by Sennah Tate
“So, you said you have a kid?” Emily prompted.
Sonya nodded, “A son, Manuel. He’s four. He just started a new daycare today and I’m kind of a mess about it.”
Emily’s face split into an even bigger grin, “I’ll bet you have some really adorable pictures, don’t you?”
“Guilty as charged,” Sonya chuckled.
“Don’t hold out on me!”
Sonya whipped out her phone and they scrolled through the pictures together, sharing stories, laughing and cooing. They lost track of time, the hours fading away like they were old friends and Sonya decided she liked this new normal life she was building.
Well, normal-ish. She was still living amongst shifters and employed by a witch. But it was far more normal than anything else she’d had in years. By the end of the day, she was a little sad that it was time to go home, but more than anything she was ready to pick up her son and see how his first day at the wolf daycare had gone.
Though she’d missed it the night before when they came in, in the daytime it was impossible to miss the primary-colored building next to the lake. Bright colorful murals of letters and numbers graced the outside of the building and a colossal playground was surrounded by a short fence, a handful of kids scrambling all over it.
“Mama!” Manuel spotted her before she spotted him — his wolf senses were already getting stronger even at his young age. He ran over to her, dark curls bouncing as he ran right to the fence and lifted his arms to her.
“Hey baby,” she said walking over to the gate guarded by the friendly pig-tailed girl. Manuel trotted alongside and the girl let Sonya in the gate where she promptly scooped her son into her arms.
“Did you have fun?”
Manuel’s eyes sparkled with excitement, “Yeah! I made a bunch of friends and they taught me this really cool game and…”
Sonya laughed, all her worries melting away. She’d been so worked up about him being in a strange place, but he’d adapted as he always had, “That’s great, sweetheart. What do you say we go home and have dinner?”
“Okay,” he said before launching into another story about the activities of the day.
So much for tiring him out.
But Sonya didn’t mind his boundless energy. At least he was having a good time.
“So do you think you’ll like living here?”
“Are we going to stay?” he asked, making her heart clutch with guilt.
“Yeah, baby, I think so.”
“Cool.”
A few days went by like that and Sonya finally felt like she and Manuel were settling in somewhere. He loved his daycare and his friends and she was still trying to adjust to having only one deadbolt on the door.
The only thing she missed was José. He was nowhere to be found during those few days and Sonya tried to tell herself that he was just busy. It didn’t have anything to do with the way she’d blatantly thrown herself at him.
Alphas always had plenty of work to do — even more so since José seemed to actually take care of his pack. She shouldn’t read too much into his absence. But she shouldn’t read into his generosity, either, still ashamed by her wanton actions a few nights ago. José was a generous man and she shouldn’t try to look for ulterior motives other than what it appeared to be on the surface.
After nearly a week, Sonya still hadn’t been to visit Juan and she felt a little guilty about it. Juan was the only man — or wolf — that she could even begin to trust and Sonya thought she should give her old friend a visit.
Heading to the clubhouse for the first time, Sonya was impressed with the sheer size of the building. It was a massive log cabin structure with huge open windows and dozens of chainsaw carvings of wolves made so realistic they made her heart beat a little faster.
After asking a friendly-looking older woman about Juan, she was pointed down a hallway to a large room. The door was already open a crack and she knocked on the door frame before pushing it open.
“Come in,” Juan said.
A smile flitted to her face at the familiar voice and Sonya entered the room, surprised to find José there, too.
“Sonya!” Juan cried happily, sitting up in his hospital bed. He was scruffy and unshaven, skinnier than the last time she’s seen him and looking nearly a decade older.
“Hey, you,” she said softly, walking up to give her friend a big hug.
“I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve thought about you and Manuel so many times, hoping you were safe.”
“Likewise,” she chuckled as he squeezed her even tighter.
“Well,” José said clearing his throat, “I’m glad to see you’re recovering. I’ll leave you two…”
As he walked out of the room, Sonya wrinkled her nose. It definitely seemed like José was avoiding her.
“Do I smell or something?” she asked Juan.
He laughed and shook his head, “I don’t think so, but my wolf senses aren’t fully up to snuff yet. I’m practically useless.”
Sonya frowned, still looking toward the door. Manuel liked living here. Hell, she surprisingly liked living here. She didn’t want to ruin that by making the Alpha feel uncomfortable.
“José is a good fair Alpha,” Juan said, “Not at all like Diego. You can trust him.”
She turned to her friend with wide eyes, “I… don’t know what you’re—”
Juan waved a hand at her dismissively, “Oh, you don’t need to play that charade with me. Go ahead.”
A small smile found its way to her lips and Sonya gave Juan a kiss on the forehead, “Thanks.” She stood and took a step toward the door before turning to him again, “You should come see Manuel when you’re feeling better. I’m sure he’d love to see his Uncle Juan.”
“It’s a deal,” he said.
Chapter 8
JOSÉ
It shouldn’t have bothered him so much to see them together. It shouldn’t bother him at all. But it did. The sight of Sonya in another man’s arms was too much to bear for his snarling possessive wolf.
She filled the room all at once with her bright floral scent and made José’s fingers itch to touch her. And then Sonya had gone right into an embrace with Juan.
He didn’t know why, but that simple gesture made José’s heart hurt.
Well, he knew why, but he didn’t accept that explanation. She couldn’t be his. No matter what his wolf thought or wanted. Sonya and Juan clearly had very tender feelings for one another and he couldn’t stay there to witness it.
He found himself leaving the room, barely able to stop his wolf from breaking free and challenging the still-recovering man. That was not rational behavior for any man, especially not an Alpha. He couldn’t just shift and take what he wanted. Then he was no better than…
Diego.
That’s why, even though it had been killing him, he hadn’t tried to see Sonya. José knew he didn’t have a claim to her but he desperately wanted to, and that was the problem. He was trying to keep Sonya and her son safe, but the closer he got to them, the more of a target they had on their backs.
He stood in the hallway for a moment, reveling in the brief moment alone to his thoughts. No one to ask him a million questions, give him a litany of grievances or a report on new threats. Just… peace.
His eyes drifted closed for the briefest moment and he filled his lungs with a deep inhale, catching the faintest whiff of… Sonya.
Damn it all. He couldn’t get her out of his head.
When he opened his eyes once more, the object of his desires stood right before him.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hello,” he answered, his voice brusquer than he intended.
She made a little face at his tone, but soldiered on with whatever seemed to be perched right on the tip of her tongue, “Um… Look, I wanted to apologize for… the other night.”
José’s pulse quickened just from being so close to her, her silken hair was within reach. Though boundless curves only inches away from him, begging to be
pressed against his body, explored with his hands and mouth…
“I obviously made you uncomfortable,” she continued, “and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I don’t normally… I mean…”
Her caramel-colored skin flushed with embarrassment and José had to stop her.
“It’s not that, Sonya. It’s not you…” Well, that wasn’t entirely true, but it wasn’t her fault. She certainly didn’t need to be apologizing to him.
Sonya’s apology ceased and her mouth formed a little surprised o, waiting for him to explain, surely.
Instead of pouring his heart out to her, José decided to change the subject.
“Look, there’s a bonfire down by the lake tonight. Good food, some dancing maybe… the whole pack’s gonna be there. I’d be honored if you’d be my personal guest.”
Her brow raised in surprise and José saw the gears working behind those kaleidoscope hazel eyes that never ceased to mesmerize him.
“Manuel…” she muttered.
“Will be well taken care of. All of the gals from the daycare will be there with plenty of activities to keep the kids busy. So, what do you say? You’ll get to meet everyone and make this grouchy Alpha’s night.” He offered his arm for her, mentally crossing his fingers that she’d say yes.
A smile played on her lips and she nodded, slipping her arm through his. “Okay. Sounds fun. I’m still trying to learn that not all wolves are like Diego.”
José felt the familiar simmering rage bubble up at the mention of her ex, but with Sonya on his arm, he couldn’t latch onto the anger long enough for it to even darken his expression.
“I promise we’re not,” he said with, what he hoped was, a charming grin as he escorted her out of the clubhouse.
Chapter 9
SONYA
Long before they reached the lakeshore the smell of smoky spicy meat made Sonya’s mouth water. As they continued walking, the lake came into view, illuminated by a huge crackling bonfire.
She felt her heart race at the sight of so many wolves, but they were just so normal. How could she be scared of them? Near the bonfire couples danced, further out there was a ring of grills from which all of those delicious smells emanated, and scattered amongst all of this were groups of people talking and laughing.
If she didn’t know any better, Sonya would have thought this was any other country gathering. There was even a little stage where a four-member band played covers of well-known songs through the ages.
Closer to the lapping waters of the lake, there were carnival-type games set up and Sonya heard a chorus of high-pitched excited screams that unmistakably belonged to children.
She spotted the little ones running up and down the shore. They ranged in ages and size, but hopping along on his stubby legs behind the older kids was her curly-haired son, determined to keep up.
As if Manuel sense his Mama watching him, he darted away from the group and barreled through the throng of people to get to her, wrapping her knees in a fierce hug.
“Hi baby, are you having fun?”
Manuel’s attention was already elsewhere.
“I can’t stay and talk, Mom, we’re on a scavenger hunt.”
“That sounds fun,” she said with a smirk, “What are you looking for?”
Manuel rolled his eyes, “We’re not looking. We’re smelling!” He tapped his nose meaningfully and gave Sonya’s legs another squeeze before he re-joined the other children.
She sighed, watching him leave with a smile. It was bittersweet to see her baby boy off, interested in other things, but that’s what she wanted for him. Right? To be with other kids like him? To have a normal life?
José settled a warm hand on her lower back, sending electric tingles up and down her spine. If anyone had asked her how she’d respond to such an intimate touch, Sonya would probably expect herself to shrink away. To flinch. But no. She liked it. Wanted to press herself into his touch, revel in it.
“He seems to be enjoying himself,” José chuckled, the warm rumbling sound stirring something long-dormant to life within her.
“Yeah, he’s never had anything like this. He’s completely beside himself with all this freedom,” she joked, admiring José’s strong jawline in profile.
Her magic swirled and eddied like raging rivers coming to life after a spring thaw. All this time, she’d thought her powers — and libido — were responding to all of this. The shifter pheromones in the air, the powerful sexy men and women all around her. She’d thought that was the reason for her near-constant thoughts of sex.
It wasn’t all the shifters, though. Just José. He was the one that made her feel molten inside and reignited her magic without even trying.
But she remembered how she’d embarrassed herself before, coming onto him when he clearly wasn’t interested. She couldn’t make the same mistake twice.
Better to keep her powers under control and forget about pursuing anything with José. They were doing too well here for her to jeopardize it all by refilling her magic stores. Wolves would never want a witch living amongst them.
She took a deep breath to steady herself and calm her raging sex-drive, “Mmm, it smells incredible out here.”
José laughed again, “Well, do you expect a bunch of wolves to not know how to eat really well?”
“Fair point,” she giggled.
Woah. Since when did that happen? Sonya couldn’t even remember the last time she giggled.
“Come on, there are some people I want you to meet,” José said, applying only the faintest pressure to the small of her back, steering her towards a group gathered around one of the bigger grills.
The giant steel contraption looked more like it belonged on a railroad track than in the middle of a block party, but as they grew closer, Sonya saw it was laden with enough meats to feed an army.
Or a pack of wolves.
“This is Carlos,” José said, indicating a stout older man, “he’s basically my right hand guy.”
“Like a Beta?” she asked.
Carlos smirked, “Beta than all of the other wolves,” he joked with a wink, making Sonya giggle again.
José’s hand stiffened on her back for a moment and then he softened, turning to her, “We don’t really use that strict hierarchy like other packs.”
She pulled a face, “But you’re Alpha, aren’t you?” In Summer Springs, everything was about rank. Where you slept, when you ate, which women you got.
“Only for as long as the pack wants me to be,” he answered gently.
“That’s… democratic,” she said.
Another man, about José’s age but a hair taller and broader than him, popped his head over the grill cover, “Helps prevent hostile takeovers,” he said.
“That’s Dominic, my... Well, I don’t know what he is, really,” José said with a teasing note in his voice.
“Your pain in the ass?” Dominic offered.
José mulled it over in his mind for a minute, acting like he was really considering it, “Yeah, I think that’s your new official title, Dom,” he joked.
“Hmph. So you want extra spit on your burger, right?”
José rolled his eyes, “Dom’s more like… my other right hand.”
“Uh… I think you mean left, Chief,” Dominic chimed in.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. These are my guys. I couldn’t run all of this without them,” José said, his chest swelling with pride.
Sonya had to admit she was impressed with all of this. These men had respect for José. She’d only ever seen wolves fear their Alpha. This was a wholly new experience for her and she had to admit she liked it. Liked thinking that Manuel would grow up to be this kind of wolf one day.
“It’s nice to meet you both, I’m Sonya.”
“We’ve heard a lot about you,” Carlos said and Sonya turned to José with raised brows.
“Oh really?”
José cleared his throat, “Well, you’ve met them, that’s enough chatting,” he said, clearly trying to defl
ect attention away from Carlos’ comment.
They all laughed and Sonya felt thirty pounds lighter. Like she could just be. Without worrying. Without looking over her shoulder or having a bag packed and ready to go.
This place was, surprisingly, starting to feel like home. It felt wonderful and terrifying all at once. How would her new friends react to knowing there was a witch in their midst? She didn’t think that they’d be so welcoming if that little detail became public knowledge.
“I think this is the part where I ask if you’d like to dance,” José said, breaking Sonya out of her self-doubting thoughts.
“Dance?” She couldn’t remember the last time someone had asked her to dance. Come to think of it, Sonya wasn’t sure anyone ever had. Sure, she’d danced in a few quinceañeras, but those were rehearsed and the pairs chosen by adults.
“Yeah, you know… With music and moving your feet?” José prodded with an easy smile that brought butterflies to her chest.
“Um… What the hell, okay!”
“Good answer,” José said with a chuckle, taking her hand in his before whisking her off to the ring of people dancing around the bonfire.
“I have to warn you… I’m terrible at this,” she said, feeling her cheeks heat.
José didn’t miss a beat, he positioned her hand on his back and Sonya couldn’t ignore the steel strength of his muscles as her fingers skimmed just above his waistband.
“Just let me lead then… I’m kind of used to it,” José teased with a wink.
A handful of songs later, Sonya’s stomach hurt from laughing so much and tears streaked her face as she tripped over her own feet once more.
“I think I’m a lost cause,” she laughed, barely even able to hold herself upright anymore with the fit of giggles that overcame her. “You tried your very best.”
José pulled her a little closer, slowing to a steady sway, “I think you only stepped on my feet… eight, maybe nine times. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
She snickered again, “Oh god, I’m sorry. I warned you though!” She tried to give him an ‘I told you so’ look, but when she looked up, the tenderness in his eyes startled her.
