by Bethany Shaw
“It’s no problem. Let me just grab the cake,” Lark said, waving them off. The blonde scurried out of sight.
Daniel nodded toward two men who were sitting at a table with a few pastries, and it took her second to realize she recognized them. They are from the ranch! Goose bumps crept across her skin as she came to the hard truth that they were there to protect Lark. It was then she noticed two other guys sitting almost out of sight behind the counter. Good grief, she has a whole security detail. She shuddered, for the first time truly realizing the gravity of the situation they were in. They were not safe out and about.
“You want anything while we’re here?” Daniel asked pulling his wallet out.
“No thanks, I’m good. We’ll be having cake later.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, thanks anyway.”
“Please be really careful with this,” Lark said as she came out carrying a giant white box. “This is the biggest sheet cake I’ve ever made and the box is kind of awkward to hold.”
“I’ll take good care of it,” Daniel assured.
“Thanks,” Lark said, setting it on the counter. “You want something before you go?”
Daniel’s gaze drifted to the case in front of them. Nora noticed that he seemed to be hesitating and she shifted her eyes to Lark.
“I’ll take a blueberry muffin,” he said after a long moment.
Lark chuckled as she opened the case. “Here, have two. I know Devon steals all of them. I think he has an addiction to them.” Lark turned to Nora. “Do you want anything, Nora?”
“No, thanks. I’m looking forward to this cake, though,” she grinned, peering down into the box. The white frosting stretched across the length of the cake. In the center was a large bouquet of iced flowers. The red, yellow, and orange flowers were intricately woven together and she wondered how long it had taken Lark to design it. “It looks good.”
“Thanks, it’s vanilla almond. Sarah’s favorite.” Lark picked at the corner of the box with her thumb and forefinger. “I just hope she likes it.”
“I’m sure she will,” Nora replied.
“I can’t imagine what she’s going through right now. No nineteen year old should have so much heartache in their life. Not to mention, with the constant threat and her being abducted a few months ago...it’s all so overwhelming. I’m just worried about her,” Lark said quietly.
“She’ll come around in her own time,” Nora reassured, even though she knew nothing about the woman they were talking about. If Sarah were anything like Lark, then the girl would be just fine.
“I heard you are bringing pizza for everyone,” Daniel spoke up.
“Yeah,” Lark smiled, her blue eyes lighting up. “I think the guy at Luigi’s just about died when I called to place an order there the other day.”
“How many pizzas did you order?” Daniel questioned.
Lark bit her lip. “Fifty. Do you think that’s enough?”
“It should be fine,” Daniel nodded.
“Good.” Lark sighed, her eyes drifted to the black circular clock on the wall. “Anyway, Devon will be here soon. You don’t have any more stops before the ranch do you?”
“No, we’re heading straight back,” Daniel answered.
“Great! I’ll see you two in a little bit then.”
***
The drive back to the ranch was quiet. Nora seemed content to look out her window, seemingly taking in her surroundings. Daniel focused on the open road ahead of him.
He enjoyed the countryside. Trees lined the narrow country road, and the waist deep grass swayed gently in the breeze. A patch of wild flowers grew in the ditch, the sharp blue, pink, and purples a nice contrast to the green foliage.
“Do you mind if I ask you something?” Nora asked breaking the comfortable silence.
“I suppose not.”
“I couldn’t help but notice that there seems to be some tension between you and Devon. I don’t mean to pry, but I’m trying to make sense of it all. From what April tells me you guys should be close...” she trailed off.
“Devon and I don’t get along. My father trained me to be an alpha even though Devon was the rightful alpha. It’s complicated and a long story. There is a lot of hate between us—some of our own doing, most of it my father’s.” Daniel tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel and let out a long breath. He chanced a glance at Nora who only nodded in response.
“I’m sorry. My family is dysfunctional too. My mom didn’t come to my grandma’s funeral. I’m not sure she even knows her mother passed away. The last time I saw her was when I was sick eight years ago,” Nora said, her voice breaking slightly.
Daniel gritted his teeth. “My mom killed my dad.”
“What?” Nora gasped.
“He was going to kill Dev. Probably would have killed Vincent and me too. Then he would have sent Em off to be a breeder in Juarez’s pack. She did what was right by her children,” Daniel bit out as a flurry of emotions overtook him. He’d never really talked about that night with anyone. There wasn’t anyone to talk about it with. He knew it shouldn’t bother him, Emmett had been a horrible father, but he was still his dad.
“I...I...” Nora started, but stopped looking away.
“Sorry. I’ve probably freaked you out now,” Daniel said, punching the steering wheel. This was why his father had viewed humans as a weakness—they didn’t get their way of life.
“It’s just a lot to process. I keep hearing these horrible stories. April just lost her parents and grandparents. You lost your dad and here I am, my family sob story pales in comparison,” Nora laughed, shaking her head. “It’s not funny. I just...it’s so much.”
“You’re overwhelmed,” Daniel acknowledged.
“Yeah,” Nora’s voice cracked.
“This is our life. The cold hard truth of it. You know you can still back out and go home. I’m sure Juarez won’t chase you across the country back to Mississippi once he clears out down there,” Daniel reiterated.
“No. I’m not leaving April. She’s the only family I have left. Even if this is crazy and dangerous, I could never leave her. She’s my best friend—my sister,” Nora said, her voice growing stronger as she spoke.
Daniel turned to look at her, immediately recognizing her sincerity. His mother’s words earlier this afternoon rang in his head. Nora was loyal, loving, and caring. She was the kind of person you wanted in your corner. Her fear might make her appear weak, but her devotion made her a strong ally. But she’s not your ally. She’s staying for her friend—not for you! He reminded himself. And if she ever sits down, talks to Devon, and finds out the entirety of your history, she’ll never be your friend or anything else.
“I’m sorry I upset you,” Nora whispered. “I shouldn’t have asked something so personal.”
“It’s fine.” Daniel checked his rearview mirror before turning down the gravel drive to the ranch. They rode in silence the last few minutes. As he put the car in park, he peeked over at Nora, who was looking out the passenger window. Her long copper hair was wound tight around her pointer finger. A tiny sigh escaped her parted lips, causing steam to puff out onto the glass. Nora was friendly and outgoing—not the kind of girl who would go for a guy like him. “We better get this cake inside. I’ll see you at dinner,” Daniel mumbled, exiting the car. He slammed the door shut behind him, vaguely aware of her footsteps behind him. He didn’t get Nora, no one else on the ranch had reached out to him except for her. Hell, no one else in general had ever taken the time to care before. Why? Why was she being so nice?
***
Nora frowned as she approached her room seeing the door slightly ajar. Using the palm of her hand, she pushed it all the way open before entering.
“Hey,” April smiled, sitting up on the bed. “I hope you don’t mind. I wanted a place to lay low.”
“No problem,” Nora said, shutting the door behind her. “You hiding out from someone in particular?” she snickered, referring to April’s
on-again-off-again.
“Actually, no. We’re in a good place now. Just wanted some quiet time away from my roommates is all,” April replied.
“Roommates?”
April looked up, eyes widening. “Yeah, most of us have roommates here.”
Nora looked around her room. If she looked closely enough at the grey carpet, she could see the imprint where another bed had been. She’d never questioned it though—hadn’t thought there’d been a reason to.
“Gene and Devon thought you’d be more comfortable in a room by yourself,” April explained.
“You know I’d be happy to share a room with you, April,” Nora gasped, flopping down beside her friend. The bed creaked and dipped down beneath her.
“I would love to take you up on that,” April teased.
“Well then, maybe you should,” Nora shot back, throwing a pillow at April playfully. It would be nice to room with her again. The way things were now she didn’t see her best friend as often as she wanted to.
“I’m keeping an eye on these two girls. Maddie and Amelia, have you met them?”
Nora nodded. The two girls had been nice, but not overly friendly. She’d only really seen them in passing.
“I guess Maddie is kind of a spy for Fernando Juarez. Gene and Natalia asked me to keep my eye on her, make sure nothing fishy was going on. Claire has her ears open too, but Maddie knows that they know. They thought a fresh set of ears would be best. And we need to be sure that she isn’t still secretly working for him somehow.”
“She’s helping the nut job that wants to sell women off as a breeder? Isn’t there some sort of girl code between were-women?” Nora asked stunned. Who could possibly want that kind of life—especially another woman? Nora shuddered at the thought.
“To some people it’s all about the protection of a good pack. But enough about that, I want to know what’s going on with you and Hottie McKinley.”
Nora laughed and rolled her eyes. April linked her arm with hers and leaned closer. “I don’t know. I think I upset him. He’s kind of hard to read,” Nora answered with a sigh. Kind of hard to read was an understatement. He was so quiet and edgy sometimes and then other times, he was super friendly. It was enough to give her whiplash.
“He likes you.” April nudged her.
“How do you know?”
“I could smell his arousal last night,” April grinned.
“Wait, what?” Nora stuttered. She could smell his arousal? What the hell did that mean, Nora questioned.
“Wolfs sense of smell.” April tapped her nose. “We can pick up on scents like that.”
“So, he was aroused by me?” Nora frowned and sagged back onto the pillows. “That doesn’t mean he likes me. It just means he wants to do something else with me.” Nora huffed and stared down at the comforter. Did Daniel really only want one thing from her, she hoped not. Not that it should be a surprise; her past relationships had all ended badly.
April shook her head and leaned back with her. “No. It’s not like that for us. A guy who was only after sex wouldn’t waste the time trying to get to know you—talking to you. If that were all he wanted, he would have already made a move. He’s attracted to you and he likes you. From what I understand, the McKinley/Harris family has some serious issues. Their dad wasn’t exactly the nicest. In fact, he had originally made a deal with Juarez and was working with him side-by-side. Daniel was supposed to be an alpha, although he isn’t one by birth, I don’t think he really fits in here and, in my opinion, you are one of the only people here to give him the time of day.”
Nora looked up at April, processing what her friend just told her. It made sense. “Daniel told me a little bit about his dad this afternoon,” she said quietly.
“He’s a good guy, Nora. Daniel risked his life to help make sure me and everyone else escaped my family’s home. He just has some baggage and I think he’s a little weary. The important thing though is that he likes you. But enough about that, how do you feel about him?” April beamed turning her head to Nora and waggling her eyebrows.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do,” April urged.
Nora sighed staring at her fingers. “I like him, okay?” she giggled, glad to get it off her chest. “He’s a little awkward sometimes, but he’s a good guy. He saved my life and helped me when he had no reason to.”
“Well, you kind of did the same thing for him,” April reasoned.
“True. I did hit him with my car. It’s not like I could just leave him in the middle of the road,” Nora said, throwing her hands down on the bed.
“Maybe I should go out and hit someone with my car,” April teased. “It worked out well for you.”
“I thought you were in a good place with what’s his name?”
April sighed, her eyes rolling up toward the ceiling. “Jackson and I maybe stole a few minutes alone in the woods that may have been a little x-rated. That was never our problem though, I’m not sure I want to commit and settle down. And, he’s a white wolf, and he’s always trying harder to prove himself. I’m happy with where our relationship is right now. A little flirting, some sex in the woods, who can complain about that!”
“April!” Nora laughed. As she processed what April had said, she wondered about the white wolf comment. “What do you mean white wolf? Is there a difference?” she asked frowning.
“Typically no,” April sighed. “Most of us have similar characteristics in both wolf and human form. The only exceptions are alphas, which are black, and the white wolves. White wolves are different; some packs even see them as inferior. Humans and werewolves can, and do on occasion conceive a child. The werewolf gene is usually dominant, but there are some instances where it doesn’t pass on to the infant for whatever reason. The baby is still a part of the pack, but they’ll never be a wolf. Anyway, these children grow up and go on to marry, or procreate, or whatever. Sometimes their offspring carries the werewolf gene, like the gene just skipped a generation or something. Anyway, those wolves are always white.” April shrugged. “I’m not a genetics person so I don’t really understand the details, but white wolves are very rare and because of their parents some people think they are weaker than the rest of us. Jackson is always trying to prove himself.”
“So humans and wolves can...” Nora trailed off. That wasn’t something she’d ever really considered.
“Yes. So, when you and Hottie McKinley get it on, keep that in mind. And that is another reason why you don’t want to share a room—privacy,” April said, standing up. April reached her hand out and pulled Nora up. “You’ll have a place to go to be in private. Just don’t be too loud, lots of sensitive ears around.” She tapped the outside of her ear.
“April!”
“Come on, let’s get dinner.” April sauntered to the door and threw it open, giving Nora a wicked grin before leaving.
***
By the time, Nora and April made their way into the kitchen a large group had gathered. The pair found a place in the corner to stand as they waited for the birthday girl to make her entrance.
“I had no idea there were so many people here. There weren’t this many people training last night,” Nora commented, looking around at the large mass of people.
“Not everyone does training every night. It isn’t mandatory. And everyone’s usually off doing their own thing. But when we have gatherings like this you can really tell,” April whispered to her. “There’s your guy.” She nodded at something across the room.
Nora followed April’s gaze to find Daniel. He was standing off in the corner. Although people surrounded him, he wasn’t conversing with any of them. Just to his right, stood Vincent, Emily, and Marcus. The three seemed to be engaged in their own conversation without him.
The room quieted as Lark and Natalia walked in, their arms wrapped around a slender blonde girl. This must be Sarah! Her long locks fell in soft waves around her face. She looked up and gave everyone a small smile. Her lips moved and Nora thought sh
e was saying thank you. After the group had given her a hearty happy birthday serenade, everyone began serving their food.
“Best jump in and grab some,” April ordered, pulling on Nora’s hand. “Come on.”
“Just give me a sec,” Nora said, slipping her hand away and shoving through the crowd. Daniel still stood by himself, seemingly waiting for the group to pass through. His vivid eyes met hers and she smiled as she pushed through the mass. Her heart kicked up a notch as their gaze held and the corners of his mouth quirked up.
“Hey,” he greeted.
“Hi. You going to eat?”
“Yeah. Just hanging back a bit. You should get some while the good stuff is still up there.”
“Nah, I think I’ll wait.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know. Look, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Nora said, sincerely.
“It’s no problem. I didn’t have to tell you anything. I opened up that can of worms so it’s on me.”
She wanted to argue and take some of the blame too, but thought better of it. “You want to take our food and get out of here?” Nora asked glancing toward the dwindling line. Jeesh they sure cleared out fast, she thought.
“I know just the place.”
***
Daniel took Nora’s paper plate and set it up on the floor above them before offering her his hand. He helped to guide her up the ladder. Once up she spun around, looking at the tiny loft. Then walked over and took a seat on the ledge. Daniel picked up the plate and handed it to her before setting down.
“This is quite a view. It's a beautiful sunset,” she breathed.
“It’s pretty nice,” Daniel acknowledged, looking up at the streaks of orange, pink, and yellow.
“Do you come up here often?”
“It’s kind of my own personal hideaway. Back home I used to sit on the roof. This is much better,” Daniel motioned to the loft and straw surrounding them.
“And safer I imagine,” Nora teased, picking a pepperoni off her pizza and popping it in her mouth.
