by Anya Nowlan
Dayton was about to open the door to what used to be his bedroom when the home phone rang.
Who’s calling a dead man’s house? he thought, brow furrowing.
“Yes?” he said, picking up the phone.
“So it’s true,” a male voice flowed out after a moment of silence.
“What’s true?” Dayton asked with a tired sigh.
He was in no mood for riddles or prank calls.
“The prodigal son has returned,” the caller said, sounding surprised.
“Who is this?” Dayton demanded before the line went dead.
Guess a nice little “welcome back” is out of the question, Dayton thought bitterly.
The caller had to be someone from the Clearpond pack – who else would bother? Dayton ran through the clan roster in his mind.
He’d learned some of the information he had about his family from his mother. But he had other contacts. Living in LA as a wolf wasn’t easy, most shifters preferred rural areas near the rest of their kind. Dayton had acquired a small group of werewolf friends during his time in the city; they got together for hikes, runs, and also just to hang out.
The shifter world was well-connected, so before he came back to Sweetwater, he’d reached out to his buddies to help him gather all and any information he could about what the Clearpond pack had been up to while he’d been away. What he heard didn’t exactly fill him with enthusiasm about returning to Sweetwater.
He and his uncle David were all that was left of their Alpha family. His father hadn’t had any more children and David, who’d never claimed a mate, didn’t have any offspring either. Since Dayton hadn’t exactly been around, his uncle had claimed the right to lead the pack.
As George’s son, Dayton could contest David’s leadership, but why would he? He had no interest in being Alpha; he already had a life back in LA. All he could do was hope his uncle would do a better job than his father had, considering how bad of a shape the pack was in.
The doorbell rang, interrupting his contemplation. The man at the door was there to drop off his suitcase. Dayton unpacked before taking a shower and getting ready for his date with Rachel.
What the hell was I thinking? I’m here to settle my father’s affairs, not to date! the reasonable side of him thought.
But reason seemed to go out the window when it came to Rachel.
About half an hour before eight, Dayton hopped on his bike and rode back into town. Empty side roads gave him the opportunity to really test the machine’s limits. He didn’t need a mirror to know his eyes had taken on a yellow tint, his wolf inching closer and closer to the surface as adrenaline took over.
Even though he slowed down considerably as he reached the town, eyes still turned to him as he made his way to the general store. Dayton wasn’t sure if it was because of him or the bike. The Clearponds obviously knew he was back, but he doubted anyone else even remembered him from when he was a kid, let alone recognized him as an adult.
Rachel was already waiting out front when he pulled up. She looked even more delicious than he remembered. Her sun-kissed skin was glowing in contrast to her white blouse, and tight jeans accentuated the curve of her thick thighs. Dayton slipped off his helmet and went to greet her.
“Hey, ready to go?” he asked, stepping closer and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, moving out of instinct more than any rational thought.
The subsequent blush that colored Rachel’s cheeks let him know his greeting was probably more common in LA than in Sweetwater. He pulled back, afraid he’d made her uncomfortable. Rachel snaked her arm through his, relieving the tension a moment later.
“You can leave your bike here. Pretty much everything is in walking distance,” she said, pulling him towards the center of town. “We have a couple of options for food. Let’s see, Maisy’s has the best burgers in town, and –”
“Say no more,” Dayton said, cutting her off. “I’ve been craving a good burger ever since I arrived,” he continued, enjoying the way Rachel’s body brushed against his as they walked.
It didn’t take long until they arrived at a cute little diner, bustling with people.
“This is it,” Rachel said, guiding them inside.
They grabbed the last available booth by the door, sitting opposite each other.
A woman came over right away, menus in hand.
“Hey, Maisy, busy night?” Rachel said to the woman with a friendly smile.
“Friday is date night, after all,” the woman chuckled, casting sideways glances towards Dayton.
“We’ll just have a couple of burgers,” Rachel said, giving Maisy an amused but pointed look.
“Anything to drink?” Maisy asked.
“A diet coke, no ice,” two voices rattled off at the same time.
Dayton and Rachel stared at each other for a wide-eyed second before laughing.
“You practice that at home?” Maisy asked with a raised brow before turning away to handle their order.
“Well, we have our drink orders in common at least,” Dayton said, placing his elbows on the table and leaning towards Rachel.
She mirrored the gesture, her eyes glittering underneath the neon lights of the window they were sitting under.
“Hopefully that’s not all,” she said with a sexy grin.
Dayton’s eyes flew to her elegantly curved lips, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she tasted as good as she looked.
“So, what brings you to Sweetwater?” Rachel asked, tucking a golden strand behind her ear.
Dayton was considering an answer when the door swung open, a gust of wind carrying the scent of wolf straight to his nose. He looked up to see a short robust man stroll inside and right over to the booth he was sharing with Rachel. The man crossed his arms, considering Dayton with an appraising look.
“Well, well,” he finally said, a smirk on his face. “Fancy running into you here, nephew.”
“Nephew?” Rachel echoed, her gaze darting between Dayton and his uncle. “You’re a Clearpond?” she asked, her eyes settling on Dayton.
It was hard to miss the shock and disappointment in her voice.
Uh-oh.
And things were going so well.
Five
Rachel
Figures, Rachel thought, crossing her arms. I finally go on a date with a man whose touch doesn’t make me yawn, and he turns out to be a damn Clearpond.
Rachel reminded herself that one can’t choose their family and that Dayton could be totally different from the rest of those jerks.
Considering all the shit that the many assorted Clearpond pack members had pulled over the years, it was a tough sell.
“Uncle. Not a day spent in Sweetwater and already you’ve tracked me down. You must have missed me terribly,” Dayton said with considerable theatricality, the disdain in his voice clear to all that happened to hear him.
“Oh, just lucky you happened to wander into my favorite restaurant,” David responded, trying to disguise the steel in his voice and failing spectacularly.
“And you recognized me right away. I must not have changed much since I was five,” Dayton countered suspiciously, his smile more a baring of teeth.
Have I just stumbled onto the set of a modern production of Hamlet? Rachel wondered, looking around the diner and contemplating if she should excuse herself.
This was obviously a family matter, and knowing the Clearponds, fists could start flying at any moment.
Her fidgeting caught David’s attention.
“Miss Eldridge. What a surprise to see you here. I thought you preferred the company of bears,” he smirked, glancing at Dayton to gauge his reaction to this information.
Oh, that’s how you want to play this, Rachel thought, anger bubbling up inside her.
“You know, maybe I just prefer the company of people who aren’t assholes, and it has nothing to do with whether they’re wolves or bears,” she shot back, glaring at the man.
Rachel wasn’t exactly thrilled about Da
yton being a Clearpond, but that didn’t mean she was going to stand by and let David use her as a pawn to get some sort of jab in at his nephew.
Dayton burst out laughing and threw an appreciative look Rachel’s way before addressing his uncle.
“Why don’t we catch up later, I’m sort of in the middle of something,” he said, his voice deceptively smooth.
The smile he flashed David didn’t reach his eyes, but a hint of golden yellow certainly did.
“Sure, I’ve got all the time in the world,” David said after a moment of tense silence, turning around and sauntering to take a seat at the counter, out of their view.
The awkwardness was clear in the air when Maisy returned to the table with two burgers and diet cokes. Some patrons were still whispering about the scene that had just unfolded, but most had gone back to their meals and regular conversation. Rachel mumbled a thank you and started eating, happy for the excuse to not talk.
Dayton leaned back in his seat, his plate untouched, and considered Rachel with a single arched brow. She stopped chowing down with a sigh.
“We’re going to have to talk about stuff, aren’t we?” she asked, not at all looking forward to the conversation bound to follow.
“That would probably be a good idea,” he said, plopping his elbows to his sides and placing his hands on his stomach.
Rachel’s eyes followed the movement, transfixed by how Dayton’s shirt stretched over his rippling muscles.
Okay, stop getting distracted by how hot he is and think about what you want to say.
“So, David’s your uncle,” she started off hesitantly.
Way to state the obvious, Rachel thought to herself, internally rolling her eyes.
“He is, but I haven’t seen him since I was a kid. In fact, I haven’t had any contact with the Clearpond pack since I was five,” Dayton said, something she couldn’t decipher flashing across his face as he discussed his family.
“George was your father,” Rachel said, continuing to regale Dayton with facts he already knew. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she quickly added, realizing what that meant.
“I barely knew the man,” Dayton shrugged. “It doesn’t count as a loss.”
“So that’s why you’re back?” she asked.
“He left me his estate, and I’m here to deal with it. I’m well aware of the reputation the Clearpond pack has around here. Since I gather you’re friends with members of the Grimpaw clan, you are probably not the greatest fan of my family,” he answered evenly, leaning forward to take a sip of his drink.
“I’ve got to admit I’m not. But if what you’re telling me is true, that’s got nothing to do with you,” Rachel said matter-of-factly, trying to ascertain whether she really believed him. “Now can we get back to eating? Our burgers are getting cold,” she finished, glancing down at her plate.
She wasn’t foolish enough to trust this stranger on his word alone, but she didn’t see the point of discussing it any further. Dayton was just passing through. She didn’t need his life story, and he wasn’t obligated to explain himself to her.
“I can’t get a read on you,” Dayton said, tilting his head with a curious smile before digging into his burger.
That makes two of us, Rachel thought.
They ate their meals fast and mostly in silence, ordering another round of drinks after they were done.
“So, you live above the store,” Dayton asked, shifting the topic from him to her.
“It’s my store actually,” Rachel said proudly.
“An entrepreneur,” he commented, seeming impressed.
“I bought it from the previous owner after he retired. It’s still more the bank’s than mine really,” Rachel said, feeling warm under Dayton’s unwavering gaze.
His company was very intense. The way he talked to her made her feel like the only person in the room, despite the diner being packed to the rafters. He was entirely focused on her, really listening and not just waiting for his turn to speak.
“Wait a minute. The previous owner. Thick-rimmed glasses, balding, always wore those little bowties?” Dayton asked, something sparking in his mind.
“Yeah, that’s him, Mister Green. Except he was totally bald when I last saw him. You remember him?” was Rachel’s surprised response.
“He used to give me candy when my mom wasn’t looking,” he said with a smile, eyes hazy with memories.
“Sounds about right,” Rachel laughed.
“And what do you do back where you come from?” she asked.
“I’m a tattoo artist in LA,” he responded.
“Makes sense,” Rachel said, looking at his arms and wondering what other parts of his body were inked. “Really goes with the motorcycle,” she added, poking fun at Dayton and earning a grin from him.
A sense of being watched made Rachel glance towards the counter and forget about what she wanted to ask next. David had switched seats so he had a better view of their booth. Dayton’s eyes followed hers, his face twisting.
“Let’s get out of here, what do you think?” he asked, leaning towards her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
He paid the bill, ignoring Rachel’s multiple objections.
“I was the one who asked you to dinner,” was all he would say on the topic.
They strolled back towards the store, chatting about random preferences, like favorite foods and books. The air turned chilly as the night progressed. Leaves were already losing their green, and the days were becoming shorter and shorter.
Dayton took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around Rachel. It smelled like him, reminding her of sandalwood with hints of something herbal – she took a deep breath.
Okay, stop sniffing his clothes, weirdo.
As they reached her place, Dayton took her hand in his.
“Despite my uncle’s interruption, I had a really good time,” he said, looking right into her.
“Me too,” Rachel smiled.
They lingered for a while, neither one ready to let go. Finally, Dayton released her hand and walked the couple of feet to where his bike was parked.
“Hey, aren’t you forgetting something?” Rachel called out, still wrapped in his jacket.
“Oh, right,” Dayton said, rushing back and making her gasp in surprise when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
He pressed his mouth to hers for a quick but passionate kiss, tilting her backwards. When he pulled her back up, Rachel was still slightly stunned. Her body was tingling all over, mouth yearning to be explored.
“That’s not exactly what I had in mind,” she said with a wry smile, glancing at the jacket still hanging around her shoulders.
“It wasn’t?” Dayton asked with exaggerated innocence, those clear blue eyes shining as brightly as ever. “You can keep the jacket, it gives me a reason to see you again,” he continued with a wink, releasing her and hopping on his motorcycle.
Rachel laughed as she watched him ride away.
He’s going to get me in trouble, Rachel mused with a smile, having no idea how true that thought would turn out to be.
Six
Dayton
Dayton arrived back at his father’s house with thoughts of Rachel crowding his head. Her body against his – however brief the contact – had awoken something inside, something primal and demanding.
Walking aimlessly around the house, Dayton suddenly found himself standing at the door of his old bedroom, curious and wondering what kind of memories would come flooding back when he opened it. He pressed down on the handle.
What the…
Green wallpaper with soccer balls adorned the walls. Pushed up against one of the walls was a little desk covered in coloring books and crayons. His old bed was still made. Everything looked untouched, the same as the day he left Sweetwater.
Dayton quickly closed the door, taken aback.
Why would he keep it like that? he wondered, thoroughly confused. I thought he forgot about me.
For the
first time since he’d heard about his father’s passing, Dayton felt genuine sadness.
Maybe there was more to the man than he’d thought?
He rummaged through the kitchen cabinets until he found a bottle of scotch.
Here’s to you, dad, he thought, pouring himself a glass.
Dayton plopped down on the couch, drink in hand, considering his next move.
His uncle obviously had some sort of bone to pick with him. Maybe David felt offended he hadn’t announced his arrival? Whatever the case, they needed to talk, sooner rather than later.
Feeling tired, Dayton curled up on the couch. He couldn’t bring himself to sleep in his father’s bed. Thoughts of Rachel followed him soundly into sleep.
* * *
Waking bright and early, Dayton showered and had breakfast before picking up the house phone and redialing the last incoming call. After a couple of rings, he was met with silence.
“This is Dayton Clearpond. I think we need to talk,” he said.
The voice on the other end rattled off an address before hanging up.
Not really big on manners, these guys.
Dayton wasn’t exactly looking forward to the meeting, seeing as his welcome home had been less than warm. Regardless of his long absence, he was still a member of the pack and the direct descendant of the previous Alpha. That should show him some courtesy at least.
He tapped the address into his GPS and got on his bike. Maneuvering the winding dirt roads with ease, he arrived at a two-story house with farmlands stretching out behind it. Near the main house were two other buildings – one a smaller shed and the other a barn.
The distinct smell of wolf permeated the air as Dayton pulled up to the house. Several cars were parked out front, and he could sense activity inside. David appeared by the front door as Dayton was pulling off his helmet.
