by Josey Alden
Roughly five miles into his run, Jared turned to cut through a den complex. It had only a few buildings, like his. The manager gave teachers a discount, so many of the residents were young, single females. Some males tried to take advantage of this situation and lingered near the buildings when they had no business being there. Jared enjoyed running these assholes off the property.
Tonight, Jared didn't find any shady wolves in the streets, so he turned to jog along the back of the buildings. Now that the sun had set, lights glowed from the covered windows. All of the shades were pulled down except one. He peeked into the den to see if anyone was home. He didn't have any clothes to use if he shifted, but a little embarrassment in human form was worth reminding the resident that it's much safer to keep the blinds closed, especially after dark.
What he saw inside, though, made him forget why he was there. Yes, there was a young woman in the den, but she was not what he expected to find. She was a pure-blood, but she wasn't like any pure-blood he'd had in his bed. And he'd never seen another female—wolf or human—with such a perfect, fertile shape. Alphas and betas trying to establish their own packs would fight to the death over a woman like this, and he would be one of them.
A woman like this belonged in his pack.
Unable to tear himself away from the window, Jared watched her hang pictures on the wall. She wore a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt, and her long hair was pulled back in a barely tamed ponytail. She sang even though there was no music, and every time she came down from the stepladder, she danced a little before going back up. He was so mesmerized, she startled him when she came to the window. He froze. Chances are, she could see only a reflection of herself, but he wanted to be sure. He watched her fuss with the blinds, which seemed to be broken. Finally, though, she managed to cover the whole window, releasing Jared from her allure.
______
Chapter 5
As Rosa looked out over the nineteen little faces in her classroom, she panicked. It wasn't the first time she'd been in front of a group of kids. She'd loved doing her student teaching during college. This was different, though. These were her kids. She was responsible for the shaping of their growing brains. And she wanted them to have the best second-grade experience possible.
She couldn't share a drop of her wisdom, though, if she literally couldn't speak to them as a group. Pull it together, she told herself. You can do this. Who's afraid of a bunch of six-year-olds, anyway?
Rosa had worked hard the previous week to turn her prison cell into a real classroom. When she was told that there was little budget for books, much less decorations, she pulled out her credit card and hit the stores.
A boy in the first row—the paper nameplate on his desk said Tiger—raised his hand straight up in the air.
"When do we eat lunch?" he said.
Okay, that's an easy question. Can't really mess up that one.
Rosa checked the paper in her hand and said, "Eleven thirty-five."
Tiger's hand shot up again. "What if I'm hungry now?"
Rosa glanced at the clock. Lunch was still three hours away. What was she supposed to do now? Tell the kid to suck it up until then?
Before she could respond, another boy held up his hand. "I want to eat, too."
A chorus of voices echoed him. They all wanted to eat. And Rosa was pretty sure she knew why.
"How many of you didn't eat breakfast?" she said.
Everyone except two girls raised their hands. This school was in a poorer part of the Alpha Lands, which was the reason for the special teacher recruiting. It never dawned on her that so many of these kids would be coming to school without food in their stomachs, though. No one mentioned this possibility to her.
Rosa remembered the two dozen chocolate and vanilla cupcakes she'd brought for the teachers lounge. They were tucked away on the top shelf of her tall cabinet. She reached in and pulled down both packages.
"Today is a very special day," she said as she opened the cupcake containers. "You are my very first class. That means you are special, and I will never have another class like you. Who wants to celebrate with me?"
All nineteen hands went up. As Rosa walked down the aisles and placed a cupcake on each little desk, she knew she had made the right decision. She belonged here.
By the time the last bell rang at 3:15 p.m., Rosa was exhausted, happy, and hungry. She thought about eating the last chocolate cupcake from the impromptu party earlier. During lunch, she'd spent most of the half-hour helping her kids get through the lunch line, and she didn't even touch the sandwich she'd brought. After she released her last student into the hands of his grandmother, she went to the teachers lounge to see if she could find a drink machine.
As Rosa walked into the room, two women standing at the counter turned to look at her. After gazing at photographs of wolves for so many years, it was both unsettling and familiar to face them in the flesh. Whether they were in human or wolf form, their eyes held their souls close to the surface for others to see.
During her freshman year of college, Rosa had discovered a book of art photographs by an Alpha Lands photographer named Jared Clearlight. His photos amazed her from the very first page. Almost all of them featured the steady, intense gaze of a wolf, whether the subject was in human or wolf form. Her parents may have kept her away from the Wolf Nation until now, but those photos made her feel like she had a special connection with these people, like she did with her students. Rosa wasn't sure she could convince the wolves of that, though.
"I'm Rosa Mendez, second grade," she said to the woman standing closest to her. "Crazy day, huh?"
The woman, who looked like she was not much older than Rosa, leveled her eyes at her. "May Hightower."
The other woman was more receptive than her friend. "Laren Stark. Welcome to Solano Elementary."
"Thank you," Rosa said. She turned to leave but then stopped to ask a question. "Hey, I seem to have a lot of kids that didn't eat breakfast. Is that common?"
"It's always been that way," Laren said with a pained expression on her face.
"I brought cupcakes for the faculty, but I ended up giving them to my class so that they wouldn't be hungry the entire morning."
May shook her head. "You can't do that. It's against the rules."
Her sharp words felt like a slap to Rosa's face. One day on the job, and she'd already broken a rule.
"Allergies," Laren explained. "They could be allergic to certain foods. You can help the families sign up for free breakfast and lunch, though."
Rosa was grateful for the advice. May still looked at her like she didn't belong, but she was beginning to accept that she would stand out as a pure-blood human. She didn't have any right to be surprised if she received less-than-enthusiastic reactions from those who'd lived in the Alpha Lands their whole lives.
That evening, when she'd finally finished all of the prep work for the next day, Rosa pulled down several boxes in her new den, looking for the Clearlight photography book. She opened fifteen of them, but the book was nowhere to be found.
Too tired to keep looking, Rosa removed her makeup, changed into night clothes, and collapsed into a dreamless sleep.
After school the next afternoon, she decided it was time to visit Jared Clearlight's photography studio. She grabbed her phone and looked up the directions. When they'd given Rosa her choice of three elementary schools, she'd picked the one closest to the studio. She wasn't trying to stalk him, but he was one of main reasons she had resolved to come to the Alpha Lands. And she couldn't go another day without a replacement copy of the book.
Rosa hopped into her Land Rover after dinner and took off, heading southwest on the highway, counting down the thirty-two point four miles until she would meet the wolf she knew only from his art.
______
Chapter 6
A little after six in the evening, Jared looked at the clock on his computer and realized he should have closed the studio fifteen minutes ago. His creativity had really spi
ked today, and he found himself working heads-down for hours at a time between the few customers who visited.
To Jared, being a photographer required two different skill sets. The first one was the vision and intuition to know where to find the best subjects, from people to landscapes. For this type of scouting, he often shifted to wolf form to use his heightened senses. He memorized the scenes he wanted and returned later with his human hands and cameras. The second was the creativity and technical skill to bring those raw photographs to life. Many older photographers in his tribe scoffed at his digital prowess, preferring to stick with darkrooms and chemicals with foul odors. Either way, it was impossible to work with paws. This is where it paid to be part human.
As he reached for the lock on the front door, a woman appeared on the other side of the glass. He took in a sharp breath when he saw her face. It couldn't be, he told himself.
He caught her gaze, and they simply stood there for a heavy moment. When she didn't move, he was sure she was a figment of his imagination. He'd worked on his photographs for too many hours in a row, and he was hallucinating. But when she smiled, he couldn't deny she was flesh and blood in front of him.
In the natural light, he could see that she was taller than he remembered, only a few inches from his own human height. Her sun-lightened brown hair hung in waves in front of her shoulders, accentuating her generous breasts. The seam of her jeans followed each curve of her hips and legs with perfect precision. Her shirt was loose and airy, like a peasant blouse, and it showed bits of a lacy, baby-blue bra underneath. He knew this woman would be able to match him in bed.
"Hi," she said through the glass, and he jumped a little. "Are you closed? Should I come back?"
"No, come in." Jared pulled open the door. "I mean, yes, the studio is closed, but you don't have to make another trip." And you definitely don't have to leave, he wanted to add.
After she stepped inside, he locked the door behind them. She gave him a look he couldn't quite name. Annoyance? Fear? Surprise?
"I'm sorry, should I leave it unlocked?" he said, in case he'd spooked her.
"Oh, no, you're fine," she said, still staring at him. "You're Jared Clearlight."
"Yes, I am, unless you have a warrant for my arrest, in which case, I didn't do it, man." When she smiled at him, he felt the warmth of it down to his toes. He felt other things along the way, too.
"You're safe with me," she said. "I'm Rosa Mendez. I moved here recently to teach at Solano. I must have left my copy of your book at home because I can't find it anywhere." She nervously ran her sentences together like she was standing in front of her idol for the first time.
"My book?"
"Yes, your work is incredible. I can't believe I lost it," she said. "You don't know how many times I've been through those images. You capture the spirit of the Wolf Nation in a way no else has."
Her voice went soft in reverence, and he realized this girl was a true fan of his work. Well, he was a fan of the way she used her hands to talk, winked a tiny bit when she smiled, and cocked one delicious hip out as she stood in front of him. His wolf reminded him that it has been too long since he last had sex.
Jared struggled to clear the sensual haze from his brain. Pure-blood females never stayed in the Alpha Lands for long, and this girl was one hundred percent human. Staking his future pack on the whims of a human would be idiotic. He knew better. His father would not support a relationship like this, either. With his head on straight again, Jared went to the back wall to a display of books. He picked out four hardcovers and handed them to her.
"These two are for you," he said in as neutral a voice as he could muster. "Did you know about my second book? The other two are for your classroom."
The way her eyes widened and sparkled almost pulled him back under her spell. Almost. But he was strong enough to resist, and he had things to do. Things that didn't involve running his hand from her neck to her ankle, outlining the crescent shapes of her breast, her hip, her thigh on the way down. He had no time to slip his hand around the back of her neck and pull her face to his for a first kiss that would bring down all the stars in the sky.
Yes, he was perfectly capable of restraining his wolf and focusing on his future—just as soon as this gorgeous creature was out of his sight.
______
Chapter 7
Rosa never expected to read hunger in Jared Clearlight's eyes, but it was unmistakable—and she felt the very same pangs. Her heart picked up several extra beats, and she had the worst time trying to tear her eyes from the sculptured chest muscles under his tight, gray t-shirt. She'd always known that, somehow, her future would be with a wolf. She just never imagined that meeting her favorite photographer would affect her like this, that he could be the wolf she sought. Of course, she'd been in the shop for less than ten minutes, and already, she was gushing at him like a rabid fangirl. He was sure to write her off as a pure-blood airhead.
"Thank you so much," Rosa said as she took the short stack of books from him. "I know my kids will love these as much as I do. How much do I owe you?"
Jared held up a hand. "They're a gift."
As he walked her the half-dozen steps to the front door, Rosa said, "Thank you again for the books. That was really nice of you."
Jared nodded. "Is that your car?" he said, pointing to the Land Rover.
"Yes."
He followed her to the car and waited while she secured the books on the seat and put her seatbelt on.
"Drive safe," he said, and then he closed the door firmly. He waited until she started the car and turned on the lights before going back inside the studio.
Rosa couldn't stop herself from stealing another minute to admire his physique through the front windows of the studio. As he walked back to the counter, he straightened displays and equipment. His every motion was fluid and graceful despite his towering height. She was disappointed when he reached the counter and slipped behind an enormous computer display.
Rosa tried to remember a time when a guy had shown her such respect and consideration. She couldn't, though, because it had never happened. She was afraid to read too much into it, though. It probably didn't mean anything. He was a polite person. He had manners. So what? He'd most likely forgotten her name the second he locked the studio door again.
She'd finally found her way to the Alpha Lands, to the doorstep of her favorite photographer, and he turned out to have more natural magnetism than she could absorb in a single encounter. She couldn't help wishing that she was leaving with more than a stack of bound, still photographs.
______
Chapter 8
Rosa made it through the rest of the school week without breaking any more major rules. By Friday, it felt like she'd been standing at the front of her classroom for ten years. A few minutes after five o'clock, she loaded her bag with books and papers. She'd learned quickly that a teacher doesn't work 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. She hadn't left the school before 5:30 p.m. any day this week, and she had at least ten hours of work to do over the weekend.
In the parking lot, Rosa saw Laren getting into her car. She waved Rosa over.
"A bunch of us are heading over to Diamonds tonight for drinks," Laren said. "You should come."
It felt great to receive an invitation to join the other teachers. Rosa still felt like a spotlight followed her around the halls of the school. She knew they doubted her abilities and experience. How could she know anything about their culture and traditions? How could she teach their kids what they needed to know to make it as adults in the tribal communities?
Rosa typed the bar's address into her phone and promised Laren she'd be there around eight. After the drive home, she ate leftover spaghetti straight from the fridge. After she took a shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and then realized she had nothing to wear.
How did this always happen? True, she didn't have a huge wardrobe to begin with, and she didn't have the most consistent laundry schedule. But she hadn't worn any of her "club"
dresses since college. They had to be in the den somewhere. Discouraged, she sank down on the bed and called Cyn.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" her best friend said when she answered her phone.
"Shut up," Rosa said. "I'm a very busy professional now."
"So, what's up in the land of the alpha boys?"
"I've told you a million times that's not what the name means," Rosa said. "It's 'first lands.' Of course, no one talks about the fact that this is the second time the Wolf Nation has owned this land."
"Did you really call to give me a social studies lecture?"
"No, but guess what?"
"Yes?"
"Remember Jared Clearlight, the photographer I told you about?"
"How could I not remember him?" Cyn said. "Half of his work is still hanging in the apartment. You know you forgot to take all this stuff, right?"
Now, Rosa realized why she couldn't find the book. She'd taken it apart to hang on the walls. Every few days, she would turn each picture around to see the other side of the page.
"I met him a few days ago."
"And?"
"He's nice."
Cyn snorted through the phone. "Nice? Wow. What are you trying to hide from me, Rosarita Mendez?"
Rosa's cheeks burned, and she was glad this wasn't a video call. "He's attractive in a five o'clock shadow kind of way."
"Rosa! Spill it. Now."
She wished there was something to spill, other than her one-sided admiration of Jared. She admitted she had an obsessive personality. It's what brought her to the Alpha Lands in the first place. But she couldn't spend ten minutes with a guy and declare him her future alpha.
"Okay, okay, he's hotter than I could imagine," Rosa said to appease her friend. "It's too bad he doesn't take photographs of himself. Other photographers' photos do not do him justice. Happy now?"
"Aaaaaand?"
