“This part of the land is untouched. We’ve only built in certain parts.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“You haven’t even seen much of it yet.”
“I can already tell. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a nature lover. It makes me feel… I don’t know, the woods and the untouched spaces give me this sense of inner peace.”
“I know. That’s how I knew you’d like it here. This goes on for miles in three directions.”
Avery leaned back in her seat, no longer wanting to talk about things that made her heart ache, just wanting to take in the scenery. It was so vast, a person could get lost out there, lost in the very best of ways. She wished for painting talent, so she could immortalize some of the scenes that rushed by her window. The visual arts were absolutely not her thing, though. She stuck to the written word for recording the beauty she found in nature.
By the time they reached an area populated with houses instead of just trees and Chase announced that most of the pack lived there, she was enthralled. It was like White Oak Run on steroids, minus the cabins. Deep Valley had the cozy-looking houses one expected of a small town, tarred roads, and even a few stop signs. The main street had several stores and even a restaurant that Chase pointed out. Avery also spotted a couple of small office buildings, a playground, a small grocery store, and a gas station.
As Chase pulled into the driveway of an adorable brick home with its very own porch swing and rocking chair, Avery was overcome by the storybook feel of the little town. She had to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming again.
“Stop that,” he scolded.
She’d been pinching herself a lot since their first night together, and Chase had been very vocal about disliking it. He got out and walked around to open her door and give her a hand out of his truck.
“Is this your place?” she asked, just as a huge older man opened the front door of the house, wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and holding a half-drained bottle of beer.
“So this is my new daughter?” the big man said in a booming voice.
“Hey, Dad,” Chase said. He turned to smile into her eyes. “My parents’ house. They’d kill me if I took you home without bringing you to meet them first.”
“Come on,” the big man said, holding the door open. “Everybody’s waiting.”
Everybody? Avery thought as Chase took her hand and led her up the stairs.
“Dad, this is Avery.” Chase gave her a look, the pride in it unmistakable.
Avery put her hand out to shake. “Hello, Mr. Randall. It’s good to meet y—”
The big man didn’t wait for her to finish. He grabbed her in what she could only describe as a bear hug. “Call me Dad,” he said when he finally let go, “and get your asses inside. Mom’s been bouncing off the walls waiting.”
Avery followed Chase to the kitchen, which looked way too big for the size of the house. That was a good thing, as the kitchen was filled with shifters who would have dwarfed a smaller room. Avery met Chase’s mother, who insisted on being called Mom or Mama, and then his brothers. Chase introduced her to Aiden and Noah first. They were the twins, and then Caleb and Logan. Then there was his little sister Gypsy, who at six feet tall really wasn’t so little. They all ignored her attempts at handshaking, and she finally just gave up and let them hug her. They all seemed to talk at once, too, which made for a noisy greeting and a whole lot of laughter.
She met Liam last, and the alpha stood at least six foot six by her estimation. He was quieter than the rest of the bunch and looked her over carefully. He greeted her with a welcome but didn’t hug her, and he seemed overly interested in her neck and shoulders, making Avery wonder if she had leftovers from lunch stuck there.
“Welcome to Deep Valley,” Liam said when he finally met her eyes. His smile was the only one that seemed forced.
If Avery hadn’t already been falling for Chase, she might have fainted from all the pure hotness in that room. Every one of his brothers was built like he’d been hand-molded by someone obsessed with the male form. Tall, muscular, dark-haired and dark-eyed, they’d make any red-blooded woman drool. His sister was smaller and less heavily muscled, but she shared their dark hair and eyes, a feral beauty about her. His parents were just as handsome, despite being older, and it was easy to see who deserved credit for their looks.
Chase’s mother hustled Avery into a chair at the long kitchen table and offered her a drink. She accepted a glass of iced tea and managed a couple of sips before they all set in with questions. They were nice about it, but they wanted to know everything about anything she’d ever done in her life. She gave them the cheat sheet version.
“Okay, that’s enough. Let the child breathe.” Chase’s mom had been sitting across from her. She’d listened intently, but maybe she’d sensed that Avery needed a break. “She can tell us more after dinner.”
More? Avery didn’t love talking about herself. She’d do her level best to keep them talking instead.
Chase’s mom patted her hand. “We’re grilling tonight. Do you like barbecue, Avery?”
“Love it.” Her stomach grumbled at the mere mention of the word.
“As long as it’s not Bambi,” Chase said, snickering.
Avery promptly kicked him under the table.
“Ow!” he said.
She grinned at him. “Don’t embarrass me.”
“Who’s this Bambi?” Chase’s mom asked.
Fortunately, Gypsy knew the answer to that one, so Avery didn’t have to explain.
Most of the others listened with what seemed like amused interest as Gypsy talked about fawns and talking bunnies, but Liam pointed at Chase. “You,” he said. “Outside.”
Chase pushed his chair back, then leaned over to whisper in her ear. “You okay here?”
Avery didn’t hesitate. “I’m fine.” And she was. Despite all their questions and the general din in the room, she was just fine.
* * * *
Chase followed Liam out back, fully expecting the reaming he was about to get.
Sure enough, Liam snarled at him the moment the door shut behind him. “What the fuck, Chase? Why the hell didn’t you claim her?”
He shrugged. “She’s not ready.”
“What the hell do you mean she’s not ready? Your scent is all over her. You fucked her, right?”
So many times. “None of your business.”
“Like hell it’s not my business. I can’t fucking believe you brought her here without claiming her first.”
“She already knew about us, Liam. There was no reason not to bring her home. She’s mine.”
“Not until you claim her. You had to show her where we live?” He shook his head as if Chase was the stupidest wolf alive. “I had no idea you were this much of a dumb ass. If she is working with someone, she’ll lead them right to our doorstep.”
“I already told you she’s not working with anyone.”
“Okay, genius. How do you know she isn’t working with anyone?”
“I’ve seen her journals and her books. No one ever showed up for any secret spy mission, and she really never went anywhere. I’d know if you’d found something on her computer or her phone. You’d have said something by now. She’s telling the truth. I can feel it in my gut.”
“Oh, great. We can hang the future of the pack on your gut.”
“She’s here now. Get over it, Liam.”
Liam glared at him. “Alpha.”
“What?”
“It’s Alpha. The least you can do is address me properly.”
“Okay, suck it up, Alpha.” He probably shouldn’t fuck with Liam so much. He was only trying to do his job, but it was fun.
Liam sighed loudly. “You know. I get it now. You’re thinking with your dick. She won’t let you fuck her, so you’re doing everything she says just to get in her panties.”
“Not even close.” He shook his head, looking toward the backdoor. “And it’s more than the bond, even. Sh
e’s the kind of woman I could love, and I want her to choose me instead of just giving in.”
“I’m not telling you to rape her, Chase. Just fucking bite her already.”
“Not until she wants it.” Chase didn’t know why he’d even bothered trying to explain it to Liam. His brother had never been in love.
“You sound like a character out of those romance books Gypsy always has her nose stuck in. Damn, did you have to let her take your balls and make you her bitch?”
“Now I know why you aren’t mated yet. No woman would put up with you. How’d you get to be such a dick, Liam?”
“Alpha.”
“Fuck you…Alpha.”
“You know what? You need a good ass-kicking to knock some sense back into you.”
Chase smirked. “Try it.”
It was a dare, and Liam had never met a dare he didn’t like. The next thing Chase knew, his brother had tackled him to the ground. He wrestled with the all-mighty alpha, trading him blow for blow.
At one point, Liam had him pinned but Chase was quick to throw him off. Those days of being pushed around because he was smaller and weaker were long past. By the time their father came growling out the backdoor, yelling for them to get up, he had Liam in a headlock. He wasn’t sure. Could he noogie the alpha? Apparently, he could.
* * * *
Not long after Chase had gone off with Liam, Gypsy took Avery into the living room to talk. Chase’s father and brothers had become embroiled in a heated discussion of some building project, and Chase’s mom was busy preparing food for the grill.
Avery followed Gypsy into the living room, furnished with sturdy furniture and leather, plenty of leather, including the huge sectional sofa. It had a masculine feel, despite the feminine touches of vases filled with fresh flowers and paintings of pretty outdoor scenes.
Gypsy sat on the huge sofa and Avery joined her, sighing a little at how comfortable it was. Somehow, given the size of the men who used it, she’d just expected it to be all rough fabric and cushions that were firm to the point of being hard.
“I wanted to get you alone, so I could tell you without my brothers hearing.”
“Uh oh. I’m bracing myself.” She sort of was.
“No, it’s nothing bad. It’s just that you’re one of my favorite authors, and I’ve read all of your books. I’m a huge fan—huge. But my brothers don’t really get it.”
“Oh…thanks,” she said, smiling. It always thrilled her to hear someone liked her books. It made all those hours glued to her desk worth it. “I’m surprised you like them, though. Your life has to be so much more interesting.”
Gypsy shook her head. “I like the fantasy of it, and the romance. Don’t get me wrong, you did get some of it right, but I like being able to escape for a while, and many men just want to mate without the romance. I want the romance.”
Avery nodded. “I get that. You’re not mated, then?”
“Not yet, and if I end up with some bonehead who only wants me to cook his dinner and wash his clothes, I’m becoming a lesbian.”
Avery laughed. “I don’t think it works that way.”
“Too bad, huh? I love a big, strong male, but I seem to meet all the toads instead of the princes, and I want a prince. Anyway, I have to ask you something, and I hope you say yes.”
“Sure. What is it?” She already liked Gypsy. She had an easy, open manner that Avery appreciated.
“You’ve got to sign my books.” Gypsy reached over to open an end table drawer, pulling out three paperbacks. “I mean, since we’re sisters now and all.”
“I’d be honored to.”
Avery signed the books and watched as Gypsy lovingly packed each one in the bag she’d also pulled out of the drawer.
“Big reader, huh?”
“Yeah, too much TV gives me a headache, but books I can get into.”
They compared notes and found that they had some favorite authors in common before Avery decided to ask a question of her own. “Okay, now it’s my turn to ask you something.”
“All right.”
“Is Chase in trouble? Liam didn’t seem too happy with him.”
“Oh, that.” Gypsy winked at her. “Just alpha stuff, but nothing Chase can’t handle.”
“Like, what kind of alpha stuff?” Avery felt sure it had something to do with her.
“Like, Chase bringing you back here without claiming you first. You’re not marked, and that probably has Liam worried.”
“Oh, that’s why he was staring at me like that?”
“Probably more than just him. I checked, too. Mated women usually have a mark on the neck or the shoulders. With your hair up and that sundress you’re wearing, it’s easy to see he hasn’t marked you.” Her expression grew devilish. “Unless…he marked you someplace less visible.”
“No, not yet. Can he do that? Mark me someplace else?” Avery wasn’t sure she wanted to be permanently scarred where others could see it.
“He can, but shifters are possessive. He’ll want other shifters to notice. But don’t worry, it’s not disfiguring. You probably didn’t even notice my mother’s, did you? It’s on her left shoulder.”
Come to think of it, she hadn’t.
Gypsy gave Avery an appraising look. “Since we’re on the subject and I have to, as your new sister, know all your secrets anyway, why hasn’t he marked you? His scent is all over you, so I’m pretty sure you’ve mated with him at least once.”
Gypsy sure didn’t dance around the subject, but that didn’t offend Avery. She preferred the direct approach. “I just want to wait…until the time is right.” This was the first time she’d admitted to herself that she was no longer in doubt about letting Chase claim her. It was just a matter of time.
“So, I have to tell you that’s the first thing you’ve said to me that I don’t get.”
“What? Wanting to wait?”
Gypsy nodded, sighing. “When I find my mate, there will be no waiting, especially if he looks at me the way Chase looks at you.”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
“Well, I did. That’s a man in love.”
* * * *
Dinner was hearty, and Avery ate more than she had in one sitting in years, and that was no exaggeration. Mom and Dad, as they kept insisting she call them, served up steaks, burgers, ribs, and grilled corn. Fresh green beans, baked beans, and potato salad with crumbled bacon in it rounded out the menu. Avery thought she’d died and gone to heaven when she saw the cornbread. She’d only had it once before, but she loved it. The barbecue sauce was perfect, the meat tender, and the cornbread divine. Mom and Dad repeatedly piled her plate high, saying she was too skinny. Avery thought the two of them might need glasses, but it was nice to be doted on for a change.
“You’re going to have to roll me back to your place,” she told Chase, sipping her third glass of way too good to be healthy iced tea.
“I’ll carry you,” he said, kissing her between sips. He’d hovered over her the whole dinner, almost as if he thought someone would snatch her away.
If he’d been thinking along those lines, his brothers didn’t help. They took every opportunity to smile and joke with her. There was even a little flirting going on, with only Liam abstaining. Avery smiled and laughed. It was easy to see they weren’t serious, but she made a point of telling them she was taken, for Chase’s benefit.
She met over two dozen other wolves, though she knew that wasn’t even half the pack. Gypsy promised to take her around and introduce her to everyone else in the morning. Avery had no idea how she would remember everyone, but she’d have fun trying. They were a loud bunch, rough with each other at times, but they made her feel like family. At least until Liam began questioning her. He wasn’t exactly rude about it, but his questions ticked her off, especially since they were about the things that caused her the most pain.
Mom, returning from another table of guests, gave Liam a slap upside his head. “Leave her alone. She just got here. There’s plenty of
time for that later.”
Liam huffed. “It’s my job to keep the pack safe, Ma.”
“And you’re doing a great job of that, Liam.” Mom looked down at him with obvious affection. “But Avery is one of us now. Try not to be so overbearing.”
“You don’t have to do this now,” Chase said to her, glaring over at Liam.
Avery sighed. She wanted to get along with all of his family members, including Liam, so she squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. “Where should I start?”
“At the beginning.”
“Okay, well, I was seven years old when I woke up in the hospital. I was hooked up to a bunch of machines, and my aunt and uncle were sitting at my bedside. They told me I’d been in a coma and explained to me what that meant. Then they told me my parents had been killed in a fire. They said I’d been in foster care while social services tried to locate family and that I’d been trying to climb out of a second floor window at my foster home when I’d fallen and hit my head. I told them wolves had killed my family, not a fire, and of course they thought I was crazy. They said I didn’t have a little brother and was making up stories to deal with the trauma of losing my parents.”
She paused to gather her thoughts, and Chase wrapped his arm around her. His touch helped her gather the strength to go on. “Apparently, my parents hadn’t been in contact with my aunt and uncle for a few years, but they were the only family social services could find. They took me home with them and took care of me as best they could. Eventually, they got doctors and psychiatrists involved, and I was diagnosed mentally ill and medicated. They wouldn’t tell me anything about my foster parents or how I got to the hospital.
“It took me long enough, but I learned to keep my mouth shut about the wolf thing. My uncle was threatening to send me to a group home or put me back in foster care. I was afraid, so I said I’d made up everything for attention. By then, I just wanted someone to love me, but it was too late. I’d put them through too much and they couldn’t. So when I turned eighteen, my uncle gave me five hundred dollars and told me good luck. My aunt had packed up my room and called a cab. They said they’d ship my things wherever I wanted to go. Just like that, I was on my own.
Avery and Her Wolf [Shifters Revealed 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 10
