What just happened? That was not the reaction I was expecting. Happiness is probably the emotion that is the farthest emotion from what I was anticipating. I don’t know how to make sense of any of this. He’s not acting like I’m crazy either, but a little reassurance to that fact would have been nice.
“I’ll be back soon. Grant, Max, Nicholai, you’re with me. The rest of you know what you should be doing.” He kisses me on the lips and smiles before he goes out the door. He seems relieved somehow, but I don’t understand why.
Just like that, everyone is gone but Brooks and me. I’m still standing in the living room unable to move. Do I feel better? I don’t know yet. I’m relieved that he chose me. I’m glad that all will be resolved tonight. I’m nervous that that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll be together. There are still too many unknowns. And where did he have to go? I can’t think about that now. He was happy when he left, and that’s just as mystifying as it is reassuring.
I look over to Brooks in the kitchen. “Can we order pizza today? I don’t feel like doing anything.”
“Sounds perfect. It’s only two o’clock, so we can wait awhile. I’ll put another log on the fire, and we can chill.” Brooks busies himself at the fireplace, then plops down on the couch.
I sit at the other end of the couch and stare into the fire. I try to sort through everything that has happened today. That was the first time Jack has kissed me on the lips. It was just a peck, but still, it was something.
“Are you OK? Want to talk about it?” Brooks looks like he doesn’t know if he wants me to say yes or no to that question.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry I blew up like that. You guys didn’t need to see all of that. We should have done it in private.” I’m still watching the fire. I really do like the fireplace.
“You’re going to learn really fast that there is no such thing as privacy with this crowd. Consider yourself lucky we didn’t make popcorn for your first throw-down.” Brooks is smiling.
“Popcorn, really? All of you are really close, aren’t you?” I look at Brooks.
“Yes, we are. We’re more like a family. We don’t always get along, but we’re always there for each other.” Brooks watches the fire.
“Do you know the secret? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” I know I shouldn’t be talking to him about this, but I hope he gives me something. I really need someone to confide in.
“Yes, but it’s not my secret to tell. Jack wouldn’t like me talking to you about this. Do you understand that?” Brooks is very serious. I’ve never seen him like this before.
“I do. Thank you for being honest.” I wait a few minutes before I ask more questions. “Does the whole town know? Is it why people want me gone? Some people do seem to be suspicious of me. I can tell by the looks I get at the diner and the grocery store.”
Brooks nods and shrugs his shoulders. “Yes and no. Yes, the whole town knows. Yes, it’s why people have been suspicious. Just trying to figure out if you’re safe. It takes time for us to trust, but once you earn that trust, you’re in. And no, the person who’s trying to get rid of you is just insane. I bet if most of the town had a say, they would get rid of her and keep you.”
Brooks has been honest. I like it.
I grab a pillow. “So, this secret is not just Jack’s secret, it’s everyone’s secret? Interesting. I guess that would make it more difficult to tell. He has to consider how this affects everyone, not just him. Have I earned your trust? All of you guys, not just you.” Even though I’ve been given no real information, I’m learning a lot.
Brooks seems nervous. “Yes. Once you have Jack’s trust, you have ours. We’re kind of a package deal. I hope that doesn’t freak you out.” Does he think he has revealed too much? I wouldn’t know what if he did.
“No, it doesn’t freak me out. I already picked up on that. One by one you guys have been practically moving in. Are there any girlfriends? No one has mentioned any, and I haven’t seen anyone.”
I’m trying to learn as much as I can without getting Brooks in trouble with Jack. I haven’t learned anything so far, but I feel like I understand somehow. And this is my first real opportunity to talk openly.
“No girlfriends. We work a lot.” He shrugs. It doesn’t seem like he wants to talk about girlfriends, and I wonder why.
“Are any of the guys gay?” I try not to show any emotion either way.
He bursts out laughing and looks at me with big eyes. “No, absolutely not.”
“Won’t Jack having a girlfriend change the dynamic of the group? I don’t want to interfere or cause problems. What if Jack and I don’t stay together that long? What if this is just a ‘working-on-the-house’ romance?” I look at the fire again. Some of these thoughts had not occurred to me until I heard them come out of my mouth.
Brooks watches me. “Yes, it will change the dynamic. But that’s a good thing. We all want that. And I think we all know, including you, that this thing with you and Jack is bigger than just a fling. If that’s all it was, he wouldn’t want to tell you the secret. And he would not have made sure you had met all of us. Or stayed here after the break-in. I would not be here to cook dinner, and none of the guys would be sleeping here. The fact that Jack is taking it slow is proof too. He wants you to be sure, not just about him but about all of us. He’s going slow for your benefit.”
I think he’s trying to gauge my reaction.
“What time should we order pizza? I don’t even know when they’ll be back.” I try to see the clock on the microwave from the couch.
I’m not sure how I feel about his last comment. I’ll have to think about how that fits with everything else.
Brooks places another log on the fire. “Whenever we call, it takes two hours because our order is so big. I think we’ll need to get twelve large pizzas today. We can wait a little longer. If I call at four thirty, it will arrive by seven o’clock. What do you think?”
Yep, loving the fireplace.
“Sounds good to me. We can make a salad to go with the pizza. Use all those veggies we got yesterday. I think I’ll go take a shower. Wash away some of this tension and try to get my shoulders to relax. Then, I’ll start the salad. Maybe open a bottle of wine.” I stand up from the couch and look back at Brooks. “Relax while I’m gone. We have some downtime, so take advantage of it. Take a nap in front of the fire if you want.”
Brooks lays back on the couch and stretches. “I might do that if I don’t get up. This fireplace is awesome. The guys are going to need to cut more wood. I see a fire staying lit all winter long.”
“I love the fireplace too. It’s my favorite so far, and a fire all winter long sounds great. If I don’t go take a shower now, I won’t go. Be back shortly.” I leave Brooks and head toward the bedroom.
CHAPTER 22
Jack
Walking out of the house and getting in a truck, I’m determined to get answers. “Grant, call Doc and let him know we’re on our way. Max, tell the guys to hold up on whatever they’re doing and go back to the pack house. They can pack up everything and bring as many loads as they can before nightfall. Tell Preston to bring my whole closet the first trip. I’m running out of clothes.”
Max is cautious. “Jack, this is not a done deal yet. You sure you want to do that?”
“Yes, I’m damn sure. Telling her is going to be easy now. She’s already seen my wolf. I would have told her just then, but I want to talk to Doc first. What do you think, Nicholai? Ever heard of anything like this before? How has my wolf gone to her in her dreams every night for months and I have no fucking clue it’s happening?” Pulling away from the house, I’m anxious. I’m driving too fast and my mind is all over the place.
“That is a first for me, Jack. I was just as shocked as you and everyone else. She described your wolf perfectly. He led her directly to the front door of that house. It does appear that fate has delivered her to you. The only thing missing is a big red bow. This is one of those situations that i
f I were not here to witness it myself, I wouldn’t believe it. Are you sure you had no idea?” Nicholai sounds just as surprised as I am. I don’t know if that is good or bad.
“Absolutely positive. My wolf has been restless for a while, but that’s it. I have no doubt that she’s my mate and I’m claiming her. Tonight! But I just want to go through the whole thing one more time with Doc, make sure I’m not missing anything.” I turn onto his road.
Harold “Doc” Sinclair is older than the rest of us. Tall and lean with salt-and-pepper hair. He had a human wife until they divorced years ago. He never claimed her, so a mating bond never formed. She left after the divorce was final, taking their daughter with her. I think the daughter is an adult now. I’ve never met her.
Doc’s not a real medical doctor but a Native American shaman. Shifters trust a shaman because they understand us. He has knowledge about shifters that most of us don’t have. His information has been passed down through the elders for generations. Most of it is in his head. The rest is documented in some sacred old books and is written in a language that doesn’t exist anymore. The man is a walking encyclopedia.
Doc is also a wolf shifter, but for some reason he has never seen his wolf, nor has he ever shifted. He figures there’s a reason for it, so he doesn’t question it. As a wolf, he should be a part of a pack, but he’s not. As the doctor for shifters, it’s easier to gain the trust of other species and other packs if he’s not bonded to only one. It’s common for shamans who are also shifters to practice their trade this way.
Doc doesn’t live that far away. Pulling into his driveway, we see him sitting on the porch.
“Hey, Jack. Gabe’s been telling me about your situation. I’m assuming by the visit that it has gotten more interesting. Come on in.” Doc opens the front door and goes inside. We all follow.
“Yeah, Doc. Interesting is a good way to put it. What all did Gabe tell you? I don’t want to bore you with what you already know.” I sit on the couch opposite Doc. The rest take seats around the room.
Doc appears deeply interested. “He told me your mate is a human. And about her being able to mask her scent. I’ve never heard of that skill before, and Gabe is real interested to learn more about it. I’ll be honest with you, Jack. It’s not that uncommon for an alpha to choose a human mate. Most of the time it means the alpha is giving up his alpha position. But I don’t think that’s the case here. Mostly because she’s your fated mate. That detail is rare. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it happening before. I need to look through the books more closely. I’m curious to learn more about her.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear you say that. It’s why we came. As you know, I haven’t told her about shifters yet. Frankly, I’m scared to do it. I’ve never told a human, and she’s not a regular human. Anyway, we just had a discussion, an argument really. These guys witnessed it as well. In the discussion, she said that she came here, to this town and to that house, because she followed a wolf. My wolf. He’s been appearing in her dreams for months and led her to New Hampshire, then to Wolfton, and finally to that house.
“She described the wolf as having a black right front paw, just like mine. And she believes the wolf delivered her to me because she saw the name of my company as a sign since I’m doing the work on her house. Now, before you ask, the answer is no. I had no idea my wolf was going anywhere without me, let alone into her dreams. I was completely shocked when I heard her say it.” I look at Doc. I’m on the edge of my seat.
Doc writes in a notebook that was sitting on the end table. “That’s quite remarkable. I’ve never heard of anything like it before. I would say that it removes all doubt about her being your fated mate. I would not let the fact that she’s human hold you back any longer. Why didn’t you tell her about shifters? That seemed like the perfect opportunity.”
“I told her that I would tell her tonight. I wanted to talk to you first. I don’t have any more doubt, but there’s something bothering me. Something just on the edge of my thoughts that I can’t make out. Which is another reason why I’ve been delaying. I know that we’ve looked at her, questioned her, wondered about her because she’s human. But I get the feeling that this is about both of us. That once we’re combined, the two of us together will make a bigger whole. I don’t know how to explain it, Doc. Am I making any sense?” I rub my face and wait.
“Well, yes. That part or something similar, I have heard of before. A long time ago, when I was a child, I remember a visitor coming to our village. It was an old woman, and she told a story about a future event to come. An alpha shifter would mate with a unique human. This fated pairing would influence the world and somehow alter the future. I don’t remember too much about the story itself. I was just a small boy. I’ll look in the books to see if the story was written down.” Doc writes himself another note.
“Do you think it’s talking about us?” I’m still on the edge of my seat. Holy shit, I knew there was more to this mating that I couldn’t figure out.
“I think you need to focus on the here and now. Finding your fated mate is a gift and does not happen often. This gift should be treasured. If you believe without any doubt that she is yours, then you need to do whatever possible to make her yours. The time you have with your mate is not promised or guaranteed. You should take full advantage of the gift and the time. You can’t worry about tomorrow until tomorrow comes.” Doc smiles.
“Thank you, Doc. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Tonight, I’m going to tell her everything and claim my mate.” I smile big. He’s right. This is right.
“It’s about fucking time, Jack,” Grant and Max say in unison.
Doc clasps his hands together. “Congratulations, Jack. I look forward to meeting her. My daughter will be here soon from medical school. Maybe we can all have dinner.”
Everyone stands and walks toward the door.
“Yes, that’s a great idea. Let us know when she arrives. Thank you for everything, Doc. I’ll see you soon.” I feel good. No more doubt. But I still have to tell her.
We climb back into the truck to leave. I’m feeling better, but I’m still unsure of exactly what to say to her. The shifter part will be easy since she’s already seen my wolf. The fated mates part still has me nervous. Just because she accepts shifters into her new reality doesn’t automatically mean she wants it in her life, mated to me or not.
Grant looks at his phone as we’re pulling out of the driveway. “Brooks just texted. They’re ordering pizza and making a salad. Pizza will be delivered by seven. Ashley seems to be in good spirits.”
“We weren’t here that long, and we have a few hours. Want to go have a quick beer at Dakota’s? It’s not far. I still need to figure out exactly what to say to her. Telling her about shifters should be easy. I think I already know what to say. But the part about fated mates still has me nervous.” I’m riding in the passenger seat with nothing to busy my mind, again.
Max speaks up from the driver’s seat. “If that’s what you want to do, Jack. But not long. Tonight’s the night, and we’re not letting you back out. The sooner you get it all out in the open, the better. Dragging it out is just making it worse for everyone.”
“I agree, Max. Tonight, it all comes out, regardless of the outcome.” I look back at Nicholai. “What are you thinking, Nicholai? You’ve been quiet? Have you ever heard of that story Doc was talking about? It seemed close to what you said before.”
Nicholai seems distracted, but he answers. “All cultures have similar legends in one form or another. They all run together. I’ll have to think about it some more. I’d like to look at those books. He has a wealth of information in his possession that should be cataloged. Maybe I’ll ask him about it the next time I see him.”
I hope we don’t run into Christi while we’re at the pub. If we do, I don’t think I can sit back and let Gabe handle it his way. There hasn’t been much movement from her around town this week and that doesn’t sit well with me. Graffiti on the car fol
lowed by the break-in. Her actions are escalating, and we still can’t come up with a motive. She’s not finished, I guarantee it.
We pull into Dakota’s after a few minutes and go inside. Talking to Doc was the right thing to do. I should have gone to him earlier in the week. He’s right about one thing, I need to have more faith in fate. The mate gifted to me will stand beside me as my equal. Which means Ashley is a lot smarter than I’ve given her credit for. The way she was looking at me when she recognized my eyes makes me think she’s already figured everything out anyway. She just doesn’t know what she’s figured out.
CHAPTER 23
Ashley
I took a long soak in the claw-foot tub. Even though things are still unresolved, I feel more relaxed about the whole situation and even optimistic. I leave the bedroom and go into the kitchen. There’s a bottle of wine on the island, along with the wine opener and a glass. Brooks is a good man, thinking of everything.
I’m standing at the island opening the wine as Brooks walks in from the hallway. I think he’s one of the guys who has moved into one of the rooms. I don’t mind them staying here. It’s kind of cute how they’re sneaking around.
“Feel better? I got a text from Grant. They’re almost done with their errand. They’ll be here soon. I told them the pizza wouldn’t be here until seven o’clock. I just placed the order before you came out. Should we start the salad?” Brooks waits at the refrigerator.
“Be honest. Is anyone besides me going to eat salad when there’s pizza? If they’re not going to eat it, we shouldn’t bother.” I take my first sip of wine.
Nicholai does have good taste in wine. I don’t mind him coming to dinner if wine is his contribution. His company is nice too. He’s completely different compared to Jack and his crew. I would like to hear the story of how they became friends.
Delivered: (The Blackpaw Prophecy, Book 1) Page 14
