he asked.
Bonnie tried not to smile and failed miserably. “Don’t get all excited because it has nothing to do with you.”
“I would never dare assume it did.” Shane rolled his eyes, but that tiny smile that he had just for her was there. “So?”
“I’m going to do the publishing house with Amelia like we always talked about,” she told him. “I have a lot of money. What’s the point of it all if you don’t risk it for the things you love?”
“Does that mean you’re moving here?” he asked, running a massive hand up her side to cup a breast gently.
Bonnie shoved him off with a grin and clambered out of the bed before he riled her up for another round. Was her insatiable need for him part of the mountain air as well? “Yes, but I haven’t decided where yet. Some of the houses we drove by in town were adorable.”
He growled at that but didn’t say anything else.
She wiped down in the bathroom real fast and then grabbed the pants Shane had lent her and pulled them on. All her new stuff was still in the laundry room. “So what did you want to do today?” she asked. “House hunt?”
Shane groaned and rolled out of bed. “Why don’t we wait a bit longer? You could stay at the main house, on the warded property for as long as you like. No need to rush into buying a place.”
Hiding her smile, she grabbed her oversized sweater as she left the room. Shane was just trying to put it off so he could convince her to move in with him. Bonnie had no interest in doing that yet. But the main house? That might be a good idea, especially since they had no clue how long this threat would be going on.
Her smile faltered at that thought and she paused in the hallway, realizing she was lost. They’d never gotten around to that tour.
Then Shane was there – as if he could sense her sudden change in mood. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you,” he murmured into her hair.
“I know.” Bonnie squeezed him back. “Want to give me the official tour since we, uh, got distracted?”
Shane chuckled. “Sure, just keep in mind Kai designed this place. He had certain requirements for each house and I got to choose between four layouts, but he wouldn’t accept anything less than 4 bedrooms. The bastard likes to throw money away.”
But he didn’t sound annoyed. Bonnie could hear how pleased he was that the Alpha cared so much about the remaining pack members.
“How far are the others’ houses?” she asked.
“Within running distance for a wolf.” Shane led her down the hall. “Two bedrooms here connected by a bathroom,” he told her. “There’s a guest bedroom on the other side of the house near the kitchen. Then there’s this large ass room I have no need for.”
Bonnie looked, it was nearly as big as the master bedroom but it was completely empty. She assumed it was probably supposed to be a kid’s playroom, an office, or a game room. She shook her head. Playroom. Geez, a hot guy with manners who actually cared about her? Her ovaries were exploding.
It was strange how empty the house was. It wasn’t even fit to be a display house. Only his bedroom, bathroom, and the living room seemed to have any life.
She loved the way Kai had put the floor to ceiling windows in Shane’s living room too. It wasn’t as large as the main house, but the view of the forest was gorgeous. He had his own porch too even if there was nothing on it but one chair with a side table.
Bonnie could easily picture Shane sitting there at night after dinner, watching the stars alone. For some reason it made her feel sad and she squeezed his hand.
There was a large TV mounted on the wall in front of the comfortable-looking couch. It was a mini replica of the main house, but this couch was black and there was dark wood instead of carpet. A robot vacuum ran over the floor and Bonnie watched it slowly trundle into the spotless kitchen.
There was a coffeemaker in there but that was it. No other items on the counters to make the place look lived in. She opened a cupboard and found it empty. Did he even have dishes?
“How long have you lived here?” she asked.
“Almost a year.” Shane shrugged like he knew exactly what she was thinking. “I don’t spend a lot of time here to be honest. I mostly stay at the main house as do the others. None of us were mated and it made more sense to all be in one place. Why make this place mine when it was never meant for just me?”
His words made Bonnie blush. Kai had built his pack houses knowing they might one day have a family. This whole place was built with children in mind. Honestly, she hoped that would be a long way off if she did decide to accept the mate bond. Bonnie knew nothing about kids. When was the last time she’d even been around one?
Shane disappeared into the laundry room and she let him go alone so he could do whatever ritual he needed to do to ease his compulsions without her watching him. Shane knew how to do laundry better than her anyway.
Bonnie wrapped her arms around her midsection and walked to the enormous window facing the forest. A raven sat on the porch railing and watched her. The bird was massive. Birds always kind of freaked Bonnie out.
She turned around and eyed the space again. This house didn’t have the kitchen nook Kai’s did that jutted off from the kitchen, but there was room for one if she wanted.
Bonnie stopped herself there. She was not moving into this place with Shane even if she did accept the mate bond. She was a fucking independent woman who took care of herself. Even if she hadn’t had the inheritance, she worked her ass off for the income she had.
And then a mate bond to a guy and suddenly she wanted to jump right in? Ridiculous. Bonnie didn’t trust the mate bond. How could something like that last? They barely knew each other.
Her last serious boyfriend had proposed but she’d said no, because even after three years she hadn’t felt like she knew him well enough to commit to a life together. And they’d been so young.
She was still young. For years she’d had no intention to marry until she was at least thirty. And she was thinking about fucking playrooms. No thanks.
But you have more feelings for Shane than you did for that guy, a tiny voice in her head whispered. Bonnie told it to fuck off.
“I’ve got your jeans and sweater,” Shane said, coming into the living room with the items, looking completely delicious. “Looks like you’ll have to go commando though.” His eyes twinkled and she had to laugh.
Shane didn’t smile much, but she could always tell when he was playing with her. He was easy to read when she knew what to look for.
“Guess I do,” she said, arching a brow at him.
Shane watched with hooded eyes as she dropped her pants and changed into them. Bonnie made sure to wiggle her ass as much as possible too. Then she changed sweaters, wishing she had all of her toiletries. Her hair was a disaster so she put it up in a messy bun, hoping it would look okay.
There was an emergency makeup pouch in her purse she could get by with, but Bonnie desperately wanted her full array.
“Would you like to take a hike around the forest and the house after breakfast?” Shane asked.
Bonnie took the socks he offered and sat down to pull them on. At least she had the right gear to go for a hike. “Sure, I’d like that. But is it safe to go without the others?”
“But the wolf was on your land when he snatched Amelia, wasn’t he?”
Shane crossed his arms over his chest. “Kai had the property redone. I don’t know much about witch stuff, but it should be secure now.”
“I trust you if you say it’s safe,” she told him, still not feeling one hundred percent, but this was his world. What did she know about magic wards?
He hesitated at that and Bonnie could see how conflicted he was. “Maybe we shouldn’t hike.”
“Look if I’m not safe here then what’s the point, right?” Bonnie said. “I’m not going to live my life like a prisoner.”
“I’ll talk to Alexander about the program again,” he told her. “Maybe there’s something else he can do. And I’ll ask Liam and Noah to stick within running distance. Let’s go drive over to the main house and eat.”
As she watched him stomp into the mudroom, Bonnie felt her heart ache for him. This must feel impossible. There was a tug in her chest that led her right to Shane and she could feel his anguish.
It definitely wasn’t hers. It tasted like him, however strange it was to say it. There was no other way to describe the sensation.
Bonnie went into the mudroom to gear up and shook her head. Shane would take care of it. She knew that without a doubt, and she tried to push that feeling of surety along the bond towards him.
She had no idea if he’d feel it, but Bonnie hoped he would.
Shane may not believe in himself, but she believed enough for the both of them.
Chapter Fifteen
Bonnie
The drive to the main house was short, and they could have walked without issue. It couldn’t have been much more than a mile. But in the snow and freezing cold? Bonnie was glad she was in the warm cab of Shane’s truck, admiring the view.
Hopefully it warmed up a bit before they went hiking or she’d see if there was something else they could do. Bonnie loved being outside, but it was so fucking cold everything ached. The short walk to the truck had been awful.
The main house was already bustling with activity. Shane had been right. They all liked to stay at the main house if all the cars and trucks were any indication. When they walked in Olivia had three coffee pots going and was working the espresso machine.
“Want something Bonnie?” she asked, steaming milk like a pro.
Shane gave her an encouraging smile and Bonnie noticed the way everyone else stared. The fact that he’d changed was apparent in their reactions. Bonnie knew it was because of her, and that was extremely flattering and yet a little embarrassing. She really wasn’t that special.
“What can you make?” Bonnie asked, going to Olivia’s side. She watched Shane joke with Jacob who was using a griddle on top of the entire length of the stove to make scrambled eggs, hash browns, and bacon.
“Anything you want,” Olivia told her, opening a cupboard to display all the different syrups and whatever else they had. “I used to work as a barista, so I usually get stuck with coffee duty.”
Alexander was quietly warming a giant stack of tortillas on the second stove, buttering them when they finished. There was no possible way everyone was going to eat all this food.
“A latte with a few squirts of Irish cream flavoring?” Bonnie asked.
Shane started setting the humongous table and brought over everything from what looked like salsa and guac made from scratch to the orange juice and water pitchers.
This was insanity. And it wasn’t even everyone. Liam and Noah were missing, as were Kai and Amelia. It was a bit overwhelming to say the least. But at the same time it felt warm and welcoming. They’d made room for her, just like they had with Amelia.
“Here you go,” Olivia said, handing her a mug of steaming coffee.
It smelled so delicious. Bonnie took a sip and had to close her eyes to properly enjoy it. “This is better than anything I’ve ever tasted,” she told Olivia truthfully.
The wolf girl winked at her. “We use white espresso. Kind of hard to find, but totally worth it. It gives the coffee kind of a nutty flavor, like hazelnut.”
Bonnie nodded, tasting what she meant.
“Where are Liam and Noah?” Shane asked, making sure each napkin was just so. “They better not still be asleep.”
“No,” Alexander said in that insanely deep voice of his. “There was an emergency call to our tow company. They went out a few hours ago and texted me they’ll be back by breakfast.”
Bonnie could almost see Shane contemplate whether he should have them get some sleep or still run the perimeter. He looked sure, but she could feel his indecision. Alexander could sense it as well.
“I need everyone else at the shop, Second,” he said, using Shane’s formal title. “We need more members.”
Shane shook off Alexander’s words and set the orange juice down. “Kai isn’t ready to open our pack to non-mate members. There is still a lot of clean up to do.”
“Yeah, which would be a thousand times easier if we had more wolves to help,” Olivia muttered.
Despite the sound of the milk steaming Shane still heard her. “That’s enough!” he snapped.
The crack of his voice through the room made Bonnie jump, she’d never heard him so angry before.
“I know you all remember what it was like before Kai, barely more than a year ago. I hear you complaining about his methods again and you’ll get perimeter duty for the rest of the month and…” he paused dramatically. “You’ll have to repair every lawn mower, vacuum cleaner, and snow blower until next Christmas.”
Everyone groaned, but it cut the tension instantly.
Bonnie’s eyebrows rose in surprise. She didn’t know what the hell Shane was talking about, he was a magnificent leader. The grumbling washed away as everyone brought things to the table and sat down. They were smiling and laughing again, letting Shane pick first. And Shane made a plate just to pass it to someone else.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Olivia asked.
Then Bonnie realized she was still standing next to the espresso machine and she jumped in surprise. “Uh, yes, I am.” Shane had completely bowled her over.
This man was a leader whether he wanted to admit it or not, but that’s not what had her mouth hanging open. It was the gentle love and care he put into every action and decision. He took care of all of them without even realizing he was doing it.
And somehow he’d survived a decade with asshole Alphas taking advantage of his strength and kindness.
It gave Bonnie this overwhelming desire to protect him, but she couldn’t. Not from his past. And his pack was healing. She could see it in the way Alexander’s eyes twinkled even if he didn’t smile. In the way Olivia explained what she’d made Jacob, and how they all waited to eat until everyone was ready.
Then Liam and Noah burst in, arguing about who got the least amount of sleep.
“Do you guys need the day off?” Shane asked.
“We’ll do a quick run and then nap,” Noah told him, shoving into the seat next to Bonnie.
Liam sat across from his twin and nodded while he shoved bacon in his mouth. “Yeah it’s not that bad. If you guys still want to go hiking do it in the morning. Then stay at the main house.”
A chime went off and Shane checked his phone. “Kai said he’s dropping off Amelia around five and she’s bringing some of your stuff Bonnie.”
Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief and started eating her eggs with a tortilla as a scoop. Amelia knew her well enough to pack the right stuff. But it would make sense to call the movers again and just have them bring it all out here, and then list the new condo for sale…
Christ it was going to be a busy month.
“Anything you need from us, Shane?” Jacob asked. He shoveled food in his mouth like it might disappear.
Shane shook hi
s head and placed his hand on Bonnie’s thigh. Her face flushed when everyone glanced at the contact. “Just keep an eye and ear out for anything unusual. Call me if you think something’s off. Which reminds me. Alexander your program still hasn’t found anything on that anonymous call.”
The large man shrugged. Bonnie found his golden-brown eyes mesmerizing. They seemed to glow in the sunlight, contrasted and emphasized by how dark and smooth his skin was.
“There are a lot of calls to go through in Portland during that time. It’s not going to be easy to find. And if they have any kind of tech, it might even be impossible. It would make more sense to write down a list of our enemies, or…”
Alexander went back to his food mid-sentence and Bonnie glanced at Shane. Whatever he was going to say, she knew she wouldn’t like it and neither would Shane.
“Or what?”
“Use her as bait,” Jacob said with his own shrug. “It would be faster, and safer with all of us there.”
“Absolutely fucking not!” Shane roared, slamming his cup of coffee on the table. Thank god it was empty.
“Is there any chance they can get on the property?” Bonnie asked Alexander, ignoring Shane’s protective outburst. If she had her way this would be taken care of as quickly as possible.
A girl needed her skin care regimen.
Alexander eyed Shane warily. “Despite all the wards, yes. If someone wanted to get on pack land badly enough they could. The paranormal world is full of checks and balances. A demon could break the wards with half a thought, but would probably just pass through them so as not to alert anyone of their presence. A witch would have to work a bit harder, but same end result if they had enough power. Most shifters won’t be able to cross our borders without alerting us to their presence. Hunters don’t trigger wards.”
Shane glowered, but Alexander continued.
“But that doesn’t account for anything that doesn’t touch the ground. There are raccoons that can climb through the trees. They’re mean little shits too. Not to mention all the birds. It’s hard to ward against all shifters without kicking us off our own land,” Alexander told her. “It’s more an alarm system. We did manage to nullify all witch and demon magic though. One can cross, but until they leave they’re powerless. Only pack magic works here. A shifter crosses and they’re stuck in that form until they leave.”