True Alpha

by Ranae Rose

  “So am I.” He smiled. “Even if that bone-head Daniel will think we got the idea from him when he comes walking back through the door tomorrow.”

  Mandy laughed. “If only we’d gone on our walk a half hour earlier, we’d both have been marked by the time Noah showed up with the bad news, and Daniel wouldn’t have had anything to complain about.”

  “You don’t know Daniel very well if you think he wouldn’t have found somethin’ to harp on about.”

  “I guess not.” She smiled, even as she remembered Daniel’s tirade and hasty departure. As she and Jack rested together in the moonlight, she was lost in the moment – happy just to be with him, to feel his arm around her body. Tomorrow would probably bring more trouble, but at least they had each other and a night to spend together.

  ****

  “Could you use some company?”

  Mandy jumped in her seat, nearly knocking her laptop off her small work desk when the last voice she’d expected to hear called from the front porch, just beyond the screen door.

  “Violet.” Mandy’s eyes widened as she turned in her seat to face her visitor – her ears hadn’t deceived her. “Sure. Come on in.” Since when did Violet want to spend time with her? Mandy chewed her inner lip. Whatever was going on, maybe it was a chance to smooth over the rocky start she and Violet had experienced. After that first day, Violet hadn’t made any more passes at Jack. Though Mandy’s hormones – okay, and her fierce werewolf’s jealousy – had made it difficult at first, she had begun to think that Violet’s behavior had been an honest mistake.

  Violet pulled the door open and took a tentative step inside.

  “Wow, you look nice,” Mandy said as the screen door swung shut behind Violet, creating a breeze that sent Violet’s springy dark-brown ringlets swinging. Normally, Violet wore her hair down and straight as a sheet, occasionally tying it back into a ponytail. Today, she looked like she’d spent the entire morning transforming her normally lank locks into a mass of perfect curls. The style suited her, framing a face highlighted by light but carefully-applied makeup. If Jack had been around, the unusual care Violet had taken with her appearance would’ve sent Mandy’s suspicions racing, but Violet would’ve had no reason to think he’d be around – it was just after eleven o’ clock on one of Jack’s usual work days, and he was busy repairing a cabin on the other side of the mountain.

  “So do you,” Violet said, her blue gaze sweeping over Mandy’s new dress and the two French braids she’d woven her hair into.

  Mandy’s lips – coated with a light layer of gloss – quirked into a slight smile. “Thanks.” She had a reason of her own to want to look her best today. Whatever Violet’s was, there was no reason to pry – she already looked awkward enough, shifting her weight from foot to foot and glancing nervously around the cabin with mascara-fringed eyes. Maybe she’d simply decided to embrace her new life in the Smokies and wanted it to show.

  “April and Noah are out on patrol, and without Clarissa or Daniel to talk to, it’s awfully boring up there.” Violet tipped her head in the direction of the road that wound up the mountain, leading to the cabin Jack had acquired for her and the others. It was one of the less popular vacation homes on the mountain, but it was spacious; Jack had struck a deal with the company he worked for and negotiated a monthly rent so that the rest of the Half Moon Pack would have somewhere to live.

  “I can imagine,” Mandy said. “If I didn’t have my work to keep me busy, I’d be restless too.” She glanced toward the tarp that covered the doorway at the other side of the room. “I’m not alone though; Ronnie is working on the extension. He said he wanted to help since he didn’t get a chance to yesterday, but I think he’s keeping an eye on me – I have a sneaking suspicion that Jack doesn’t like the idea of me being alone after what happened to Daniel.”

  He hadn’t said so, but Ronnie had arrived a suspiciously punctual ten minutes before Jack had left for work. Though she felt sorry that Ronnie had risen so early on his day off on her behalf, his presence didn’t bother her – she liked him and appreciated his help with the construction of the nursery.

  “Oh.” Violet glanced toward the doorway, from beyond which drifted the sounds of a hammer driving a nail. Her cheeks went faintly pink beneath the rosy blush she’d applied as her gaze lingered on the blue tarp.

  Realization clicked, and Mandy had to work to suppress a smirk. Maybe Violet’s sudden love-affair with her curling iron had to do with more than a new-found appreciation for the Half Moon Pack after all. As Mandy glanced at her computer screen so she wouldn’t embarrass Violet by staring, the clock in the lower right-hand corner caught her eye. “A quarter after eleven already?”

  Violet snapped her gaze back to Mandy as if startled. “Oh. Is it?”

  Mandy nodded. “I’m going to make some sandwiches and take a couple over the mountain to Jack. Want one?”

  “Sure.”

  Mandy abandoned her workstation – she was ahead, at a point where she could easily quit for the day, just as she’d planned – and crossed the small, open room until she stood in the kitchen area. “Turkey or roast beef?”

  “Turkey, please.” Violet drifted to the kitchenette too and leaned against a counter, her knuckles going faintly white as she gripped the edge. “Can I help with anything?”

  Mandy started to say no, but then thought better of it. If Violet wanted to assist her, she might as well let her – judging by the way she was gripping the counter, she was every bit as nervous as she’d looked when she’d come through the door. “You can wash the lettuce and shred some leaves.” She handed her a head of romaine.

  They worked in silence for ten minutes, producing half a dozen sandwiches in an assembly-line fashion, with Mandy handling the bread, meat and condiments while Violet piled on the lettuce and sliced a juicy red tomato. The quiet was broken when Mandy’s stomach growled, way too loudly for anyone to possibly pretend not to notice.

  “Wow.” Mandy slid the last sandwich down the counter to where Violet waited, poised to slice another layer off the tomato. “If I get any hungrier, Ronnie’s going to hear and think there’s another bear shifter in here.”

  Violet laughed, and the surprisingly cheerful sound caused Mandy to chuckle too, though she knew her joke hadn’t been that funny. Still, it was nice to see a side of Violet that wasn’t sullen and withdrawn. If she kept acting like this and Daniel returned with his head finally removed from his ass, the Half Moon Pack would be a downright pleasant bunch of wolves.

  Mandy slipped three of the sandwiches into plastic baggies – one for her and two for Jack. Or maybe one and a half for each of them, judging by the way her stomach was rumbling. “The rest are for you and Ronnie. You’re welcome to hang around the cabin while I’m gone so you don’t have to be alone; Ronnie’s not a big talker, but he’s good company.”

  Violet’s cheeks went even pinker than her carefully-applied blush accounted for as she nodded. “Thanks.”

  “I’ll just let Ronnie know I’m going and that you’re here.”

  Mandy pulled back the edge of the tarp and leaned through the doorway. “Hey, Ronnie. There’s a plate of sandwiches on the counter and a jug of iced tea in the fridge. Feel free to help yourself. Violet’s here, but I’m heading over the mountain to take lunch to Jack.”

  Ronnie let the hammer he clutched in one huge fist hang at his side. The day was fairly cool, but a light layer of sweat glistened on his forehead. He’d been working tirelessly since shortly after sunrise. “Will you be driving or walking?”

  “Driving,” Mandy assured him, not doubting that he would’ve insisted on escorting her if she’d planned to go on foot. “I’ll be fine. Thanks again for your help with the nursery.”

  He smiled faintly and raised one hand in a dismissive gesture. “It’s no problem.”

  “Well, make sure you take a lunch break. You’ve more than earned it. In fact, I was contemplating keeping this a secret, but there are a few brownies in the cabinet next to
the fridge.”

  Ronnie grinned. “You must really be impressed if I’m being invited to raid your secret brownie stash.”

  Secret brownie stash? Well, okay, that was what it was, sort of, but…

  “Jack, uh, mentioned it the other day,” Ronnie said, still grinning but looking vaguely guilty. “Said that being pregnant has really brought your sweet tooth to life.” His gaze darted toward her belly, which was showcased by the ruched fit of her new dress.

  Mandy held up a hand. “Careful, Ronnie. If you go into any more detail about what Jack said, I might just have to rescind that last offer.”

  “All right,” Ronnie said with mock-solemnness, “but don’t forget, it’s not easy to hide food from a bear.” He tapped his nose, a grin spreading across his face. “I could bring you back a safety pamphlet from the ranger station – one that’d teach you how to string up your food in trees, where bears won’t be able to reach it.”

  “I bet you think that’d be hilarious,” Mandy said, trying for a serious tone, though a rebellious smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “But no thanks. I think all the bears around here know better than to mess with my brownies.”

  He remained wisely silent as she slipped back inside, pouring some iced tea into a thermos and tucking it under her arm before grabbing the bagged sandwiches. As she picked up her purse and car keys, Ronnie came inside, the sound of his boots heavy against the floor boards, and Mandy cast one last glance over her shoulder to where he and Violet were standing on opposite sides of the sandwich plate in the kitchen, their gazes locked. “I won’t be back until later this afternoon,” she called. “Jack and I will be going into town.”

  The screen door swung shut behind Mandy, and she strode to her car without looking back again. Whatever might transpire between Violet and Ronnie was their business – after all, neither of them was mated. Who knew, maybe they’d fall for each other. She hardly had time to dwell on the notion as she started the car and began the climbing drive up the mountain; she had the prospect of her own exciting afternoon to keep her thoughts occupied. As she guided the car around a sharp turn, the iced tea sloshed noisily inside the thermos and her diamond engagement ring winked under a beam of autumn sunlight. Things were happening fast, but it had always been that way with her and Jack.

  Chapter 7

  A turn-filled journey brought Mandy to the cabin Jack had said he’d be working at. Its door hung wide open, so she went inside with the sandwiches and thermos in tow. The cabin was a vacation home, a popular rental choice for tourists, thanks to its whimsical design. A realistic-looking, life-sized imitation tree stood inside the main room, the doorway into the bathroom carved into its trunk, and its branches crisscrossing with the ceiling rafters above. Walking into the cabin felt like climbing into a giant tree house. Apparently, the tourists had worn out the kitchen plumbing.

  Jack was on his back on the wooden floor, his head inside the cabinet that housed the kitchen sink’s pipes. “Hey baby,” he called, doubtlessly having heard her footsteps.

  “Hey. I brought lunch. Will you be much longer?” She set the food and thermos down on the counter, which held an assortment of tools.

  “Just finishing up.” He emerged from beneath the sink with a wrench in hand.

  “Hungry?” Hopefully he wouldn’t waste any time in digging in, that way she could start eating before her stomach began growling like a bear again. The last thing she needed was for him and Ronnie to have another pregnancy-craving story to chuckle about.

  “Starving.” He gathered up his tools and placed them in his canvas tool bag before seizing a paper towel, which he dampened and used to wipe the counter clean.

  To her relief, the next thing he did was grab a sandwich. She did the same, and took care not to let any crumbs fall onto her dress as she ate. Mustard or tomato would stain the pretty purplish-grey fabric in a heartbeat.

  “Wanna split this one?” As Mandy poured the iced tea into glasses taken from one of the cupboards, Jack held the third sandwich in one hand, opening a drawer of silverware with the other and fishing out a knife without waiting for her reply.

  “Sure.” Maybe he had noticed her rumbling stomach.

  The sandwich was good, but Mandy hardly tasted it as she stared first at Jack, then beyond him to where the car waited. Soon they’d be on their way into town. After finishing her half of the sandwich, she washed out the glasses in the sink and dried them with a decorative kitchen towel before placing them back in the cupboard among their companions.

  “Ready?” Jack asked, gathering up the thermos and empty sandwich baggies.

  “Yeah.” Mandy let him take her hand and together, they crossed the porch.

  They were almost to the car when two familiar figures emerged from the woods, one tall and lean and the other shorter and more feminine.

  “Clarissa,” Mandy said, her heart growing a little lighter at the sight of her.

  Clarissa returned her smile tremulously while holding on to Daniel’s hand. With their rumpled hair and wrinkled clothing, they both looked as if they’d spent the night in the woods – which they probably had.

  Daniel took a step forward and sighed. He wore jeans and a t-shirt, which meant he must have stopped by his own cabin before seeking out Jack. “We’re back. Look, I know I made an ass of myself last night.” The cuts and bruises he’d sustained during the fight had faded overnight, just like Jack’s.

  Jack’s lips curled in the faintest of smiles. “Well, now that we’ve got that settled I reckon we can agree on just about anything.”

  Daniel shot him a wry look. “I should’ve come back to get you and the others instead of pursuing the outsider.” He touched a finger to his hairline, tracing the scar his mistake had left him with.

  Jack nodded, his expression unreadable. “I’m glad you realize that, but there’s somethin’ I need to know.”

  Daniel arched a brow. “About the other wolf? I—”

  “No. Not that – at least, not yet.”

  “I need to know that I’m an alpha you can submit to – that you will submit to. Because a pack only works if every member knows exactly who the leader is, and you seem to have come back from Alaska with a preference for a different sort of alpha than me.”

  Daniel drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “To be honest, you’re a hell of a lot better than the alpha of the pack we lived with back in Alaska.”

  “Am I?” Jack’s face and voice were still impassive; his guarded tone and expression told Mandy that he was withholding judgment, seeking out the truth so that he could avoid jumping back on the merry-go-round of Daniel’s recurring defiance and plays for authority.

  “You are.” Daniel’s expression was serious as he held Jack’s gaze. “I figure he’s the one I’m really pissed off at, not you.”

  Jack had been right – something had happened in Alaska. As they waited for Daniel to continue, Mandy’s curiosity was piqued despite her eagerness to head into town with Jack.

  Daniel wrapped his arm around Clarissa’s shoulders and drew her close. “The alpha was Clarissa’s brother. He let us into the pack, but we were never quite equal with the others in his eyes – in some ways, he treated us like outsiders, though we officially belonged. When he found out that Clarissa and I were meant to be mates, he didn’t like it.”

  Clarissa gazed up at Daniel, her eyes affectionate, though her mouth bore a slight frown.

  “And he treated her like crap. He didn’t have a mate, and he bossed her around like she was some sort of domestic servant. When she wasn’t out with the midwife she was apprenticed to, she was almost always at home taking orders from him.”

  Clarissa, still frowning, didn’t contradict him.

  “For a while, I tried to hold off even though the urge to make her my mate was driving me crazy. I told myself that he’d come around eventually, once I’d been a member of the pack for a more substantial length of time, and that I’d only make things harder for her if I circumvented his wis
hes. But he never did, and we got sick of it.” He looked up. “Can you imagine having your mate right under your nose, seeing her around, sometimes every day, and not even being able to touch her?”

  Daniel kicked a piece of gravel, sending the little stone tumbling across the driveway. “Eventually we reached a point where we couldn’t take it anymore. When he found out what we did – when he saw our marks – he kicked us out of the pack.”

  “Noah, April and Violet decided to come with us to Tennessee,” Clarissa said.

  Mandy eyed Clarissa with a new sense of sympathy. No wonder she was so cheerful about her new life in the Smoky Mountains – all she wanted was to be with Daniel, and she’d been treated poorly in Alaska. This was the first environment she’d ever been in where nobody tried to keep her apart from her mate. “So you two haven’t been mated long, have you?”

  “We left for Tennessee the day he kicked us out,” Clarissa said.

  “I’d never try to come between the two of you,” Jack said. “I know what it’s like to find the person you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with.” He squeezed Mandy’s hand and nodded in Clarissa’s direction. “Your brother hasn’t experienced that yet; maybe he was being overprotective, or maybe he was just a jackass – I don’t know. But I’m not him; I haven’t wronged either of you, and I don’t expect to be treated like I have. My orders will be fair, and they’ll be obeyed by anyone who calls themselves a member of the Half Moon Pack.”

  Daniel nodded. “Right. I know. I just ... got on a kick of doing whatever I thought was best, I guess. I’m over it.”

  Jack nodded, and that was that, or so it seemed. “Now, about that other wolf…”

  “A shifter,” Daniel said, his eyes flashing. “Definitely a shifter.”

  “Did you see him in his human form?”

  “No.” Daniel shook his head. “But I followed him to where he’d been bedding down beneath a little overhang in the face of a short cliff – he had a backpack there. I didn’t get to see what was inside it, but how many animals do you know that own a backpack?”