by Vivian Wood
“I haven’t been sleeping well,” Noah said, straightening out of his mirrored pose.
“Man, ever since Pa told us that the Alphas’ Council has basically married us off, I’ve been tossing and turning nonstop.”
“Really? Sharing a room with you for the last few nights, I hardly noticed,” Noah said. He didn’t have to worry that Finn would miss his sarcasm; unlike every other person in the world, his twin read his tone correctly every time.
“Hey, it’s not my fault that Ma turned your room into a pottery studio. You’re the one who didn’t come home for two years straight.”
Noah couldn’t miss the blatant accusation in his brother’s tone, though it might have sounded friendly and casual to anyone else listening. He gave Finn the ghost of a smile, shaking his head.
“I’ve been busy,” Noah replied with a shrug.
“You’ve missed a lot,” Finn informed him, settling back into his seat and turning his gaze forward.
“Yeah? Like what? Cows are born, horses die, the US Presidents embarrass the country…” Noah waved a dismissive hand.
“Yeah. Because nothing interesting can happen in Red Lodge. The only things worth being present for are out there, in the great beyond,” Finn said, flipping his hand just as Noah had.
“Finn…”
“Don’t worry about it, Noe,” Finn said, making Noah cringe at the use of his childhood nickname. “We all know that you’re too busy and important to come home. Or email, or call. Or even text. It’s not like Ma bought you a satellite phone, for the specific purpose of being able to contact us anywhere in the world, anytime.”
“That phone died. About four sat phones ago, actually. In any event, I go long periods of time without any electricity for indoor lights, much less plugging in a phone and a laptop. Libya is too busy fighting for freedom from governmental oppression. Some people have bigger things to worry about.”
Finn snorted.
“Right. You’re a ground-breaker, an adventurer, saving the world one Tribune article at a time. And here the rest of us are, just sitting around taking it easy.”
“I didn’t say that,” Noah snapped.
“You don’t say much of anything these days. I hear more from Luke than I do from you, and he’s been fighting a war. Literally.”
“We all have to go our own way,” Noah said.
“Yeah. Your way is high-flying, fast living, and mine is boring and meaningless. I get it.”
Noah looked over to find that his brother was once again in the same position as he was. Arms crossed, jaw tense, staring straight ahead as if to burn holes in the seats before them.
“Noah!” his mother called. Noah actually sagged in his seat from relief. He really didn’t want this fight with Finn, and now that it had started, he didn’t know how to end it. Was he supposed to apologize for living his life, leaving Red Lodge behind? It seemed insane.
“Duty calls,” Noah said, rising and pushing past Finn into the aisle. His father had moved up front to talk with Gavin, so Noah dropped into the vacant seat next to his mother.
“Ma’am,” Noah answered. His mother gave him a soft smile and put her dainty hand over his. She was always touching him when he was home, as if she was unsure whether or not he was real.
“Now, listen. About this mixer we’re heading to,” Ma said, giving him a searching look.
“Ah, yes. The great city of St. Louis. How it beckons,” Noah said, giving his words a Shakespearean cast.
“I want you to give it a chance, okay? I’ve lined up something special for you.”
Noah raised a brow.
“And what could that possibly be? A tour of the Arch, perhaps?”
Ma laughed and shook her head, refusing to take his words as unkind.
“No, better than that. I found you a journalist,” she said.
“A journalist.”
“Yes. The daughter of the Krall Alpha.”
“She’s like a TV weather girl or something?” Noah asked, suspicious.
“No, she covers politics. In Washington D.C.,” his mother replied, giving him a firm look.
“Politics, huh?” Noah was touched that his mother had thought of him at all, seeing as how she had five other sons and most of them came home once in a while.
“Yes. Her name is Abby, and she’s supposed to be very pretty and very smart. Your Aunt Susan knows the Krall clan pretty well, and when she told me about Abby, I thought of you.”
Noah had less than zero interest in being set up by his mother and Aunt Susan, but he wouldn’t be rude. At least this way he might have someone interesting to talk to at the mixer.
“Thanks, Ma,” he said, leaning over to give her a hug.
“I want you to keep Finn close during the mixer,” she stipulated, pointing a stern finger at him.
“To keep me out of trouble?” Noah asked. A joke… mostly.
Ma gave him an unfathomable expression, concern evident in her gaze.
“It’s better for both of you when you’re together, not that either of you has the sense to know it,” she scolded.
“Ah, so I’m the one taking care of Finn this time,” Noah teased. His mother rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Just do as I ask for once?”
“Anything for you, Ma,” Noah promised with a chuckle.
The overhead lights went up suddenly, the seatbelt sign dinging throughout the cabin.
“In that case, you can carry my bag once we get to the baggage claim,” she said, patting his hand. “Now buckle up!”
Noah repressed the urge to roll his eyes as he fastened his seatbelt and waited for the plane to descend into St. Louis.
34
Four
Charlotte Krall stopped in the parking lot, a hundred yards from the stone archway of the Hilton’s Grand Hall , eyeing the words St. Louis Union Station emblazoned over the entrance. The site of the huge Berserker party they were attending this evening… if Charlotte could make herself go inside, that was.
“You’ve never been in here?” Abby asked. Charlotte licked her lips as she glanced over at her stunning brunette cousin, shaking her head.
“Never,” Charlotte admitted.
“It’s lovely. You’ll like it,” Abby announced, all confidence as she linked her arm with Charlotte’s and pulled her cousin along.
“Wait, wait!” Charlotte said, resisting. “I just… how do I look, Abby?”
Abby pulled back with an expression of mock-seriousness, examining Charlotte from head to toe. Abby held up her fingers, ticking off Charlotte’s physical attributes as she went.
“Let’s see… five foot seven inches of hourglass curves, check. Waist-length ash blonde hair, styled like a lion’s mane… check. Sexy fifties-style red dress that fits in all the right places without showing off too much…. check. Killer black heels and purse… double check. Your makeup is on point, your whole thing is working for me here,” Abby said, waving a hand to indicate Charlotte’s person. “What’s the deal?”
Charlotte sighed.
“We’re about to walk into THE social event of the fall season, where every single Berserker is waiting. Including the guy your father is determined to set you up with,” Charlotte said. “The one who I have to bamboozle into falling for me so that he doesn’t accidentally out you to your parents. And look at you! It’s not going to be easy.”
Abby pursed her lips and looked down at herself, her slender curves dressed in a stylish white pant suit and bright red heels. Eyes twinkling, she gave Abby a casual shrug.
“I can’t help that I’m stunningly beautiful,” Abby teased. “And with the personality to match…”
She linked arms with Charlotte once more, pulling her toward the entrance.
“Well, all the guys in here are going to be awfully disappointed when you don’t go home with a single one. If they knew that you batted for other team, they’d be so sad,” Charlotte told Abby. Abby laughed and squeezed Charlotte’s arm.
“Not a
s sad as my parents would be, I assure you.” Abby’s expression sobered. “Thank you for doing this for me, Charlotte. I’m not ready to tell my parents that I’m only interested in women. I think it might kill my mother.”
“I think you should have a little more faith in her, Abs,” Charlotte said, squeezing Abby’s arm right back.
“Maybe. In any event, they don’t know, and I doubt that right now is the time to tell them. My mother’s got me all set up with some guy…”
Abby’s voice trailed off as they stepped into Union Station.
“Whoa…” Abby said.
The place was massive; arched ivory and gold ceilings soared a hundred feet high, and the space was as big as half a football field. Sweeping arches done in hints of deep green and teak, frolicked with the Station’s gilded style, mosaics and murals blending into an eye-popping homage to Art Deco. At one end stood an immense stained-glass window picturing three beautiful women all holding leisurely poses. At the other end of the hall was a gleaming marble bar, tuxedoed bartenders already in motion, serving drinks to the early arrivals. One area of the hall held a small sea of ruby-red velour chairs, chaises, and couches; another area was cleared out for dancing, complete with a band and a high-tech DJ setup.
“This is something,” Charlotte uttered, hurrying herself inside as she realized that others were entering the hall just behind her.
“They’ve changed it a lot since that last time I was here,” Abby said.
Charlotte spotted Jared and Lindsay Krall, Abby’s parents, in a cluster of middle-aged Berserkers. Probably the very men who had made the decision to force mateships on all eligible Berserkers of age, regardless of desire to mate. The Alphas’ Council was sponsoring the event, but the Kralls had been in charge of all the details. Already Lindsay had spotted Abby and Charlotte and was waving them over to join their conversation.
“Let’s get a drink before Mom drags us into whatever dull conversation she’s in,” Abby said, grabbing Charlotte’s hand and towing her across the hall toward the bar. The room was starting to fill up now, more and more groups of shifters arriving. The second that the drinks were in their hands, Abby spotted someone across the room and perked up. “There she is!”
“There who is?” Charlotte asked, sipping her gin and tonic.
“The only other lesbian Berserker that exists, I think,” Abby said, tilting her head across the room at a tall, athletic redhead who threw her head back to let out a throaty laugh. “Marleigh Kinnear, from Vermont. She’s quite sexy, isn’t she?”
“She really is!” Charlotte agreed. “You’d better go talk to her. Maybe you two can work out something clever, eh?”
“Hmmm,” Abby murmured, downing the rest of her whiskey sour in one long gulp. “I think I’ll have to take your advice, cousin.”
With that Abby set off, shoulders back and head held high. Charlotte almost giggled at the way that several men stopped to stare at Abby as she stalked across the room. She watched as Abby leaned down and said something to Marleigh, who laughed, and soon Abby and Marleigh were settled on one of the chaise lounges together, deep in conversation. Charlotte sighed and leaned back against the gleaming pearly marble of the bar, just soaking in the beauty of the place.
“And who do you belong to?” came a deep voice from behind Charlotte. She spun in place to find a silver-haired man, dressed in a dark suit. She couldn’t place him, since almost every older male here was silver-haired and dressed in dark attire.
“The Kralls,” Charlotte told him. “Charlotte Krall, niece of Alpha Jared Krall.”
“Josiah Beran,” the man replied, thrusting out a hand to her. She shook it, noticing that his grip was surprisingly weak for his size. The man was almost six and a half feet tall and looked to be in fine health, but his hand shook when he released her.
“Beran… Oh, you and your mate threw the first mixer! Abby said it was lovely,” Charlotte said.
“You didn’t attend,” Josiah said. A statement, not a question. As if he would have remembered her. The fine hairs on Charlotte’s neck rose as she wondered to herself whether Josiah might actually be flirting with her. Just at that moment, the lights in the Grand Hall dimmed, making the gathering feel more intimate. Overhead, spotlights painted the gold-and-cream ceiling in vibrant shades of mauve and the seven-piece band started playing “Jump, Jive, and Wail”.
Charlotte looked at Josiah Beran, clearing her throat and speaking up to make herself heard over the band and the chatter of the other Berserkers.
“Uh, no… My father is not an Alpha. I’m here supporting my cousin Abby, Jared and Lindsay’s daughter,” Charlotte said, nodding to her cousin. Josiah turned and took a long look at Abby before shrugging and returning his attention to Charlotte. Charlotte was surprised, because for most men Abby was too beautiful and engaging to be so easily dismissed.
“Come with me,” he said, reaching out and grasping Charlotte by the wrist. Charlotte hesitated at first, throughly put off by his gruff, demanding demeanor, but she thought it would be impolite to physically resist him. So she allowed herself to be towed along, her eyes growing wide when she realized that he was heading for the dance floor.
Surely this older Alpha didn’t intend to actually dance with her? Charlotte’s pulse rate rose, and she flushed with distaste. Perhaps Josiah had dismissed Abby in favor of Charlotte because he sensed that she was more gentle, an easier target for… well, whatever it was he had in mind?
Josiah pulled up short on one side of the dance floor, glaring down at a striking younger man who lounged alone, watching the dance floor. One glance between them made Charlotte certain that they were related; the younger man’s dark good looks and bright blue eyes echoed Josiah’s too closely to be anything but a blood relative.
“This is Charlotte,” Josiah told the man, a look passing between them. “Charlotte, this is my son Finn.”
Finn rose from his seat, six and a half feet of tall, dark, and jaw-droppingly handsome. He wore a slick black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt, all perfectly tailored to fit his lean, muscular frame. His dark mahogany hair was close-cropped but stylish, his face all stony angles under dark brows, and he was deeply tanned.
Charlotte opened her mouth, but Finn simply held out his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Charlotte. Would you like to dance?” he asked.
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open when Josiah stepped up behind her and gave her a light but unmissable push, making her stumble against Finn. Finn caught her with ease, a dazzling smile lighting up his face when his hands closed around her upper arms. Charlotte shivered at his touch, a distinctive fire-and-ice sizzle flaring over her skin.
Charlotte looked up at Finn, a wavering smile on her lips.
“This doesn’t bode well for dancing, does it?” she joked.
“I wouldn’t worry too much,” he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Up close, she noticed that they were the most beautiful shade of green blue, an oceanic tint rimming a thin band of vivid yellow around his irises.
The band was playing a mid-tempo tune Charlotte recognized, something easy for her to catch onto. Finn led her out onto the dance floor with practiced ease, settling one big hand on her waist and another on her shoulder. Charlotte did the same, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
Finn gave her a big smile as he led her through the movements, a simple box step. The expression on his face and the genuine happiness in his eyes made it easy for Charlotte to relax and enjoy herself. It wasn’t often that she interacted with someone as good-looking as Finn Beran, and when she did it was rarely a comfortable experience. Men like Finn weren’t littering the sidewalks of St. Louis, and the ones Charlotte did encounter were usually far too full of themselves for her taste. So far, Finn had proved quite the surprise.
“You’re really good at this!” Charlotte said, grinning up at Finn.
“My mother taught all of us to dance,” he said, a dimple flashing in his cheek.
“Your brothers
and sisters?”
“Brothers. All six of us.”
“Six of you! Gracious!” Charlotte declared. She couldn’t imagine six Finns running around the world, breaking hearts and causing trouble.
“Oh yeah. She made all of us learn by seventh grade, gave her a couple years’ break between lessons,” he said. “She told us all that it would help us get girlfriends, which was the only way any of us would go along with it.”
“Did it? Help, I mean,” Charlotte said.
“Not in middle school, it didn’t. Not for me, anyway.”
Charlotte gave him a doubtful glance, thinking that he’d probably been quite popular in seventh grade. They danced and chatted for almost half an hour, keeping topics light and neutral. Charlotte found that she had to lead the conversation as much as Finn had to lead her in dancing; he was very sweet and dashing, but a hair more reserved than what she normally liked in a man. He also kept glancing over her shoulder into the far corner of the room. Charlotte had the distinct impression that he was keeping tabs on someone, and she couldn’t help but assume that it was some woman who’d caught his eye. For all she knew, Finn had a girlfriend already.
After a few more minutes, Charlotte sighed and stepped back.
“I’m going to go to the restroom and then find my way to the bar. Maybe we can take another turn a little later?” she asked.
“Sure thing,” Finn said, giving her hand a soft squeeze before releasing her. He really was every inch the true gentleman, and if she ever met his mother she’d be certain to compliment her on raising such a man. Maybe Finn was worth pursuing, after all.
Charlotte took a couple of steps toward the bathroom and looked back, only to find Finn heading off toward the far corner, the spot he’d been so closely monitoring as they danced. She shook her head and sighed, making her way to the ladies’ room to freshen up.
