by Riley Storm
Chief had clued her in one day during the move from the warehouse to the farm outside of town. Apparently, most pets were terrified of shifters, being able to sense their inner animal. It was some sort of dominance thing. But not Bergey. Either he was too dumb to notice, or, more likely—at least according to Alison—he realized that she was the true Alpha there, and that being her pet, he was above the others.
For some reason, Chief and the others violently disagreed with that notion.
Lucien and Logan were in deep conversation, but every so often, his pale blue eyes strayed and blue met golden-brown, exchanging that timeless look that couples gave. It basically said I see you. You’re mine, and I’m yours, I haven’t forgotten. Now have fun. She tossed one hand up in the air as the music picked up again. It was generic mass-produced pop, but it had a good beat, catchy lyrics, and with a bit of alcohol, even the shifters would sing along.
Just now one of them—Linden she thought his name was—had taken center stage and was belting out some lyrics about shaking it off. As per code, all the others were mocking him, even after having been up on the pallet-stage doing the same. Everyone was having a good time, and smiles abounded everywhere.
Alison hoped they could keep the farmhouse secret. The others had all pulled out as much cash from the bank as they could before someone back at Moonshadow Manor had shut all their accounts down. But it had been enough to convince a farmer to let them rent out once of his unused properties, with the caveat they worked the land.
Wolf farmers wasn’t something any of them had ever envisioned being before, but Alison couldn’t wait to see them in straw hats and overalls. She’d had a hoot forcing Lucien to try them on for everyone else to see. Lucien hadn’t been nearly as amused.
But it was a remote location, out in the country away from Moonshadow Manor, and they could live out there without bothering anyone, and hopefully without being found for the time being. There was a lot to do, and Alison knew both sides would be plotting, recovering and figuring out what to do next. Lucien, Logan and the others had struck the first blow, but the war was far from over. As some would say, this was the end of the beginning.
Worse was yet to come.
“ATTENTION!” Logan bellowed suddenly, holding his beer up high. “I have an announcement to make!”
The other shifters jeered and catcalled him, but the alpha waved them all into silence, eventually. One last one of them whistled suggestively, and Logan pointed at them. “So you’re single too?”
The group laughed, those nearby the whistler needling him with elbows to the side.
“No, I have a serious announcement to make. One that I think you will all agree with, though I haven’t asked any of you, because you’re all drunker than shit.” He paused. “And Linden. No proposing to your sister now.”
More uproarious laughter from all of them including Alison as she watched Logan. He had a natural speaking voice, one that commanded attention without even trying.
“Hey!”
As one, the pack turned as someone came out of the darkness. She was short, squat, and had a fiery complexion to her pale, freckled face.
“Can we help you?” Logan asked politely.
“Yeah, you can keep the ruckus down. I can hear you from my property across the way. It sounds like a pack of wolves out here, all that there hooting and hollering. Take it down a few notches, will ya? It’s a Tuesday. There’s chorin’ tomorrow.”
Logan looked flustered, as if he wasn’t sure what to say. But before he could react, Chief stepped forward and smiled at the woman.
“We’re sorry about that,” he said smoothly, all trace of drunkenness gone. “We’ll keep it down. In the meantime, can I interest you in…”
Alison watched them go.
“Now as I was saying!” Logan shouted.
“Keep it down!” Chief’s voice echoed out of the dark.
“As I was saying,” Logan repeated yet again, in a slightly lower voice. “I have something to say.”
“Say it already will you? My beer is getting warm!” Linden called.
“That’s cause you’re too dumb to drink and listen at the same time,” Logan fired back without pause. “Now, if you morons would just shut up, I’m trying to tell you that I’ve decided to welcome another member to our pack. One who is probably crazier than half you all, despite being a quarter your size.”
Alison frowned. Where was he going with this? Who was he talking about?
“If you disagree with me,” Logan said, his voice slowly rising, courtesy of the alcohol. “That’s too friggin’ bad. I think she’s awesome, and if you disagree with that, Lucien here will sit on you until you change your mind. And he’s had a lot of spicy food tonight.”
“Ew,” she said out loud. “Why would you feed him that? I wanted to get laid tonight. Now I won’t.”
It was far more forward than she would have ever been comfortable with even just two weeks earlier, but the wolves had a way of pushing prudeness to the side that was all but infectious.
Right now, everyone was laughing at Lucien.
“See, she can even hold her own with the real wits here, like me,” Logan boasted. “So everyone, welcome the newest pack member. Treat her like one of our own. Protect her. Value her. And most of all, make sure you don’t let her have any knives!”
Alison went bright red as it sank in that Logan was formally accepting her into the pack. Welcoming her, making her officially one of theirs.
Then there was no time for that as she was buried under a wave of shifters, alcohol and shouts of happiness. They lifted her on their shoulders, passing her a beer.
“Chug! Chug! Chug!” they chanted in unison.
Alison’s eyes met Lucien’s, who was watching her. Grinning wide from ear to ear, he touched two fingers to his heart, mouthing the words I love you.
“I love you too!” she shouted, blowing him a kiss before upending the beer and chugging it down.
She was home. With her family.
In the background, Bergey barked excitedly.
THE END
Thank you for reading Savage Love.
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Other Books by Riley Storm
High House Ursa
Bearing Secrets
Furever Loyal
Mated to the Enemy
Shifting Alliances
Blood Bearon
High House Canis
Savage Love
Blood Mate (Coming early May 2019)
About the Author
Riley Storm
Riley is one of those early-morning people you love to hate, because she swears she doesn’t need caffeine, even though the coffee-maker is connected to her smartphone. She lives in a three-story townhouse by the good graces of a tabby-cat who rules the house, the couch, the table, well, basically everywhere. When she’s not groveling for forgiveness for neglecting to pet her kitty enough, Riley is strapped in to her writing chair coming up with crazy worlds where she can make her own decisions of when feeding time is and how much coffee can be drank without her friends—of which she has three—holding yet another intervention that they threaten to post on the internet.
Find her on:
Riley Storm’s Amazon Page
Riley Storm’s Facebook Page
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