by Jade Allen
Aiza howled as her back leg went out from under her. That was the opening the wolves were looking for, and once Aiza lost ground, she couldn’t regain it. She tried to get away from them, but they had her backed against the bar. She howled again, calling for Stephanie, but there was no response. There was too much blood, too much chaos, to sense her, and the edges around Aiza’s vision started to turn black.
Some part of her knew the fight was over, but she wasn’t going to stop until she literally couldn’t move.
A sudden gunshot startled all the wolves, stopping the vicious fight for the space of a heartbeat. Aiza took advantage of the opening to put some space between her and her foes, and when the fighting resumed, the number of participants had doubled. The new arrivals drove the Brotherhood wolves back, away from Aiza’s wounded frame and Stephanie’s bleeding body. Aiza sank to the floor, whimpering and dazed, the ground tilting and rocking beneath her.
“Aiza! Stephanie!”
Noah’s voice pulled her attention up, but she still couldn’t move so she barked to get his attention. He raced to her side and ran his hands along her sides and back, searching for injuries.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be okay. We’re going to get you to a doctor. Wait for me here.”
She put her muzzle down in her paws and released her breath with a long sigh. Federal agents and emergency response personnel swarmed the bar, capturing the Brotherhood wolves and dragging them away. Aiza remained still amongst the chaos, growling at anyone who ventured too close, until Noah returned and carried her away from the chaos.
****
Three months later.
“Knock knock.” Aiza stuck her head past the office door. “Mind if I come in?”
“Come in, come in,” Stephanie said, ushering her inside the appropriated office while Sera placed a sleeping baby in the pack-and-play. “How’s it looking out there?”
“Everything’s perfect,” Aiza assured them. The bar had been transformed for Sera and Seth’s ceremony, and it was full of members of the pack, friends, and even their brother Steve and his family. Aiza had taken charge of many of the details due to Stephanie’s injuries and recovery time, throwing herself into the planning of the ceremony, juggling it with the responsibilities of reopening the bar. For the past three months, she woke up early, went to bed late, and made it a point to have no spare time for anything.
Stephanie glanced between the sisters and then nodded. “I’m going to go make sure Seth has his cufflinks.”
“You look beautiful,” Aiza said, full of sudden emotion at the sight of her younger sister, radiant and beaming with excitement.
Sera looked down at her new dress—lacy and off-white—with a shy smile. “Thank you. And thank you for everything you’ve done.”
“It was truly my pleasure. I’m just glad that I’m here to see it.”
“Me, too.” Sera looked up with eyes brimming full of emotion and in that moment, she wasn’t the grown woman, a wife and mother, but the little girl who used to follow Aiza around and make up silly stories. Her constant companion, whether she necessarily wanted her baby sister to shadow her or not. All the years that separated them were gone and Aiza felt a sudden surge of tears. She could hold them back, barely, but she couldn’t stop herself from pulling Sera into an emotional embrace.
“I’m so sorry,” Aiza said. “I’m sorry I left you and I’m sorry I disappeared. I should have stayed in touch. I should have told you…”
Sera returned her hug with an extra-long squeeze and kissed her cheek. “Honey, thank you, but I don’t care about any of that. I’m so happy you’re here now. I’m so happy I have my sister back.”
“Not only that, but a gorgeous husband and a perfect baby.”
“It’s honestly more than I ever expected.”
“But the very least of what you deserve.”
Sera gave her another hug and then stepped back. “This place is pretty great, too.”
“Thanks.” Aiza looked around with a familiar swell of pride. She’d completely redone the interior of the bar, reclaiming it as something more in line with her vision for the grand reopening of Aiza’s Tavern. It would still be three months before she’d be ready to reopen for business, but she was right on time and on track. Soon, she was sure, everything would be back to normal and she’d feel like herself again.
“Are there a lot of people out there?”
“We’re nearly at capacity.”
“Did Noah make it?”
“Oh, I didn’t notice,” Aiza said with feigned indifference. He was there. And she did notice his presence the second he walked through the door. His scent hit her first, and then all of her senses screamed that he was there.
After Adam’s arrest and the subsequent rounding up of his cronies, the Wolf Brotherhood started to weaken. Noah had been as busy with the continuing investigation as Aiza had been with the bar and their paths rarely crossed. Aiza told herself that was for the best, but it was hard to remember that when she actually saw him. “It’s time. Are you ready?”
Sera nodded and checked on baby Charlie once more, then turned up the baby monitor. “I am.”
Aiza texted the DJ, and a moment later, she heard the music change, signaling everyone to take their seats. She offered Sera her arm, another wave of pride washing through her as she prepared to walk her sister down the aisle. They stepped out of the office and all of the guests rose from their seats. Aiza recognized some of them, but the only person she cared about, the only one she could see, was Noah, halfway down and sitting right on the edge of the aisle. She made it a point not to look at him at all.
Instead, she focused on Seth, who was undeniably handsome. In her effort to reconnect with her sister, she’d gotten to know him better, and they’d reached a new understanding. She didn’t know if Seth would have fully forgiven her for what she’d done, but he didn’t seem to hate her anymore. Stephanie had also been crucial in the forging of a relationship with him; it seemed he couldn’t resist the combined efforts of his beloved and his co-alpha.
Now he stood at the end of the aisle, gaze locked on Sera, his smile full of pride, his eyes full of admiration. When it came down to it, Aiza really didn’t care what Seth thought of her. She only cared about the way he looked at her sister—never with anything less than his complete and utter devotion. Sera, for her part, always had a bit of wonder in her smile, as though she couldn’t quite believe that this was her life. That she wasn’t dreaming.
Aiza risked a look at Noah as they passed by, her heart twisting in her chest while her stomach fluttered. He looked tired, undeniably, but he cleaned up very, very well. She couldn’t tell if the woman sitting next to him was a date or one of his extended family members—they didn’t share a resemblance, and their legs were touching. Why were their legs touching?
Because you had to cram in extra chairs. And it’s none of your concern anyway. Their bodies could touch all night, for all you care.
Once they reached the waiting groom, Aiza gave Sera a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then passed her arm to Seth’s and took her place to the side. Stephanie stood with Seth, leaning on the crutch she held in her right hand. Their eyes met and she offered a small smile before the officiant asked everyone to take their seats.
The words of the ceremony flowed over Aiza—she was sure it was all very beautiful, but she was too distracted by Noah’s presence. She’d managed not to think about him for the past three months, but only by working herself down to the bone. Was he looking at her? It was impossible to tell, since the entire room was looking at the happy couple and she was standing right next to them.
She knew she would have to speak to him, sooner or later. She certainly wouldn’t be able to avoid him all night. And she couldn’t even say for sure why she wanted to avoid him, except for the fact that, paradoxically, she wanted nothing more than to see him, to talk to him, to touch him… To hold him.
The ceremony was surprisingly short and ended
with a kiss so passionate that Aiza was sure it made most of the guests uncomfortable. When Seth lifted his head, they were both beaming and somebody whooped, prompting the whole crowd to laugh and for Seth to shout, “Let’s party!”
The DJ immediately blasted music and people started folding the chairs and moving them aside, opening up the area for dancing. The baby monitor crackled with static and then Charlie started to cry, startled awake by the sudden noise. Sera’s head immediately swung around, but Aiza gestured for her to stay and enjoy herself; she would take care of the baby. She was all too glad to make an escape from the party and the people she didn’t know—and the one man she knew all too well.
“Come here, little guy. What’s wrong,” she said, as she lifted the baby from his bed. “Hmm? What’s wrong? Don’t like all that noise? It’s just your mommy and daddy having a big ol’ party. It’s alright.”
She never thought of herself as a “baby person,” but she did like little Charlie. He had big, deep blue eyes, an amazing thatch of black hair, and he rarely cried. He was already quieting down, comforted by his aunt’s low voice and soft chest.
“You’re a natural with him.”
Aiza spun around. “Oh. Noah. Hi.”
“Hi. That was a beautiful ceremony, wasn’t it?”
“Oh. Gorgeous.”
“What was your favorite part?”
“Um, well, the vows were really touching. Especially when Seth said he would, you know, always cherish her.”
“Yeah. But I don’t think he said that.”
“Oh.” She offered a sheepish smile. “I wasn’t listening to closely.”
“Yeah. Me neither.”
“Then how do you know he didn’t say that?”
It was his turn to smile. “I don’t. I was a little distracted.”
“Distracted?”
“Yeah. I was. Um, the bar’s really come along. You’ve done a lot of work. It’s looking great.”
“Thank you.”
“When’s the grand opening?”
“In a few months. I don’t have a date yet.”
“Well, let me know. I don’t want to miss it.”
“I’ll do that.”
“I...uh...Aiza. I actually wanted to talk to you—”
“Oh, there you are!” The woman he’d been sitting next to burst through the door and startled Charlie awake. He immediately started crying and she took Noah’s arm. “Come on. I want to dance.”
“I was just helping Aiza with the baby.”
“You should go dance. I’ve got this under control,” Aiza said quickly with a smile that probably looked as forced as it felt. “We’ll, uh, catch up later.”
“Okay, yeah. We’ll talk later.” He followed his date out the door and Aiza sank into her chair, clutching the baby even closer. They were definitely not going to talk later. She was going to sit in that office with Charlie for the rest of the night, until it was time to send everybody home and clean the place up. It was a bit antisocial on her part, but she didn’t think anyone would notice or care. Besides, Charlie needed her more than anyone out there did, anyhow.
It wasn’t long before he fell asleep again, and an exhausted Aiza found herself staring at the top of the baby’s head, watching the light reflect off of his fine hair. She had no idea how long she sat there like that before a soft knock on the door alerted her to the fact that she had another visitor.
“Hey. You’re missing the party,” Stephanie said.
“Is everyone having a good time?”
“They’re having a great time. You want to join them? I can watch him.”
Aiza shook her head. “Not really.”
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just...tired. Like I’ve run out of gas.”
“Well, that makes sense. You’ve been working hard to pull all of this together. Everything’s perfect, by the way.”
“Thank you.”
Stephanie nodded. “Well, if you just need to rest, I’ll leave you alone. I thought maybe you were back here hiding from Noah.”
Aiza blanched. “I don’t know why you would think that.”
She shrugged. “Just a hunch. Look, there’s a real cute girl out there and she’s been making eyes at me all night, so I’m going to ask her to dance. Maybe you should consider it, too.”
“Consider dancing with Cyn?”
“No, consider dancing with the very cute guy who has been waiting on you all night.”
“Isn’t Noah your cousin? Are you allowed to think he’s cute?”
“I am when it’s an objective fact. He’s miserable out there right now and it’s bringing down the whole party.”
Aiza frowned. “Why is he miserable?”
“Because he thinks you hate him. Or you’re mad at him. Or he’s fucked everything up with you. Has he?”
“He hasn’t...look, he hasn’t fucked anything up because there’s nothing to fuck up. He was just doing his job and now that job is over.”
“Really?” She sat on the corner of the desk. “You think you were just a job to him?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
“And he was just your bodyguard? He meant nothing more to you?”
Aiza sighed. “It doesn’t matter, okay? This past year has been so fucked up and I just don’t think...how can I...he deserves better than to be caught up in the mess of my life.”
“If you’re not ready to be in a relationship right now, that’s one thing, and no one but you can decide that. But if you’re hiding in here because you’re afraid, well, I never took you to be a coward.”
Aiza blinked, stung. “I’m not a coward.”
“I know. So don’t act like one.”
“Well, why do you think he’s waiting for me?”
“He’s obviously smitten with you. He asks me about you all the time. I finally told him it doesn’t really matter what I think; all that matters is what he thinks. And what you think.”
“I miss him,” Aiza said. “After everything I lost, some of which I’ll never get back, he’s the only thing I miss. I thought I lost this place forever. But here I am, in my office, holding my nephew, and I’m missing him.”
Stephanie carefully scooped the baby from Aiza’s arms. “Then don’t be afraid. You can’t hide behind the pup forever.”
“Right. Okay. God, why don’t I keep a bottle of whiskey back here? Well, wish me luck.”
“Yeah, break a leg,” Stephanie said with a wry smile.
Aiza found Noah quickly; he was talking to Seth and Sera, his date at his side. The woman said something and she felt a flash of recognition: it was Dana. Her hair had grown longer and was now a darker shade; she was in a well-cut dress instead of a business suit, but it was definitely her, and the earlier jealousy was definitely out of line. Aiza rolled her eyes and wondered when she’d regressed to being a thirteen-year-old.
She squared her shoulders and moved in their direction, pausing long enough to whisper to Cyn that Stephanie was watching the baby in the office and maybe she would enjoy a bit of company. Cyn turned an interesting shade of pink but she didn’t lose any time scurrying behind the bar.
The closer she got to Noah, the more her stomach dipped and fluttered. She knew it was ridiculous to be nervous, but she couldn’t seem to get the butterflies under control. It was almost enough to make her want to turn around, but Dana saw her before she had the chance to change her mind and waved her over.
“Aiza! I didn’t get a chance to say hi earlier. How are you? How have you been?”
“I’m great. It’s wonderful to see you again.”
“Well, I hope y’all don’t think of me as a party crasher, but when Noah told me the women who brought down the Wolf Brotherhood would both be here, I insisted he bring me.”
“That’s flattering but…”
“There you are!”
Aiza turned around and walked into her brother’s very enthusiastic embrace.
“Oh my God, Aiza, it’s so good
to see you.”
“Oh, Steve. I’m sorry, I should have called.” It never occurred to her to call her brother. She’d never been particularly close to the golden child, and now she was surrounded by him.
“Oh, hey, I understand. Things must have been very hectic for you. Here, this is my wife Jessica, our sons Rob and Chris, and our new daughter, Cecelia.” He wasn’t even finished speaking before they swarmed around her with eager, friendly hugs. The kids seemed cute enough, but her attention was drawn to Noah, and their eyes met over the kids’ heads.
He must have been able to read her mind, because he stepped forward with a friendly smile. “Hi, I’m Noah Longtail. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He shook each hand in turn, made some courtesy small talk with Jessica, and then took Aiza by the elbow. “I hope you all don’t mind if I steal her for a minute? I need her help to make a special cocktail.”
“Special cocktail?” Aiza asked under her breath as he led her away. “Is that a come on?”
“If you want it to be.”
“Oh look, we’re out of champagne. Let’s go find some.” Aiza shifted, guiding him to the dark, quiet keg room.
As soon as the door closed behind them, he drew her against him and claimed her mouth with a kiss that had her toes curling and her mouth opening in shock. He took advantage of the way her lips parted, and she thought maybe she should protest, but as the kiss deepened, she forgot all about that. After all, this had been what she wanted, what she’d been thinking about and too afraid to acknowledge.
“I’m sorry,” he said, breaking away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I just—”
“Oh, Noah. Shut up.”
She drew her mouth back to his, sighing with pleasure at the taste and smell of him. The party outside was as loud as ever, but that had dulled to a vague din beneath the sound of her beating heart. She slid her fingers through his hair and down his neck, over the breadth of his shoulders, itching to feel more of him; to feel his skin and muscles and the soft hair that covered his chest and abs.
“God, Aiza.”
He hiked the skirt of her cotton sundress up to her waist, exposing her thighs and hips. Her hands moved down his body and found the outline of his thick cock. It strained against his trousers and she was all too happy to pull the zipper down and free him from the restrictive material. He gasped as she folded her fingers around his shaft, and she felt a little dizzy, a little delirious from the sudden wave of pleasure moving down her spine.
