by Chant, Zoe
“Never get your manhood near an open flame, anyway,” Ben said, and chuckled.
“Thanks, Dad,” Aria said, “I was hoping there’d be a dick joke. At this family gathering.”
She pulled Colby away. Halfway across the lawn, she turned their walk into a kind of dance. He twirled her and then dipped her, watching her face darken a little as everybody applauded.
“We’re here all week,” Colby said, waving to them.
“It’s a nice honeymoon stage,” Gretchen said, smiling. “When you can’t go anywhere without dancing, even when there’s not any music. And speaking of which, we should get some music going on here, right?”
“Speakers are inside,” Colby said. “Hall closet. Or I haven’t unpacked them yet and they’re out in the garage in the box pile of shame.”
Gretchen nodded and headed in.
Colby looked around at their backyard party. At his family. His pack.
Doreen had joined Ben at the grill and was leaning her head against his shoulder, laughing softly at something he’d said; Ben’s free hand spun one of the slim gold bracelets on her wrist around and around.
Whether they knew it or not, they were mates just the same as he and Aria were.
He could see the same love when he looked out at Martin and Theo and their mates.
Tiffani was fixing new, brightly colored hair bobbles into Mattie’s hair. Martin probably thought no one noticed him twirling a lock of her hair, right at the nape of her neck, around his finger. Just because he was talking to Theo and Jillian and just because Tiffani was busy entertaining the kids—that didn’t mean he was going to go that long without touching her.
Jillian and Theo were, Colby guessed, talking again about their dreams for having kids—he recognized the earnest, hopeful look on Theo’s face even at this distance. Jillian was drinking lemonade instead of beer, just in case.
Live in hope, Colby thought. She’d make a good mom just like Theo would make a good dad.
Mattie was giggling, delighted with the new hair bobbles.
Gretchen came out of the house victorious, the stereo speakers hoisted above her hip, and Luke made an awkward beeline for her. He was eager, probably, to find something he could help with. He still seemed uncomfortable around regular people—Colby could tell he only felt half-civilized. And he was carrying around some guilt, too. But he would turn out okay. Colby doubted that Mel Wondery, currently looking on with approval, would let him do anything less.
Gretchen and Luke got the sound system set up. Music flooded the backyard. Ben started passing out the first round of burgers.
“Now it’s a party,” Gretchen said. “Music, food, people.”
“Family,” Colby said.
“Pack,” Aria said. “You can say it, you know.”
“Pack,” he agreed.
Dinner could wait. He spun her off into another dance, this one slower and more deliberate.
He just wanted to hold her close: to feel the softness of her body against his and smell her shampoo and her own distinctive Aria-scent as she leaned against him. To watch the skirt of her sundress twirl around her bare legs and watch the grass tickle her feet.
Aria rested her head against his chest. “I was thinking about what you said. The first night everything was okay, after you arrested Eli.”
“I’d lost a lot of blood. Whatever I said could have been pretty dumb.”
“It wasn’t.”
He twirled her away and brought her back again.
“You told Mattie that we were all part of nature,” Aria went on. “And I was thinking just now... this is my perfect habitat.”
She looked around, like she was taking in the whole backyard. Goldenrod and roses growing in their unruly beds. Luke getting roped into a game of badminton with Mattie, Theo, and Jillian. Ben showing Gretchen how to put the perfect char on the burgers. Martin pouring Tiffani a glass of wine. Mel and Doreen stringing up lights that could keep the party going after the sun went down.
Colby knew everything she was seeing, and he felt the exact same way.
“It’s pretty perfect for me too.”
“This is my life at its most natural,” Aria said. “When I met you—when we made this huge family together—I realized I’m exactly who I’m supposed to be.” She kissed him. “And exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
“I remember something else I said that day,” Colby said. “I told you thanks. You asked for what. And—it was all of that. It was everything.”
He had everything now. They both did.
And they were at the heart of all of it, dancing together, perfectly in tune.
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for buying my book! I hope you enjoyed it. If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. You can also visit my webpage, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter. You are also invited to join my VIP Readers Group on Facebook!
Please consider reviewing The Wolf Marshal’s Pack, even if you only write a line or two. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.
U.S. Marshal Shifters #4, Gretchen’s book, will be out this summer or early fall.
Page down to read a special sneak preview of Quicksilver Dragon.
The cover of The Wolf Marshal’s Pack was designed by Augusta Scarlett.
More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant
The Dragon Marshal’s Treasure (U.S. Marshal Shifters #1). Practical Jillian never expected to meet a charming, irresistible dragon straight out a fairy tale. US Marshal Theo St. Vincent was supposed to seize her assets. Instead, she’s stolen his heart...
The Pegasus Marshal’s Mate (U.S. Marshal Shifters #2). Tiffani's first marriage was a disaster. And now her first day of her new life as a court reporter has involved a jackass judge, a bomb threat...and a sexy silver fox of a US Marshal.
Quicksilver Dragon (Quicksilver #1). When the dragon’s dying wish transforms Boone and Lindsay into shifters, they’re plunged into a magical world neither ever suspected existed. With a powerful dragon-hunter hot on their tails, time is running out for them to figure out their new gifts... and their unexpected bond.
Bodyguard Bear. (Protection, Inc. # 1). A curvy witness to a murder + the sexy bear shifter bodyguard sworn to protect her with his life + firefights and fiery passion = one hot thrill ride!
Defender Dragon. (Protection, Inc. # 2). A backpacker who loses a shoe at a ball + a lonely dragon prince facing an arranged marriage to a princess he doesn’t love + magnificent castles and deadly assassins = one thrilling romance!
Protector Panther. (Protection, Inc. # 3). A curvy paramedic who doesn’t know the meaning of fear + a mysterious panther shifter bodyguard with the power to inflict terror + sinister experiments and desperate passion = one heart-pounding romance!
Warrior Wolf. (Protection, Inc. # 4). A runaway dragon princess who wants to experience life outside of castle walls + an ex-gangster werewolf bodyguard with a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas + uptown parties, downtown nightclubs, and deadly assassins = one explosive good girl/bad boy romance!
Leader Lion. (Protection, Inc. # 5). A tough lion shifter bodyguard hiding a lonely heart + the determined stage manager he'll protect with his life + deadly danger behind the scenes = one sizzling thrill ride of a romance!
Soldier Snow Leopard. (Protection, Inc. # 6). Two broken shifters. Two hearts in need of healing. Justin’s emotions were ripped out to make him the perfect assassin. Fiona hides behind her role as the perfect spy. When their paths cross on a perilous mission, he’s not the only one at risk of feeling again....
Bearista. (Bodyguard Shifters # 1). A tough bear shifter bodyguard undercover in a coffee shop + a curvy barista with an adorable 5-year-old + a deadly shifter assassin = a scorching thrill ride of a romance!
Pet Rescue Panther. (Bodyguard Shifters #2). What's hotter than a sexy man holding an adorable kitten? How about a sexy, protective panther shifter cop holding five adorable kit
tens! Ben must protect curvy cat-rescue volunteer Tessa (and her box of kittens) from the dragon assassin who has sworn to kill her.
The Griffin’s Mate. (Hideaway Cove #1) A curvy businesswoman who’s new in town + a lonely griffin shifter searching for someone to share his nest + a small town with a big secret = a hot and heartwarming story of love and family.
The Sea Wolf’s Mate. (Hideaway Cove #2) Three adorable seal shifter kids, a wolf shifter without a pack... and a woman who thought she’d lost her chance at happy ever after.
Zoe Chant writing as Lia Silver
Laura’s Wolf (Werewolf Marines # 1), by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine Roy Farrell, scarred in body and mind, thinks he has no future. Curvy con artist Laura Kaplan, running from danger and her own guilt, is desperate to escape her past. Together, they have all that they need to heal.
Prisoner (Werewolf Marines # 2), by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine DJ Torres is a born rebel. Genetically engineered assassin Echo was created to be a weapon. When DJ is captured by the agency that made Echo, the two misfits find that they fit together perfectly.
Partner (Werewolf Marines # 3), by Lia Silver. DJ and Echo’s relationship grows stronger under fire... until they are confronted by a terrible choice.
Mated to the Meerkat, by Lia Silver. Jasmine Jones, a curvy tabloid reporter, meets her match in notorious paparazzi and secret shifter Chance Marcotte.
Zoe Chant writing as Lauren Esker
Handcuffed to the Bear (Shifter Agents # 1), by Lauren Esker. A bear-shifter ex-mercenary and a curvy lynx shifter searching for her best friend's killer are handcuffed together and hunted in the wilderness. Can they learn to rely on each other before their pasts, and their pursuers, catch up with them?
Guard Wolf (Shifter Agents # 2), by Lauren Esker. Avery is a lone werewolf with no pack; Nicole is a social worker trying to put her life back together. When he comes to her door with a box of orphan werewolf puppies and danger in pursuit, can two lonely people find the family they've been missing?
Dragon’s Luck (Shifter Agents # 3) by Lauren Esker. Gecko shifter and infiltration expert Jen Cho teams up with sexy dragon-shifter gambler "Lucky" Lucado to win a high-stakes poker game. Now they're trapped on a cruise ship full of mobsters, mysterious enemy agents, and evil dragons!
Tiger in the Hot Zone (Shifter Agents # 4) by Lauren Esker. In her search for the truth about shifters, tell-all blogger Peri Moreland has been clashing with tiger shifter and SCB agent Noah Easton for years. Now she and Noah are on the run with an unstoppable assassin after them and a custom-made plague threatening the entire shifter world!
Keeping Her Pride (Ladies of the Pack # 1), by Lauren Esker. Down-and-out lioness shifter Debi Fallon never meant to fall in love with a human. Sexy architect and single dad Fletcher Briggs has his hands full with his adorable 4-year-old... who turns into a tiny, deadly snake. Can two ambitious people overcome their pride and prejudice enough to realize the only thing missing from their lives is each other?
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, by Lauren Esker. Curvy farm girl Julie Capshaw was warned away from the wolf shifters next door, but Damon Wolfe is the motorcycle-riding, smoking hot alpha of her dreams. Can the big bad wolf and his sheep shifter find their own happy ending?
And many more!
Chapter One
It was the wrong day for the beach.
Or, Lindsay Garza thought dryly, it was the wrong day for the beach for anyone but her. For her, it was perfect.
Not that she especially liked blustery wind and unseasonably chilly weather, of course. But San Marco’s beaches were normally packed, and it usually took apocalyptically bad weather to empty them. Lindsay had been out there before on days when the wind had been strong enough to whip her hair out of its ponytail. She’d been there when the rain had been so heavy she’d hardly been able to see six inches in front of her nose. Compared to that, this was postcard-perfect.
She leaned down and nabbed another piece of trash—discarded beer can, this time—with her reacher-grabber before dropping it safely into the heavy-duty garbage bag at her side.
Cleaning up the beach was so much easier when people weren’t around, which was why she only ever tried it on bad weather days. And in sunny, mild San Marco, bad weather days were few and far between, so the junk had a lot of time to accumulate. Her guess was that no more than five in every hundred people on the beach tossed their soda cans onto the sand instead of into the trash... it was just that the multiplication on that wasn’t in her favor. Five people out of every hundred a day, with the hundreds of people they got during the city’s busy season? Multiplied by the number of days it all built up before Lindsay could get to it?
Well, it still wasn’t enough to spoil the way the beach looked. Lindsay might have honed herself to have eagle eyes for any glitter of aluminum or—way grosser—used condom, but when she relaxed and straightened up, letting herself look down the coast, she still saw something absolutely magnificent.
Sapphire-bright ocean. Sugar-white beach. Mountains in the distance.
Lindsay loved her hometown. She’d never want to live anywhere else.
Which was why she was currently stooping down to hoist up someone’s Styrofoam cooler. She loved the city too much to let it wreck one of its star attractions.
Who tossed a cooler? These things were reusable, weren’t they?
No way. You’re thirty years old. You’re past your days of? scavenging people’s thrown-out futons and dressers with missing knobs—you can definitely afford to buy your own cooler.
Still, throwing away something useful always gave her a little pang of guilt. She’d grown up without much money, and she’d been raised to always think twice before tossing something that seemed broken or useless at first glance. There’d been no limit to the amount of patching and darning her older sister could do on clothes, often making them sharper and more stylish than they’d been before. And her dad had had the electronic equivalent of a green thumb—computer chip thumb?—and had been able to keep their old TV and family computer limping along for years. She liked to hold onto things and repair them wherever she could.
Maybe that was how she felt about the city, too. Even when it wasn’t ideal, it was hers, and she’d rather fix it than abandon it.
That being said, the Styrofoam cooler with a slightly rank package of cheddar cheese slices in it wasn’t a metaphor for her loyalty to San Marco. It was trash. She trashed it, wrinkling her nose a little at the smell that wafted up at her as the lid clunked off, falling into the bag first.
Yuck.
She felt the first couple of raindrops patter against her head. Uh-oh. She’d brought both a massive golf umbrella and the world’s most ridiculous waterproof poncho, but even when you came prepared, rain tended to cut a trash-picking session short. There was only so long a girl could sustain her will to live under those kinds of conditions.
Still, she was game to try. Going home and relaxing with a hot bath and a good book would feel even better if she knew she’d really done all she could first.
She dug into her backpack and came up with the poncho, which had been a gift from her niece, who had a sense of humor about her tía Lindsay’s over-the-top sense of civic pride. The poncho was an eye-gouging shade of neon green and covered with splashy floral designs in equally brain-melting colors. It was the most hideous thing Lindsay had ever seen—but as her niece had pointed out, it was ridiculously good at keeping her dry and it was from a local independent business-owner. And wasn’t part of Lindsay’s job as a city planner encouraging local businesses?
Her niece was a ruthless evil mastermind. Lindsay was proud.
She got the poncho over her head—it smelled like one of those inflatable rafts—and kept moving.
Granola bar wrapper. Old copy of People Magazine. Scrunchy. Birthday card.
She was so busy looking down at the sand and keeping the rain out of her eyes that the voice to her left came as a complete surprise.
“Want some help?�
��
Lindsay let out a squeak of surprise that she desperately hoped he hadn’t heard and then looked up.
She had trouble making out the guy’s face through the thick veil of rain, but he was wearing a bright blue windbreaker. Even with its hood up, he must have been getting soaked. Despite that, his voice had sounded completely friendly and even relaxed.
Lindsay couldn’t count the number of times she’d done beachside clean-up. She could count the number of times someone had ever offered to help her with it: one. This one.
Usually, if there were people around at all, all she had to do was reassure them that she wasn’t a prisoner on work-release, just a concerned neat-freak citizen, and then they backed away slowly and left her alone.
She blinked rainwater out of her eyes. “Thanks, seriously. That’s really nice of you. But I’m about to pack it in and go home anyway—this is getting pretty bad.”
He nodded. “Carry your trash for you?”
Sure, why not? She’d been lugging it down the length of the beach, and it was pretty cumbersome by now. It would be nice to have an extra set of hands. “That would be amazing. Thank you. I keep worrying I’m going to rip it open on a seashell.”
He shuddered. “That would terrify me. Everything just flying away, all the hard work undone... Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.”
She handed him the bag, and he twirled it around a few times, choking the neck closed, and then slung it over his shoulder like it weighed nothing at all.
“There’s a dumpster in the parking lot,” Lindsay said. “If you really don’t mind.”
“Not even a little,” he said cheerfully. He started walking. “I’m Boone, by the way. Boone Keller.”
“Lindsay Garza.”
He held out his hand sideways to her. “Nice to meet you, Lindsay Garza.”
She shook. He had big hands with long, lean fingers, and even though they were slippery with rain, she felt like there was something sturdy about them. “Nice to meet you too, trash-carrying hero.”
