by Crissy Smith
Mike was really happy for his friend. RJ had an amazing talent. He had done every one of Mike’s tattoos.
He started in the direction of RJ’s shop taking his time. He still had the file for the California Pack under his arm and he wanted to talk it over with RJ.
He would do whatever he could to help the wolves in need.
He pulled open the door of tattoo parlour and was not surprised to see RJ sitting in a chair with his mate Nikki Stratton straddling his lap.
Luckily they still had their clothes on. The two new mates seemed to spend a lot of time in the process of undressing each other.
RJ glanced up when Mike walked in and grinned at him. “Hey, man! We were just talking about you.”
Mike smirked. “I hope it was before Nikki had her hand under your shirt or it might get a little awkward.”
RJ laughed and Nikki blushed, removing said hand from under RJ’s black T-shirt. She started to slide off RJ’s lap but he caught her easily.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She pinched RJ and was able to escape. “I told you I had things to do. You’ve gotta stop distracting me.”
RJ pouted. Actually pouted and Mike couldn’t hold back his roll of laughter.
Nikki just shook her head and grabbed her messenger bag from the counter. She stopped close to him and kissed his cheek. “It’s good to see you, Mike.”
He looked over to the woman he now felt like was a sister to him. “You too, honey.”
“You staying for a little while?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Just tonight. I have to head out in the morning to another Pack that’s having issues.”
She sighed. “I really thought we were doing the right thing going public. I never thought it would scare so many people.”
“Hey!” RJ said coming up behind her. “It is a good thing. People just fear what they don’t know. It’ll get better.”
“I hope so,” she stated sadly.
Mike hoped so too.
“But I do have to run. I need to finish the potato salad and cobbler for tonight. I’ll get your room ready too, Mike.”
They really did take good care of him, always welcomed him whenever he was in town, even opening their house to let him use the spare bedroom. “Don’t go through any trouble. I’ll just be here one night,” he told her.
She waved him off. “It’s no trouble for family.” She kissed RJ one more time then sidestepped out of his reach when he grabbed her for another. “Stay out of trouble, boys,” she called then left them alone.
RJ threw his arm around Mike and walked him farther into the shop. “So you’re heading out to California then? I thought you’d be perfect for it.”
Mike elbowed his friend. “Really?”
RJ motioned to one of the big chairs and Mike sat while his friend grabbed two beers from the mini fridge.
“Really, I’m worried about you man,” RJ confessed.
Mike glanced up, shocked. “Why? There is nothing wrong with me!”
RJ held a hand up. “You’re not happy. Do you think I can’t tell when something is going on with my best friend?”
Mike sighed. “It’s fine, man. Just trying to find my niche.”
“Yeah,” RJ agreed. “I understand. You’re thinking about joining again, aren’t you?”
Mike took a sip of his beer and relaxed into the chair. He wasn’t surprised RJ had picked up on how he was feeling, even if he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. But he knew his best friend, and RJ wouldn’t leave him alone until they did talk.
“Yes,” he admitted.
RJ nodded. “Thought so. I hate to think about you going back in without my being there to watch your back. I’ll support you no matter what you decide but I want you to do this first.”
“Well I’ll do what I can. You know that,” Mike told RJ.
“Yeah, plus…the Alpha’s daughter…?”
“Daughter?”
“Yes, her name is Rebecca Nelson. Nikki met her several years back. She’s a photo journalist. One of the best from what Nikki says. Could work anywhere but stays close to the Pack. Nikki wants to go down there herself and it’s all I can do to keep my mate away from the danger.”
“So you wanted me to look out for Nikki’s friend?” Mike asked amused.
RJ huffed then smiled. “I can’t have an unhappy mate. I almost had to lock her up to keep Nikki from going up after the second fire. She was ready to jump on a plane.”
Mike could imagine that fight. Nikki was one of the most stubborn, hard headed, females he’d ever met. He really did like her.
“Stop smirking,” RJ grumbled. “You just wait until you find your mate. You’ll see then.”
Mike smacked the finger RJ waved at him. “I don’t know that I will be so…”
“Don’t say it,” RJ threatened.
“Whipped,” Mike responded.
RJ flipped him off but had a huge grin on his face.
Chapter Two
Becca tried not to roll her eyes at her dad but as the lecture went on and on it was getting harder. If her father’s Beta, Eric, the Pack Enforcer, Adrian, and the head of security for the Pack, her best friend Kenny, hadn’t been in the room, she was sure she would have already.
But even she knew that now was no time to push her dad. She could admit that the threats made to the Pack put them in danger. Her own knowledge of the fires broke her heart but she was more than capable of taking care of herself.
“Are you listening to me, Becca?” her father asked loudly.
Becca snapped back to attention. She’d drifted off in the middle of his latest rant. “Yes, Dad, but I really don’t need protection. I do not need some wolf from another Pack to come up here and keep an eye on me,” she argued for what felt like the millionth time in days. “There is no reason to think anyone will come after me.”
Her father shook his head. “He’s already on his way. And I want you to listen to him. He had better not report back to me that you are not cooperating. He’s not here just to keep an eye on you, as you said. He’ll also try to help us figure out what is going on. To catch the people responsible once and for all. We need the help.”
Becca sighed. “Fine.” She met her dad’s gaze. She had never deliberately defied him. And he knew it. They were close. As close as any daughter and dad could be.
It had been just the two of them after her mom had been killed by a hunter one night when she’d shifted and gone for a run. Her dad never got over losing his mate but had always been there for Becca. Had been her everything—father, mother and Alpha.
When the council had sent a representative to talk to him about the shifter world going public, her father didn’t have to even think about it. After the way he’d lost his mate, he supported the council one hundred per cent. Plus it had been horrible seeing his Pack struggle to survive. There wasn’t much the Pack could offer being so far away from civilisation. It had been a great idea to bring the tourists in. Now that might be what would destroy them.
“Just let him keep an eye on things while we try to figure out what is going on,” her father reiterated.
“Do you really think someone from our Pack is involved with the fires?” she asked.
She just couldn’t believe that someone from the Pack she’d been born into would ever do something so…disgusting. They’d known from the start that the Alpha would go public. They had been there when his mate had been killed.
Becca just couldn’t fathom one of the Pack members being involved.
Her dad shook his head sadly. “I don’t want to believe it either. But we do have to be prepared for it.”
“What about you?” she questioned leaning forward on the couch. “You have to be the biggest target. Take down the Alpha and the Pack will shortly follow.”
Her dad pressed his lips together but she still saw the flash of amusement in his eyes before he could hide it. “I have increased my security, as well as the security around the pro
perty. I’ve also had word go out that anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable staying in their own homes may stay at one of the guest houses.”
Becca smiled in pride. Her father may stick to his guns but he would also make sure that his Pack was taken care of.
A knock on the door interrupted any further discussion. Eric stood and glanced at his watch.
“That should be the guy the council and Brandon Stratton sent.”
Becca leant forward so she could see the door while Eric opened it.
And almost fell right off the couch.
The man that entered was just that breathtaking. Dark hair, a tanned, pleasant face with a goatee and wide shoulders.
He screamed military and she could immediately see why the council would have thought he’d make a good fit to the Pack. The man glanced around and she could see him take everything in while scanning the room.
She flushed remembering how much of a pain she had been when her dad had told her about him. Because looking at him now she could think of several activities they might have fun at.
Her father stood and she followed suit.
The man shook Eric’s hand before moving to the Alpha.
“Alpha Nelson, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry it is under these circumstances, though.”
Her father nodded. “Yes, but I am glad to finally meet you. I have heard wonderful things about you and the work you did for the military.”
Military. She knew it!
Mmm, yes—he was the perfect picture of a dominant wolf and she could see how that would have been an asset for any military unit.
Her dad cleared his throat and she realised she was practically undressing the man in front of her in a room with her dad and his two top men.
She blushed but held out her hand.
“Mike Jackson. It’s nice to meet you, Ms Nelson,” he greeted.
“Call me Becca, please,” she said, relieved when her voice came out normally. She wanted to purr for him. To rub up against him. She felt her wolf part ripple with excitement on the inside.
Her dad put an arm around her shoulder and steered her back towards the couch. She also caught Eric and Kenny’s amused expressions.
“Let’s have a seat and then we’ll get you settled into a room,” her dad stated.
Mike sat in one of the chairs across from her dad’s desk so Kenny sat next to her on the couch.
“Real smooth there,” Kenny teased.
She elbowed him, already embarrassed.
He covered up his chuckle with a cough when her dad glanced over at them.
She listened in as her dad caught Mike up on everything that had happened in the last several weeks.
Mike listened intently to her father so she enjoyed looking at him. She’d have to send Nikki Stratton an email later and get all the dirt on this Mike guy.
It wasn’t that she was desperate for male company or anything, but it had been a long time since she had felt instant attraction to anyone.
And if the look Mike had given her when they’d shook hands was any indication, he might be up for some fun too.
Mike tried to concentrate on the Alpha but his attention was actually on the Alpha’s daughter. She sat over in the corner next to the shifter who’d been introduced as the head of security.
They sat too close for Mike’s comfort and he wondered if they were an item. He quickly dismissed that idea as he remembered how she’d obviously checked him out.
When the Alpha shared his concern that he or his daughter might be a target, Mike could barely hold back his growl. He accepted the file that Alpha Nelson pushed across the desk at him and glanced through it. There were pictures and profiles of eight men inside.
“These are a few Pack members that I think could be involved. Kenny worked up the files, so any questions you can get with him on.”
Mike nodded. It looked to be good work.
“Kenny also has a few friends he trusts that have agreed to come here and discreetly check them out.”
Mike understood what the Alpha didn’t say—men that they probably would not see. They’d be doing their search out of the view of public.
“While you're here, we would like you to introduce yourself to them and get your own feel.”
Mike tilted his head in acknowledgement.
“But first priority is Becca.” He waved over to his daughter and Mike finally had the chance to look at her again.
She couldn’t have been taller than five three or so. She had long black hair tied away from her face. He couldn’t say what exactly drew his attention to her over and over—the warm smile, the happiness in her gaze, or just the way she carried herself. For whatever reason, he was instantly attracted.
She squirmed in her seat as the attention turned to her.
“And you, Dad. You’re still the biggest target.” She tried to focus the interest back on him.
The Alpha just smiled. Mike liked the obvious caring between daughter and dad. He wanted to help the Pack and not just because he was attracted to the Alpha’s daughter.
Luckily, he knew someone who could give him the inside information on Becca. Nikki would be more than glad to help in order to protect her friend.
“I’d like to look around a little bit before it gets late,” Mike said to the Alpha.
The Alpha nodded. “Kenny will give you a tour of the property. If you have any questions he should be able to answer them, or I’ll be working in here for a while yet.”
Mike stood and shook hands with the Alpha once again. He was glad that Kenny would be showing him around. He wanted to know more about these friends that were looking into the Pack.
He followed Kenny but glanced over his shoulder at Becca and was pleased that she continued to watch him. He sent her a small smile, which she returned.
Mike and Kenny walked down a long hallway, through what looked like a living room then out a glass patio door.
“We have more territory than a lot of communities. Everyone is pretty spread out here. It gives us more privacy and independence than some of the Packs I’ve been to. Most everyone appreciates that.”
Mike understood what he was saying. Since his friends had started to settle down with their mates he had got an up close view of how many Packs functioned.
“There are no gates, no walls, to keep the Pack separate,” Kenny continued. “Alpha Nelson likes to stay available.”
“That also makes it more difficult to protect him,” Mike noted.
“Yeah,” Kenny agreed. “It’s been one of the biggest issues I’ve had to deal with. My Alpha is taking the threats serious but he still refuses to even consider staying inside or having a fence built to help with security.”
“He wants to show strength,” Mike commented.
“That and he would actually prefer for anyone to come after him than target someone else in his Pack. The destruction of the buildings is hurting the Pack. But there are only so many buildings. When will they go after the Pack members?” Kenny added.
Mike respected that. It showed the Alpha cared about his people.
“We’ve had eight families move into the guest houses. All have small children we’re concerned about. What if these monsters go after the kids?”
Mike felt a growl rumble through his chest—his wolf wanting to protect. It was an instinct that had always helped him in the past.
While most shifters only ran or changed form maybe once a week or even less often, Mike shifted almost every day. His wolf was strong and he wanted to keep in shape, in both forms.
They walked around, going over weak spots and where trouble might come from. Kenny wouldn’t say much about his friends. Just that they were wolf shifters and had been in the military. That they would watch out for everyone.
Mike could understand why Kenny was keeping things close. He knew the brotherhood that came with a team. It was the same for him, Casey, RJ and Jesse. But Mike hated not having all the info.
When Kenny led him to his bed
room, he noted his bags were waiting for him on the bed.
“I’d like to shift and run later. Will that be a problem?” he asked. It was proper etiquette to ask while in another territory.
“No, the good thing about us is that you can shift anytime. We are so far from anyone who isn’t a shifter that no one will think twice about seeing a wolf. Of course nowadays people would love to see it, but no one comes this far out. Not even lost tourists.”
“Good,” Mike responded. “It’ll help to also see the property as my wolf.”
“The kitchen is always open. Just help yourself to anything you want. Alpha Nelson has someone come in and cook breakfast from seven to eight, lunch from eleven to one, and dinner is at five. But the fridge is always stocked with sandwiches or something if you miss a meal or just want a snack.”
“I appreciate it,” Mike told Kenny and they shook.
“Oh!” Kenny pulled out a sheet of paper from his back pocket. “Here are some phone numbers for the Pack. If you need anything just give me a holler.”
Mike closed the door after Kenny had left and walked around the room, familiarizing himself with his surroundings. It was a nice room. Deep cherry wood furniture that was both sturdy and comforting. His room had a large king size bed, dresser with a TV on it, and two end tables. There was an attached bathroom so Mike picked up his small tote and set it inside the small space. He would shower after he’d shifted.
He wandered over to the window and pulled back the curtains. One thing was for sure, he had a gorgeous view of the mountains. It was colder than what he was used to but Mike found the territory to be very welcoming. Kenny hadn’t mentioned anything about Becca, but Mike hadn’t got any ‘stay away’ vibes either.
He was still itching for a run, so he decided to go ahead. He quietly left his room and strode down the hall to the same patio door he and Kenny had exited earlier. In the short time he’d been inside, the temperature had dropped by several degrees. His wolf wouldn’t mind, though.
He went in the opposite direction of the guest houses—he didn’t want to meet up with anyone else just then—past a swimming pool, a small but well-kept playground for the children, and what looked like another guest house, just a little bigger than the ones he’d seen earlier.
