“Not a problem, sweetheart.” He moved his hand up to touch my hair. “I’ve needed you. It’s clawed at me from inside wanting to get out and demanding for me to claim you. Will you promise me something?” His chest was warm against my own. I was snuggly trapped between him and the warm bed.
“Maybe….”
“Don’t ever be afraid of me. I don’t want to see fear in your eyes when you look at me. I can be a better man, Rosie. I can’t stop being wild and raising hell, but I can be a better man.”
I cupped his stubbly jaw in my palm. “I’m going to hold you to your promise.”
“As long as you’re holding me.”
Once everyone had done their last-minute packing, our procession of motorcycles, trucks, cars, and vans waited for a few minutes to be sure we had everyone. Then, we were underway, leaving the ruined town behind. I felt badly for those who were crying, but they knew the possibility of future night hunter attacks made staying too dangerous, especially since the pack on which they had depended for protection was leaving. It didn’t make sense to stay. An even larger part of me was eager to return home and leave our dealings with witches and night hunters behind us.
Chapter Thirteen
A few days later, my wish had come true. Colby, Hunting Wolf, and I were settled back at home where Puck and Macduff were lathing us in exuberant affection. Sam, along with other prominent members of Silver Springs, was in town helping our newest citizens get acclimated. Currently, I was busy in my kitchen where I was carefully crating eggs to donate. In our absence, my chickens had been laying more than my Wendigo brothers could eat which was impressive for six chickens. Duke’s Bar and Grill and Camilla’s Steak House were donating three meals a day for a couple of weeks to help out, but to do so they needed the surplus of anyone willing to contribute.
Caroline Reeves and several other women in town were putting their baking skills to good use. They were taking yummy treats to the restaurants by way of helping. Not being as masterful as Caroline in the kitchen, I’d spent the day before helping Duke bake one sweet potato pie after another, but I’d gotten his recipe out of it along with my fill of the guacamole he’d promised me. The cooking lessons he’d given me while we were at it had been an additional bonus.
I’d finished packing up my eggs just in time. Someone was honking out front. With my arms full, I used my foot to open the screen door. Puck and Macduff wagged their tails and stayed put, making no attempt to run outside, trip me, or cause me to drop the eggs. I was glad our talk about their behavior and the bones I’d given them to keep them still had worked. Mrs. Duffy smiled and motioned for me to put them in her trunk. I found a space to put the eggs amongst the bottles of milk and crates of carrots and parsnips. Once I’d closed it and returned to the porch, she waved and drove away.
Smiling because I was home, I let the screen door bang shut behind me. “Well, boys, what do you say to making our home look more festive?”
“Bark! Bark!” Puck was all for it.
Macduff was busy gnawing and slobbering all over his bone.
After sweeping up stray pine needles and adding water to the base of the tree, I started pulling ornaments from the box and hanging them from the branches. The guys had promised to help me with the tree topper but hadn’t been particularly intrigued with the idea of helping to decorate it. Puck wanted to help me. He sniffed the red and green glass balls and sneezed when some of their glitter got stuck on the end of his nose.
I added another log to the fire, made myself some coffee, and sat on the couch for a while enjoying our decorated tree. Then, I decided to delve into our laundry and get caught up with my other chores. When I walked into my bathroom, I discovered quite a bit more laundry in the hamper than I had expected. I didn’t even recognize a few of the shirts and wondered if they were Avonaco’s, but after pet sitting and holding down the fort while we were gone, the least I could do was his laundry.
Avonaco had gone to town with the others. Setting folks up in a neighborhood a few miles from town was a concerted effort. Each household needed electricity, water, and help unloading. Hence, Colby and Holden had taken their packs to town. It was a big change, but with two packs of werewolves, a tribe of bear shifters, and a family of Wendigo nearby, our newest townspeople felt the hassles of moving had been worth it. Also, it didn’t hurt that the people of Silver Springs were being so welcoming.
“You look even more beautiful than usual.” Hunting Wolf stood in the hall where he watched me with a smile on his face.
Beaming a huge smile at him, I said, “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“How could you over them?”
Having finished their bones, Macduff and Puck were growling while playing tug with a length of knotted rope. Puck tucked his tail between his legs when his butt hit one of the ornaments.
“Can you take a break?”
“Sure, what do you need?” I added the towel I had just folded to the stack.
An hour later…
“I don’t mind helping you with things like this at all.” I was breathless, naked, and on my back underneath his muscular body.
“Do it for me again.” His voice had a deep, husky quality to it.
I drew my Wendigo forth, and he went wild with desire, becoming hard all over again. Between thrusts, I asked, “What is it about me like this that turns you on? I don’t even have antlers.”
“I never have to fear touching you. I can’t hurt you. I can’t hurt you, Rozene.” His lips crashed down against my own, and I surrendered to bliss.
Early the next morning, Hunting Wolf and Avonaco dropped me off at the library before heading over to the Sheriff’s Office. Mrs. Delaney kept me busy the entire time I was there. I had days of book shelving on which to catch up. Since most of the library’s usual patrons were busy baking for the restaurants, it was quieter than usual. With fewer distractions, I got more accomplished than I had hoped.
I was walking to my second job at the Sheriff’s Office when my attention was caught by a previously empty store. The door was open, allowing the cold breeze to enter, and people were working inside, but I couldn’t see who through the storefront’s grimy window. I’d never paid much attention to the rows of empty old stores along the town’s sidewalks. They’d been built long ago with no space between them and shared long awnings which kept the elements away from potential customers and window shoppers. Being curious and a little nosy, I peeked inside.
“Afternoon, ma’am,” Moses said.
I stepped over the threshold and looked around. “Hey, what’s going on?” Some guys were sawing wood while others hammered away.
“Since we’re staying and turning honest, Tim and I are opening up a CB radio business.”
“What a great idea! Where are you going to get them?”
“We’re gonna make ‘em ourselves from salvage. A few of the guys went on a parts run for us out of town. You’d be amazed at what can be made from old television sets. We’ve travelled through many abandoned places where folks didn’t bother with such stuff. It’s not like they’re good for anything else anyway.”
Tim said, “We left a newly abandoned town a few days ago. Might as well put junk to good use.”
“Let me know when you’re open. I’m going to be one of your first customers. I want one for my own house.” I started to say it would come in handy if werewolves were to attack but caught myself in time. “Bye!”
I left and returned to my original path but not before noticing more new activity. Across from the car lot and a little down the road, I noticed a painted sign going up for “Motorcycles and More.” Smiling at the town’s business boom, I made my way to the office.
“Hello? Anyone here?” I removed my jacket placing it on the back of my chair and put my purse in my bottom desk drawer.
No one answered. Neither the Sheriff nor his deputies had left me a note, so I assumed they were somewhere nearby. I started a pot of coffee, got myself settled, and pulled out my current sewing
project. I was making each of us Christmas stockings to hang from the mantel. Through the window, I saw Sam drive by. He had already procured for himself a new truck. It was nicer than his last one. I decided to revisit the topic of going in on a vehicle to share with Hunting Wolf. I returned my attention to my stitches. Christmas stockings were much more fun to make than curtains, and the felt was easy to work with. After putting the finishing touches on the snowman decorating the front, I got out the piece of white tissue paper onto which I had written, “Hunting Wolf,” in my best penmanship. I pinned it to the top and threaded a needle with white embroidery floss. Then, I used a backstitch to go over what I had written. As neatly as I could, I made my tiny stitches. I was carefully removing the tissue paper when he and the others returned to the station.
“Is that for me?” Hunting Wolf rested his chin on my shoulder and looked at what I had done.
I kissed his cheek. “Yes, do you like it so far?”
“Very much.”
“Hey, what do you say to visiting the car lot with me? If we go in on one together, we can get something nice.”
“No.” He moved to sit on a chair and out of reach.
“No? Why not?”
“It’s a secret,” Mato said.
Hunting Wolf scowled at him, and I got excited.
“Oh, alright. I’ll just keep saving. I can wait a little longer.” I kept my tone and expression neutral, but inside I was squealing with excitement. They were getting me a car for Christmas. I just knew it. What other explanation could there be?
The door opened and Baxter from the fire station next door poked his head inside. “The damn wolves are at each other’s throats. You’d better come.”
Everyone left in a rush. By the time I had made it outside, everyone had vanished. I scanned for them until my new and improved hearing picked up on the disturbance. Hurrying along the sidewalk, I turned a corner and saw around twenty of them engaged in a brutal fight. They were in the road tearing into each other but remained in their human forms and fully clothed, thank goodness. People watched from behind windows, terrified the wolves would go on killing sprees. I knew because the same fear gripped me. A guy punched another guy, and while I watched, several of the man’s teeth flew in a spray of bloody spit to the cement. I took a step back. The fight had escalated and seemed to be creeping closer, like a spreading puddle.
Silver Star strode toward with me. His face had an expression. It clearly said, “You will not argue.” He took my arm, turned me around, and started walking me back to the station. “Stay inside. Let us handle this.” His firm tone wasn’t one I’d heard before and shocked me into compliance.
The minutes ticked by while I paced in front of the windows. I couldn’t see what was happening, but I saw when Moses, Tim, and their buddies left their shop. I was being eaten alive by curiosity and was preparing to return to the scene when angry voices started to get closer. Hurrying back to my desk, I sat on my chair and tried to look like a disinterested professional. Avonaco pushed open the door with one hand and hauled in a pissed off werewolf with the other. Mato followed them inside with another one. I recognized him. It was Kasey. Both of the men were locked inside of cells opposite each other.
“This pathetic little cage can’t keep me! This is a fucking joke!” He slammed his hands against the bars and made them rattle.
“We have already spoken about your language. The cell is symbolic. If you plan to live in Silver Springs, act like a gentleman. Otherwise, you’ll be treated like an animal.” Avonaco had his hands on his hips. Even I could tell he was pissed.
Getting up, I crept closer. The one who was stupidly arguing with Avonaco was Austin. He picked up his cot as if to hurl it against the bars. “No! Put that down! I just washed those sheets and blankets and cleaned these cells last week. No one has even been in there since then.”
Austin froze. It was like one of the Chenoo had gotten him. “Mrs. Rozene, my apologies. I didn’t realize you were here.” He put the bed back down where it was supposed to be.
I frowned at the blankets where my neatly tucked corners had come undone. Realizing what I was looking at, he fixed it. Austin and Kasey were both bloody messes even though their injuries had healed. “Having spent time in there myself, I decided to tidy up the cells a little. The two of you should get cleaned up. Soap, washcloths, and hand towels are on your sinks. And another thing, don’t be rude to my family!” Turning my back on them, I returned to my desk.
The squeaks of faucets and sound of running water made it clear that the two of them had decided to stop being assholes for the moment.
Avonaco walked over to my desk and leaned his thigh against it. “I should have just relaxed with my boots up on my desk and sent you out to break up the fight.” Then, he went to his desk, pulled out his ticket book, and started filling it out.
Several minutes later, Colby pulled up, parked, and waited out on the sidewalk with his hands on his sexy hips. I had an excellent view of his fine ass, wrapped in a snug pair of Levi’s. He looked absolutely yummy in them with his lined denim jacket and brown cowboy hat. I heard the motorcycle before I saw it. Holden pulled his bike into the space beside Colby’s truck. Then, the two of them proceeded to have a heated discussion before finally entering the station.
Hunting Wolf pulled a chair up beside me and watched the two alphas with the same red eyes as his brothers. It had to be unnerving to be the focus of the Wendigoag officers.
Holden gave me a nod of his head. The cold was still clinging to him. He turned his attention to Avonaco. “I heard there was a bit of a ruckus.”
“That’s an understatement. Be glad no civilians were injured and no property was damaged.” Avonaco made eye contact with both Holden and Colby before continuing. “I can’t have your boys behaving with such blatant disregard for public safety within the city limits.”
“May we speak to them and see if we can’t get this sorted out?” Colby asked. He had the good sense not to fuck with the Sheriff.
Avonaco led them back to the holding cells. The rest of us eavesdropped.
“Explain,” Holden ordered. “Well?” Annoyance sounding as though it would lead to yet another altercation laced his monosyllabic interrogation.
“Yes, Kasey, why don’t you clarify to me why, after I have allowed you to come home with us and be a part of our lives, you have been brawling in the streets in the close proximity of my wife?” Colby asked his question quietly, but it didn’t make his words any less threatening. I could feel or scent his anger. I wasn’t really sure how I knew. I just knew.
“All I did was walk over to his lot to see what was going on! He’s the one who went ape-shit.”
Defensively, Austin said, “He didn’t call out, warn me, or ask permission to come so close! He caught me off guard.”
Under my breath, I mumbled, “Are you fucking kidding me? He’s opening a motorcycle lot and got pissed off because he had a customer?”
“Language, Rozene,” Avonaco scolded.
Grumbling to myself, I took out my wallet, pulled out twenty-five dollars, and flounced over to the swear jar in the breakroom. I was the only one who ever had to put money in it. Avonaco had recently placed it there so as not to waste his precious tickets on me. I glared at Austin and Kasey. If they hadn’t gotten caught, I wouldn’t have gotten in trouble for commenting. The two huge men looked contrite, so I returned to my desk. After their fines were paid, they left, but Colby and Holden remained.
Holden said, “We need to discuss this. All three of us do.” He indicated Colby and me.
Frustrated, I asked, “If this is going to be a prolonged family meeting, can we have it at Duke’s? I skipped lunch, and I’m starving.”
“Why did you go and do that?” Colby asked.
I shrugged. “I thought one of you would show up and go with me, but no. Everyone had more important things to do than spending any time with me. Four husbands, and I can’t get a lunch date.” Sighing dramatically, I shook my
head.
“Come along, Rozene. I will buy you a large steak so your hunger and disappointment in us will be banished.” Hunting Wolf held my coat for me to put on.
“You’ll need to buy it for me since I just put twenty-five dollars in the jar.”
“You could learn to use words other than profane ones,” Silver Star suggested.
I winked at him. “What would be the fun in that?”
Holden laughed and held open the door. Outside, the wolves had dispersed but lingered near doors to shops and watched their alphas with speculation. Ignoring them, we went to Duke’s where Growling Bear and Kohanu put tables together so the nine of us could sit together. Seeing me, a waitress I knew smiled. When she brought our water over, she placed a basket of tortilla chips and a large bowl of chili con queso in front of me.
Obviously hogging it, I asked, “Does anyone want some?”
Six pairs of red eyes looked at me like they feared losing their fingers should they try.
“So, what’s the problem?” Hunting Wolf asked.
Holden leaned back in his chair and tipped it, balancing it on its back legs. “Wolves are territorial. Two packs crossing paths usually fight, and it’s rare for a pack to accept an outsider, but we’re trying to get our packs to live in close proximity to each other. They’re gonna fight.”
“Not in my town, they aren’t,” Avonaco stated.
Wisely, Holden didn’t contradict the Wendigo, knowing he’d get his ass handed to him if he did.
“So, the huge brawl in the middle of the street was the result of Kasey simply checking out what Austin was doing? Seriously? There’s got to be something more to all of this.” I waited for additional information and got nothing.
Holden and Colby knew something, and they weren’t sharing. I wasn’t the only one who suspected a conspiracy. Hunting Wolf got their attention. “Tell us. All of us are bound together through Rozene. There should be no secrets between brothers.”
He never ceased to amaze me. His statement hadn’t been premeditated in any way to make himself come off as having more wisdom or compassion. He was handling a situation as he normally would. It was like seeing him for the first time. He was gorgeous, powerful, and I admired him even more than when we had walked inside of Duke’s a few minutes ago. I wasn’t in love with Holden. Hell, I was only beginning to like him. His bite had worn me down, and we all knew it. However, Hunting Wolf had decided to make an honest effort to accept him. Inadvertently, by doing so he was also accepting who I had become.
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