Protecting Their Home (To Love And Defend Book 4)

by Daniella Starre

  To appease the girls, she sent them one last pic. It had just gone through when there was a knock at the door.

  Oddly, Olivia didn’t feel nervous at all. She had known Mark since high school. Maybe even grade school. She didn’t like thinking about grade school. There had been one girl in particular who had hated her and tried to make her life a living hell. The girl had been human. Humans didn’t know werewolves existed, not consciously at least. Subconsciously, humans tended to get angry with or even hateful toward any werewolf they came across.

  For the most part, she had blocked grade school out of her mind. The girl had moved to a different state before high school started for them. That was when Olivia had started to blossom more. She had opened up and became a social butterfly.

  She opened the door. Mark stood there, looking rather fine in tight jeans and a green polo that matched his eyes. It had been a little while since she’d last seen him, and he had put on weight. Muscles. He was jacked. He had always been on the skinny side back in high school.

  “You look good,” she said.

  “You look amazing,” he said at the same time.

  “Trying to one-up me on the compliments?” she asked lightly.

  “I would never try to one-up you.” He shrugged and grinned recklessly. “Unless you want me to try.”

  “Nope. You’ll be better off quitting before you get ahead.”

  “Ah, what’s the fun in that?” he asked. “What if I want to keep you on your toes?”

  “What if I don’t want my toes stepped on?”

  His grin faltered. “Are you ready to go?”

  Olivia winced inwardly. She wasn’t being fair to him. There was no reason for her to act like. Why was she trying so hard to push him away? It didn’t make any sense. She would give guys she randomly met at bars more of a chance than she was giving Mark.

  “I am. Just need to grab my purse.” She walked over to her coffee table, secured it, and returned to the door. “Let’s go.”

  Mark drove her to the movies and let her pick the flick. A new rom-com had been released, but she figured he would prefer the action adventure flick. As she deliberated, he asked for two tickets for the rom-com. Once he had them, he held them up.

  “Can always exchange them if you want.” He smiled.

  She scowled. “So much for letting me pick.”

  He tapped his watch. “Both movies start in two minutes. And that’s taking into account a rough estimate of the trailers.”

  “Oh.” She bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s with me today.”

  Mark gave her a slight smile. “So the rom-com, okay? Or did I just have an open-mouth, insert-foot-type moment? I wasn’t trying to make an assumption, but I remember from high school that you always liked them.”

  “You remembered?” she asked, shocked.

  “Yeah.” He shrugged. “But people’s tastes can change, so if you prefer something else, we can exchange the tickets for another movie.”

  “This is fine. Thank you.”

  The rest of the date, dinner after the movie, went much the same. Olivia would misinterpret something, Mark would explain, she’d apologize, and they would move on until the next go around. By the time the waiter came to ask if they wanted dessert, Mark shook his head.

  “No, thank you. Check please.”

  Olivia felt terrible. The date had been a disaster because of her. What was wrong with her?

  “I’m the issue,” she muttered as she stood and pushed her chair under the table.

  “What’s that?” Mark asked as he placed the tip on the table.

  “Let me get that,” she protested.

  Mark shook his head. “It’s on me.”

  “But I—”

  “I asked you out,” he said firmly. “It doesn’t matter that you called me.”

  “You didn’t let me finish. I was a terrible date.”

  Mark shrugged. “Not the best, no, but that’s okay.”

  “It isn’t,” she said as she followed him to the door.

  “I just figured you’re not having a good day.”

  Olivia threw up her hands, more angry with herself than frustrated with him. Or maybe she was just frustrated in general. “I don’t know. I think the issue is me. I can’t ever seem to go out with a guy for long. I just… I don’t know. I don’t know what I want.”

  Mark led her out of the restaurant and to his car. He reached for her door and then hesitated.

  “I have to admit that I was afraid you couldn’t get past who I was in high school,” he said frankly. “I can’t blame you if that’s the case.”

  “It’s not you,” she said firmly. “It’s me. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s the truth.”

  “I can’t really say I’m glad it’s not me because you… I want you to be happy, but I’m not sure that I can make you happy.”

  “Maybe you can.” She shrugged. “Please don’t give up on me.”

  Mark grimaced. “I’m not getting any younger. We’re almost in our thirties now. I want to settle down. Are you looking for that?”

  “I… I don’t even know,” she whispered.

  Mark opened her door. The ride to her place was quiet. At the end, she thanked him for the date and apologized. He told her not to worry about it and that he’d see her around.

  But she was worrying about it. Olivia had no idea what she wanted or who or even where.

  Chapter 7

  “Why don’t you come out here?” Alexis suggested. “A change of scenery might do you some good.”

  It was the next morning. Olivia had to talk to someone about the disastrous date. She couldn’t stop thinking about Mark, but honestly, she thought it was because she was so embarrassed by her behavior. It wasn’t that they'd truly connected. Even when she hadn’t been saying the wrong things, they didn’t seem to have many of the same interests. He definitely wasn’t a jerk anymore. He hadn’t lied when he’d said he’d changed. But he wasn’t the guy for her.

  Which made her even more depressed. Maybe there wasn’t a guy out there for her.

  Maybe Alexis was right. “I guess a change in scenery wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Olivia said slowly.

  “You can live with us!” Alexi suggested.

  “Um, no. No offense, but, uh, you tend to be a little loud when you’re with Jasper.”

  Alexis gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Olivia giggled. “‘Oh, Jasper, yes, yes! Give it to me harder!’” she said in her best Alexis’ impression.

  “Seriously?” Alexis sounded shocked and embarrassed. “I do not sound like that!”

  “Yes, you do! We’ve all heard you!”

  “I… Fine. I’ll check out places where you can lease by the month.”

  “Sounds good.”

  The two finalized some more plans.

  Olivia hung up and actually began to feel excited for the first time in a long while. Hopefully, this was exactly what she needed. Because of the nature of her job, she could work from pretty much anywhere, so there was no need to worry about that.

  A long stay in Detroit might just be what the Love Doctor ordered. Or maybe not. Olivia wanted a fresh break. A clean state. Maybe she wouldn’t even think about dating and all of that.

  Yes, she’d go to Detroit for a month. Maybe two. See how she felt then. No dates. Not one. This wasn’t about finding a hottie werewolf of her own. Nope. This was about her finding herself and being happy being alone. Getting her head on straight. Figuring out how to get out of this rut.

  Mark wanted to settle down. Olivia had been settled here, but now, she needed a change of scenery.

  Watch out, Detroit. Here I come.

  Her Frustrated Howl

  Olivia Moreno thinks temporarily moving to Detroit might help her make a fresh start and discover who exactly she is. Instead, she finds even more reason to be frustrated with life. Will things ever get easier for the werewolf?
/>   Chapter 1

  Detroit. Olivia Moreno had been to the city several times before. Alexis Romero, one of Olivia’s best friends, lived there with her husband and daughter. That was why Olivia was moving here for a month or two. To spend time with Alexis and to try to figure out who exactly she was.

  Besides being a werewolf with a terrible love life. It wasn’t that Olivia couldn’t get a date. It was that she couldn’t find a good one.

  Not that her friends had any issues in that department. Alexis had found her husband Jasper almost by accident. A chance meeting outside of a bar. Alexis had been in the Hazel Park pack then, debating running away. Got only as far as Detroit.

  As for Mandy Ramsey, she had been from Hazel Park. Met a hot werewolf from Toldeo and moved out there. That was where Olivia was from, Toledo. After Mandy’s husband died, she had even worse luck with dates than Olivia. Mandy had a stalker, and despite that chaos, she found love with her parents’ neighbor of all people. Mandy was now living back in Hazel Park.

  And Claire Drake had met the wolfy love of her life in kindergarten. Like some kind of supernatural Lifetime movie. She and Drake and their two girls were in Toledo. They had their ups and downs as well, but their love got them through it all.

  That was what Olivia wanted, a love that lasted. She had thought herself in love a few times before, but nothing had worked out. In high school, it was fine to jump from guy to guy after a month or even a week. Now that she was in her mid-twenties, nope. Not so fine anymore.

  Thankfully, Olivia had found an apartment where the landlord would let her lease from month to month. The place was a little crammed, but there was a balcony. She had mostly unpacked when a knock startled her. She whirled around, confused.

  “It’s me,” Alexis called. “Wait. Do I have the right number?”

  Relief washed through Olivia. Why was she so easily overwhelmed lately? She needed to just relax and go with the flow.

  She crossed over and opened the door. “Alexis, you—”

  Alexis pushed the door open wider and waltzed in. “Wow. You’re almost completely unpacked already. Didn’t you just get here?”

  Olivia shrugged. “A couple of hours ago. Why do you sound so shocked?”

  “Because I know you. You like to veg and watch TV.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with watching TV,” Olivia said. “You make me sound so terribly lazy.”

  Alexis giggled. “I never said that.”

  “No, but you thought it.”

  “Maybe.” Alexis shrugged.

  “Oh, you.” Olivia grabbed one of the pillows from her couch and threw it at Alexis.

  Laughing harder now, Alexis tried to catch it but missed.

  Olivia cracked up. “Your aim is terrible,” she teased.

  “I wasn’t ready!”

  “Do you tell Jasper that when he’s coming after you?”

  Alexis’s face turned bright red. “I’m always ready for Jasper.”

  Olivia covered her ears with her hands. “Lalala, I can’t hear you!”

  Alexis mouthed something.

  Olivia frowned. “Really? You’re just moving your lips.”

  Crossing her arms, Alexis grimaced. “How could you tell?”

  With a grin, Olivia lowered her hands. “Because werewolf hearing, remember? I would’ve been able to hear you even with fingers in my ears.”

  “Hey, now.” Alexis jumped over the pillow and rushed to the door to close it. “Don’t talk so loudly.”

  Olivia shrugged. Humans didn’t consciously know about werewolves. Unconsciously, they tended to be irrationally angry and hateful toward werewolves. Deep down, they knew something was off about werewolves, but they didn’t understand why.

  “I was going to offer to help you unpack,” Alexis said, “but since you’re basically done, what do you say we go out on the town?”

  “Girls’ night?” Olivia grinned. “Definitely!”

  After changing into skintight jeans, a low-cut top, golden hoop earrings, and reapplying her makeup, Olivia was ready. It was time to see what night life this city had to offer.

  Chapter 2

  The bouncer waved Olivia and Alexis into the club. Pulsating lights, blaring music, a mob of people, the smell of alcohol and perfumes, it all overwhelmed Olivia. She loved it.

  Grabbing Alexis’s hand, Olivia guided her onto the dance floor. They began to shake and groove to the music. Most of the songs Olivia hadn’t heard before, but that didn’t matter. All you had to do was listen for the beat and let it wash over you.

  It wasn’t long before a random guy came up behind her, pressing against her. She pulled away from him, but not even a minute later, he was doing it again, grinding her ass.

  Olivia whirled around. The guy was tall, several inches above six foot. He had a small scar on the outside of his left eye. It was too small to give him a sexy edge. Instead, he just looked like a thug. With his white wife beater and nearly ready to drop to his ankles jeans, he definitely looked like a guy who wasn’t worth her time.

  She just glowered at him and glanced at Alexis. Her friend immediately came over, and the two made their way over to the bar.

  Olivia checked to make sure the thug didn’t follow. When he remained on the dance floor, probably roaming for someone else’s ass to rub, she scanned the bar. At the far end were two empty seats.

  She and Alexis claimed them. When the bartender finally came over, Olivia ordered a Long Island and turned to Alexis.

  “I’ll have a Shirley Temple,” Alexis said.

  Olivia shook her head and held up her finger so the bartender wouldn’t leave yet. “No, I’ll buy. We’ll be out long enough for one drink to metabolize.”

  Alexis shook her head. “I don’t want to drink.”

  “But—” Olivia’s eyes opened so wide she thought they would pop out of her head. “You’re pregnant? Are you pregnant? You are, aren’t you?”

  Alexis shrugged and nodded to the bartender.

  Olivia shrieked and jumped up, grabbing Alexis’s hands. “You are?”

  “Maybe,” Alexis said. “It’s too early to know yet, but we are trying.”

  “Wow.” Olivia accepted her drink from the waitress and tossed her a twenty for their bill. “That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you too.”

  Alexis grinned, but then her eyes turned stormy. “Want to head out of here and find a different place? That jerk gave me the creeps.”

  Olivia shrugged. “I don’t mind staying here. I love dancing. Unless you know of another club?”

  “I’m sure there’s more, but this is the only one I’ve been to before.” Alexis took a sip. “Maybe we could just go to a bar. Grab some wings or dessert.”

  “Eating for two already,” Olivia teased.

  “Hey. You get that mindset, and you’ll overeat and gain a ton of weight.”

  “Ugh. If I were to have to exercise to lose weight, I’d be screwed.”

  Alexis eyed Olivia. “Your metabolism is incredible. You’re lucky.”

  “In five years or so, I’ll be screwed.”

  The two finished their drinks and decided going to a different bar was the best joint. Well, Olivia wanted to stay and dance more, but Alexis looked tired. She also seemed a little pale, but that might just be the dim lightning of the club.

  The two worked their way through the dance floor to the front exit. Before they made it halfway to Alexis’s car, footsteps sounded behind them.

  Olivia flinched her fingers into fists and suppressed the urge to unleash her inner wolf or at least her claws. She whirled around to see the thug from earlier. A breeze carried his scent. Now that they weren’t overwhelmed by the throng of countless bodies, Olivia could tell he was a werewolf.

  “What do you want?” she asked.

  “You two come here and beg me to take you home,” he said.

  She glanced at Alexis and rolled her eyes.

  “I don’t think so,” Olivia said.

  “Come on now. I ca
n show you a real good time. You can ride me all night long.”

  “I don’t think so.” She turned to go.

  “Then I’ll throw you down, turn you around and fuck you up the ass. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

  What an asshole. If it weren’t for Alexis possibly being pregnant, Olivia would’ve already unleashed her wolf on the guy. Instead, she had to try to find a more peaceful way to get him to back the fuck off.

  Telling him no hadn’t worked. Maybe if she flirted with him, gave him a little, he’d be satisfied.

  Not bloody likely.

  “Maybe I would, with the right guy,” she said slowly.

  “I can be that guy,” he said, jutting out his chin. He flexed his pecs.

  She did her best not to wince. “Just not tonight,” she purred. She linked arms with Alexis. “My friend here isn’t feeling well. I have to take her home. That’s why we’re leaving. Otherwise…”

  Olivia took a step back. So did Alexis.

  But the thug took a step forward.

  Shit.

  Chapter 3

  Don’t panic. Whatever you do, don’t panic.

  Olivia cleared her throat. Sometimes, assholes just had to be given to it straight.

  “Back the fuck off, buddy,” she said. “I don’t want you, so beat it.”

  “Now, now, now. Is that any way for a lady to talk?”

  Olivia stiffened. It wasn’t the thug who’d said that.

  From the shadows, another man stepped forward. Another. Six in total. All of them werewolves.

  Olivia glanced at Alexis. She wasn’t a part of the Detroit werewolf pack. She and Jasper had formed their own pack with the well wishes of the alpha of the Detroit pack. No way would that good of a guy who allowed another pack, albeit a small one, to live in his city would rule over such punks, right? Besides, Alexis wouldn’t live here or have convinced Olivia to move here for a month if it wasn’t safe.