Her mouth opened, and she met my eyes. “That sounds incredible.”
“Well, you’re in luck, because I happen to have an open position. You’re probably overqualified, but the benefits are amazing.”
A smile broke out over her face, her eyes lit up, like the sun coming up over that same horizon. I could get used to seeing it every morning for the rest of my life. But clouds marched over, blocking the light. “Last night, I’d never—“
I reached for her hand and she gasped. “And you were amazing. I don’t care what you’ve done before, or what you haven’t. I don’t want you because you’re like every other woman. I want you because you’re not.”
The sun was back, and she squeezed my hand. “I’m not the one who’s amazing. You are.”
**
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the holidays, but it felt good to get back to work. We had big plans for the Channing Reserve, and I was anxious to see them come together. For years, my brothers and I had built houses on what used to be forest land. Instead of taking even more from the wolves, we had an opportunity to give back. The Channing Reserve had a livestock rehabilitation center, and we’d planned houses and cabins. They could take the forest away from us with urban sprawl, but this place that had brought us so much pain would be what put us back together. It was our future.
The shell of Baron’s project waited for us by the stream that ran though the property. With the chaos that Christmas brought, X’s condition, planning an attack against the Montana wolves, and now this god damn Full Moon Fever we hadn’t been able to touch it in a week. This is what we needed, something normal to get everything back to the way it was.
“He’s back from the dead.” Baron slapped me on the back, then circled me and raised his goggles to get a better look. “Kiera said she thought the zombie apocalypse would break out at the apartment last night. You didn’t eat Lyssie’s brains, did you?”
I strapped my goggles on, grinning. “That’s not what we did at all.”
“Nice.” Baron nodded, picking up the next piece of wood to cut. “Well, you’re back to your old self, so looks like Lyssie’s got the antidote. We should probably show you off to those Montana assholes, so they know their plan didn’t work. And we can do that right now, since it looks like we have company.”
A black SUV parked next to my truck. Three redheaded male wolves got out. I hadn’t taken a good look at them in their human form. Pale skinned with deep set eyes, Kiera might not have been too far off about the zombie apocalypse. Drones, carrying out their alpha’s wishes. Even more of an insult. Their scent caught in the breeze; rotten leaves on the forest floor.
Heat radiated through my body and my stomach churned when Ember joined them, leading them over to the office.
Baron took off his goggles, and watched the scene open-mouthed. This was no surprise, but it was still an intrusion.
“How do you want to handle this?” Baron asked, the disgust plain on his face. We’d been held hostage once on this land, and I’d be damned if it happened again.
“As quickly as fucking possible.” I dropped the pile of wood I was carrying. My mouth watered in that sickening way, as we walked over to the office. This was my fight, and I wanted to reach them before they dragged Shadow into it. He’d been too much of a loose cannon as alpha, and I wanted this to end with a whimper instead of the next world war.
I concentrated on Lyssie; the sensation of her thumbs circling the base of her neck, her pale, slick curves moving in time with my body, and her expression when she lost all control.
It should’ve been enough. It was enough for me. That’s what I wanted. But Ember stopped in the middle of the walkway, waiting for me to come to her.
“We didn’t have a chance to finish talking the other night, Dallas.” Ember’s blood red lips slid up into a smirk. She licked them, probably to catch a drop of venom before it ruined her makeup. Her blue dress and sky-high heels were more red carpet than Granger Falls. “I hate dive bars. Loud music, obnoxious drunk people. I prefer things to be a little more refined. Intimate.”
“You should’ve stayed home.” The ranch, her drone wolves, all of it spun violently, slamming against the corners of my vision. Only Ember stayed clear and steady. Fuck. “Because that’s the kind of pack we are. Loud, obnoxious. We’re not concerned with material things. That’s not important. Family and pack, the rest of it doesn’t matter.”
Ember stepped closer, reaching for my hand. It was crossed over my other arm. I didn’t take hers. “Oh, you’re warm.” She traced small circles on my exposed skin. My wolf groaned, thankful for the relief from the unbearable heat. “You know Full Moon Fever can kill a wolf if they don’t treat it. Suck the life right out of you. That’s why wolves mate for life. Separating from one’s true mate is a death sentence.”
Sweat trickled down my spine. There was no denying my wolf’s reaction to this woman. “Wouldn’t be the first time I cheated death.”
“That might be true, but tell me something. Have you actually lived? Or just existed? No hope of a mate, living in your brother’s shadow, and that dog fighting ring.” She shuddered. “Family and pack is the most important thing. But it’s slipping through your fingers. It’s a horrible feeling, isn’t it? The Channing Reserve will be a ghost town in fifty years. Or you’ll be old and weak and in chains again with no one to defend you. At least you’ll have a front row seat to watch other packs ruin everything you’ve worked so hard for. I can give you want you want. A future. Security. You’d be my mate, your voice would be heard. That’s what you want. No more being lost in the shuffle. I’m your dream come true, Dallas, and that’s before we even consider all the things I’ll do to your body.”
“If pack is so important to you, why did you come without your alpha?” This bitch was a fucking traitor. She was either going to cause a pack war or drag us into hers. I’d never fight for her.
Ember laughed and leaned in, those deceitful lips moving against my ear, her cool breath offering sanctuary. “I am the alpha.”
Chapter Nine
Lyssie
“Did you do it?” Kiera asked right away. I hadn’t had a chance to take my coat off yet. The animals were going crazy. They always got excited when we arrived, but Kiera was the one dancing around like she heard the treat bag crack open.
“Do what?” Trina asked.
Heat scalded my cheeks, I probably turned purple.
“Sorry,” Kiera mouthed sheepishly, then cleared her throat. “Let me try again. How’s Dallas feeling?”
“Much better.”
“Oh.” Trina smiled. “Wait a minute. You and Dallas never...”
“Nope.” Kiera was actually glowing. She was way too excited about this, or radioactive.
“Yes. We had sex. And since everyone knows all my business, we’re probably going to get evicted, because we kinda flooded the bathroom last night.”
“Totally worth it.” Kiera picked up a tennis ball and tossed it. Almost every animal in the room scampered after it. “My first time was in a bunk bed at basic training. I bit my own arm so I wouldn’t scream. Drew blood. You can’t wake up a squadron like that. You’ll get shot.”
“Are you shitting me?” Trina came out from behind the counter, glowing almost as much as Kiera. This was my worst nightmare. “Lyssie, that’s awesome.”
“Let’s stop talking about this.” I squatted to pat Chester, the tabby cat that followed me everywhere. I’d bring him home, but he loved attention and we spent more time here. The girls deflated, definitely not ready to end the conversation. “But I think we cured the Full Moon Fever.”
Both of them squealed like they were at a boy band concert. “You know, he’s gonna require regular maintenance.” Kiera wiggled her eyebrows. “No relapses.”
“And then he’ll build up a tolerance, so you’ll have to up your game.” Trina gave me a knowing smile. She looked at Kiera. “What do you think he’s into?”
“We’re not talking about this any
more!” I reminded them, but my heart pounded. The awkward virgin thing was only going to be cute once, and I already played that card. Now I was just going to be a lousy lay. So not cute. “But I’ll need some help, with the game upping.”
Kiera dragged the bag of kibble over to the table, and some of her audience returned. “This is going to be so much fun.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “First of all, I’ve folded your laundry, and we need to get you some cute underwear.”
“Don’t spend a lot of money on that stuff.” Trina came over to help Kiera. “If Dallas is anything like his brother, he’ll rip it off of her in five seconds.”
“Well, they are animals.” Kiera grinned while she worked. I’d lost all control over the situation, and for once, I didn’t mind. My friends wanted me to be as happy as they were. I’d give anything for that. Last night was a sneak peek at what was possible, but doubts spotted my mind. Dallas was a wolf, I was a human, and he wasn’t supposed to have me.
It made me want him more. And if a little lace did the trick, who was I to question the process?
“Let’s do it.” Both girls stopped what they were doing, shocked I actually gave them permission. “I love that stuff, but it seemed like a waste.”
“Never. If it makes you feel good, then it’s worth every penny.” Kiera moved on to water bowls. “Since I can’t wear it anymore, you can be my dress up doll.”
Trina stopped, a tray of food bowls in her hands. “What? Why can’t you?”
Kiera sighed. “Wanna get pizza tonight? I’ll tell you then. Today’s Lyssie’s day, and I have a feeling that I’ll need to get out of the house for a little while. The two of them have months of sexual tension to work through, even before you factor in the fever.”
“Yeah, sure.” Trina looked puzzled, but she understood. I had no idea what brought Trina to Forever Home, but that was the beauty of this place. It didn’t matter. Although, knowing how other people struggled did help. It didn’t make my journey less important or easier, but to understand other people’s obstacles gave me insight on how to conquer mine.
By the end of the day, more satin and lace was coming my way then I’d ever know what to do with. So when it got here I’d put it on and let Dallas decide. Neither of us had been in a serious relationship before, but he was way ahead of me in the sex department. The girls insisted I let him take the lead.
“Stop worrying. He wants you,” Kiera said, sitting in the parking lot outside our apartment. “And anyway, you don’t even know what you like yet. Explore. I mean, look at the jungle gym you get to climb. Experiment. Don’t judge things before you give them a chance.”
“It’s not that.” The apartment sat dark above us. Kiera wasn’t coming in. She had a date with Trina at The Pizza Pub. Dallas should be here anytime. Déjà vu overwhelmed me in a sickening wave. He let me have what I wanted, and I hoped he didn’t leave me waving as he left me in the parking lot.
I went upstairs, wishing I had some of that lingerie now. I’d wear it like armor. Instead, it was just me. I wasn’t sure what time Dallas would arrive. As a contractor, his job was similar to ours at the shelter—we couldn’t leave at five on the dot. The day finished when the job was done.
Needing to keep myself busy, I took veggies out from the freezer to make a stir fry. We didn’t have anything fresh, and I needed to make a trip to the farmer’s market. Kiera had an ongoing punchline, making fun of Granger Falls, but I loved it here. The little town bustled with life. We lived right in the middle of everything. On weekends I’d lure Kiera down to the market, bribing her with a cup of coffee. I hadn’t been recently, even before all hell broke loose at Christmas. I wouldn’t go alone, and Kiera had been busy with Baron.
I pictured walking through town with Dallas, hand in hand, as I ate my dinner. Someday I’d love to have a booth at the market, selling mittens, scarves, and blankets. But now, the shelter needed me, and that was more important. My new project was to make sweaters for the dogs. We’d dress them up, put their pictures up on the website, and help them get to their actual forever homes.
The knock on the door awoke the butterflies in my stomach. It’s a beautiful thing, I reminded myself, to feel this way about someone. Don’t be scared of happiness. But that wasn’t exactly it. The Channings had an open invite to our apartment, the door was always open for them. So I had no idea what would greet me.
Dallas’ brow was slicked with sweat, and that unhuman green-gray glow back. He stood with his hands in his pockets. The only thing that didn’t look sick was his eyes. They swirled with an untamed fury that made my butterflies scatter.
“Are you all right?” I ushered him in, taking his jacket. A dark triangle dampened the back of his shirt. He didn’t say a word as he sat on the couch. I prepared for the burn before I touched him. “What can I do?”
“I want to kiss you, but the room is spinning.” The last word slurred, and I didn’t wait for an invite. I moved into his lap—I was getting used to the heat—and kissed his forehead. Dallas moaned, leaning back on the cushion. I had a couple ideas of things to do with ice cubes that I’d try once we settled. I’d do anything to make him feel better.
“Did something happen or is it just because we were apart?” There was no way I had that kind of effect on him, that simply being separated from me would weaken him. I nestled my head on my shoulder, not realizing how much better I felt when we were together until now.
Dallas put his arm around me and sat up. “We need to talk.”
I jumped away. No. That couldn’t be good. The little devil, that frenemy that was on a never ending sleepover in my brain jumped up and down, holding up handwritten signs with every worst-case scenario she could come up with on such short notice. I knew better. She’d been working on this little project all along. I wondered which one was worse: being abandoned or knowing exactly why someone didn’t want you.
“Whatever it is, we can work through it.” I ran my hand through his damp hair. “I’m going to mess things up. I’m scared every time you walk out that door that I’m never going to see you again. That’s what happened to me. My mother drove away without me, told me she didn’t have a place for me. Give me a place, Dallas. I’ll make it our home.”
Chapter Ten
Dallas
The Full Moon Fever wouldn’t kill me, but this broken heart just might. How anyone could do that to her...and who the hell was I to judge?
It would kill me to hurt Lyssie, and I was still scrambling to find a way around it.
“Ember showed up at the Reserve today. She’s the pack alpha.” Just saying her name left a bitter taste on my tongue. Now was not the time for bitter tastes.
Lyssie’s face fell, but her shoulders rose, ready for battle. My wolf liked that, a lot. “What does that mean, and what can I do to make it not matter?” she asked.
I caught her off-guard when I kissed her. “That’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever said. It means that she’s the one orchestrating these attacks. From the boxing match, to Christmas night, to New Year’s. I don’t mean shit to her, I’m just part of her plan. My brothers think that she targeted me because I wasn’t in a relationship.” There went Lyssie’s shoulders. “So if they’re right, she’ll lose interest if I have a mate. She knows the rules. They can’t be that different in Montana. It’s a lifelong thing.”
Lyssie ran her fingers lightly over the bite and frowned. The scab was tight and it itched like crazy. I wanted to rip it open. No way. Fresh blood on the surface was too likely to draw Ember’s attention, give her the wrong idea. It had to fade into oblivion. “But this changes everything,” she said.
“I know.” I sighed. I wanted Lyssie to keep touching me—she quieted Ember’s chaos. “We’re going to have to work hard, maybe harder than my brothers and your friends. We have to prepare for the fact we might fail and not care. And I need you to love all of me—“
Her mouth fell open. “I do.”
“Even my wolf. You don’t realize what you did to me after t
he shift. That was the hardest fight we’d ever been in, besides when Ryker tortured us. It shattered me, because I thought me and you were past that. I needed one thing to be good that night, and the look on your face almost killed me.”
Lyssie’s eyes glazed over, and she had to fight to keep from looking away from me. “Every time I see you as a wolf, you’re fighting. And every time, there’s an incredible price to be paid. Your brother, X...what happens when it’s your turn? I’m afraid to lose you.”
I drew her in, needing to get lost in her cool, soft curves, the tickle of her hair against my cheek. “But you’re pushing me away. Isn’t that the same thing?”
“It is. I know. I can’t lose anything else, Dallas. I know it doesn’t make sense. It frustrates me, too. I’m afraid I’m not enough to make things better.”
“Take a chance, Lyssie,” I whispered. “You’re more than enough for me. Nothing’s forever if you don’t give it a try.”
She curled her hand in the collar of my shirt, scraping against the bite. My wolf wanted to throw its head back and howl. “What will Ember do? You’re rejecting her. I don’t see her taking it well.”
“No. She’s not going anywhere. She wants this land, by whatever means necessary. Our packs don’t matter to her.”
Lyssie took a deep breath. “If you took Ember as a mate, would it keep your pack together?”
I should’ve expected that. My heart had put itself back together and it swelled. Lyssie was willing to put everything before herself. She wanted everyone else’s happiness more than her own, because deep down, she believed it would trickle down to her. The problem with trickle-down economics was it never worked. The middleman was a greedy bastard.
Shelter Me (Sawtooth Shifters, #6) Page 5
