She slid down in her seat and let her head fall back. “Y’all waited for me to leave to plan this, didn’t you?”
“Absolutely. You were freaking him out with your lessons,” Ceri said, raising an eyebrow at her.
“There’s nothing wrong with learning evasive maneuvers,” she muttered.
“He should probably learn how to parallel park first, though.”
She sighed and rubbed her hand over her face. Sure, she was committed to being their alpha since the Trials, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t have days where she doubted herself all over again. It made the wolf moody.
“So, you’ve been a little…on edge the past week. You’re worried about seeing your family again, right?” Ceri asked hesitantly.
“My brothers are all mad at me, my mom hates me, and my dad, he just…ignores me. I don’t know why I’m even doing this.”
“It’s been a long time. It’s not crazy to think you might be able to repair those relationships. Maybe your mom has been scared to call after so long,” Ceri suggested.
She shrugged. “I just hope the rest of them have forgiven me.”
Ceri reached over and grabbed her shoulder as she drove. “There’s nothing to forgive. Your brother made his choice, and he died, tragically, because of that choice. All the arguments that you could have stopped him are crap.”
“I just want to stop being angry about it,” she said with a sigh.
“Let me know if you figure out how to,” Ceri said with a laugh, lightening the mood. They’d bumped into her mother a few days ago, and…it had not gone well, to say the least.
“You promise to call me if anything happens, right? Even if someone stubs a toe?” she asked, still feeling antsy.
“Absolutely not,” Ceri said firmly. “I will call you if something bad happens, or if something good happens. But I am not going to call you over something silly. Stop fretting. You’re going to drive yourself batty.”
She sighed. “Fine. I don’t like it, but you’re right.”
“Such sweet words from my dear alpha,” Ceri said with a laugh.
She stuck her tongue out at Ceri and crossed her arms. “No one shows me any respect around here.”
Ceri busted out laughing, and Amber couldn’t help but join her. It eased some of the ache in her chest.
The rental car agency had given her some elf-spelled electric, eco-friendly car. She wasn’t sure it would hold together long enough to make it down the gravel road that led to the house. Her brothers were going to have a field day mocking her car and asking if she was a hippie now. If they spoke to her at all.
She rolled down the windows and let the brisk air flow through the car, whipping her hair around her face. Now that she was a werewolf, she could smell so much more. Pine trees, cow manure, and a hint of exhaust from a truck that must have passed this way recently.
She’d missed Texas but less than she expected. It felt like home, but the country was prettier than she’d ever imagined. People were still polite in other states and still willing to lend a hand if you needed it. The weather was way better. Even now, her shirt was starting to stick to her skin from the humidity.
After a curve in the road, she saw the beat up old mailbox with HALE in black, boxy letters on the side. Her stomach did a weird flip that she did not appreciate. She took a deep breath and turned down the driveway. A couple of dogs ran around from the back of the house, barking to announce the intruder. She didn’t recognize them, which meant Rusty and Princess had passed while she was gone.
She parked next to her dad’s truck and climbed out. The dogs slid to a halt a few feet from her, tails drooping as they recognized the predator that now lived in her.
“Hey, guys, I’m friendly,” she said, trying to sound nice. The white dog yelped and ran for it. After a moment, the other dog followed suit.
Hoping that wasn’t setting the tone for the next reunion, she straightened and looked at the house she’d grown up in. Two story brick house with a wrap-a-round porch that had hosted many a summer barbecue. Her dad had cooked in an old metal barrel, cut in half lengthwise and converted into a charcoal grill.
She couldn’t see her room from there. The window had overlooked the backyard and the pond, where she and her brothers had spent most of their time playing. The sun was setting behind the house, casting the whole thing in a warm glow.
With a deep breath, she shook off the nostalgia and walked up to the porch. The wooden steps creaked under her feet, and the noise startled her so badly she almost bolted. She rubbed her hand down her face and tried to slow her heartbeat. Even during the Trials she hadn’t been this nervous. She wanted to throw up or run away. Maybe both.
With a shaking hand, she knocked twice on the old red door. She heard footsteps, a heartbeat drawing closer.
The door opened and Derek stood in the doorway. His eyes went wide.
“What the hell are you trying to do, air condition Texas? In or out!” her mother shouted from behind him.
He stepped back, opening the door wider. Her mom was sitting on the couch in her favorite pair of stained jean shorts. She must have been out in the garden earlier.
“Hey, mom.”
Her mother looked up, face going pale as her hands fell into her lap. Her mouth worked for a moment, no words coming out, then Derek dragged Amber inside. He wrapped her up in a hug and squeezed so tight she thought he might break a rib. She hung on tightly, trying to crush the disappointment she felt at her mother’s reaction. At least one person was happy to see her. That was enough. It had to be.
Even a thousand miles away, she felt the pack bond next to her heart. It beat strong and steady. Even if this went badly, she still had them. They might be misfits that didn’t fit in anywhere else, but they had chosen her, and she had chosen them.
She buried her face in her brother’s shoulder. “I missed you.”
“Missed you too, little sister.”
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The Foxey Betas
A big thank you to my ART (Advanced Reader Team). Their advice polished up the book and helped me to be more confident launching a new series.
Amber Searcy, Janice Day, Jen Plumstead, Luara Rogers, Natasha O’Brien, Stephanie Johnson, Tami Cowles, Thomas Ryan
To my proofreader Ranting Raven, you provided me with a clean draft to send to the ART team. Thanks for the hard work!
To Alida with Word Essential, thank you for your help with the outline. The story did need more tension and danger, and that bit of advice helped me take the book to the next level.
Lastly, I want to thank Sarah Burton at An Avid Reader Editing. Writing in third person, especially with multiple points of view, was new to me. Your advice made a huge difference in the finished product. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!
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More by Stephanie Foxe
The Witch’s Bite Series is a complete series that follows Olivia Carter –
We all have our secrets. Mine involves a felony record, illegal potions, and magi–well...the last one could get me killed.
I've been living in a small town working for the vampires for the last six months. All I want is to save up enough to open an apothecary, so I don't have to heal the neckers anymore.
Of course, nothing in my life can be that simple.
Two detectives show up at my door asking questions about a dead girl and trying to pin the murder on my employer. Next thing I know, I'm dodging fireballs in parking lots.
The police and the witches want me to roll over on the vampires. The only problem is, I'm almost certain they didn't kill the girl. Although, my best friend and favorite vampire has been missing and won't answer my calls.
Time is running out for me to save my paycheck... and do the right thing or whatever.
Stephanie Foxe also writes with her husband as Alex Steele. In The Chaos Mages Series you will meet Logan Blackwell and Lexi Swift as they solve crimes in a world full of magic and myths, much like in Misfit Pack.
Vampires don’t rob banks. Werewolves don’t bust into jewelry stores. And Detective Logan Blackwell doesn’t work with a partner.
Too bad all three of those things happened in one day. Supernaturals are getting possessed, wreaking havoc, then turning up dead. Blackwell has been tasked with finding out who is responsible and stopping them before they kill again.
After a series of unfortunate incidents that include blowing up part of the Met, Blackwell’s boss is fed up. He sticks Blackwell with a partner who has issues that only complicate his life.
Assassination attempts threaten both their lives, but no one will tell him who is trying to kill Detective Lexi Swift, or why. He’s already lost one partner, and he’s not willing to see another die. It’s a good thing she’s tough and wields magic almost as chaotic as his.
Old enemies, new threats, and more destruction than his boss can handle are bad enough, but sometimes our inner demons are the most dangerous. When they find the person responsible, Blackwell will face a fight he never expected, and one he may not win.
But most importantly, will the pink ever get out of his hair? He should never have taken that bet...
www.StephanieFoxe.com
www.AlexSteele.net
Misfit Pack (The Misfit Series) Page 22