by K R Hall
“I don’t understand. Why not?”
“I didn’t tell you this before because I didn’t think you would return. Most kids never return. Two days after you went off to UCLA, strange wolf shifters were scented around the foster home. They haven’t been back since. I can only assume they were from your old pack in New Orleans,” Shannon explained.
“Where will I go?”
“There is a wolf pack in Rainbow. I’ve talked to alpha Darias Lykos, and he’s agreed to meet you.”
“What if I don’t like it there?”
“That’s why you’ll meet with him. Decide if you are a good fit for them, and they are for you.”
“Is he expecting me now?”
“He knows you will be coming, but not when. I can call him and set up a meeting.”
“Okay, that’ll be great. Listen, I need to tell you something. Tracie Lowe and I are mates. I haven’t told her because I want her to love me for me, not because of the mating urges.”
“I know.”
“What do you mean, you know?”
“Nathaniel, I’ve known since you first laid eyes on her. I lost my mate years ago. I know what it looks like when a shifter meets their mate.”
“I never could fool you. It was always like you had eyes in the back of your head,” Nathaniel laughed.
“You know that shifters can tell when someone lies. When a person lies, they breathe faster, and their heart rate speeds up. Shifters can hear the heart rate pick up. Liars tend to get nervous and uncomfortable, causing them to tend to sweat.”
“Now that I think back over the years, that makes sense. I never realized that shifters could tell when someone was lying. I always thought it was a sixth sense I had.”
“Orphan shifters do tend to miss out on some skills because their families aren’t around to teach them. Everyone assumes they know. A good place to learn more about shifters and about your specific breed would be Shifternet.”
“What’s Shifternet? I don’t think I heard of that before.”
“Shifternet is a special internet just for shifters. Everything you would ever want to know would be there.”
“I wish I knew about that when I was younger. It would have helped answer a lot of questions I had growing up.”
“I hadn’t thought about that before. Shifternet has been around for about a decade. I should start letting my shifter kids know about it. Thanks for the suggestion, Nate.”
“No problem, Shannon. I think I will head out to Rainbow after I stop for dinner at the Hideaway Steakhouse. I made arrangements to meet up with some old friends there. I will see you again soon,” Nathaniel said as he stood to leave.
“I will call Darias and let him know to expect you later tonight,” Shannon said as she leaned in for a hug.
***
Nathaniel arrived at the Hideaway Steakhouse within five minutes. It was a quaint little place hidden among a grove of trees. The trees had the tiny white lights draped along the branches, which helped to light the walkway and added coziness to the atmosphere. Inside the restaurant, the lighting was dim, and the air was thick with the scents of seasoned steaks.
Nathaniel soaked in the soft live piano music for a few moments before his friends joined him.
“Hey Nate, I hope you weren’t waiting long,” Gabe said as he and Spencer approached the table.
“No. I’ve been sitting here less than five minutes. I haven’t even looked at the menu yet.”
“Great! We got off work a little late, and we wanted to shower and clean up first,” Spencer said as they slid into the chairs.
“Hi, I’m Dominique, and I’ll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with something from the bar?”
“I’d like unsweetened iced tea,” Nathaniel replied.
“I’ll have a seven and seven,” Gabe replied.
“I’ll have a beer. Whatever you have on tap,” Spencer replied.
“Okay. I’ll be back with the drinks and fresh dinner rolls,” Dominique said before dashing off.
“It’s great to see you guys again. I heard that Tanner moved to live with the bear clan in Big Bear Lake. What have you two been up to?” Nathaniel asked.
“Gabe and I work at one of the wineries nearby. We’ve been learning about making wine and running a winery while we take classes in business and marketing.”
“We hope to open a winery in another year or two. It’s taken us a little longer to finish our degrees because there hasn’t always been time to have a full class load.”
“That sounds excellent. Are there many wineries near Fallbrook?”
“There’s about six or so. Not many are both a vineyard and winery, so that’s what we will do. We’re planning on having it all organic,” Spencer replied.
“Spencer is the brains for the operation,” Gabe chuckled.
It was then that Dominique arrived with their drinks and the fresh dinner rolls.
“Have you decided?”
“Yes, I’d like to start with the Cesar salad, slow-roasted prime rib with the four cheese potatoes and asparagus,” Spencer replied before handing over his menu.
“I’ll have the tomato soup with sesame seared tuna and rice pilaf,” Gabe replied.
“I’ll just have the house salad with the balsamic vinegar on the side, filet mignon medium-rare, with the four cheese potatoes and corn, please,” Nathaniel replied.
After Dominique left to put their order in, they resumed their conversation.
“Whatever happened with Tracie? I thought you two would have been mated by now,” Gabe asked.
“I’m still waiting for her to come to me. I want her to love me for me, not the mating bond. I did confess my love for her before she left UCLA to pursue her acting career. Luckily, she didn’t date much in college, so I didn’t have to sabotage many dates,” Nathaniel replied sadly.
“I’m sorry, man. Is it hard for you to be so far away from her? I understand very little about shifters and their mating bonds,” Gabe replied.
“It’s a little painful, but not as bad as it would be if we had started to bond. When we complete the mating bond, we will not be able to be apart for longer than a week.”
“So, what are you going to do?” Spencer asked.
“After dinner, I have a meeting with Darias. He’s the wolf pack alpha in Rainbow. Shannon called him to make arrangements for me to meet him. I love this area, and I think it’s a good place for Tracie to come looking for me when she’s ready to settle down. We’re in our early twenties, so that gives us plenty of time.”
Dominique arrived with their soups and salads. They dug right in, stopping their conversations briefly. They chatted more throughout dinner. They all had the brownie with pistachio ice cream for their dessert. After Nathaniel paid, they said their goodbyes.
Nathaniel hopped into his truck and drove the ten miles to Rainbow, where the Lykos wolf shifter pack made its home. As he drove, he noticed several picturesque farms tucked among the wooden hills. He saw the raw earth where a new subdivision was breaking ground. The Lykos pack lands were ideally located near the Monserate Mountains. It made it easy for the pack to run and hunt when their animals needed to shift.
As Nathaniel drove over a bridge, he spotted a few men fishing in the slow-moving creek. He drove several more miles to a two-story concrete building. Inside the nicely air-conditioned building, he approached a high wooden partition that blocked the view from anyone who might have been sitting down.
After waiting several minutes, Nathaniel cleared his throat and called out.
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
“Sorry,” a middle-aged woman apologized as she approached the counter. “I didn’t hear anyone come in. May I help you?”
Nathaniel thought she must have been a human as a shifter would have heard him coming in.
“Hi, I’m Nathanial Thibault. I have an appointment with Darias Lykos.”
“Oh, yes. We’ve been expecting you. One moment please, while I call Darias.”<
br />
Nathaniel moved to a well-worn leather couch and waited. A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of his right eye; his mouth formed a rigid grimace. With arms folded tightly across his broad chest, he tapped his foot nervously as he waited.
“Nate, so great to meet you,” Darias said as he came out of his office a few minutes later.
Darias’ face split into the grin Nathaniel had imagined him to wear often. Nathaniel stood as he came over in fast, easy strides and took his offered hand in his two, shaking warmly with the perfect squeeze and eye contact. His face was one of utmost confidence befitting an alpha.
“Nice to meet you too, Darias. Thank you for meeting with me,” Nathaniel replied.
“It’s a pleasant evening. There’s still plenty of light. Let’s take a walk and get to know each other instead of sitting in a stuffy office. You can get the layout of the land and get a feel for the pack,” Darias suggested.
“That sounds like a fine idea,” Nathaniel replied as he followed Darias out the door.
The pack community had several restaurants, two movie theatres, and a bowling alley. They walked past the local supermarket.
“It’s so strange not to see a Starbucks, 7 Eleven, or Walmart here. They were all over Los Angeles.”
“The nearest Starbucks is in Fallbrook. The others are located within an hour’s drive. Most of our pack works on the vineyard or the winery. Many also own local businesses.”
“Shannon said she had talked to you about me,” Nathaniel said, changing the subject.
“Yes, she did. She also told me about the strange wolf shifters who were looking for you. Any idea about who they might be?”
“I remember when my family died, my dad said we had to leave our pack because of something the alpha was going to do. He tried to get us to safety. I believe his men had my family killed. It was pure luck that I wasn’t in the car at the time,” Nathaniel explained.
“What pack did you come from? Do you know what it was that your father found?” Darias asked.
“We came from the New Orleans Amadei pack. Creed Amadei was the alpha at the time. I would assume he still is alpha, and it was his henchmen who were asking about me. My father was the clan bookkeeper. He must have found something.”
“I like you, Nate. I will offer you the protection of my pack if you pledge your loyalty to us.”
“Thank you. Yes, I will pledge my loyalty to you and your pack. I think it’s time for me to settle down. I’d like to own my own home. Maybe buy a fixer-upper.”
“Good to hear. Tomorrow is our weekly pack meeting. I will introduce you to the pack then, and you can pledge yourself at that time. Now, as far as a home, we don’t have fixer-uppers. It would bring down the property values. Call the pack offices in the morning and ask for Callie. She’s our pack relator. She can show you some great places.”
“Thank you, Darias. I think I’m going to like it here.”
The sun sank lower in the sky, the light of day draining away, giving way to the velvety dark of night; Nathaniel heard crickets chirping in the distance. The street lights were beginning to turn on when they arrived back at Darias’ office.
***
Back at the hotel, Nathaniel felt unsettled. There was nothing for him to do. He had already touched base with all his friends the night before. Maybe he should call it a night and turn in.
Nathaniel took a walk after breakfast. The blue sky arched serenely over maple trees, and sunlight dappled the sidewalk. A hummingbird darted by, pausing momentarily to check out some red flowers. A scent of freshly mowed grass hung in the air, and a bed of petunias in the nearby yard stretched into a purple carpet of blooms.
His walking took him past the residential area. He came upon a bowling alley that hadn’t opened yet for business. He passed a few bars, a hardware store, a grocery store, and the florist.
At the end of the block was a coffee shop. Nathaniel paused and inhaled deeply. A magnetic scent, rich and lush and enticing. Coffee, surely fresh ground. Vanilla. Cinnamon. He opened his eyes and stepped inside, where he studied the menu posted.
“Can I help you?” the barista asked.
“I’d like to order a Mocha Madness.”
“Hot or cold?”
“Hot.”
“One Mocha Madness, coming up.”
The barista returned about a minute later with a large mug of frothy stuff. The Mocha Madness was rich, hot, and delicious. He sipped slowly, enjoying the spread of the soothing warmth through his chest as it went down his throat.
Nathaniel had called Callie and set up an appointment with her at ten this morning. After he finished his Mocha Madness, he left the café and made his way back to the hotel. He slid into his truck and made his way to the alpha’s house. It was an enormous old house full of noisy, messy people and animals.
“Hi, I have a ten o’clock appointment with Callie,” Nathaniel said to the receptionist.
“One moment please,” the receptionist replied before picking up her phone and making a call.
Nathaniel’s enhanced shifter hearing allowed him to hear that she was calling Callie. Shortly after the receptionist hung up, a striking brunette came out of an office and headed towards him.
“Hi, Nate. I’m Callie,” she said as she stood before him extending her hand.
“Hi, Callie,” he replied as he stood and shook her hand.
“Come this way,” Callie said as she turned and headed back to her office.
Stretching out on either side of the road were similarly styled homes, with their small upper windows, large porches, and front bay windows, which were square and turreted. The lawns were neatly kept. No house was falling apart as in some of the human neighborhoods.
Callie parked in front of the fourth house on the list of homes she wanted to show him. Nathaniel looked out the window as he pulled up behind her car and thought that this home looked promising.
The front door, made of dark wood planks with black hinges spreading halfway across, had that rustic appeal, the charm of the country with every modern convenience of a penthouse suite. Nathaniel crossed the threshold and followed Callie into the home. The air still carried the scent of glue from the new carpet and paint.
“Let’s head to the kitchen,” Callie said, and Nathaniel followed.
When Nathaniel saw the tiled floor, his heartbeat went double time. It wouldn’t do to let the realtor know, so he kept the same bored facial expression he had had for the last three houses. It was made of slate, but not grey. It was made of blacks and browns in a chaotic tumble of wonderfulness. He was inwardly delighted, thinking how much Tracie would enjoy the heated floor.
“There’s underfloor heating,” Callie noted.
“I hoped so. My mate will love it.”
“Oh, you have a mate? I didn’t realize that.”
“I’ve met my mate at the foster home, but I never told her. I want her to love me for me, not the mating bond. She’s pursuing an acting career,” Nathaniel explained.
Nathaniel ran his hand over the kitchen wall tiles, each one of them a smooth horizontal light blue tinted glass bar about the thickness of a pencil. The blue reminded him of the ocean on a chilly autumn day rather than the summer season’s brilliant blue.
The large living room dominated the front of the house. Nathaniel imagined a little girl sitting on the carpet in the living room as she pushed her toys, making sounds, away in her own imaginary world.
“I’ll take it.”
“Great! Let me draw up the paperwork, and we can close in thirty days.”
“Is there a way we can speed it up? I don’t want to stay in the hotel for thirty days.”
“The pack owns the house. The family that owned it sold it back to the pack when they moved to the wife’s family pack. I can let you move in now and work to close as quickly as possible,” Callie explained.
“Thanks, Callie. I appreciate your help.”
Callie handed him a set of keys then headed out to her
car. He waved as he watched her drive off, then Nathaniel went to the hotel to pack and check out. He had a few pieces of furniture in the U-Haul he brought with him from Los Angeles. So much had happened in the forty-eight hours since he left Los Angeles.
Nathaniel sat on the rocker so long that the dusk’s shadows crept through the old maples and into the windows. He felt as if they were settling into his heart. He missed Tracie more than he thought he would. He didn’t need to turn on the light as his shifter eyesight was better than that of a human. Over time, he would probably get used to the ache he felt whenever he thought about her.
Tracie
It had only been a week, seven days, since Nate left her and moved back to Fallbrook. Seven long and lonely days. Tracie didn’t understand why she felt his absence as an ache in her heart. Maybe it was because he had been a part of her life since she was twelve. Now she was truly alone.
Tracie kept busy during the day. She found an apartment the day before he moved. It didn’t take more than a day to unpack and settle in. She spent her days job hunting and looking for acting gigs. But the nights were another story.
Every night after looking for work, she would lie down on her comfortable couch, read a book, and listen to the television. The background noise from the tv made it seem less lonely.
The sun streamed through the windows Sunday morning, yet Tracie’s mind was clouded with grey. Her mood ricocheted between low and lower. She had no energy or motivation to get done the mountain of housework that awaited her. So, she sat in her pajamas and turned on the television. After an hour of flicking through the channels and eating popcorn, she got a text.
Dixie: Hey, girl! Lacey, Rosalie, and I are gonna go to Disney next weekend. Wanna come?
Tracie: Sounds like fun, but I can’t afford it.
Dixie: We’re staying at an Airbnb, and we’ll pay for ya.
Tracie: Awesome! I’d love to see y’all again. It’s been too long.
Dixie: Great! So, tell me what happened with that hot guy you told me you went on a date with Saturday.
Tracie: It went nowhere.
Dixie: What do you mean?
