by Milly Taiden
"This isn’t what I was expecting when you called for this meeting," Caelen said in a weary tone. "I figured it was just normal mountain stuff. Now my skin crawls at the thought of something like this going on around us and we were left clueless. How has it been able to get so wide spread without it being more obvious?"
"Only thing I can figure is the parents didn't realize it either. The kids may be shifters, but they’re teenagers, too. It's not unheard of for them to do weird and stupid shit. I approached my parents when I noticed it in my sister. They and I hate to admit this, but they hadn't seen it. Once I pointed it out, they were able to remember instances that were out of character for her, going back about six months."
Luke growled in frustration. "This has been happening for six months and this is the first we've heard of it?"
Garrett shook his head in the negative. "Longer, as a matter of fact. Like I said earlier, I’d noticed it in my sister, but I’d seen a difference in her friends and that's why I saw it in her. From what I could gather, it's been at least a year if not a bit longer.”
“Fucking hell,” Brannon grunted. “I’ve been coming and going for a couple months now, but never expected to come back to this. Every time I checked in, I was told there was no pressing issues or things to report. I don’t understand how this is occurring under our noses like this. We’re fucking shifters; we should notice this crap. Hell, those kids shouldn’t be able to defy us in the first place. What is happening and how are we losing control?”
“Guys, you need to calm down. Getting worked up isn’t going to help. We need a plan of action. Any suggestions or ideas?” Kira asked patiently.
Toni bit her lip and hesitantly asked, “What about asking some of the pack you trust that has some free time or can get away from their duties or jobs to trail some of the kids discreetly? They might be able to gather some information that would give you some clues and possibly even answers.”
“Not only beautiful, but fucking smart,” Garrett said as he leaned over and gave Toni a quick peck on the cheek.
Toni blushed and Garrett chuckled. “Babe, that is a phenomenal idea. I have to say I’m ashamed I didn’t think of that myself.”
Bastien grinned wickedly. “Now you see why we insisted our mates be here at the meeting.”
“What about using some of the older pack members? They won’t raise suspicion by taking time off from work. They have years and years of practice at hiding and stalking, I would imagine. Hell, with how arrogant teenagers are, they probably wouldn’t even suspect anything if they did see the old timers wandering or prowling around,” Carly interjected.
It was Bastien’s turn to kiss his mate, but it wasn’t with a sweet peck on the cheek. He pulled Carly in for a soul-searing kiss that made Garrett blush.
“Ah, you two might want to get a room or something. It’s getting a little hot in here,” Garrett grumbled as he shifted slightly in his chair.
“Men are pigs sometimes,” Kira said as she glared at Garrett.
“Babe, he’s right. It’s kind of like watching a live porno.”
The woman all sighed in disgust and moved the conversation to a safer topic. Mainly how disgusting men could be at times.
Garrett leaned over and whispered in Toni’s ear, “Just for the record. I would give up my left testicle to kiss you like that right now.”
Toni arched an eyebrow and turned so their faces were barely an inch apart. Garrett licked his lips and couldn’t stop from staring at her lips in hunger.
“Only your left one? You must not want it that badly after all.” Toni winked and turned back to her friends, leaving Garrett speechless for a minute before his booming laughter filled the room.
9
Shit, the man even laughed sexy. No way in hell should a man be that gorgeous, attentive, and a sweet talker. There was no doubt why the women did everything they could to be around him.
The rest of lunch, they kept topics to light banter and amusing stories of their pasts together. Garrett was a gentleman beyond her wildest imaginations. He did everything he could to make her feel special and wanted. The wanted part she didn’t doubt from the smoldering looks he would shoot her from under his eyelids when the others weren’t looking.
“Excuse me, I need to use the ladies’ room,” Toni said as she pushed her chair back. Sitting next to him with his scent filling her and his lustful glances were making it very hard to sit without squirming. She was so wet, she was afraid she was going to leave a puddle and with their damn shifter noses, they all had to know her condition. Which, now that she thought about it, might be part of the reason Garrett was giving her those looks and inching his chair closer and closer to her.
Toni was practically vibrating with need at this point and needed to splash cold water on her face to calm down and do it quickly before she embarrassed herself. As she was leaning over the sink to wash her hands, she felt a warm body press against her. She knew instantly who it was. His unique scent was imprinted on her mind forever.
“What are you doing in here?” she squeaked as she felt his erection press into her backside.
“You don’t think I was going to waste an opportunity like this, did you? Sitting next to you was torture. Not being able to touch you, knowing how much you want me, too.” Garrett placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him.
“How did you get in here?” she asked in a breathy, trembling voice as he pressed closer again.
“Don’t worry, the door is locked. No one is coming in to interrupt us.” Garrett licked his lips and leaned forward. “Have I mentioned how fucking delicious you smell? All I could think as I sat out there was how I didn’t want my lunch. I had something far better calling to me.”
Toni bit her lip and slid to the side to put distance between them. He didn’t let her get far before he was pressing her against the wall. She was truly trapped and if she was honest with herself, loving it. The hard wall at her back and the muscular wall of heat pressed to her front.
“When I saw you stand, wearing this slip of a sundress, my mouth watered. All I could imagine was that I could get my lunch after all,” Garrett whispered as he nuzzled her neck.
Toni gasped as his hand slid up her thigh under her dress. “Stop, oh holy fuck, we’re in public.”
“No, love. We’re in a private bathroom.” Garrett slipped his fingers closer to where she secretly wanted them. “That’s it, love, you know you want me to touch you. I feel the trembling in your thighs the closer I get.” His fingers brushed her wet heat and her whole body trembled. “See how good we could be together? I haven’t even kissed you, only barely touched you, and you’re ready to come apart.”
Toni whimpered; words were beyond her. This man may be a womanizing man whore, but he turned her on more than she had ever been in her life.
“Remember that kiss I mentioned earlier? I’m not asking. I’m taking it. You and I belong together and I will prove it to you.”
She didn’t have time to respond before his lips were on hers. She gasped as her whole body tingled at the first swipe of his tongue against hers. He tasted like the sweetest chocolate mixed with the smoothest wine she’d ever tasted. Addicting was the only word for it.
Toni felt her legs wrap around Garrett’s waist but didn’t have the presence of mind to care. The only thing she could focus on was the delicious taste of this man and the pressure building in her core.
Garrett broke off the kiss to take a deep breath. “Fuck, baby, you’re so much more than I’ve even dared dream.” He ground himself against her and groaned. “We’ve got to stop before I bury myself in you and claim you as mine forever.”
She sighed and slowly came back to herself. She didn’t even remember moving her hands to fist in his hair. “Shit,” she mumbled as she lowered her feet to the ground and blushed.
“That was the hottest fucking kiss I’ve ever had. When you wrapped your legs around me, I thought I was going to lose it. You’re amazing, and I can’t wait
for our date. I promise you won’t regret going out with me. I will be a gentleman until you give me a sign you want more.”
Toni blushed. She didn’t realize she had been the one wrapping herself around him, but she couldn’t deny it was a possibility. “Go back to the table. No way am I going back out there like this.” She gulped as she tried to catch her breath.
Garrett laughed. “Baby, you’re the sexist thing on two legs. You’re walking out of here with me. I don’t want any man to look at you and get ideas. I did this to you and I want the world to know you’re the only woman for me.”
She groaned and pushed him away. “I see by the stubborn set of your jaw, you aren’t giving in. Fine. Let me get cleaned up a bit at least.”
Garrett just grunted and unlocked the door before turning and grabbing her hand. “Nope, you’ve never looked more beautiful than you do right now. You’re practically glowing,” he said as he laced their fingers and pulled her through the doorway with him.
“They’re going to know what we were doing in there,” she protested as they neared the entrance to their private dining area.
“I hate to tell you this, but they knew the minute I got up and followed you out what I was planning. Trust me, they do and have done the same thing themselves. They aren’t going to even think twice about it.”
Toni wasn’t sure and tried to pull her hand away from the stubborn ass. “Let go,” she hissed as he pulled her into the room.
He turned, winked, and called out to their assembled friends, “Toni is embarrassed ‘cause I just kissed the living shit out of her after I locked her in the bathroom with me. Would you guys please tell her it’s okay and that you’ve done something similar?”
Toni growled and plastered herself to his back to hide the blush climbing her face. “You’re a bastard.”
10
Garrett chuckled and pulled her to stand beside him. “It’s fine. I swear. I would never do anything to hurt you. Trust me this once and you will see.”
“He’s right, Toni,” Kira said. “What he just did was tame compared to what Luke did while we were on our honeymoon. I’ll fill you in later, but a kiss is nothing, I promise.”
The guys laughed as Luke smiled in satisfaction. “Hell yeah, this dude was eyeing her. I was just laying my claim.”
“If it helps, Toni, Bastien was just as bad. Last week in the dressing room at the little boutique across the street. Let me just say I won’t be going back there for a while.”
Bastien rolled his eyes. “You shouldn’t have paraded in front of me wearing next to nothing then.”
“I was trying on bathing suits, you ass. That wasn’t next to nothing. It was perfectly respectable attire.”
Toni chuckled and loosened her death grip on Garrett’s arm. She moved to take her seat and let out a yelp as Garrett pinched her ass.
“Sorry. I couldn’t help it. It’s just so fucking perfect.” He winked as she glared and sat.
As the rest of lunch passed with their friendly banter, Toni slowly loosened up and started enjoying herself again.
“Ladies, it was a blast having lunch with you. I will see you Saturday for our date,” Caelen said as he stood and brushed a kiss on Kasey’s hand.
“Date? What? You’re going on a date with her?” Brannon asked after he said goodbye hastily and chased after Caelen.
Kasey blushed and averted her eyes.
“I’m sure he didn’t mean it the way it sounded,” Kira growled as she glared at the retreating form.
“It’s okay. He doesn’t know me. I didn’t take offense.”
“Can I walk you back to work?” Garrett asked as he stood and pulled Toni’s chair out for her to stand as well.
“No, but thank you. I’ll see you Saturday.” Toni smiled and turned to leave before she realized he didn’t know where she lived. “I need to give you my address if you’re picking me up like you said.”
Garrett blushed. “I might have done some snooping and found your address already. I was going to send you flowers until you gave in and agreed to give me a date, but then you agreed and I got sidetracked with the kids’ thing.”
Carly pretended to cough and said, “Stalker.”
They all burst into laughter, which made Garrett blush harder. “Asses,” he mumbled before he fled the room.
The four ladies headed back to work laughing as they shared stories of the guys as they attempted to lay claim to their women for the entire world to see. Toni had known they were possessive, but this opened her eyes to a world she hadn’t expected. Maybe her ex was a piece of shit who didn’t appreciate her, but maybe, just maybe, she could find a man in the shifter world.
The next few hours flew by as the tedious responsibilities piled up. Toni was frustrated. Her body craved more of Garrett, but her brain warned her to be careful.
“You have a delivery,” Kasey said as she walked up with a huge smile on her face. “It just came and the guy said it was to be given to you right away at the sender’s insistence.”
“Wait, don’t give it to her yet,” Kira yelled as she came running up, giggling. “I don’t want to miss this. Carly’s right behind me.”
Toni gaped at the woman jogging through the office in her heels and dress. “How did you even know?”
“That would be me. As soon as I saw who it was from, I called them to pass the word on.” Kasey blushed as she admitted what she’d done. “It’s just that it was so sweet, and I knew they would want to see your reaction, too and well, they’re your best friends after all.”
“It’s okay. I’m not mad. I would have probably done the same thing in your shoes,” Toni replied as she accepted the package. “Do you know what it is?”
Both women replied no and glanced around for Carly. “Where is she?” Kira grumbled impatiently.
“Coming, sorry,” Carly shouted as she ran around the corner from her office. “I couldn’t get Bastien off the phone. He was being naughty as usual. Which I totally blame on you and Garrett, by the way.”
“Why me? I had nothing to do with it.”
“Whatever. Just show us what he sent. The curiosity is killing me.”
Toni smiled and opened the box and frowned in confusion. “It’s a necklace with a small heart with an engraved key on it.”
“That’s it?” Kira demanded as she grabbed the box and looked inside herself.
“No card,” Kasey asked in confusion.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but this fell out in my car and I just found it,” the delivery guy said with a sheepish smile as he handed Kasey the card.
“I appreciate you bringing it to us,” she said as he turned and left without another word.
“Well, open it. I’m curious as hell now,” Kasey said as she passed the card to Toni.
Toni ran her finger under the seal and slowly drew the handwritten note out.
You might not want or be ready to hear his. You probably won’t believe me anyway, but I had to tell you. My heart already belongs to you, has from the moment my eyes met yours.
This heart is just a representation of that. You own my heart and soul. In your hands my heart lays. It’s yours for now and forever. I’ll see you Saturday, beautiful. Until then I hope your dreams will be as sweet as mine knowing I get to see you soon.
Yours forever,
G.
“I’m half in love with him myself,” Kasey blurted and then blushed as they laughed at her.
“It’s okay. I can’t blame you. I’ve never heard anything so sweet before,” Toni replied as she sighed and traced a finger over the small heart. “Will one of you help me put this on please?”
“I told you he wasn’t as bad as you thought.” Kira winked as she moved to help her secure the necklace.
“He may not be right now, but a leopard can’t change their spots that easily. But I will say it’s the sweetest thing any guy has ever given me.”
11
Garrett paced the small clearing searching for any clues that would help
figure out what was happening. In the last twenty-four hours since he filled in the other Alphas, five more kids had started showing signs, and those were just the ones they had noticed. Toni’s suggestion had already paid off.
One of the wolf shifters followed a group of kids to this clearing last night. He hadn’t been able to see them doing anything, but their behavior had abruptly changed within a few minutes of them being out here. Braxton had run back and let Brannon know. They’d come straight out but had found the place empty.
“Nothing, how can there be nothing?” Brannon demanded.
Luke glanced around and sighed. “It’s just a regular hangout spot it would seem, but that doesn’t explain the change in their behavior.”
“Brannon, can you call your scout to meet us here?” Caelen requested with a frown.
“Not a problem. He’ll be here momentarily,” Brannon replied as he used his pack link to summon the man.
“Bas, you okay, man?” Garrett asked as he watched Bastien turn in a circle, sniffing the air.
“There’s something weird, but I can’t place it. Very slight smell, hardly noticeable. It’s a slightly sweet smell. The only reason I noticed it is because I might have brought Carly out here once or twice and I’ve never noticed the smell here before.”
Everyone stopped and sniffed the air as well, and one by one, they nodded in agreement.
“I can’t pinpoint its location though,” Brannon called out as he made slow circles.
“Me, either. It’s too vague and slight, I think,” Luke replied as he moved to the edge of the small clearing hoping for a better scent to track. “I don’t smell it over here now,” he said.
Garrett frowned and moved closer to him. “Me, either. Whatever it is, I only notice it when I’m standing in the center of the clearing.”
“Alpha,” an older man called as he joined the group. “Sirs,” he said with a nod to the rest of the men.
