by Lori King
“What’s the catch?”
She growled low in her throat, and he grinned at the standard Tina reaction. “Why would you assume there is a catch, big brother?”
“Because, my darling Tink, nothing good happens in my world. I have learned that every good thing comes with a kick in the gut. Now, what’s the catch?”
“They need you here by this coming Sunday, and you’ll be traveling to Wyoming with part of the pack.”
A surge of excitement ran the length of his body, and he swallowed hard. “This Sunday?”
“Yeah, do you remember Rafe and Ryley? The two blond guys who came over to your place with us when Cash got shot?” she asked.
A memory of twin blond mountains with enormous shoulders, and movie star smiles flashed in his brain. “They looked a little like Vikings, right? Yeah, I remember them.”
“Okay, well, they were actually adopted into the Gray Pack when they were little kids. Their parents brought them here, and then disappeared leaving them behind. No one was ever able to find any trace of them. Then yesterday, we got a surprise visitor to the den, and it turns out that she is Rafe and Ryley’s little sister, Katie Jo Whetstone, KJ for short. Their parents have been on the run from a really bad dude for years, and they left their kids here because they thought it would be safer. They managed to find a hiding place and set up a den, but Nicolas Kaplan found them and has been pestering them. Now that they are getting older, they can’t keep running anymore, and they asked for help from Devin. The problem is that they’ve collected a bunch of rogue wolves and formed a little mini-pack up in Wyoming. They have asked us to help get them back to our den, and they want Devin to take them in as members of the Gray Pack.”
“Is Devin really willing to take them all in without meeting them?”
Tina sighed. “Yeah, it seems so. I don’t think he’s promised them all acceptance into the pack, but he has promised our assistance in getting them out of Quiver Creek. According to KJ if we don’t get them out of there, Nicolas’s wolves will end up capturing or killing them off one by one.”
“So why do you need a doctor?”
“Apparently, Tasha Whetstone, Rafe, Ryley, and KJ’s mom, has been shot recently in the arm, and it isn’t healing. She suspects that the bullet was silver, or silver laced. Silver is toxic to a werewolf in certain doses. They need her to be seen by a doctor, but they can’t risk taking her to a human hospital. That’s where you come in.”
Thomas’s brain was on overload, and he closed his eyes while he thought through all that Tina had just said. “So they only need me temporarily?”
“No, actually that was something else…um…you see, I’m going to be turning in my resignation to St. Leo’s because we’re going to open a permanent medical clinic here at the den. We need to have something available for injuries and illnesses so that we don’t have to drag people into Kansas City all the time and risk questions. I want you to work with me to open the clinic, and stay on as the pack doctor. Devin said that they will match your current salary—”
“I’m in.” He heard himself respond, and it surprised both of them. The only thing he had was his gut instinct, but something told him that this was the direction he was supposed to go. Hadn’t he just been asking God what was next for him? Well here’s your sign, genius, he thought to himself with a grin.
Tina was silent for a moment as though she was shocked by his response. “Really?”
“Hell yes, I’m in. You’re offering me a chance to leave the job I have, that’s become monotonous and irritating, and I will get to treat werewolves. I’ll turn in my resignation tomorrow.” The excitement in his belly was nearly overwhelming. He wanted to jump up and down and scream with it, but instead he calmly waited for Tina’s response.
“Thank you, Tommy! You’re a lifesaver! Now, Devin said that if you agreed to be the pack doctor they would make sure you had a house here to move into, but you can wait until you get back to pack up and move if you want.” Tina was bubbling over with enthusiasm, and Thomas couldn’t hold back a chuckle.
“Slow down, Tink, I have a couple more questions. How long are they expecting this trip to Wyoming to take? And who all is coming along?”
“Hopefully not long—a couple of weeks at most. Rafe and Ryley are obviously going, and KJ is leading the way. Then Cash, the one that you treated when he got shot, and his brother Owen are going too. You’ll like him, he’s an attorney. I’m pretty sure that another pair of brothers, Noah and Luke, will be going as well. So it will be the eight of you.”
“So everyone else that is going is a werewolf, right?”
“Yes, but don’t worry, you won’t be left behind, human. They are planning on taking a couple of big fifteen passenger vans, so that they have something to use to transport the new wolves back in,” she said playfully, and he grunted at her.
“You were human until just recently if I recall, Tink.”
“Yes, but now I’m so much more, and so much better, don’t you think?”
“I see that humility didn’t come with your new fur coat.” He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Tina wasn’t the type to bite her tongue. She always said whatever popped into her head, and he loved her for it. In a world of people who said one thing, but meant another, she was a breath of fresh air.
“Who needs humility when you can run like the wind, and look gorgeous while doing it?” she said flippantly. “Anyways, I better get off of here, and call Devin to let him know you’re taking the job. Can you plan on being at my place Sunday?”
“I actually have an invitation to Caroline’s wedding on Saturday, why don’t I just stay that night, so that I’m already there Sunday morning. I think I’ll need a little adjustment time to get used to living amongst wolves before I travel with them,” he said as doubts and concerns started to flood his brain, tempering his enthusiasm.
“Perfect. I better go now, love you, Tommy.”
“Love you too, Tink. Night.” He hung up the phone and let his head drop back on the headrest of his favorite chair.
He had just made the decision to quit his job, and take on not only a new job, but a whole new world. Talk about impulsive. It was unusual behavior for him, for sure, but this was an opportunity he didn’t feel like he could pass up. This was the jump start he had been looking for, and he could feel it in his soul that it would be life altering.
Grabbing a beer on his way, he headed for his office to type up a letter of resignation, and start packing for the trip. As he typed up his letter, he made a mental list of things to do before the weekend. Telling his parents was at the top of that list. He had always been close to his parents and to Tina, so if he was going to leave the state it wasn’t an option to leave them in the dark. Not to mention he needed someone to stop by the condo and pick up his mail while he was gone, and his mother had more time on her hands than Tina did.
Groaning at the thought of trying to explain this new job to his mother, he downed the rest of his beer. How was he going to avoid telling her more about Tina’s new family, when he was about to become a part of it? He had been sworn to secrecy by Devin and Tina, and he had no intention of risking their lives by sharing their secrets with his gossipmonger mother.
A good night’s rest was going to be necessary before the conversation, that was for sure, and it just so happened that he had to work the early shift tomorrow, so he really didn’t have time for a chat with the ’rents anyways. Other than them, he really had no one else to call. Not that he didn’t have friends, but none that he was close enough to that they would be excessively concerned if they didn’t hear from him for several weeks. His gym buddies were the only ones that would really miss him, and he could fill them in on his vacation and new job opportunity tomorrow.
Yes, tomorrow I’ll deal with all of it, he thought to himself running his hand through his hair, tonight I pack for a new adventure. He started packing his bags for a trip that had no schedule or concrete plans, and let himself bask in the excitement of
the unknown. Even if he had some reservations about surrounding himself with wolves that were more powerful and dangerous than he was, he wasn’t about to let this chance slip through his fingers.
Until recently, he had spent his life doing everything just right. He was a good kid that played sports all through high school. Basketball, baseball, and football took up all of his free time, and ultimately baseball earned him a partial scholarship to college where he studied medicine. Taking the position at the wound care clinic seemed like a great thing when he finally graduated med school, and was doggedly looking for a job. Many of his fellow classmates had gone on to work at major hospitals, but Thomas had resisted all of the headhunters that contacted him. He had no idea at the time what the driving force behind his resistance was, but now he felt like this opportunity with the Gray Pack was what he had always been waiting for.
Other than his current addiction to boxing, he really had no hobbies. He spent a couple hours at the gym almost daily, sparring with the other gym rats that frequented Cabrioles. It was his way to let off steam, and keep his body fit and active, but it was also his way of avoiding turning into a hermit. He couldn’t remember the last time he went on an actual date, although he had had no shortage of offers from the nurses at the clinic, and the gym bunnies that hung out near the boxing ring. There had just been no one recently that really got to him and attracted him on a physical and mental level. At this point it was likely that he would live a long healthy and single life.
C’est la vie, he thought to himself. It’s not like I have any great desire to be married and procreating. His mother wouldn’t be happy if he didn’t settle down soon, but she would have to live with it. He was setting out on an adventure, and that’s where his focus needed to be right now. Tomorrow he would think about his mother, tonight he would dream about werewolves.
Ring…Ring…Ring…
“Thomas! I’m so glad you called! I was just telling your dad that I hadn’t talked to you in a few days.”
“Hi, Mama. How are you both?”
“Good, good. Staying busy. Marjorie got me involved with a local quilting bee, and I’ve been practicing my machine quilting. I’m going to take a class on appliqué next month, and then I will be able to make a wedding quilt for your sister before her wedding.”
“That’s great, Mama. Listen, I called to let you know that I’m taking a vacation to Wyoming next week—”
“Wyoming? Why in the world would you go to Wyoming for a vacation?”
“I’m going to the mountains, Mom, taking a little time away from it all.”
“And you’re leaving next week?”
“Yeah, I’ll leave on Sunday. A couple of friends are going with me.”
“On Sunday! How long have you had this planned?”
“It’s kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. Just some guys getting away to the wilderness for a little while.”
“Thomas Josiah Jameson, don’t you try to bluff your mother. After thirty two years you would think that you would know better. Now, what is going on that you would take a vacation spur-of-the-moment like this?”
“Mama, I just needed some time away. I’m not sure I want to work at the clinic anymore, and I need to decide what my next step will be.”
“And you’re going to find the answers in Wyoming?”
“I hope so. Look, I just wanted to make sure that you and Dad knew where I was, and I wanted to ask you to keep an eye on my place for me while I’m gone.”
“How long are you going to be wandering around in the mountains?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t set an end date just yet—”
“Oh my God! You’re moving, aren’t you? You’re moving to Wy-o-ming and you’re hiding it from me! Why would you want to move so far away, son? Is it your father and I? Are we too pushy? You know, I just want to be involved in your life somehow!”
“Mom! No! I’m not moving to Wyoming permanently, stop jumping the gun. I really truly am just taking a trip there, and when I get back I’ll make more permanent decisions.”
His mother was sniffling into the other end of the phone, and Thomas had to take several deep breaths to keep from snapping at her. As much as he adored his mother, he hated that she was so emotionally attached to him and Tina. God help me if I ever find a wife, or in this case, God help her!
“Will you keep an eye on my condo, Mama?”
“Of course we will. You know I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life, but you really should think about dating…”
“I need to go, Mom. I just got paged by the nurse’s desk. I’ll try to call you later. Tell Dad I love him, and give him a hug for me. I love you.”
“Please take care of yourself, son. And I love you too, Thomas.”
Clicking his cell phone off, Thomas dropped his head into his hands. Lying to his mom was tougher than he thought. All of his life his parents had supported him in every endeavor. Standing on the sidelines through countless sporting events, and helping him cover the cost of books or groceries when things got tight during medical school. They were the best parents he could have ever asked for, and yet, they barely knew him. As far as he knew they had no idea of the loneliness he felt inside, and hid from the world.
It’s not like he was suicidal, he was just disappointed with where his life had taken him so far. He always imagined that having a career as a successful doctor would actually fill a void in his heart, but it seemed to have made the emptiness even emptier. Maybe this trip would be the diversion he needed to get a handle on himself, and start his new career with the Gray Pack on the right foot.
Chapter 2
The following Monday morning…
Thomas paced the floor of his room in the Alpha’s cabin, waiting for the sun to rise. On Saturday morning, he had arrived at the Gray Pack den for Caroline, Devin, and Damon’s wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony, and he could see the love between the three of them like a glowing light coming off of their skin. It made him wish for just a moment that he had someone to love, too. Caroline had looked radiant as she walked down the aisle and said her vows with the Gray twins. His favorite moment had been when she first stepped into view, and she saw the brothers for the first time. The look on her face was a priceless moment that squeezed Thomas’s heart in his chest. Caroline had been like another sister to him for the last several years, and seeing her find her happiness was more than he could have hoped.
Then yesterday Rafe and Ryley threw a surprise wedding for their mate, Shandi. The surprise affair delayed their leaving for Wyoming another day, but seeing the joy on Shandi’s face made it worth it, so Thomas wasn’t complaining. The biggest problem with all of these happy couples surrounding him was just that it amplified his own loneliness. Sitting at the celebration dinner after the ceremony, he watched as most of the people he knew took to the dance floor holding their respective partners close, and whispering words of love to them. Instead of joining into the party, he sat in a quiet corner, and just observed it with what he hoped was a blank expression on his face. He was happy for them all, and jealous of them at the same time.
Sunday night seemed to drag on forever as he waited in his room, pretending to read a book while everyone else slept, because his nerves were so jangled he couldn’t think straight. When he slept he had dreams of wolves running, snarling, and snapping. They were chasing someone, but he couldn’t see who, and he didn’t think he was chasing the individual, too. For some reason he felt protective of whomever their quarry was. Each time he would wake up sweating and alert as if he were going to charge the pack of angry wolves. It didn’t make any sense. The only explanation he could come up with was that he was antsy about being the only human, traveling into a pack of unknown wolves.
Devin assured him that he would be perfectly safe, but as with anything unknown there was a ripple of apprehension in his belly. Getting to know the guys that were traveling with them had been great. They had welcomed him into the fold after Tina had accepted her mating w
ith Liam, so he felt comfortable with them for the most part. The only one he hadn’t met yet was the elusive Katie Jo Whetstone, the sole reason for this mission.
According to Tina, she looked uncannily similar to her brothers, but Thomas had a difficult time seeing either of the two huge blond men as small, dainty women. He chuckled quietly. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t meet her. If they were driving all the way to Wyoming together he would have plenty of time to get to know all of the werewolves going on the trip.
When the first rays of sunshine finally peeked over the top of the trees so that he could see them, he sighed with relief, and slid his feet into his tennis shoes. He had to get out and run before he was cooped up in a car for twelve hours. Quietly leaving his room he made his way through the dark to the back door off of the kitchen, when a voice startled him enough to make him jump.
“Where are you headed, Doc?”
He turned to find Cash standing next to the stove holding a cup of coffee. Cash Gray was a tall lean man that looked like he was born on a horse ranch in the middle of Texas. He usually wore a cowboy hat over his messy black hair, and faded blue jeans over his boots. This morning he was without the boots, hat, and even a shirt. His curly black hair hung rumpled over his brow, and the lines of sleep were written under his eyes. His dark brown gaze was curious, but not accusing, so Thomas offered back a sheepish grin.
“I was going to take a quick run. I’m used to hitting the gym first thing in the morning, and I hate long car rides.”
Cash laughed, and set his coffee cup in the sink. “I was headed that way myself. If you don’t mind me running in my fur, I’ll join you.”
