After he got her settled in the passenger seat, he walked around the front of the hood and got in. He drove back through town with just as much care as before, only they didn’t stop. He kept going until they were deep on a mountain road, finally turning off onto a driveway lined by mature maples.
She sucked in a breath when a large house came into view. Nestled in the trees, it looked exactly like the kind of place she wanted to live. Covered in red cedar shingles that had weathered to a deep silver, the house stood proudly in the clearing, the high-pitch roof perfectly suited to the alpine environment.
Riley parked his Camry in the turning circle and got out. Like the perfect gentleman, he helped her out, then grabbed her bag from the back seat.
She stood there for a moment, looking up at the house, wondering if she’d made the right decision. What she’d told Riley before was true. If she hadn’t broken down, she would’ve been across the Pennsylvania/Ohio border by now—the need to seek permission from the alpha of the Alfheim territory just an abstract concept. As it was, she needed to throw herself at the mercy of the male.
She licked her lips, feeling a shiver track down her spine. Alphas, or any dominant male, were her kryptonite.
“Hey, everything okay?” he asked, coming to stand in front of her, blocking her view. Riley was a large male but not with muscles. Yes, he had them, but they were ropey, athletic muscle. He was also tall, and tall could be intimidating for someone of her stature.
“Fine. I think I just ate too much.” She cringed at the lie because werewolves could never eat too much. Their bodies needed fuel all the time, their increased metabolism blasting through their meals in a matter of minutes rather than hours.
“Look, I know this is intimidating as hell, and you’ve probably never met another alpha other than your own before… but Hunter is a good guy. He’s fair.”
She nodded and ran a hand over her finally dry blonde hair. “I’m sorry. It’s just…”
Placing a hand on her forearm, he murmured, “It’s okay. Whatever it is.”
He stepped away from her but not before taking her by the hand and leading her toward the front door like she was a toddler rather than a full-grown woman.
“How did you know I’ve not met another alpha?” She walked up the porch steps, inhaling the smell of wood smoke drifting from the stone chimney. It reminded her of her mother and the times they’d spent curled up in front of her fireplace. A pang of grief whizzed through her, but she shoved that feeling down. She had no time for distractions.
“You’re a relatively new wolf,” he said.
“Ah…”
Riley walked right inside without knocking, and that was another thing that shocked her. Mitchell had enforcers guarding his house twenty-four-seven. His paranoia had gotten worse in the last four years.
Layla jumped when a young woman with sleek red hair appeared at the bottom of the stairs directly in front of them.
“Riley, you missed dinner,” she chastised him gently.
“I know, Casey.” He stepped to the side and revealed Layla. The other female smiled brightly like she was used to having strays turn up at the door. “Casey—”
“I’m Casey,” she said to Layla, interrupting and shoving Riley out of the way. “And you are?”
“Case,” Riley warned. She made a vulgar gesture, and Layla stared. She wasn’t used to a female being so brash and defiant to a male.
“Layla,” she said softly. “It’s nice to meet you, Casey.”
“Likewise. Are you just passing through?”
“Sort of.”
“Her car broke down,” Riley said, stepping between Casey and Layla. “She needs to speak to Hunter.”
“Ah, well, it’s date night tonight, so I doubt Hunter will want to see you.”
Riley muttered something about mated males under his breath, then looked at Layla. “I guess we’ll catch him in the morning, then.”
“It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow,” she replied, stunned that speaking to Hunter was even an option. Weren’t all alphas draconian in their rule?
“I’m not sure that matters,” Casey told her with a wink. “Anyway, I’m going to watch TV for a little longer. It was nice meeting you, Layla.” She slugged Riley in the arm. “You too, bro.”
Layla stilled. “She’s your sister? Is she also an enforcer like you?”
Riley blushed, the color reddening his cheeks, and that’s when she saw the resemblance. Well, it was the color of their hair mostly. He cleared his throat. “Yes, and no.” He frowned. “Since Hunter can’t see you until tomorrow, I guess I’d better set up one of the guest rooms for you.”
Her gaze dropped to the floor, an automatic response not to tick off the more dominant wolf. “I thought you were taking me to a motel.” She only had enough money for one night, but the idea of staying here in the alpha’s house gave her heart palpitations.
When she looked up again, he was grinning at her.
“Now, what kind of host would I be if I didn’t extend you the courtesy of a room?”
“As an enforcer, do you have that authority?” she asked, her feet moving without her permission and following him up the stairs. Family portraits lined the wall. She spotted Riley and Casey a few times as well as a dark-haired male, an older female, and a male with dark red hair. Why would the alpha have photographs of his enforcers on the wall?
“As a member of this family, I do,” he replied.
Layla missed a step and lurched forward only to be caught by Riley. He grinned at her again.
“Surprise.”
“You’re Hunter’s brother?” The words escaped her lips on a gasp.
Letting her straighten, he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m one of them. There’s Hunter, Dylan, Oliver, and me. Plus, Casey.”
“Wow. Your mother must’ve been kept very busy.”
“She was.” There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “But most female born wolves know they’ll be having large families when they get mated, so it wasn’t a surprise.”
She wanted to ask him why that was, but just as she opened her mouth, he pushed on a bedroom door and stepped inside. Her words dried up. It was a beautiful room with furnishings ten times more expensive than her own meager possessions. A flash of shame made her gaze drop to the thick carpet under her feet. That was when she realized she still had her shoes on and was tracking who knew what into this pristine house. Not just that, it was the alpha’s house. She wasn’t worthy enough to stay here.
She quickly toed off her Chucks and picked them up, dangling them in front of her hips.
He pointed over the hall to a slightly ajar door. “That’s my room right across the hall. If you need anything in the night, just come and get me.” She nodded. “Now, are you hungry? Do you need anything else?”
“No. Thank you. I’m fine.” Looking over her shoulder, she stared at the king-size bed longingly. “I’m ready for bed.”
“Well, there’s a bathroom right through there.” He pointed to one of the two doors at the back of the room. “Mom keeps fresh towels under the sink.”
Placing her bag just inside the door, he stepped back and bid her goodnight. Layla closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a breath. She allowed her gaze to sweep the space once more. This room was bigger than her whole apartment had been. Considering Mitchell took more than seventy percent of his pack member’s wages, she was left with very little after the rent had been paid.
Leaving her bag where it was, she put her shoes on top of it and padded toward the bathroom, bracing herself for some extravagance usually only found in a luxury hotel. It was a beautiful bathroom but not over the top. White marble lined the floors and walls. Double vanity. Double shower. Huge bath.
She started the water in the shower and stripped off, placing her clothes carefully on the countertop. Stepping under the spray, she let out a contented sigh, then picked up the musk body wash that had been left on the shelf. It was so tempting to stay in there
for hours, but she kept it short, and by the time she stepped from the shower, she felt a little more like herself.
With the towel secured tightly around her chest, she padded back out into the bedroom and picked up her bag, placing it on the bench at the bottom of the bed. She found her yoga pants and a soft merle T-shirt to sleep in, then climbed into bed.
She drifted off to sleep with thoughts that maybe she had finally gotten away from the Rogues and Mitchell’s iron-fisted rule.
Maybe…
Chapter Five
Riley pushed the bacon around in the frying pan while he prepared scrambled eggs in a bowl with his other hand. He was multi-tasking like a boss this morning. The smell of freshly-brewed coffee had lured him from his bedroom half an hour ago, then it was his stomach that made him start cooking breakfast for him and Layla.
He hadn’t heard anything from her last night, and she didn’t stir when he left his room. He just hoped she actually got some rest.
“You’re burning the bacon,” his mom grouched, walking into the kitchen freshly showered, dressed, and with a full face of makeup. His mother was always so put together, even when she was still playing babysitter to her granddaughter. Grace was settled on his mom’s hip, and the look of matronly pride on his mom’s face just about said it all.
“I’m not burning it,” he replied. “I’m making it crispy.”
She placed the little girl into a high chair. “All I hear is ‘Mom, can you please cook me breakfast?’”
He didn’t want her to cook breakfast. He wanted to cook breakfast for him and Layla. He wanted to feed her because, well, he wasn’t sure why. She was his guest, though. Before he could protest, his mom smoothly swiped the spatula from his hand and simultaneously muscled him out of the way. The female was savagely protective of her kitchen. She promptly removed his bacon and set it on the plate before reaching for some more to cook.
Riley snagged and shoved it into his mouth before his mom could scold him. It was like he was a kid again. He wasn’t allowed in the kitchen when he was a kid, and it seemed like nothing had changed. Resigned to the fact that he was delegated to purely eating breakfast, he sat at the kitchen table.
“Morning, Riley.”
He turned to see Ava standing in the kitchen. Her face lit up when she saw Grace, and the little girl looked pumped to see her stepmom too. She reached out for Ava with chubby fingers.
“Morning, Ava. Is Hunter around?”
She flushed, and he knew exactly what that meant. They’d taken advantage of their child-free night and morning.
“He’s coming.”
Riley smiled broadly. “That’s what he said.”
Ava chuckled at his crude joke while his mom threw a wooden spoon at him. It beaned him in the ear. “Ow. What was that for?”
She pointed the spatula at him like it was a gun and not a kitchen utensil. “No trash mouth in front of the baby.”
He put his hands up in surrender. His mother was truly the matriarch of the family despite Hunter being alpha.
“Why do you need Hunter?” Ava sat down in the chair opposite him, bouncing Grace on her knee.
“Nothing serious. I just had something happen last night.”
“Are you hurt?” She studied him with her doctor’s eye.
“No. I’m fine, but I do need to speak to him. It can wait, though.” His stomach let out a rumble, and he decided he couldn’t wait. He needed food, and he needed it now. Getting up, he prepared two bowls of cereal. “I’ll catch him later.”
Kissing his mom, Ava, and Grace on the cheeks, he murmured, “Happy Thanksgiving” before leaving the kitchen with both bowls. Placing his bowl down in his room first, he knocked on Layla’s door to give her hers. When there was no answer, he pressed his ear to the wood to see if he could hear anything. He blinked when he heard a soft growl.
Turning the knob slowly, he eased open the door and slipped inside the room. Layla was in wolf form, lying on the floor with her back to the bed. He stepped a little closer, and her lips peeled back from her teeth in visceral warning.
“It’s okay,” he told her, gesturing to the bowl. “I brought breakfast.” He placed the cereal on top of the bureau, meeting her eyes. He felt his wolf push closer in his mind, marching straight up to the front of his consciousness, so he could get a good look at Layla’s wolf. He felt his eyes slide from hazel to light violet, the paler color holding steady as they stared. The gold in hers seemed to flare for a moment before she lowered her gaze. Dominance established, he took a step closer and dropped to his haunches.
“Is everything all right?”
Layla placed her head on her paws and looked away.
“Hmm.” He stood and strolled to the door, giving her his back and showing her he was no threat in whatever form she took. “I’ll leave your cereal there. Mom’s cooking her traditional Thanksgiving breakfast, so this will just be an appetizer.”
He retreated from her room to his, giving her the space she needed to shift—if she wanted to shift back at all. He turned on the large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall and sat down on the old couch. He flipped the channels as he ate his cereal, stopping when he got to the sports reports and a report on the football game he would be watching later.
He jerked his head up when there was a soft knock on his bedroom door. If it were anyone else in his family, they would have barged in. Well, Ava would’ve knocked loudly, then barged in.
“It’s open,” he called, placing his bowl onto the arm of the chair when Layla opened the door. She stood on the threshold, holding her bowl with both hands. A tremor ran through them, making the spoon rattle against the side of the ceramic bowl.
“You can come in.” He stayed on the couch, letting her see he wasn’t a threat because he could still smell her fear tickling his senses. “Everything okay?”
Layla looked over her shoulder and stepped into the room, shutting the door with her foot. “Yes?”
“Is that a question or a statement?”
She shook her head, her sleep-messy blonde hair dancing across her cheekbones. It was tied up in a knot at the top of her head, revealing her sleek neck and slender shoulders. The merle shirt she wore was stretched, one shoulder bare because of it. She tugged the fabric back into place, and he turned back to the TV, pretending he hadn’t just thought about her naked.
When she spoke again, she was much closer. “Do you watch the game?”
Without looking at her, he said, “Yeah. Do you?”
She eased onto the other side of the couch. “Every year. Me and my mom used to have this tradition where we wouldn’t eat the turkey until after the first touchdown was scored.”
He looked at her profile, her green eyes clear. She glanced over at him and smiled. “I want to apologize to you.”
“For what, shifting?”
She gave me a blank look. “For growling at you, I guess. You just startled me, is all.”
“Nothing to forgive,” he replied, picking up his bowl and eating what was left of his cereal even though it had gone soggy.
As if it was a signal, Layla began to eat too. “I guess you’re wondering why I’d shifted.”
“I’m here to listen if you want to tell me, but if you’d rather not—”
“I had a nightmare last night,” she blurted out, clutching at her cereal bowl like it was a life preserver. “I had a nightmare, and I woke up in a strange bed, in a strange room, and my wolf wanted out. So I slept like that.”
He turned off the TV and twisted his body around until he was facing her properly. “It must have been one hell of a nightmare.”
Tilting her head to one side, she looked past him and to the floor. It was a classic submissive reaction, and Riley felt like his chest was caving in. Why had she become so meek when he knew her wolf had a backbone?
“It was. And one that I hope never becomes a reality.”
He nodded. He kind of understood how she felt. After Casey’s abduction, he had had dark thoughts
too, thoughts which had weeded their way into his dreams. He was so grateful that none of them had come true.
Holding out his hand for her now-empty bowl, he said, “If you’re ready to go downstairs, breakfast will almost be ready.”
She looked down at her shirt and yoga pants. “I have to get dressed first. Do I have time for a shower?”
“I think so, yeah. I’ll wait for you here.”
Chapter Six
Layla emerged from the bathroom feeling more in control of herself. Shifting had helped. Breakfast and chatting to Riley had helped, but the shower was what really helped slough off the last of her negative thoughts. Her nightmare had been about Mitchell coming to tear her away, to take her back to the pack and humiliate her for thinking she could ever leave him. She couldn’t fight the involuntary shiver that tracked down her spine like it was Mitchell dragging his fingers down her skin.
Putting on a pair of jeans and her only other sweater, she stepped from the room. Riley’s door was still open. Still, she knocked and waited.
“Come in,” he called.
She walked inside and took in a deep, cleansing breath. The whole place smelled of him—of pine and snow—and she felt some of the tension she usually carried in her body ease away.
He’d gotten changed too. Like her, he was wearing jeans, but he had on a forest green Henley that brought out the green flecks in his hazel eyes. He had his bare feet up on the table in front of the couch, his still-damp hair darkening off to a deep red and curling around his ears.
He looked adorably young until he turned those serious-looking hazel eyes on her. Then he looked like a male who took what he wanted. Her wolf liked it when he looked at her like that, but Layla wasn’t sure she was ready for that kind of attention.
“Ready for breakfast?” he asked as he stood. He stretched, making the hem of his shirt ride up a little. The band of warm skin between his jeans and the bottom of his shirt sent a thrill through her body. His skin was taut around the muscles in his stomach, and a strange urge to touch him flared in her gut. The feeling was so foreign that she was left breathless for a moment. All she could think to do was to blame her wolf. It seemed the female had been acting a little haywire where Riley was concerned.
The Helheim Wolf Pack Novellas: The Complete Collection Page 10
