by Emma Dean
Bonnie frowned. That wasn’t what she’d expected Amelia to say. “Why so sudden? This is a huge decision. If I can’t do this, what’s your backup plan?” She’d always had the money to do this but had put it off for Amelia.
Amelia had constantly struggled for years and refused any help Bonnie had ever offered. The only way she’d been able to help her friend had been to put off the business venture for as long as possible. It could ruin Amelia if they failed.
And now she suddenly wanted to do this with only two weeks’ notice?
Then Amelia squared her shoulders. “Because I’m moving in with Kai at the end of those two weeks.”
Chapter Three
Bonnie
Amelia was moving in with Kai already?
Bonnie closed her eyes and sighed through her nose.
They’d been friends for almost five years now, and even though it took a while for them to really get close – Amelia was the only family Bonnie had left.
And learning about her had been like pulling teeth all four and a half of those years. But what she did know was that Amelia had a million crazy ass rules, and she never, ever got into a relationship. Bonnie had never really known or understood why except it probably had something to do with a real shitty experience, but if this happened when she dated?
No wonder the girl had so many rules.
They barely knew each other and Amelia was giving up everything for him? Bonnie refused to let her best friend just throw away her life after she’d watched her build it from nothing.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Bonnie told her bluntly. “You’ve known this guy for a week and yet you’re quitting your dream job to move out here at the drop of a hat? After you’ve busted your ass? No, just no. Pack your shit. I’m taking you home.”
Bonnie stood from the couch, utterly furious, and headed for the stairs. Amelia grabbed her hand to stop her and despite knowing she was stronger than Amelia, Bonnie couldn’t budge. She whirled around and yanked her hand back.
Amelia’s face was red and she rubbed her hands together. “I’m sorry if I hurt you.”
“You didn’t,” she snapped.
What the hell was going on here? Was this some kind of cult thing? Had they already brainwashed Amelia?
The kitchen was dead silent as no one bothered to pretend they weren’t listening in anymore. The only sound in the house was the bacon grease popping.
Amelia stood from the couch slowly and wrapped her arms around herself. Bonnie felt like a total bitch, but this situation wasn’t okay. She’d been looking out for Amelia for a long time now and she should have listened to her instincts. Kai wasn’t wearing Amelia’s skin, but he was certainly fucking with her somehow.
“Let me explain,” Amelia said, scratching at her forearm, glancing at Kai as if for permission and that only pissed Bonnie off more.
“Sure, explain. But you don’t need that asshole’s permission to do shit.” Her perfectly manicured nail pointed at Kai accusingly and no one moved while Amelia fidgeted.
“While you were asleep last night, a wolf broke into the house and carried me off,” Amelia whispered.
Instantly Bonnie felt her anger dissipate and the sick feeling in her stomach only got worse as her best friend continued to explain.
“He bit me,” she said, pulling up the arm of her sweater. “Kai managed to get him off me, but it was too late. I was already one of them.”
Bonnie couldn’t tear her eyes from the silvery white scar on Amelia’s arm that had definitely never been there before. They went to the gym together almost every day. She would have seen it when they changed at some point. “What do you mean, ‘one of them’?” Bonnie asked, regretting the question before it even left her mouth.
“I mean a werewolf.” Amelia swallowed uncomfortably, but she held Bonnie’s eyes and didn’t even blink. “And Kai is my mate.”
Bonnie glanced at Kai again and the way he looked at her with awe and wonder…then the others in the pack were smiling proudly like…
The laugh burst out of her. It was hysterical and so far from amused it scared even her. “Werewolves? Amelia I knew you had a soft spot for the paranormal, but this is too much.” She whirled around and headed to the stairs.
Was this some weirdo fake-werewolf cult? Bonnie didn’t know how to explain the scar on Amelia’s arm though. Maybe she’d just missed it – which only made her feel worse.
Bonnie had spent a year in the psych ward. She should have seen the signs. How could she have missed them? Yeah, weird rules were borderline OCD but it had never gotten out of control or harmed her in any way so Bonnie had supported Amelia’s method of coping with whatever was in her past.
But this? This was a severe break with reality. It was borderline schizophrenic and that terrified her. Amelia needed to see someone right away. God, the people she’d seen in the ward with it…hopefully it wouldn’t be that bad.
Amelia was clearly sicker than she’d realized if she was so ready and willing to believe something so absurd. Bonnie would pack and leave. Take some time to think about the best way to get her friend to come back to reality. This wasn’t going to be easy.
A growl directly behind her set every hair on her body standing straight up. It wasn’t human or animal. Then suddenly Kai was there holding her against a wall and Bonnie hadn’t even realized he’d moved. He didn’t hurt her, but she definitely couldn’t get free.
Then his eyes turned silver. “I don’t appreciate the way you are hurting my mate. I agreed to let her tell you because she was convinced you would believe her. That you of all people would understand. You can leave, go home, and do whatever you want, but don’t think you’re going to come back here and steal her away.”
Oh shit…Bonnie could barely breathe as she took in the glowing eyes. Could this somehow possibly be real? Could her best friend somehow, maybe, be a wolf? Amelia’s cheeks were red when she slid her eyes to the small redhead.
That scar…
“I can’t leave now, Bonnie,” Amelia told her. “I have to stay with the pack and my mate. Now that we’re mated…Well, let’s just say I don’t want to know what it would be like to leave him. So I’m doing this publishing house with or without you. I’m listing my loft for sale and Kai is helping me move all my stuff out. He will be staying with me in Portland while I finish out my two weeks. I figure you can let me know by then if you’re interested or not.”
Amelia shrugged and Bonnie pushed Kai off. He let her this time. She studied her friend – the woman she’d considered family for a while now. This was not her. Amelia gave ultimatums left and right, but she never did anything suddenly and without researching it first.
And even though she’d seen Kai’s eyes change color…
She couldn’t accept this was a real thing. Her friend was now a fucking wolf? Get the fuck out of here with that shit. Amelia was probably brainwashed by this group of weirdos.
Then something occurred to her.
Bonnie looked at Shane. He had the audacity to glare at her with his arms crossed over his chest. That meant—Shane thought he was a fucking werewolf.
These people really believed what they were saying. She’d known Shane had been a bit off, but this was just too much.
“I won’t say anything,” Bonnie agreed. “But I’m not staying here.”
Kai nodded and gave her some space.
“You the Alpha then?” she asked. Amelia had given her enough to read on the genre she knew what to ask. Whatever it took to figure out what the hell Amelia had gotten herself into. No matter what it took, Bonnie would get her out. She wouldn’t let her get taken in by a cult.
“I’m the Alpha of the Blue Mountain Pack,” Kai said. “Portland is my territory. You should be safe.”
Bonnie didn’t even bother responding. She went up the stairs and slammed the door to her room closed. She ignored the tears she felt pressing against her eyes and threw everything into her suitcase.
Good weather
or not, she was leaving.
Dragging her luggage down the stairs she let it thump extra hard down each step. Everyone watched her go, but no one tried to stop her. Not even Amelia.
The sick feeling in her gut worsened and threatened to make her puke everywhere, but Bonnie muscled through the front door. The biting cold air didn’t faze the anger she could feel raging under her skin.
All this drama – tension. It didn’t matter, because she was only leaving so she could do research. She paused at the bottom of the stairs and glanced back at the gorgeous cabin the size of a mansion.
The other possibility was these people were sick. Some kind of mass hallucination? Maybe their water was poisoned? Bonnie didn’t care how much money it cost, she was going to hire a private investigator and figure out exactly what was going on.
At least the sky was clear and the sun was out. Her Land Rover would handle the snow just fine, she just didn’t like driving in it if she didn’t have to.
Someone took the suitcase from her and Bonnie was about to snap at whoever it was until Shane shouldered by with the massive thing. For a split second she could see the wolf in him – the feral beauty that was enhanced by every line and muscle.
Bonnie shook her head. It couldn’t be real. There was no way.
She glared at his retreating back and stomped after him. She unlocked the car and made her way carefully through the snow drifts. Arguing with Shane over the suitcase would be stupid and impractical, but it still pissed her off. Especially since it had been him and not Amelia who came after her.
Bonnie got into the driver’s seat and turned on the car, ignoring the hottie putting her suitcase in the back. Just because he was gorgeous didn’t mean he wasn’t crazy. She blasted the heat and slammed the car door. When he was finished she put the Rover in reverse.
He was standing right at her window. Bonnie screeched and clutched her chest. Holy shit he’d gotten there in the blink of an eye. How had he moved so goddamn fast?
Shane pointed down for her to open the window and her fear turned to anger.
“No!” she yelled through the closed window. She was still pissed at him for leaving her in the middle of the night even if he was part of a cult or whatever.
Shane sighed. “Bonnie, please. Just roll down the window so I can say good-bye without yelling.”
She huffed and crossed her arms. Bonnie wanted nothing to do with this madness. She didn’t want to deal with fake werewolves.
Despite everything though, she wanted to hear what he had to say. Bonnie still felt that strange connection between them. The attraction to him was unreal and the idea of never talking to Shane again was insanely depressing.
Bonnie rolled down the window and glared at him. “What?”
“You should stay.”
“That’s it?” she scoffed. “After all that crap, that is all you have to say to me? Why weren’t you there when I woke up?”
Shane looked away and studied the forest trees. “I had to answer my Alpha’s call. We dispatched the rogue wolf and afterwards…I wasn’t myself. So I ran through the forest until dawn. I didn’t want to hurt you being – like that.”
Bonnie could tell he was telling her the truth, but it wouldn’t sound like a lie if he truly believed what he was saying. Her heart went out to him. Maybe she could still help him when she came back for Amelia, but this was all way outside her paygrade.
“I’m still leaving,” she told him.
Shane turned back and studied her. Without a word he nodded and took a step back.
He was the most respectful asshole she’d ever come across and that made her fall for him a little bit more despite the shit-show the day had turned into. Bonnie didn’t know why, but she wanted to believe him – to believe Amelia.
It had to be something in the food or water.
Bonnie turned the car and drove down the long driveway back toward La Grande, and eventually Portland. This weekend certainly hadn’t ended the way she’d thought it would.
Chapter Four
Shane
Shane watched the Land Rover power through the thick snow. Bonnie was angry. He could smell it on the air like lightning. It was better to let her cool off. Shane would have only made things worse by telling her she was his mate. He stared at the place where she’d disappeared for a long time.
Everything since the night before had been nothing but a fucking nightmare.
At least they’d gotten the savage wolf taken care of. But the deranged thing had managed to turn Amelia – denying Kai the right and the privilege of claiming her when they were ready. He could cover the bite with his own, but it wasn’t the same.
Shane refused to let anything like that happen to Bonnie.
She was just so human – weak and vulnerable. Now she knew about the supernatural world and she didn’t have the protection of a pack. No doubt she’d refuse to register. He hadn’t even bothered to ask.
Shane trudged to the barn and grabbed a shovel. At least he could be useful and shovel the drive after the despicable display the night before. When Kai had been injured and lying in the snow he’d nearly challenged him. Thankfully Amelia was dominant and forced him off.
He still felt like shit it had happened at all.
His fucking wolf. The beast was violent and angry ever since the constant turmoil of Alpha challenges over the last decade. PTSD he was told. Kai had insisted he see a therapist after the first incident. It helped a little, but physically exhausting himself was more effective.
The snow flew as he shoveled. He slammed the shovel into the ground and flung it to the side with so much violent speed he was almost halfway down the driveway before he realized he had company. Shane stopped and wiped the sweat from his brow, eyeing his new female Alpha. She was quieter than a mouse when she wanted to be.
“What happened?” she asked, not quite looking at him.
Shane knew Amelia was an Alpha, but she wasn’t confident yet and it showed when she was human. He rolled his shoulders back to keep from snapping at her. His wolf wanted to challenge her for second place in the pack, but Shane wasn’t having it. “I asked her to stay. She said no.”
Amelia’s face fell and Shane hated how heartbroken she looked. “I really thought she’d be cool with it all,” she murmured.
Shane shrugged and went back to shoveling the snow. His shoulders were tight and the work felt good on his body. Bonnie being gone felt like someone had stabbed him through the chest with a needle. It wasn’t downright debilitating, but it was still painful.
He heard Kai come down from the house, but Shane ignored him. They’d taken a gamble and lost with Bonnie. But the night before – that had been on him. He’d fucked up and tried to challenge the one Alpha he respected.
Shane didn’t want to be Alpha and never had. But his wolf couldn’t figure out that they didn’t need to be the top dog to survive anymore after years of infighting, jostling for highest position.
His Alpha knew exactly what he was feeling too because he put his hand on Shane’s shoulder and instantly he felt more settled. “Talk to me,” Kai demanded.
Shane cracked his neck and then glanced at Amelia. She probably wasn’t going to like this. He cleared his throat and looked back at Kai. “Bonnie is my mate. I wasn’t sure at first, but after…” Shane trailed off. Amelia already smelled like she was pissed and she didn’t need to know the details of his sex life.
“Is she really? Are you absolutely positive?” Amelia demanded.
Shane nodded and started shoveling the driveway again.
“We have a snow blower,” Kai told him. “It would be much faster. The driveway is almost two miles long.”
“I know.” Shane was the one who’d fucking bought the snow blower. He’d been in La Grande for his whole fucking life and Kai had barely been back for one year. Shane was the one who’d had to keep what was left of their pack together before they all scattered.
But what had he been doing before Kai came along? Working
as a mechanic at a dusty shop that barely paid him enough to survive and living in a trailer that left him freezing during the winter even as a shifter. Shane should be grateful that Kai had come back to take care of things.
“I need to go to Portland with Amelia,” Kai said, tucking his mate into his side. “We will be there for two weeks. Amelia will talk to her. Bonnie doesn’t have to register with our pack, but it would keep her safer than she would be on her own.”
“Yeah,” Shane snarled, finally fed up. He threw the shovel onto the ground, away from both Alphas. “And now she’s vulnerable. Whose great fucking idea was that?”
Amelia flinched at his tone and Shane had to walk away even though Kai was growling at him. He hadn’t meant it like that but telling someone like Bonnie so suddenly when she had been on the defensive the moment she walked down the stairs hadn’t been the best idea.
And then not being there when she woke up had really bothered her, but Shane could have hurt her if he’d gone in after what had happened. It had triggered his nightmares again which had a fifty percent chance of making him shift in his sleep.
He refused to accidentally bite Bonnie and take that choice from her.
Shane turned back around and tilted his neck slightly, keeping his eyes down in submission to the only two people who ranked above him in the pack. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“See your therapist, Shane. Take some time to cool down and then come to Portland,” Kai told him. “Then you can help Amelia with Bonnie. The sooner you tell her about being mates, the better.”
Amelia nodded. “Bonnie doesn’t like it when people lie or hide things from her. It’s why I was so insistent on telling her the truth. Just…be good to her, okay? I know her being your mate changes everything, but don’t fucking forget she was my friend first.”
Shane snorted. “Yeah, yeah…you’ll rip me to pieces and all that.”
