by M. A. Church
“Good.” Mark fiddled with his seat belt. “Maybe my first public appearance won’t be a complete disaster.”
“Hey. Stop worrying. These are good people.”
“Right. Sorry, I can’t seem to help being nervous.”
“I get it. I do. And I guess the best thing is just to hurry up, get in there, and get it over with. But I’ll be with you every step of the way. Just a heads-up, though. Outside of me and Zane, these will be the first werewolves you’ve been around since your transformation, so don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel the need to take a couple of deep breaths. It’s just your wolf scenting. It’s normal, but try not to be too obvious about it.”
“Good grief. Again, please don’t let me start trying to sniff butts.”
“You’re obsessed with sniffing butts.”
Mark cackled. Oh, the things he could say in connection with that.
“Come on, let’s go feed you.”
Hunter held the door for Mark. Upon entering, he immediately felt welcomed by the intimate, casual atmosphere. There was a dining area, along with a full-service bar. There was a lot of wood everywhere too, which made sense. It was called Sissy’s Log Cabin Restaurant.
After they were seated, Hunter handed Mark a menu. Mark goggled at all the selections.
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“Please do, because good grief, it all looks good, and I have no idea what to get.”
“I get the Day Special breakfast. It’s, ah, geared for us. It’s six eggs cooked however you want, hash browns, six pieces of bacon or sausage, four pieces of toast, and four waffles. I get the eggs scrambled, the sausages, and ask for the hash browns to be covered with cheese and little pieces of ham. The toast comes buttered, and you pick what kind of syrup you want for your waffles.”
“Jesus Christ.” Mark licked his lips, and Hunter’s eyes darkened. “All that?”
“I promise you’ll eat every bite.”
“Well, I certainly hope so! Good morning, Hunter!”
Mark jerked, completely unaware that someone was behind him. A woman who looked like she couldn’t be older than thirty-five placed two large mugs of coffee in front of them.
“Good morning.” Hunter grinned. “Mark? This is Sissy. She owns the place. Her husband manages the business end of things. Sissy, this is Mark, my husband.”
Wait, what? Husband?
Sissy held out her hand, smiling at Mark. “I am so pleased to—” Her smile slipped ever so slightly, her eyes widened, and her breath caught. She looked at Hunter.
“Yes,” Hunter said.
“Oh my.” Sissy’s smile came blazing back, but she no longer looked Hunter in the eye after that brief moment. “I am so very happy to meet you, Mark. Welcome!” Sissy still held her hand out, but she tilted her head slightly, baring her throat.
Completely confused, Mark took her hand but looked at Hunter. He’d warned him about the eye thing, but not about the head thing, dammit. “Nod your head to show acceptance of her gesture,” Hunter whispered.
If it hadn’t been for his enhanced hearing, Mark wouldn’t have heard Hunter. He did what Hunter said. The scent of pack floated around her, and it comforted him. “Thank you very much. I have to say I’m in love with your cooking. The chicken soup you sent while I, ah… when I first got here was absolutely wonderful. I really appreciate that you thought of me.” Mark squeezed her hand gently and let go.
Sissy relaxed. “Oh, hon, I’m glad you liked it. I hope it helped. Now, what can I get you two?”
Hunter rattled off what he wanted, and Mark got the same. After she left, Mark pinned Hunter with a glance. “What was that?”
“Acceptance. That’s what that was. I’ll explain more once we’re in the truck.”
Figuring that would have to do for now, Mark let the subject go. It must have been a werewolf thing. But he really wanted to ask about the husband deal. As they sipped their coffee, more people stopped by the table to meet Mark.
Every last one of them reacted in surprise like Sissy had, and not a one of them maintained eye contact with him. They all tilted their heads too. Mark’s sense of smell told him they were pack members, so it had to be a werewolf thing.
A human or two were in the restaurant, but they didn’t come over. They also didn’t smell like pack, either, and it made his wolf uncomfortable. It took Mark a second to figure out what the problem was—there were strangers in their territory. Wasn’t that a trip? He had territory. Hunter didn’t seem overly concerned, so Mark didn’t worry about it. Maybe they were just humans passing through.
While they waited, Hunter filled him in a little bit more about Dayville and the ski resort. They discussed movies they liked, activities they enjoyed, and… well, just things people who were getting to know each other talked about. Mark was happy to see they liked a lot of the same things.
“Oh, by the way, after we finish shopping, I need to swing by one of the home stores and order a new mattress and rails.”
Mark’s face heated. “Sorry about that.”
“Totally not your fault. But that guest bed sucks.”
“Yeah it does.”
“Here you two go!” Sissy carried several plates, and a huge man followed behind her with more. After everything was on the table, Sissy leaned against the giant, grinning. “Hope you like it, Mark.”
“It smells delicious.” Was he drooling? If he wasn’t, he should be, because it smelled that damn good.
“Mark, this is Sissy’s husband, Hank. Hank, this is Mark.”
“I’m very honored to meet you,” Hank said. “Welcome.”
“Thank you very much.” Once more Mark noticed the lack of eye contact and the slight tilting of the neck. And the word husband again. He sniffed discreetly. Sissy and Hank smelled like each other.
He didn’t exactly know what that meant, but his wolf was telling him they were a mated pair—he just didn’t know if it was a pair-bonding or fated mate deal.
They were left alone while they ate, and once they were finished, Hunter paid. They waved goodbye and got into Hunter’s truck.
“Can you explain what’s with the head tilting? And why did you call me your husband?” Mark asked as they left the restaurant.
“Remember me telling you a less dominant wolf couldn’t maintain eye contact with an Alpha? Well, you’re an Alpha. The tilting of the head is showing their submission to you, as their Alpha. You’ll only see that with pack members. Other werewolves won’t do that. Did you notice when they tilted their head it exposed their throat?”
“Yes.”
“Baring the throat is a lot like an animal showing their belly. They’re exposing vulnerable areas. It’s where a wolf would attack to hurt his opponent. So by doing that, it’s a sign of trust, respect, and acceptance.”
“Wow. I don’t think I could do that. The idea doesn’t sit well with me.” Mark’s wolf snarled in his head. “Or my wolf, for that matter.”
“Of course not. In the hierarchy, we’re the top. That means we’re the most powerful. It also comes with a boatload of responsibility. A pack is a reflection of its Alpha, and not all Alphas are good.”
“What do you mean?”
“Alphas are supposed to be the heart of a pack. Take ours for example. Zane and I make sure our members have jobs they like, have a home, transportation, and food on the table. We do our dead level best to make sure their needs are met and that they’re happy.”
“I see.”
“What we don’t have are homeless or out of work members. Or members who are old and alone. We take care of our people. Seriously, if a member needed the shirt off my back, I would happily give it to them. Zane and I don’t sit around living in style while our people starve.”
“Sounds like utopia.”
“Hardly. We have our fair share of bickering, jealousies, and so on. But Zane and I try to resolve such issues in a way that makes both parties happy. And if we can’t, we help them find a new pack if that’s what
they want.”
Mark had only been a werewolf for four days, so he had no idea if Hunter was telling the truth or not, but his gut said Hunter was. “And the husband thing?”
Hunter shrugged. “Everybody who works there is aware of what we are. But there were two unknown humans in the restaurant, so we said husband instead of mate. No point drawing unnecessary attention to us.”
“So pretty much the same thing.”
“Well, a fated mate is forever, so no, that’s not like a marriage. Now, a pair-bonding is more like marriage, but still, very few pair-bonded couples separate.”
Mark mulled over Hunter’s words as they shopped for clothes. Again, they met several pack members who were shocked when first meeting him. He really needed to ask Hunter what that was about. The lack of eye contact was still a thing, as was the head tilting.
Mark ended up with three pairs of jeans, some shorts, and several shirts. He also needed to ask Hunter when he was going to get his personal things. And that, of course, reminded him about his parents and Michael. He needed to know what was going on with that and when he could contact his brother.
When they were finally finished, they ate a quick lunch and tackled the next thing on the list, which was food. It was more of the same. Hunter introduced him to people, and those who were pack reacted stunned at first.
Then came the head tilting. But they all seemed happy to meet him, even if they did shoot Hunter confused looks. Hell, he could relate. He looked at Hunter in confusion a lot too.
Once they finished grocery shopping, they returned to Hunter’s home and put the things up. He thought about changing, but the new clothes hadn’t been washed, and frankly, he liked wearing Hunter’s stuff. Hunter did go ahead and put the new clothes in the washer, though. All they’d have to do when they got home would be to throw them in the dryer.
As they left, Mark saw an old clock above the fireplace. He was kinda shocked at how fast the day had gone. Hunter made a quick phone call, and they set out toward Brax’s home.
When they arrived, Hunter parked his vehicle, but before they got out, he laid his hand on Hunter’s thigh. “Brax is the first werewolf you are meeting who holds a position of power. Sissy and Hank are regular pack members, as were the others you met while shopping, but Brax is a Beta. He’s powerful. He will submit to you, but don’t be surprised if your wolf feels a little threatened at first.”
“What the hell does that mean? Am I going to, like, want to attack him?” Mark demanded. “That’ll make a hell of an impression. Wait. Wait! Am I going to want to sniff his butt?”
“No, but you may feel the need to growl a little to show him who’s boss.”
“The fuck? Maybe I should wait in the truck.”
“Nope. This needs to be done because he’s not the only Beta around. Plus, there’s my brother, too, who you still need to officially meet.”
“Am I gonna want to sniff his butt?”
Hunter smirked at Mark before getting out.
“Hey, I was kidding about all the butt sniffing. Hunter? Wait!” Mark bailed out of his side of the truck. “Smirking’s not a damn answer!”
Well, shit.
Chapter Fourteen – Hunter
IT WAS all Hunter could do not to laugh. Mark had some really weird ideas. Still snickering, he knocked on Brax’s door, and two things happened simultaneously: Brax opened the door and Mark flicked Hunter’s ear.
“Hey!” Wide-eyed, Hunter scowled over his shoulder at Mark as he rubbed the affronted body part. “What the hell?”
Mark crossed his arms over his chest. “Let me repeat—smirking is not an answer.”
Brax’s surprised laugh echoed around them. “Jeez, give a guy some warning next time so I can have my cell ready. What a picture that would’ve made.”
Hunter turned his indignant glare onto Brax. “You’re not helping.”
Mark stiffened, and Hunter heard a low grumble start. That didn’t take long.
Brax hooted. “Was I supposed to?” Stepping out of the doorway, he motioned for them to enter. “Please, come on in.”
As soon as Hunter and Mark were through the door, he shut it. “Alpha.” Brax nodded to Hunter. Then he faced Mark. “And Alpha-mate. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alpha Mark.” Brax tilted his head, showing his throat.
Mark’s growling faded, and a confused look flashed across his face. “I, ah. Okay.” Reaching up, Mark rubbed the nape of his neck. “You weren’t kidding about the growling thing, huh, Hunter.” A hint of color tinted his cheeks. “And… Alpha-mate?”
“It’s a title for the mates of Alphas,” Hunter said, moving closer to Mark. He rested his hand on Mark’s shoulder, squeezing gently.
“Which is true. The title is a form of respect. But honestly? You’re an Alpha-mate and an Alpha. I didn’t know what else to call you, and with this being our first meeting, the last thing I wanted to do was trigger your wolf into showing his dominance. Well, more than he already was.”
Mark cringed. “I can’t believe I came into your home and did that. Jesus. I’m—”
“Don’t! Don’t apologize,” Brax hurried on. “It’s perfectly normal. You’re very powerful, Mark. I know that, and so does my wolf. You’re also my Alpha since you’re mated to Hunter, and I’m his first Beta, so again, what you did was expected. It’s okay.”
“Still.” Mark stuck out his hand. “I have no idea how to respond to all that, and this may be a human gesture—but I’m feeling kinda awkward, so—nice to meet you.”
Grinning, Brax shook Mark’s hand. “It’s good to meet you also. And maybe I can help with the awkwardness. What’s your wolf telling you now that you’ve met me?”
Mark glanced at Hunter, who nodded.
“Well, I kinda want to sniff your throat, and that doesn’t help with the awkwardness,” Mark said, letting go of Brax’s hand. “At all.”
“But it’s perfectly normal for werewolves.” Hunter nudged Mark forward.
Mark tossed a look over his shoulder at Hunter as he stepped closer to Brax. “And you’re okay with me being that close to another man?”
“Brax is no threat to me.”
“Alpha Hunter has already threatened to rip my throat out over you. We’re good.”
“I don’t even want to know.” Mark edged a little closer to Brax. Cleared his throat. Sighed heavily. Finally, he leaned over and sniffed Brax.
Hunter’s wolf watched proudly as Mark greeted his first wolf who was part of the hierarchy.
“You smell like pack, and this is nuts, but you smell like mine. And I don’t mean like mine like Hunter is mine, but… Lord. I know what I mean but have no idea how to explain it.” Mark stepped back and once again rubbed the back of his neck in obvious discomfort.
That nervous habit was one Mark would hopefully break on his own, or Hunter would be talking to Mark about it. The very last thing an Alpha could afford was to look anxious.
“Remember me telling you that Zane and I co-Alpha this pack, but we each have, like, territories within territories? That the village is under me, and the lodge is under Zane? Well, Zane has his Betas, and I have mine. We’re all pack, but Brax works with me, so he’s mine. And now he’s yours.”
“That’s actually a great way to describe it.” Mark blew out a deep breath. “Man, this is confusing.”
“I can only imagine.” Brax frowned. “Actually, no, I can’t. As far as I know, there’s never been a bitten human who was an Alpha after the transformation.”
“Hunter mentioned that,” Mark said. “Lucky me, I guess.”
“Well, greater minds than mine will have to figure that one out.” Brax waved toward the interior of his house. “So why don’t we go to my office, and I can tell you what I’ve found on your parents’ murders.” Brax led them to his office, which had a small conference table.
Hunter sat down, and Mark sort of collapsed in the chair next to him.
“Hunter said you remembered the name Alpha Bennett.” Brax took a seat
. “I’ve searched the database and—”
“Hold up. Database?” Mark asked. “There’s a database?”
“Oh, sorry. Yes, there’s a listing of all the packs world-wide, but I’m only searching in the US. Each pack usually has a wolf who runs background checks, gathers data, and so on before admittance is okayed.”
“Brax and another wolf are in charge of that for us,” Hunter added.
“The High Council actually keeps a list of all paranormals and their packs—or whatever each paranormal calls their groups. I accessed that. I need you to keep in mind there are a lot of werewolf packs. Some are big, some are small. Some work very closely with the Council, and some avoid them like the plague.”
Mark slumped in his chair. “Shit. You don’t have anything, do you?”
“Actually, I have exactly the opposite problem. I have too much. You see, Bennett is fairly common, plus I have no way of knowing if that was a first or a last name. So I’ve pulled packs that have any type of connection to Bennett. Unfortunately, that means I have roughly seventy packs to comb through.”
“There’s no way in hell you’ll be able to narrow that down.”
“Yes, we will because we have that partial profile of the guy who robbed us,” Hunter said. “Then there’s the fact you saw them, Mark.”
“Not sure how much that’s worth.” Mark stared off into space for a moment. “I mean, my mom and dad had just been shot in front of me. I was freaking out.”
“But you remembered the name Bennett. I bet you’ll remember more.”
“I don’t know.” Mark blinked, his gaze turning to Hunter. “It was dark, I was scared, and it all happened so damn fast.”
“Did you get a good look at him?”
“I guess? They didn’t have masks covering their faces—and I remember thinking that wasn’t a good sign. They were muscular white men with long brown hair. Pretty nondescript.”
Brax hummed. “But that does fit the image we got off the security cameras.”
“Sorry I can’t give you more than that. The thing is, if I’d seen Hunter, I would’ve paid attention to him.” Mark squeezed Hunter’s hand. “You’re striking. They were just average. Or so I thought, until one of them flashed his damn yellow eyes at me.”
