* * *
“There she is!” Harmony jumped up from the stool she sat on and ran over to me. I braced myself for the impact as she slammed into me and threw her arms around me. Harmony had always been a friendly girl, but this took things to an entirely new level. I frantically looked at Gabe, silently begging him for help, but he just laughed, his blue eyes sparklingly merrily.
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Chloe!” She kind of shoved me towards the kitchen island where a few people sat on stools. “You’ve already met Beth,” Harmony said as she pointed to the leggy blonde, who gave me what amounted to a death stare. What on earth is wrong with her? “Beside Gabe is Emily. She’s kind of like our housemother.”
Emily looked like somebody’s grandmother. This little old lady was a werewolf?
“What does a housemother do?”
“Oh, I just try my best to take care of everyone. I do most of the cooking, and I make sure the laundry gets done and the house gets cleaned.”
Gabe smirked. “Notice she said gets done and cleaned. She’s a harsh taskmaster, which you will soon find out.”
Emily smacked Gabe on the arm. “Stop it, you’re gonna scare the poor girl.” Emily patted the empty stool that sat on the other side of her. On the counter in front of it sat a steaming plate of eggs, bacon, hash browns, a biscuit, and gravy. “Come sit, child. I’ve got a hot plate of breakfast waiting on you.”
While I climbed onto the stool, Harmony continued the introductions. “On the other side of you is Emily’s mate, Hector. He takes care of the grounds and fixes stuff that gets broken.”
Hector patted me on the arm. “Welcome to the family, Chloe.”
Beth scoffed. “She’s not part of the family, yet.”
“Beth, we’ve talked about this already. What has gotten into you?”
Beth just glared at Gabe and didn’t answer.
“Don’t mind her, she just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I’m Jacob.” Tall and lanky with surfer blonde hair, Jacob stood up and put his plates in the sink. “It’s great to meet you, Chloe.” He nodded at Gabe. “I’m headed to the shop. You coming?”
“I will be along later. I need to stay here with Chloe for a little bit.”
Jacob headed out of the kitchen, and I noticed Beth shooting me another death glare. I was beginning to figure out the source of her animosity. Apparently she thought I was trying to edge in on her territory. I knew from experience there wasn’t any point in trying to convince her otherwise. She’d never believe me. Besides, I wasn’t so certain that I wasn’t edging in on her territory.
She got up and slammed her dishes into the sink. “You break those, and you’ll be buying a whole new set,” Emily scolded.
Beth had the sense to look sheepish. “Sorry, Emily.” Without another word, she stalked from the room.
Harmony popped up and cleared away her dishes. “The rest of the pack has already left for the day. You’ll get to meet them later. Speaking of which, I’m off to get ready for work. I have the lunch shift today.”
Oh, crap. “I forgot! I was supposed to work breakfast this morning!”
“It’s okay, girl! I called the boss and told her you were under the weather.”
I smiled gratefully at her. “Thanks.”
“No thanks necessary, girl! Like I said last night, we’re family now. I’ve got your back!” Harmony grinned and patted me on the back like she needed to reinforce her statement, and then bounced out of the room.
Gabe got up and cleared his place as well. “Emily, will you show Chloe around while I make a phone call?” Emily nodded, and Gabe strode from the room. Even though Emily was considered the housemother, it did seem she had everyone trained well. Not one person had left their dishes behind for her to clean up. Determined not to be the slob of the bunch, after I finished eating, I cleared my space as well.
“Come on dear, and I will show you around.” Emily led me out of the kitchen and into a huge room paneled in rich, dark wood. A gigantic stone fireplace adorned one wall. “This is our Great Room. Most of our pack meetings occur here, and often pack members will sleep here in front of the fire.” Large, plush rugs covered the hard wood floor in front of the fireplace. I noticed several big pillows adorning the two leather sectionals that sat in two corners of the room.
“Why don’t they sleep in their rooms?”
“You’re a new cub, so you haven’t experienced much of how being a wolf affects most of us. We’re pack creatures. We crave the closeness of each other. Most of us don’t like being alone. So usually there are at least a few of the pack who sleep in a big pile on the floor.”
“Oh. Is that what Gabe meant by there being a pile up last night?”
“I’m sure it was.”
I hoped I hadn’t let too much slip. Surely by saying that I hadn’t given anything away? Gabe could have easily said that to me this morning.
Emily showed me around the rest of the house, the first floor mostly being made up of common rooms like a bathroom, pantry, laundry room, and even a gym. There was even a conference room for formal pack meetings. Bedrooms made up the majority of the second floor. Single pack members lived there while the married ones in the bunch had their own places. There were also two bathrooms and a library. The third floor consisted of Gabe’s rooms. According to Emily, being Alpha gave him the best suite. His rooms also included a gym and an office.
After the tour of the main house, Emily led me out onto the front porch, which actually wrapped around the entire house. Rocking chairs sat in groups here and there along with tables. Potted flowers hung from the porch beams and benches lined up along the rails. The homey atmosphere made me want to grab a book from the library and rock away my worries.
She pointed to the farthest away building, which remotely resembled a small log cabin. “That’s what we call the cub house. It’s where they had you last night.” She pointed out the other buildings that dotted the landscape. “That’s Hector’s shed, the guest cottage, the caretaker’s cottage where Hector and I live, and the garage.”
“Guest cottage?”
“Sometimes packs we align with will come to visit, and when they do, that’s where they stay. Other times, pack family members that live out of town may come to see one of us, and when they do, we usually put them up in there. They aren’t always comfortable with the relaxed atmosphere of the big house.”
“Relaxed?”
Emily just laughed. “You’ll see.”
Chapter Fifteen
“Did Emily give you the big tour?” Gabe walked into the library on the second floor where Emily had left me after asking if I liked to read.
“Yes. It’s a really nice place. Does the entire pack live here?”
Gabe nodded. “Yes. Most of the time, new cubs start out wanting to keep their own places and insist they can just continue on like they had before, but they soon come to realize they need to be with their family.”
“Are all new cubs like me?” I perched on the edge of an ottoman, and Gabe sat down in the big recliner across from it. If I noticed one thing about the compound, it was that comfort played a huge role in the furnishings.
“You mean they become a werewolf because they were attacked?”
I nodded.
“No. Usually a new cub becomes one voluntarily.”
My mouth dropped open in shock. “Why would anyone choose this life?”
“There are many reasons. Sometimes it is because the one they love is a wolf. Other times, the request comes due to health reasons.”
“What do you mean, health reasons?”
“We are immune to disease. Something about what we are fights them off. The majority of us don’t even catch colds. Doc thinks it’s partly to do with the fact that we have a higher than normal body temperature. So, if a human contracts a disease of some kind but is changed, then the disease disappears.”
“You mean, I can’t get sick any longer?” Not that I ever got sick much anyway, but a
t least there were some benefits to what I’d become.
“Nope.” Gabe scratched his chin. “At least, I think not. We are venturing into untested waters with you. After last night, I don’t know if we can apply the norms to you. Hopefully, that’s what it means, but I guess we won’t be sure until you stop getting sick from stuff.”
Well that’s just great. I get to be a big, hairy creature, and I might not get any of the benefits from it.
“Is there anything else you want to know?”
My mind was actually swimming with questions, but I wasn’t sure how many of them I really wanted to ask. “You said most cubs can’t change at will. Does that mean you can?”
Gabe nodded. “Yes. Everyone that is part of the pack can do that. You’re the first new cub we’ve had in a while.”
“Except I’m not really your cub.” I grumbled, the jab made by Beth still fresh in my memory.
“That’s not true. It’s like I said last night, you were attacked in my territory, so that makes you part of us. The ceremony would just be a formality. It’s mainly for wolves who wish to change packs. For you, it would be primarily so you could be officially welcomed as part of the family. Every new cub has one.”
“Would I not be a member of the pack of whoever attacked me?”
A dark look passed over Gabe’s face. “No one should ever be turned against their will. If any of my wolves ever did something like that, they’d likely not live to see the next sunrise. The attack in itself is grounds for not joining the pack of your sire. The fact that you were attacked in another pack’s territory strengthens it. You don’t have to belong anywhere you don’t to.”
I knew that meant I didn’t have to belong to this pack either, if I didn’t wish to. But even with Beth’s animosity, I knew I couldn’t handle my new life alone. As much as it pained me to admit it, I needed help.
“I want you to be a part of my pack, of my family. You belong with us even if you didn’t choose us.”
I raised my eyebrows at Gabe. “Why do you say that?”
He leaned forward. “I know you feel it.” Reaching out, he ran a finger down my arm. The shock that always accompanied his touch leapt to my skin. “That right there.”
I licked my lips and swallowed. “What about it?”
“It means something, Chloe, and you know it.”
My whole body grew warm and tingly. I jumped up from the ottoman and away from his touch. “I don’t know any such thing. For all I know, every woman you touch feels that.”
Gabe clenched the armrest of the chair so hard, his knuckles turned white. “No other woman affects me like you do.”
I didn’t want to have this discussion.
“You can’t run away from this forever, Chloe,” Gabe said as I made a break for the door. “You’re going to have to face it sometime.”
Maybe, but not today.
* * *
Racing down the backstairs, I hit the landing for the kitchen and practically ran over Beth. Oh, great.
“Watch where you’re going!” she growled then she noticed who she had just collided with. Her face darkened.
“Chloe, what excellent timing. I was just thinking about you.”
Yeah, right. Thinking about all of the ways to murder me in my sleep maybe.
“We need to have a little talk.” She motioned for me to follow her. I had absolutely no desire to be alone with this woman, much less talk to her, but I felt like I didn’t have a choice in the matter.
She led me into the pantry and shut the door. “We shouldn’t be bothered in here since most everyone is gone for the day, and Emily won’t come to fix lunch for the rest of us for a couple of hours at least.”
Oh lord, please don’t let me be stuck in this room with her for that long.
“Now I know it’s perfectly normal for new cubs to be entranced with our Alpha. After all, he exudes power and comfort, and he’s always there to help them through the change. However, you need to understand right from the beginning that any attention he pays to you is only because he feels responsible for you. He believes he needs to take care of you. Since he thinks you belong in our pack, then he will do what he can to make you feel welcome. Don’t mistake that for something it isn’t.”
I nodded. I doubted Gabe’s parting shot as I left the library had anything at all to do with welcoming the new cub, but I decided the smart thing to do right now would be to keep my mouth shut. No need in rattling blondeie’s cage.
“We aren’t officially a couple…yet. But everyone in the pack knows that Gabe and I belong together. It’s just a matter of time. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly.” Just what I needed. Like I didn’t have enough complications in my life already, now I had a pyscho bitch wolf watching my every move.
“Good. Make sure it stays that way.” Beth sauntered out of the pantry, satisfied she’d made her point. I wondered if Gabe knew of her proclamation that they belonged together. Something told me he didn’t feel the same way that she did. What he’d said to me in the library was a big clue.
Chapter Sixteen
After the run ins with Gabe and Beth, I decided it was time to get out of Dodge for a bit. Luckily, I caught Emily as she was getting ready to make a run into town for groceries, and I hitched a ride after assuring her that I just wanted to get my car and some of my clothes before returning to the compound. She reminded me that I needed to be back well before nightfall so as not to get caught by the change. She also warned me that Gabe would likely come looking for me if I didn’t show up.
After I promised her that I would come back well before nightfall, she dropped me off at my apartment. I had a moment of panic when I realized I didn’t have my keys, but the door was unlocked. Now, that was odd. I could’ve sworn the sound I’d heard like thunder the night before had been Gabe breaking down my door. I stepped back and took a closer look.
Upon further inspection, I noticed both the door and the frame looked like it had been freshly painted. I’d have to ask Gabe about that the next time I saw him. I entered my apartment and headed to my room to pack up a few sets of clothes. Because of the direction the conversation Gabe and I had earlier had headed, I hadn’t had a chance to ask him how many nights the change might force itself on me before I was in the clear for a bit. As much as I hated the idea of what had been done to me, I didn’t want to chance hurting anyone. I’d go back to the compound as promised.
I hung around the house for a while, spending a lot of time in Susie’s room. Her parents had cleaned out and taken most of her stuff, but they couldn’t take the memories. I lay down on her bed. Tears slid down my cheeks. Oh, Susie. I wish you were here. I need you right now. My life is so messed up. I stayed in her room until late afternoon. I didn’t even eat lunch. Surprisingly, I wasn’t very hungry.
I shuffled out of her room and went to my own. After I packed my bag with the items I thought I might need, I grabbed my keys and headed out to Susie’s car. The sadness I felt at her loss once again threatened to overwhelm me. I knew I still had a couple of hours before sunset, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything to make a pit stop at Royal Lush. I needed a beer…or three.
I was on my fourth beer and wondering why I still wasn’t feeling a buzz when I felt a weird tremor of awareness shoot through me. The scent of peppermint wafted through the air to my nose. My heartbeat sped up, thumping against my ribcage. It’s him. I didn’t look around. I didn’t want him to know I had noticed him. I cursed my habit of never getting close to anyone because it meant I didn’t know how to contact anyone in the pack, not even Gabe, to let him know my attacker and Susie’s killer was once again in the bar.
Deciding my best course of action was to high-tail it back to the compound, I threw enough money down on the counter to pay my tab and attempted to walk out of the bar like nothing was bothering me. Just as I reached the door of my car, I felt my skin prickle again. Hurriedly, I stabbed the key in the lock and twisted it and then yanked on the handle and jumped in
to the car, slamming the door shut. Shoving the key into the ignition, I started the car and backed out of the space. In my review mirror, I saw Mitch standing in the door of the bar, watching me.
I sped down the road toward the compound, tears leaking from my eyes as fear caused my heart to thud in my chest. All of the way to the compound, I kept checking my mirror, looking for anyone following me, but I saw no one. By the time I’d made it back, my heart had slowed to its normal beat, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I pulled up close to the big house.
Gabe waited for me on the front porch. “Cutting it kind of close, aren’t you?”
Glancing at the sky, I shook my head. “I still have time to spare, but that’s not what’s important right now.”
“Putting yourself and others in danger isn’t important?” A dark look passed over his face, but before he could say anything else, I interrupted him.
“Gabe! He was at the bar!”
Immediately, Gabe straightened, and a feral look sprang into his eyes. “Did he approach you?”
“No, I didn’t give him a chance. The minute I realized he was there, I left, but I saw him watching me when I pulled out of the parking lot.”
“Go to the building you were in last night. Doc is waiting for you. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Fated Mates: The Alpha Shifter Boxed Set (12 Book Bundle) (Insatiable Reads) Page 118