by Jenny Frame
Caden pulled Lena into her arms. “You may be eating more, but that’s because you’re using so much more energy. I mean, you can’t keep your hands off me,” Caden joked.
Lena smiled at that, and the tension in her shoulders dropped. “I just hear my mother’s voice in my head, telling me I’ll never hang on to any relationship with fat thighs and hips. I mean, look at you.” Lena stepped back and gazed adoringly up and down Caden’s naked body. She hugged herself as a feeling of nausea sloshed around inside. Eating steak for breakfast was probably a bad idea. “You’re tall, lean, muscular, gorgeous, like my dream cowboy, and look at me.”
Caden held her hand. “I do look at you, Goddess, all the time. I’ve told you before—I’m a hunter, and my body suits my purpose.”
Lena’s stomach dropped as she was reminded that as a human she could not give Caden what another wolf would—a baby.
“But my body doesn’t suit mine, does it?” Lena snapped.
Caden looked confused. “What do you mean? Of course it does. You are everything a submissive female should be. Soft, curvaceous—”
“But I can’t give you a cub, can I?” Lena said sadly.
Tears started to well in her eyes, and she walked over to the bedside table to get a tissue. This failing, as she saw it, had been playing on her mind ever since they got married, but it was getting stronger with every day that passed. Family and children were everything in Wolfgang County, and every time she was around the Mater and her friends, she was reminded that was something she could not give Caden.
She felt Caden behind her, and she guided her to sit down on the bed. “You are perfect, Lena, and all I need.”
“Tell me honestly that you wouldn’t like a family,” Lena said.
Caden took her hand and squeezed. “Of course I’d like a family with you, and if you’d like to think about adopting a cub, we can look start looking into it. I know you think about it all the time.”
Lena took off her glasses and wiped her eyes. “How do you know I think about it all the time?”
Caden nuzzled Lena’s hair. “Because you are my mate. I always know. Plus don’t think I haven’t seen you looking at nursery furniture when you’re shopping online.”
She never thought Caden had noticed. With all the renovations to the den Caden had made, she had been in charge of decoration, and while she looked for furniture for the spare bedrooms, she always seemed to find herself gazing longingly at the nursery section.
Lena shrugged. “Every time I walk into the room next to ours, it feels like something’s missing. I’m sorry I can’t give you a cub, Cade.”
“Hey, stop that.” Caden put her arm around her shoulder and tugged Lena to her chest. “I never even thought I’d have a mate. I’m the luckiest wolf in the county, because I get to come home to you every day.”
“Could we really adopt, Caden?” Lena asked hopefully.
“Of course. We just need to register at the town hall. There are a lot of needy cubs out there. The town hall has contacts with all the other friendly packs, then when a cub becomes available, they’ll let us know. Until then, no more crying, or I’ll bite you.”
Lena giggled. “Is that a promise?” She glanced at the time. “Oh no, I’m going to be late for work, and we need to pick up Kyra.”
Caden looked at the clock. “I’ll text her that we’ll be late. You finish getting ready.
Lena stood quickly, and her whole world spun, her legs went to jelly, and she found herself in Caden’s strong arms.
“Are you okay? Lena? Tell me,” Caden said frantically.
“I’m okay, I’m okay. I just stood up too quickly. It’s a human thing,” Lena said.
Not being used to sickness in the werewolf world, Caden worried about every tiny sign of illness in Lena, and if she saw one, she panicked.
Caden helped her stand upright and the nausea she’d felt earlier got worse. She rubbed her stomach. “I really shouldn’t have eaten that steak this morning.”
Caden held her shoulders in concern. “Should I call Dr. Jaycen? You haven’t felt so good the last few days.”
“No, no, I’ll be fine—” The feeling of sickness became overwhelming, and she ran to the bathroom.
* * *
Kyra walked down Main Street toward the Big Bad Wolf Diner. The Big Bad Wolf catered to a younger crowd than the New Moon Bar and Grill, and it was Kyra’s habit to pop in and pick up a coffee every morning. The coffee was great, the atmosphere was good, and her best friend in the world worked there.
The memories of last night floated through her head, and she gave an involuntary shiver. Why she had shown herself to that human, she had no idea, but she’d felt compelled to. Whoever the human was, she looked extraordinary, less like a human female, and more like a big, dominant wolf.
Kyra stopped and caressed her own hand and sighed as she remembered her paw touching the human’s hand and the electric jolt of energy that passed through her. It hadn’t been like touching a human, more like a wolf, especially since she had beautiful artwork of a wolf paw tattooed on the backs of her hands.
She hoped she’d see her again, but then she remembered the camping backpack the visitor had worn. She was probably just a hiker on her way through the county and enjoying the forest.
She gave her head a shake and started walking again.
Just as she reached the door to the diner, her cell phone beeped. Kyra read the text and sighed. It was from Caden. She and Lena were running fifteen minutes late. Since Lena started working at Wolfgang Academy, where Kyra was a kindergarten teacher, they had become really good friends, and Caden drove them both to work every morning.
Kyra put her phone away and sighed again. Caden had been her longtime crush, and now she was mated. Kyra had been brought up to believe everyone had a destined mate, but while her friends and classmates each found someone easily, Kyra could not, and not for the lack of interest. Kyra had been a cheerleader and voted homecoming queen. She had been chased by lots of wolves in her peer group, but none set her heart on fire.
She gazed around Main Street. It was full of busy people on their way to work or chatting to friends outside of the storefronts.
Great Mother, where is my wolf?
Her thoughts were disturbed by the loud chatter and laughter of a group of cubs from Wolfgang Academy walking toward the diner from the opposite direction. She smiled, and waved to them. They were loud and rambunctious, but good kids.
Megan, the Alpha’s youngest, spotted her and pushed past the others to run over. “Morning, Miss Kyra.”
Kyra smiled and gave her a hug. “Morning, Meggie. How are you?”
“Great. I can’t wait for the science fair today.”
It was always nice to have such an enthusiastic student.
She kissed Meghan’s head. “Me too, sweetie.”
As always when she was with the cubs, her own worries became less troubling to her mind. Kyra followed the cubs into the diner and saw her best friend Dezra behind the counter waiting for her. Dezra smiled and waved before taking the cubs’ order. Kyra took a seat at the counter and waited for her friend.
Dezra had been her best friend as far back as she could remember, from kindergarten at least, but probably birth. Some found them a strange pair of friends because they couldn’t be more different in terms of looks and personality. Where Kyra had blond hair, rosy skin tones, and a quiet almost wallflower personality, Dezra had black hair, very pale skin decorated with what appeared to be black-ink gothic tattoos, and a confident, rebellious nature.
During high school while Kyra wanted to study in the library, or do her homework, Dezra went to every party she could, and snuck out after curfew. But for some reason, their friendship just worked.
Dezra walked back to the bar and gave Kyra a hug and kiss. “Morning, Ky. Decaf coffee and doughnuts to go?”
“I’ve got time to sit and chat for ten minutes, so I’ll take one of your blueberry muffins. They look so good, Dezzie,” K
yra said.
“Freshly made by Mom this morning.” The Big Bad Wolf Diner had been the family business for decades.
Dezra started to make the coffee and said, “Caden and Lena running late again?”
She nodded, and Dezzie waggled her eyebrows. “Some more morning wolfie loving.”
Kyra lowered her eyes.
“You’re not still harboring your secret crush are you?” Dezzie handed her the coffee in a to-go cup and went to the cake display to get her muffin and doughnuts.
“No, I’m just sad that my wolf isn’t out there,” Kyra said.
Dezzie squeezed her hand and gave her the muffin. “It’s not like you haven’t had a million offers, hun.”
“You know that’s not how it works, Dezzie. There’s one wolf that’s destined to be your mate, just like you and Joel,” Kyra said.
The smile grew on Dezzie’s face at the mention on her mate. At the start of high school no one would have paired the rebellious goth wolf, who always wore black, with the tall, imposing, and good looking popular star quarterback, but one look, and they were smitten.
“That’s true, but I thought you might meet someone when you were at college,” Dezzie said.
Kyra raised a questioning eyebrow. “A human?”
Dezzie rolled her eyes. “There are wolves out there, living in the human world, but humans too—why not? The Second fell in love with one.”
That was true. “I never really looked.”
Dezzie sighed and folded her arms. “Don’t I know it. You were too busy studying to have any fun. I was meant to live vicariously through you. I always thought I’d go to college with you, but then I fell in love with Joel and wanted nothing else but to get mated and make a den.”
Kyra laughed. “Who’d have thought it?”
“You’re telling me?” Dezzie joked. “You were meant to go to the parties, kiss a lot of humans, maybe a few wolves, and come home for the holidays and regale me with your conquests.”
“Instead, I came home and told you about my grades?” Kyra said.
“Exactly. Such a spoilsport.” Dezzie glared at her.
Then Kyra remembered she did have some gossip to share with her best friend. She leaned forward and said, “Guess what? When I was out running last night I saw this human female in the forest.” A gorgeous female, she said silently.
“You let her see your wolf? She could have been something to do with the Lupas, hun. She could have hurt you,” Dezzie said with worry in her voice.
“I felt safe. I can’t explain, but it was strange. She wasn’t like a typical human female. She was exactly like a dominant wolf, and yet she wasn’t.”
Dezzie shrugged. “Humans come in all shapes and sizes, Ky.”
“I suppose, and she had these amazing wolf paw tattoos on her hands.”
“Sounds so cool.” Dezzie ran her hand over her latest tattoo and said, “I wish mine could be permanent.”
There was little point in a werewolf getting a tattoo, as it healed every time they shifted. Dezzie had always loved ink and so applied temporary tattoos like most women would their makeup.
Kyra stroked her hand. “No one would know they weren’t real, Dezzie. You look great.”
“Thanks.” Dezzie looked up when the bell above the diner door rang, and she growled low in her throat. Kyra knew who that growl was for—her wolf and the love of her life, Joel. She watched the tall, dark skinned, muscular fireman stride confidently toward them.
Joel worked with Xander at the fire department. He was one of the most dominant wolves of their age group and tipped to be next to join the Alpha’s elite wolves.
He gave her a bright smile and said, “Morning, Ky.”
Despite his imposing frame, Dezzie grabbed his jacket and pulled him across the counter.
“Come here, Wolf,” Dezzie said.
Joel growled fiercely in return and kissed his mate deeply. There was no distracting them when they were like this, so Kyra picked up her bag of doughnuts, popped her muffin in with them, and grabbed her decaf.
“See you guys later,” Kyra said to the kissing couple.
She smiled when Dezzie managed to wave without breaking the kiss. Kyra searched for her cellphone while she walked through the door and bumped into something tall and solid. And down she went.
“I’m so sorry, ma’am,” a deep, sexy voice said.
Before Kyra looked up, she saw a hand with a wolf paw tattoo reach for her hand. Kyra touched her, just as she had in the forest, paw to paw. It’s her.
Her heart thudded, and what she could only describe as a shiver of pleasure ran through her body. She looked up and saw the most beautiful pair of blue eyes she had ever seen. Kyra’s mouth tried to say something but her words deserted her.
“Are you all right, ma’am?”
Kyra nodded. “Yes, I’m okay.”
The human started to gather all her things up. “I’m really sorry.”
Kyra got herself together and they both stood. “Don’t worry about it. I should have been watching where I was going.”
The human handed over her things and narrowed her eyes as she searched Kyra’s face. “Have I met you before? You seem really familiar.”
Kyra shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
The human continued to study her. Could she see something of her wolf in her eyes? Kyra started to get nervous.
Just in time there was a truck horn noise from across the road. “I—I better go. Thanks.”
She ran over to Caden’s truck and got in the back seat quickly. “Morning, Caden, Lena.”
“Morning, Ky. Sorry we’re late. I wasn’t feeling too well this morning,” Lena said.
That surprised Kyra. She’d assumed the newly married couple just got caught up in each other. Caden leaned around and said, “It’s a human thing.” As if that explained everything.
“Will you keep an eye on her for me, Kyra?” Caden said.
“Oh, stop fussing, Cade. I’ll be fine,” Lena said with frustration.
Kyra smiled. “Of course I will, Second.”
Then Caden’s countenance became much more serious. “Who was that you were talking to? I don’t recognize her.”
“I think she’s just a human hiker, passing through. I saw her last night when I was out running.”
Kyra didn’t add that she had shown her wolf to the human. She doubted the Second would approve.
“I wish you wouldn’t go out running on your own, Kyra. There’s a curfew—”
“For the cubs, Second. I’m not a cub,” Kyra said firmly.
After the Lupa wolves had attacked the very heart of their pack, the Alpha instituted a curfew for cubs running on their own. She had wanted to include submissive wolves, but the Mater had talked her out of it.
The problem was, Caden seemed to see her as a cub, and it was really annoying.
Kyra watched as Lena put a hand on Caden’s knee and the Second physically relaxed.
“Leave Kyra, Cade. She’ll be careful.”
Caden let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I just care about you, Kyra. You’re like the little sister I never had.”
Before she had gotten over her crush, that statement would have annoyed her, but now it felt sweet and comforting.
“Thank you, Caden.”
“Just tell me if you see that human again, or if she bothers you, okay?”
Kyra looked out the truck window and was surprised to see that the human hadn’t moved and was still gazing over at her. Did she suspect something, or did she feel something when they touched too?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Caden saying, “Do I smell doughnuts?”
Kyra laughed and passed the bag into the front seat. The Second’s sweet tooth was well known. Caden took one, broke it in half, and shared it with Lena. It was a wolf gesture of love, but would anyone ever share their food with her? Kyra’s eyes were drawn again to the front of the diner.
But this time, the human was gone.
C
hapter Three
After getting directions to the store from a woman in the diner, Ripp drove down Main Street and pulled into a parking lot. Although the woman in the diner was polite, everyone else she passed looked at her suspiciously. Ripp didn’t get the feeling the town was unfriendly, but she got the sense that they were uneasy, and on alert for some reason.
Storm was on edge as well. He was growling and barking at people as he passed them, in his full protection mode. Weird. He was always usually easygoing and friendly, unless the situation called for it.
She turned off her engine and sat back in her seat. There was one bright spot to this morning. The blond girl she had bumped into at the diner had taken her breath away, literally. Ripp thought she had sounded like a complete gibbering idiot. She closed her eyes and conjured up the girl’s face in her mind. She had the most gorgeous wavy blond hair, and the most beautiful delicate features she had seen.
But her icy blue eyes captivated her. When Ripp had looked in them, she was sure she recognized her, but that wasn’t possible. She had just gotten here.
When their hands touched, Ripp felt a ripple of pleasure, from her heart all the way down to her sex. She scrubbed her face with her hands. Sex was something she tried hard not to think about, and that was hard, but she couldn’t find release with someone else. Not again. Ripp couldn’t trust herself.
Storm barked to get her attention.
“Sorry, buddy. You hungry already?”
He replied by panting with a big lolling tongue.
“You stay here, and I’ll be really quick, okay?” Ripp said.
Storm barked and she ruffled his ears. The she poured some of her water into the small water bowl she kept for him on the floor.
“Won’t be long, boy.” Ripp got out and made sure all the windows were cracked. It wasn’t warm, but better safe than sorry. Storm was her top priority. He was all she had.
