Falling Hearts
Maggie Garrity
Prologue
The car suddenly jolted, and I let out an involuntary shriek as I tried to gain control. The tires just didn’t seem to want to get any traction on the ice-covered road. The steering wheel jerked out of my hands and the car started spinning wildly. It felt like time slowed down as I watched the wall of trees growing closer with every revolution. I screamed his name as I realized I would not stop until I hit those trees.
With a massive crunching sound, the car slammed into a tree on my side and seemed to fold in on itself. I was lurched into the door and pain swept through my left side causing me to cry out again. My movement stopped when my head smacked against the door frame.
I couldn’t breathe. I tried forcing air into my lungs, but it felt like my chest was caving in. Each breath I managed was agony. I felt hot liquid coursing down the left side of my face while the rest of my body felt ice cold. I thought the car was shaking, but then I realized I was shivering violently. Dizziness swept through me and my head dropped forward, so I didn’t have to watch the unmoving world continue spinning.
Grayness started creeping into my vision. My breathing kicked up as I started panicking. Where is he? I thought deliriously. I could hear howling in the distance, or is that the wind? I didn’t even get to tell him…I thought as my world went black.
Chapter One
Zee
The air in the bar was permanently saturated with the smell of cigarette smoke and spilled beer. As it filled with customers the smells of sweating bodies and greasy food would join the mix to create a pungent cocktail. The air could become so stifling at times that I would duck out the back door and stand in the alley breathing in the cool air that blew in off the lake. It was a Saturday though, so my moments of fresh air were limited to the brief gusts from customers coming and going. It wasn't much, but beggars can't be choosers on busy nights.
“Hey Zee, can I get a beer?” one of the local warehouse workers, Nick, hollered as I passed his table.
“Sure thing,” I replied as I swatted away one of his grabbier co-worker's hands. I leaned over the bar to grab a bottle for him and got smacked on the head with a bar towel.
“You're gonna crack your head one of these days, Zipporah,” Lynn scolded as she tossed the towel down in favor of a bottle of tequila and a shot glass for a guy at the bar. Leaving her mothering mode, she flirtatiously winked at the guy as she pushed his shot towards him.
“Zee,” I corrected her as I turned away. Chuckles rang out from regulars who knew of my constant fight to get Lynn to call me by my preferred name. Zipporah was just too much for any person. My mother had loved the name so there I was stuck with a moniker like Zipporah Rose Lanston. I would have gone by Rose, but it really didn't go well with my looks or my attitude. So, I adamantly insisted everyone call me Zee from as early an age as I could override my mother.
I sat the beer in front of Nick and smiled appreciatively at the three-dollar tip he handed me. Paydays at the warehouse meant good tip nights for at least two nights after. From the massive grin on my fellow waitress, Jackie's, face she was raking it in, too. Before I could thank him a gust of wind whipped past me and ruffled the hair that stubbornly refused to stay in my ponytail. I glanced at the door in surprise. The bar was packed with all our regulars, and it was late for the tourists to be stopping by out of curiosity.
The first thing I noticed about the new customer was that he had an amazingly muscular chest. His solid black shirt was stretched tight across his pecs. Every single line was defined up to his shoulders and down his strong arms. I had no doubt his stomach would be equally defined beneath his clothing. Even with all the muscles he still looked lithe, like a runner more than a body builder.
With his head turned away I had noticed all of this in seconds. I also noticed the disheveled state of his clothes. Dirt covered his dark blue jeans, and there was a tear in his shirt. Tan skin flashed as he moved. He turned back toward the room with a grin on his face. He looked like he was mid-laugh as he strode purposefully towards an empty table in the back of the bar and sat down.
I unthinkingly followed him. The closer I got the harder it was to look away from his incredibly attractive face. He had a strong jaw line covered in black stubble. It gave him a slightly rugged appearance that was thrown off by the dimple in his chin. His cheekbones were high and prominent. He had a high forehead and hair so black it almost looked blue.
His eyes were captivating. They were an unusual light brown color. As I stopped in front of his table, they shifted around the room. He seemed to be taking in everything. The local pictures on the wall, the dancing patrons, Lynn at the bar talking to a customer, Jackie flirting with some kid instead of getting anyone their drinks, and then his eyes landed on me.
I knew I was standing at his table staring. He looked dangerous in a way, and I wondered why anyone would be dumb enough to fight with him. His full lips stretched into a grin and I blushed as my heart started pounding. His grin got even bigger, the dimples in his cheeks deepening.
I was about to ask him if he’d like a drink when a second guy slid into the other chair at the table. He was a bit leaner but still well defined. Where the first guy looked fierce, this guy looked playful. His brown hair was styled a little wildly, in desperate need of a haircut. His eyes were brown, and equally as alert as his friend’s, but full of mischief as he took in the bar.
“Those guys are still out there talking shit about us cheating,” he chuckled and then glanced up at me. He grinned and winked at me, “Well hey, are you the prize for winning the fight? I gotta say, if you are, this is one accommodating bar.”
“Excuse me?” I glared at him, ignoring the playful glint in his eye, “I’m nobody’s prize.” I was ready to say a lot more about how immature he was, but his fierce looking friend chuckled, and I turned to glare at him instead.
He didn’t back down, just grinned adorably. I could feel my angry retort slipping away as I took in his all too attractive face. I hated myself for the arousal that surged through my body. Like a damned teenage boy, I thought to myself angrily. His nostrils flared and his smile slipped away to be replaced with a predatory look. I should have moved away from his obvious look of desire, but I couldn’t pull my eyes away from his. They were swirling amber and I leaned towards him without thinking.
“How ‘bout a couple beers,” the second guy said, and I jerked away from the table. I had been leaning halfway across it. I felt the heat in my cheeks again, and I was disgusted with myself. Two times my wayward hormones had caught me staring at this guy. I glanced at the joker of the two, but he was looking at his friend in surprise. I looked back at him, too, and noticed his eyes were definitely brown, not amber. I really had to get my imagination in check.
“Sure,” I replied hoping my emotions weren’t showing through in my voice, “Do you want the house beer?” I couldn’t help the small smile as the playful guy nodded. The house beer was cheap and popular, and it tasted like stale piss. Judging from their clothes, even covered in dust, they wouldn’t be used to stale piss.
I fled to the bar before I could embarrass myself any farther with these guys. When I looked back at them briefly, they were talking, or arguing more like it. I could practically feel the tension coming off them as they spoke. Suddenly the guy with black hair looked up. I tried to turn quickly, but from his cocky smile I knew he had caught me staring again. I focused on the bar in front of me and not turning back around to see if he was still looking at me.
“So, what do they want?” Lynn asked. I jumped, so busy concentrating that I didn’t realize she was standing at the bar right in
front of me. Her eyes flicked between the newcomers and me a few times, and then her face broke into a knowing smirk.
“Don’t give me that look,” I defended, “Two house beers.” Lynn grabbed mugs and with a chuckle started filling them. I expected she had made the same assessment as me, those guys would not be expecting our beer.
“Do you know them?” Lynn tried to assume an air of casual disinterest, but I knew better. Half the regulars were leaning towards us to catch the conversation. Jackie was standing expectantly with a tray full of drinks, watching me. I had definitely made a fool of myself at that table, and it hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Looking back over my shoulder at the guys’ table, I shook my head, “I don’t think they’re from Cadillac.” I glanced over at Jackie and found her eyeing the two strangers. “What about you Jackie?”
“I would remember meeting guys that hot,” Jackie licked her lips suggestively and I had to stifle a giggle at her provocative actions. “I wonder if they’ll be staying long…” her words trailed off and her eyes looked dreamy. I was positive the images running through Jackie’s head were porn worthy. The bubbly blond was always up for a good time with the tourists who came through. I shared a knowing smirk with Lynn. Working with Jackie was never boring, but she wasn’t the kind of girl I would introduce to my boyfriend if I had one. Boundaries didn’t matter much to her.
Lynn pushed the mugs across the bar to me, “Here, try not to drool on them.” I stuck my tongue out at her as I picked up the beers and headed to the strangers’ table. The guy with black hair was chuckling and I couldn’t help but feel like his laughter was at my expense.
I steeled myself to not linger at the table this time. I sat the drinks down without meeting either of their gazes and started to walk away. I didn’t even care about the money at this point. I’d convince Jackie to come back for it. I made it all of two steps before a strong grip on my wrist made me stop. Warmth traveled up my arm and straight to my core and I gasped.
“What’s your name?” A low and husky voice asked. I looked up into a pair of amber eyes and unthinkingly I answered him in a whisper, “Zee.”
Chapter Two
Alex
The stunning beauty had said it so quietly I doubted a normal person would have even heard her. “Zee,” I rolled the name around on my tongue, curious if it was short for something else. A blush crept across her cheeks and I heard her heart beating faster. I fought back my chuckle at her obvious interest.
“I’m Alex, that’s Wyatt,” I nodded towards Wyatt, who had an entertained glint in his eyes. Wyatt couldn’t understand my interest in a human girl. I wasn’t sure what was pulling me to her either, but I couldn’t let her leave the table without talking to her.
I let my gaze wander over her body briefly, taking in her creamy white skin. Her dark brown hair was pulled up, but tendrils had come lose to frame her face. Occasionally she would blow one out of her face in frustration, and it was adorable. Her eyes were dark brown and overly curious.
She was a short little thing, but I had a feeling that much like dynamite, she could be dangerous. Her little outburst at Wyatt had given me a fairly good idea that she could hold her own. She smelled amazing, something that called to my wolf senses. A mix of citrus and the forest. Then there was the smell of her arousal, a sweet smell that made me hard and had me wanting to set the wolf in me free. My gaze lingered momentarily on the curves of her hips and then on her breasts. When I met her gaze again, I saw fire in her eyes.
Zee snatched her arm away from me. “Uh, yeah, hi,” she said icily, but I still caught the slightest tremor of nerves. I was getting used to the nerves from everyone around me, human and wolf alike. I was a new Alpha and it seemed to come with the territory. I didn’t want this girl to be afraid though. I tried to look safe and reassuring. She backed up a step. So much for reassuring, I thought.
“Listen I’ve got to get back to work now,” she backed up another step and then turned to leave. I didn’t stop her this time. I’d already pushed my luck enough for one night. My gaze slid down her ram rod straight back, as she moved quickly away from our table, and landed on her ass.
“She seems into you,” Wyatt was chuckling as he watched me. I glared at him and he quickly ducked his head. Nothing like being an Alpha to stop the teasing about such an obvious rejection. Wyatt took a huge swig of his beer and his face turned a little pale while he struggled to swallow. “Man, that is horrible.”
I started laughing at him while I watched Zee work. She moved quickly around the bar. Her nerves were gone as she flirted and laughed with people, she had no doubt known her whole life. She was standing at a table full of college kids when one guy grabbed her ass. Without thinking I jumped to my feet to stop him, a growl rumbling low in my chest. Zee quickly swatted the guy’s hand away and laughed it off.
I could feel the anxiety rolling off Wyatt as I sat back down. “Whoa, Alex, you gotta chill,” he said as he gazed around for anyone who may have noticed my reaction. I closed my eyes and shook my head to will away the sudden need to protect this girl I had just met.
I opened my eyes and searched quickly for Zee and found her by the bar talking to a little blond who might have been a waitress, too. She carried an empty tray at least. “There’s something about her…” I trailed off, unsure how to explain the odd pull I felt towards her.
“The fuck, dude?” Wyatt seemed shocked. He looked at her harder now, like he was trying to puzzle it out. “She’s hot and all, but she isn’t a wolf. I didn’t smell any kind of magic on her. Maybe you just need to get laid.” I shrugged at my ever-helpful beta.
“Yeah maybe,” I decided it was time for a subject change. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could deal with Wyatt staring at Zee. “I know the main house is set, but I want the perimeters run tonight. If we split up, between us and Ryker, we should be finished by dawn.” Wyatt nodded as he glanced around the bar. I knew he was taking in any possible threats. He may have been a bit of a joker, but the pack’s security was one thing I knew he wouldn’t take lightly.
I didn’t expect this town to cause us any trouble. The locals had an amazingly easy going way about them. It was something I considered greatly when my father offered me the territory. The men who had jumped us as we came in were drunk and looking for trouble from anyone. Wyatt just happened to flirt with the wrong girl, and I found myself in an unexpected brawl. Other than my ripped shirt, I walked away unscathed. Growing up in a pack of wolves had its benefits.
“Has Jarren found anyone else?” Wyatt asked once he had finished his visual sweep. I could hear the tension in his voice at the mention of our newest pack member. Our pack was new, and I had run a risk inviting Jarren, a lone wolf, to join us.
“He says he found some potential in Maine,” I shook my head at Wyatt’s quizzical look. I wasn’t sure what had pulled Jarren so far East. Our pack needed members to hold the size of territory we now had. There weren’t any packs in the immediate area, but the forest was a perfect place for a pack to live. Perfect for our pack as we started venturing out on our own.
Jarren was a former Marine, and he could size up a wolf rather quickly, giving me a good idea of what they would be best suited for in the pack. While a young wolf might leave their pack in search of a new one, I didn’t only want young wolves. I needed more established wolves, wolves with skills that would be invaluable to the pack. Jarren was looking for them for me.
“Loners?” Wyatt questioned, and then took another swig of his beer to hide his displeasure with the idea of lone wolves. He grimaced again as he swallowed.
“I didn’t ask,” I said pointedly, eyeing Wyatt for his reaction, “Jarren knows that I trust his judgment. He’s the one that said the young male we picked up on the way would run home. The kid left with his damned tail between his legs not a day later. They come from these big packs and expect things to be easy. At least the lone wolves are used to working.”
Wyatt wisely chose to just nod his head and look a
round the room again. I was thankful because his continued dislike of lone wolves was becoming an authority issue. As my beta, Wyatt usually followed what I said without question, or if he felt strongly enough, he would tell me why and leave the final decision to me. Like with Jarren, I relied on Wyatt’s opinions. He helped to balance things out when I was too serious.
Wyatt’s feelings about lone wolves were just an old prejudice. Many packs wouldn’t accept them for fear that they would try to usurp the currant alpha. I knew better, after several talks with Jarren. Most of them were just restless wolves. They may want to belong to a pack, but they still wanted to have the freedom to roam. That’s why my job for Jarren was suiting him so well.
The few lone wolves who deserved the distrust by packs were wild. They gave into their baser instincts and hid in the wild. If they encountered other wolves or even humans, they would attack. Almost like a rabid animal, but they didn’t eventually die off from it. If they were found, they were caught and either rehabilitated or locked up.
There was a third type of loner, and those were who Jarren searched for. They were the wolves who had been shunned from their pack, or had chosen to leave, or just hadn’t found a pack to fit into yet. Jarren was looking for them and trying to convince them to join our pack. I was happy that it looked like he had finally found some.
I didn’t say anything else to Wyatt as I mused about the loners. Instead I waited for Zee to make a return trip to our table. She seemed to be avoiding us completely. Wyatt’s right though, I thought as I inhaled her scent when she moved quickly past our table on her way to the bar. Definitely a human, which was why Wyatt found my attraction to her so odd. It wasn’t unheard of for a werewolf to find interest in a human, it just didn’t happen often. It was even less common for born wolves like Wyatt and me. Some said it was a subconscious way for us to keep our bloodlines pure. I hadn’t given it much thought before. I had never felt pulled to any wolf, born or made, a fact my mother lamented about during every phone call. This human though, she was different.
Falling Hearts (Hearts of Wolves Book 1) Page 1
