The White Wolf of Wishing Moon Bay

by Raines, Harmony

  Logan parked the truck outside of the garage and they all got out. Frank was at the door leading from the workshop before they’d had a chance to close the truck doors. In his hand, he held a wrench, and for one long moment, Penny worried he was about to whack Logan over the head with it. But then he cracked a smile. “This was your problem.” He brandished the wrench at them, but he no longer looked menacing.

  “A wrench?” Logan asked.

  “Yes, someone must have left it on the engine, and it fell through, luckily it didn’t do any real damage. Just pulled out a couple of wires which told the car it had no fuel, which made you bump along the road.” Frank looked at the wrench and then handed it over to Penny.

  She took the wrench with a bemused expression. “No one has worked on the car for months.”

  Frank shrugged. “I’m just telling you what I found.”

  “A wrench.” Logan side-eyed Frank who nodded.

  “Yep, we’ve been laughing about it since we found it. Someone really did throw a wrench in the works.” He chuckled along at his own joke, but Penny didn’t find it amusing at all.

  “Is this a joke?” She held the wrench up and Frank sobered as he saw her expression.

  “No, that’s what we found. I figured you had the car checked over before you started your journey, and someone was careless about picking up their tools.” He shook his head at her. “No?”

  “No. Not unless it’s been under the hood since I bought the car.” She didn’t add that she hadn’t even checked the oil and water before their journey. She didn’t need a lecture from Frank about caring for an engine.

  The mechanic shrugged. “That’s what I found. We repaired the wiring and drove the car around town to check that it’s all working. You are good to go.”

  “I don’t want to go,” Milo said mutinously.

  “Do you have the bill?” Penny was not going to have this conversation here in front of Frank.

  “Mommy,” Milo pleaded.

  “Why don’t you go back to the hotel with Logan and I’ll meet you there?” Penny looked from Milo to Logan and back again.

  “Sure! Come on, Logan.” Milo grabbed hold of Logan’s sleeve and pulled him toward the truck, but the broad-chested man just stood there. “Logan, don’t let her change her mind.”

  Logan looked down at Milo and then nodded. “I’ll meet you back at the hotel.”

  She nodded and followed Frank into the garage. She must be crazy letting her son go off with a man who could shift into a wolf, but she trusted Logan in a way she could not fully understand.

  “How do you like our town?” Frank asked as they headed for his office.

  “I like it a lot,” she admitted truthfully.

  “Does that mean you are going to stay?” He went to a desk filled with paperwork and invoices and sat down.

  “I don’t know. We have plans. We have somewhere we’re supposed to be.” Penny took out her wallet and slid out her bank card.

  “Somewhere you are supposed to be or somewhere you want to be?” Frank put on a pair of thick-rimmed glasses which magnified his eyes.

  “I’m responsible for Milo. I can’t just act on a whim.”

  “Whims are some of the best things to act on.” He placed the invoice down in front of her.

  “Is that all?” Relief flooded her veins when she saw the token bill.

  “The work only took us an hour. I only charge for my time. I’m an honest man.” He smiled up at her. “And you look as if you need a break.”

  Penny smoothed her hand over her hair. “I look that good?”

  “Listen, you have a wonderful son. I can see the way he respects you. And the love between you is obvious.” He paused as she handed over her card. “You could both be happy here.”

  “And if we’re not?” She waited for him to process her card.

  “If you’re not then you have just delayed leaving.” He smiled at her kindly. “But if you are then you could both be wonderful assets to the town.” He smothered a smile. “There are not many people who can put a smile on Logan’s face.”

  “He’s not so bad,” she replied, sticking up for the man who had helped her so much and who had also trusted her enough to show her and Milo a secret side of himself.

  “No, he’s not. And I think you know he has your best interest at heart. You and the boy.” He handed her the card and receipt. “Don’t leave because you have plans. Not if you don’t think it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes we only get one shot at happiness and when we get that chance, we have to grab hold of it and hang on no matter what our sensible brains tell us we should do.”

  “When you have a child, isn’t your sensible brain the one you’re supposed to use?”

  “That depends.” He stood up and she headed back outside. “Sometimes we must listen to our hearts, and I think this might be one of those times, don’t you?”

  “I can’t afford to get this wrong, Frank. I can’t jeopardize my son’s future.” She still had hold of the wrench as they reached her car.

  “It must have taken a lot of courage for you to get here. Why not take a leap of faith and stay?” Frank opened the door for her and held onto it while she got into the driver’s seat.

  “I don’t know if I have any faith left,” she admitted.

  “Think of it another way,” Frank held onto the car door. “Someone put a wrench in the works and that’s how you ended up here. If you haven’t had your car serviced, then how did it get there?”

  “You are trying to tell me that the wrench appeared under the hood of my car just so that I would come to Wishing Moon Bay?”

  “Do you have a better explanation?” Frank closed the door and walked away before she had a chance to reply. As she watched the mechanic go back inside, she stared after him, not really knowing what her next move would be. What she did know was that Milo wanted to stay and after all he’d been through, after all the times he’d done as she’d asked without question, leaving behind his friends and his old life, perhaps it was time he got his own way for once.

  Penny leaned forward and rested her head on the steering wheel as tears stung her eyes. She’d tried not to see the tears as Milo took down the dinosaur posters from his walls and packed away his toys. But they’d been there.

  Rolling her shoulders, she sat up straight and started the engine. Logan had talked about fate. It was fate who said they should be together. Some kind of shifter thing, from what she recalled. So what if fate had put the wrench under the hood? It might have already been there when she traded in her newer model car for this old one because she needed the cash. It might have sat there all hidden and secure until they reached Wishing Moon Bay and then boom!

  “Boy, we are in trouble,” Penny told herself as she backed the car out of the parking space and headed for the road. “The more time you spend in this town, the more you sound like your mom.”

  Her mom, who had believed in monsters in the closet and dreams and premonitions. She’d have believed in fate, too.

  “A leap of faith.” Penny looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror. She’d taken every other leap these last couple of months so why not a leap of faith?

  Although, she wasn’t ready to leap too far. She might agree to stay in town, but she certainly was not ready to leap into bed with a wolf shifter just because he said they were mates. Oh, no, she was still sworn off men at least for the immediate future. Logan was a complication she was not ready to add into the mix right now. If they were meant to be together forever, then waiting another couple of months or more would be easy.

  As she drove into the small parking lot out back of the hotel and got out of the car, it was as if a weight had shifted off her chest. A weight she hadn’t realized was there until it was gone. The plan to stay with Helena had been like another nail in her coffin, another kick when she was down. It had been a choice of necessity. Penny was tired of not being able to decide her own fate.

  Pulling her phone out of her pocket, s
he scrolled through until she found Helena’s number and pressed dial. She waited for the ringtone, her heart hammering in her chest as if she were about to do battle with a dragon. “Helena.”

  “Is that you, Penny? The line is terrible.” Helena’s voice crackled as she spoke.

  “I am just calling to tell you we have decided to stay in Wishing Moon Bay for a few days. If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

  “No, not at all.” Helena’s voice crackled as she spoke. “Take your time, Penny. The world isn’t going anywhere.”

  “Are you sure?” Was Penny hoping for an excuse not to stay? It was time to take back control of her life. “It really is beautiful here.”

  “I want you to be happy, Penny,” Helena insisted, the line clearer now. “And whatever you think happiness is, I’m there for you. I know you had reservations about moving in with me. Believe me, I have reservations about my life here all the time.”

  “You do? You’ve never said.”

  “That’s because I’m the sensible one. The grounded one.” She gave a short, humorless laugh. “Sometimes I just want to tear it all down.”

  “Helena, honey, I had no idea.”

  “Ah, forget I said anything. I don’t know where that came from.” Helena was trying to smooth things over, push down her feelings, and put her sensible, reliable head back on.

  “Maybe you should break free, too, Helena.”

  “One day.” She sniffed. “You take your time. If things don’t work out, then my offer still stands. And if you need some money, don’t be too proud to ask. You would do the same for me.”

  “I love you.” Penny sobbed.

  “I love you, too. And Milo. I admit I was looking forward to having the little guy around.”

  “Maybe if things work out here, you could come visit. Once we have a place of our own.”

  “I’d like that.” There was a long pause and muffled voices in the background. “I have to go.”

  The call ended and Penny shoved her phone back in her pocket.

  “So, you are staying?” Ivan was leaning against the wall outside the front door of the hotel drinking coffee.

  “I might be.” Her head spun when she realized what she’d just done.

  “Come on. I’ll get you something to drink, you look as if you need it.” Ivan inclined his head toward the door.

  “Where’s Milo?” She hurried after Ivan. Logan’s truck was parked outside of the hotel but there was no sign of either him or her son.

  “He’s with Logan. They are in the restaurant. We’re just about to start serving lunch.” Ivan entered the kitchen and went to one of the cupboards high on the wall. “This is my secret stash. I trust you to keep my secret.” He flashed a smile at her as he took a bottle of amber liquor from the cupboard. “Do you want to grab a couple of glasses?”

  “Drinking before lunch. This is a slippery slope.” Despite her words, she went to the cupboard Ivan indicated and took out two glasses.

  “I think you deserve it. I know I do.” He splashed the liquor into the glasses, picked up one, and raised it to her. “Here’s to your new start.”

  “I must be crazy.”

  “What’s wrong with being a little crazy sometimes?” he asked.

  “So what are you?” Penny asked as she swirled the liquor around in her glass and gave it a sniff before taking a gulp.

  “A dragon.”

  She nearly sprayed her drink across the kitchen. “A dragon.”

  He chuckled. “Is it a stretch to believe dragons are real when you’ve seen Logan shift into a wolf?”

  “Wolves are a real thing in the real world. The world outside of Wishing Moon Bay. Dragons are not. So yes, it is a stretch.”

  “Do you want me to show you?” His eyes twinkled with mischief.

  “Not right here.” She stared at him for a long moment. “A dragon?”

  “Yes.” He chuckled. “Are you sure you want to settle for a wolf?”

  “I’m not settling for anything or anyone.” Her eyes narrowed. “So you don’t have a mate?” The word sounded foreign on her tongue. There was so much she didn’t know about shifters. Or the town she’s decided to make her home.

  “No, I do not.” Sadness wrapped itself around him like a shroud before he shook it off. “Logan is lucky to have found you. The question is, are you lucky to have found him?”

  “You don’t know anything about me, so how do you know he is lucky?”

  “You’re here, aren’t you?” He was teasing her, and she warmed to him.

  “I am. Although, I have no idea where here really is.” Penny downed the rest of her drink and warmth flooded through her. “But wherever we are, the liquor is good.”

  “It’s made with honey and just a little magic.” He winked and picked up the bottle. “Refill?”

  “No, thank you. I need to keep a clear head if I’m going to figure out what I’m doing.”

  “In that case, I suggest you have another couple of glasses. A clear head is overrated when it comes to making decisions.” He put the bottle away and placed both the glasses in the dishwasher. “Okay, I have to get the lunches served. My kitchen staff will be here at any moment.”

  “Is that your way of telling me to get out of the kitchen?” Penny backed away toward the door.

  “It’s a polite way of telling you to get out of my kitchen.” He grinned. “At least for now. If you’re staying, we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other.”

  “I can’t wait.” She spun on her heel and left the kitchen. As she entered the reception area, she hesitated, unsure of where her son was. She should have gone and found him as soon as she arrived. Perhaps she’d wanted to test Logan and his ability to care for a small child for twenty minutes.

  “There you are!” Milo pulled open the door to the right and came running across to her. “We thought you had left without me.” He launched himself into her arms and she wrapped him in a motherly hug.

  “I did but the car broke down again and refused to leave without you.”

  “Really?” Milo pulled his head back and looked at her.

  “Yes.” She kissed his cheek. “So I had to come and get you.”

  “You didn’t really try to leave without me.” Milo shook his head at her.

  “You know I wouldn’t do that.” She shifted his weight, so he sat on her hip. “So, here we are. Now what?” She aimed her question at Logan, half expecting him to not have an answer.

  “Your room is still free for the next two nights. After that, we’ll have to juggle things around. I’ll find you both somewhere to stay...”

  “And what about work?”

  “Work.” He pressed his lips together as he watched Milo hanging onto her. “You don’t have to work. I can support you while you and Milo get used to town...” He stalled as he saw her reaction. “Or I can work out some shifts for you here at the hotel.”

  “Enough to cover our room and food at least. I have enough in the bank to buy whatever else we need until we figure out something more permanent.” She held out her hand to him as if they were about to strike a deal. “It’s nonnegotiable.”

  Logan leaned forward and grasped her hand. A jolt of electricity shot up her arm and her eyes widened with recognition. There was a connection between them, one she could not ignore even if she could not understand it. “Then we have a deal.”

  As he held on to her hand longer than necessary, Penny couldn’t help feeling she had just sealed her fate.

  Chapter Ten – Logan

  His gaze rested on their joined hands. What he thought might be impossible when they were on the beach was now a reality. His mate had agreed to stay.

  “Can we get the rest of our things in from the car?” Milo asked.

  “I suppose.” Penny tugged her hand out of Logan’s.

  “Sorry.” He should be helping in the kitchen, but he didn’t want his mate to slip out the front door and out of his life.

  She’s agreed to stay, his wolf rem
inded him.

  What if she was just saying that and once she goes back out to her car, she changes her mind? Logan couldn’t help worrying that something would go wrong. He’d waited so long for his mate, it seemed too good to be true. Why him, why now?

  You need to think of your glass as being half full, not half empty, his wolf told him bluntly.

  “Do you need a hand?” Logan followed Penny to the door.

  “We can manage,” she insisted. “Milo has big muscles.”

  “I do.” Milo curled his arm and patted his biceps.

  “And I think you’re needed in the kitchen. Or the restaurant.” She nodded to the dining room. “You’re busy.”

  Penny was dismissing him. She wanted time away from him. His primal shifter needs nearly overrode his common sense that told him to give her the time she needed. This was all happening so fast and she didn’t feel the same way about him as he did about her.

  Give her space to breathe, his wolf advised.

  “If you need anything, just give me a shout.” He backed away. “And if you are hungry, come into the dining room, or I can arrange for a tray to be brought up to your room.”

  “Sure.” She reached for Milo’s hand. “We’ll get our gear in first.”

  Milo grinned and gave Logan a thumbs-up before they left the hotel, with Logan staring after them. Not that he lost contact with them. He pushed his shifter senses to follow them as they went to the car then he held his breath as he waited to see if Penny would bundle Milo into the car and leave town. She didn’t. Instead, he heard her pop the trunk.

  They are staying. His wolf practically jumped for joy.

  “Hey, is there any service around here?” Rift came into the reception area and caught Logan staring at the wall as if he had X-ray vision.

  “Rift. What are you doing here?” Logan asked gruffly.

  “I got a call from Ivan. He said you might need help kidnapping your mate so that she doesn’t leave town. But by the look on your face, she has decided to stay.” Rift was a snow leopard shifter who had also been lucky enough to be adopted by Valerie. He was a couple of years younger than Logan, but they had grown up as brothers.