“I love you too, Hailey, my mate,” he replied.
Mate. I loved the way that word sounded. I loved what it meant.
I curled up with my back against Cole, his arms around me, as we snuggled under the covers of our new bed. I watched the fire crackle as I touched the bite that he had given me. Cole's mark. I was his, and he was mine. I knew we could figure the rest out together. I fell asleep happy, and feeling like my life was finally going the way I wanted.
Defending the Pack
Book Two
Prologue
Trixie
Crash. Shards of glass scattered across the bedding and hardwood floor. Mara started crying—Mara was always crying.
Moonlight shone through the broken window, glittering as it caught tiny slivers of glass that covered the women woken by the sound. An icy breeze blew through the hole in the white wall where the window overlooking town had been, chilling my bare skin, and carrying a flurry of snowflakes with it.
A large rock lay beside my pillow. Thrown a foot to the left, and maybe I would have been dead, released from this hellhole. A rock that size would make one hell of a weapon. With something that heavy maybe I could even bash Dashiell’s head in before he saw what was coming. The guards would be in at any moment to see what caused the noise, and they would want whatever had broken the window. I couldn't hide it, and I couldn't get to the crazed alpha with enforcers on their way. I had to wait. I had to bide my time.
I grabbed two thick slivers of glass from the floor I slept on. Two shards wouldn't be missed. I slipped the glass beneath the ruffles of my ugly pink skirt, tucking them safely in the elastic top of the stocking on my thigh. They would have us shake out the bedding to be rid of the glass, it couldn't be concealed in the blanket or pillow. At least this stupid ruffled dress was good for something.
Three broad-shouldered silhouettes crowded the doorway. I was just in time. An enforcer flipped on the light. After a few blinks my eyes adjusted.
“What the fuck was that?” one of them yelled.
All three enforcers scowled as they scanned the room. Fleur tried to hush Mara, holding the other she-wolf while she cried.
“Looks like another rock. Someone on those streets is ballsy.” One of the guards approached me with lust in his beady eyes. He picked up the rock and winked at me. Maybe it would have been worth using the rock on him, even if I couldn't reach Dashiell, the bastard who was responsible the destruction of everything I held dear. The satisfaction I would feel almost outweighed the consequence, but I needed live long enough to find justice for Stratton.
I lived to avenge my mate. I lived to kill Dashiell.
“Hey, sweetcheeks, got somethin' for you,” the guard said, grasping his crotch and puckering his thin, disgusting lips. I needed time to hide the glass, I couldn't have him breaking it or finding it in my skirt.
“Touch me and I'll tell Dashiell,” I warned.
The guard raised his large, callused hand.
“Please don’t hurt her,” Mara said in her tearful voice.
The woman next to her, Fleur, shushed her. It never paid to speak up…as I was about to find out.
Again.
I waited for the blow, bracing myself for the beating I had become accustomed to, but his hand never hit. Instead, one of the other guards started coughing. The other two turned to look. The one who was coughing fell to his knees, gasping for air and grasping his throat as his face turned purple. The other guard by the door’s eyes widened and he reeked of fear. A moment later he started to cough.
The guard who’d almost hit me moments before watched his companions collapse to the floor. “HELP!” he screamed and slammed the reinforced bedroom door with his fist. His heavy boot-steps echoed as he ran down the hall, leaving his companions to their fate.
I smiled at the six she-wolves on the floor around me. Maybe someone somewhere wanted to help us. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.
Chapter One
Hailey
Estimating the length of stem required, I trimmed the scarlet rosebud down to an inch below the bloom. Then I set it on the wooden tabletop between two snippets of baby’s breath. I laid a large, dark green leaf on top of the blooms, then wrapped the stems together with green tape. For the final touch, I slid a pin through the back of the tape and yelled, “Victory!”
Eric popped his auburn head into the doorway of the cutting room at Rosebuds and Greenery. The cutting room was my favorite place to be in the historical building. It held all of the tools that were needed to create floral art, which was the best part of my new job. The room was partially walled off from the area of the store where customers could browse bouquets and arrangements, so Eric and I could help customers as they arrived without being constantly watched. Sunlight poured in through the back of the room where it was open to the glass greenhouse that ran against the rear of the building. Being surrounded by flowers in the warmth of natural light reminded me of summer days, and it put me in a good mood at the start of each work day. I could see all of the trees, bushes, and flowers that grew in pots in the greenhouse from my table—a beautiful view of nature’s floral rainbow.
“Great job, honey. That one might even pass as acceptable,” Eric replied as he inspected my product with a grin. I had known my boss since middle school. He was the same tall, thin, sassy boy that he had always been.
I set my prized boutonniere in a plastic container in the cardboard box with the superior example Eric had made for me to follow. Pleased that my skills were improving, I started on my sixth attempt. While Eric worked the counter, I had been working on the orders for Homecoming all morning. I was grateful for the opportunity to learn arrangements. The first three days of my new job had been spent getting educated about the plants and how to take orders from customers. Working on arrangements, no matter how small, was much more rewarding.
When all of the customers had left, Eric rejoined me in the cutting room. Freckles decorated his face along the underside of his thick-framed, black glasses and emerald eyes. With relaxed-fit khakis and a short-sleeved, blue plaid button shirt, Eric topped off his look with a black bowtie and suspenders. In a small town of loggers, hunters, bikers, and country businesses, Eric always stood out with his hipster style.
“We just got a funeral, and a baby shower,” he reported.
“Whole circle of life, all with flowers,” I answered.
“One of those great things about being a florist: everyone needs flowers. By the way, I got a call from a girl at that bar your hunk of man meat owns. He's contracting us to landscape the side facing Main Street. I'm guessing thank yous are in order.” Eric raised an eyebrow at me.
“That's great. It's a big job. But, I didn't have anything to do with it,” I replied.
“Oh really? So I see tall, dark, and gorgeous dropping you off here, and out of nowhere now they want flowers. Don't kid yourself, honey. The only bar in town isn’t suddenly in need of landscaping.”
I answered, “I’ll ask him about it.”
“Give him a kiss for me while you're at it. What do you want to get for lunch today? Pizza or Chinese, the possibilities are endless,” Eric said.
“Oh, I'm meeting Liv for lunch. Raincheck?” I would have invited Eric along, but I needed some time alone with my sister since I’d been spending every night with Cole lately. We hadn’t gotten a chance to talk, and I was missing our time together.
“Sure, hon. But don't expect me to save you any leftovers. I'll be eating all the egg rolls,” Eric said.
“I wish I could eat like you and stay so thin,” I replied, looking at his small frame.
“I do a lot of cardio, plus I look a lot like my mother. I got her lack of hips. I bet your man loves those curves.” Eric smiled at me.
We were able to finish the Homecoming orders in no time with Eric working by my side, and had started in on the funeral when Liv showed up to drive me to lunch.
Liv stepped in through the red wooden front door, setting of
f the little bell above it. “Nice place.”
My sister pulled off the casually beautiful look better than anyone I had ever met. Her high-heeled boots perfectly matched her short, black leather coat. The white skinny jeans she wore highlighted her long, slim legs. She knew how to show off her best features. Liv was long, thin, and elegant, where I was short and curvy. We shared facial features, and a special bond from living our teenage years without parents and relying only on each other, but not much else.
“How can you live here without ever visiting the only flower shop in town?” I asked.
“I don't know. No occasions for flowers, I guess,” she answered.
“Every day is an occasion for flowers, doll.” Eric stepped up beside me, resting his elbow on my shoulder.
“Liv, this is Eric. Eric, Liv,” I introduced the two.
“A pleasure to finally meet you. Hailey’s told me so much about you.” Eric leaned in and kissed my sister on each cheek.
“Uh oh. Good things I hope?” Liv scowled at me.
“All good things. I swear.” I held up my hands in defense.
“Of course, all positive. Hailey’s a delight. I just adore your sister,” Eric said.
“I’m pretty fond of her myself,” Liv replied.
I smiled and said, “So much love today.”
“Okay, let’s not let it go to her head,” Liv said.
“We’ll be back in a bit. Thanks for being flexible,” I said to Eric. Only four days since I had started working here, and Eric was already letting me go on long lunch breaks. I was really lucky to have landed the job.
“Have fun, ladies!” Eric gave us a small wave and headed back to the cutting room.
I grabbed my favorite hoodie from the hook by the door and zipped it up to protect me from the icy fall air that awaited us. Liv’s heels clicked on the steps and sidewalk as we walked out to her blue sedan. I hopped in the passenger side, and dialed up the stereo. We sang along to songs about ex-boyfriends and great sex on the local pop station the whole length of the ride through the winding forest roads, music blaring so we couldn’t hear how terrible we sounded. Going from life in Elkston to spending most of my time with Cole, I had missed this kind of time with my sister.
Twenty minutes flew by singing at the top of our lungs as we passed dense clusters of green and yellow pines. The drive was similar to the one I took with Cole every day to his cabin. The roads went in different directions, but the heavily wooded slopes surrounding town all looked the same. I felt guilty for thinking about him during the short time I spent with Liv, but I couldn’t help it. Everything made me think of Cole.
As we pulled into a clearing, I got my first glimpse of the immense ski lodge that brought new commerce to our small town. The tall stone building sat back along the horizon in the center of a manicured, man-made meadow. I looked forward to getting a closer look. The road led us along the outer side of the massive hedge, which hid the building from sight. A few minutes later, the car rolled to a stop in a parking lot beside the three-story, gray stone building.
Elk-shaped topiaries marked the entrance from the parking lot to the lodge’s grounds. I climbed out of the car and followed Liv between the topiaries and down the path toward the building. Small, evenly spaced windows were covered with tan curtains from within, and they spanned the side of the lodge. A sidewalk followed the building around to the front, where an open, semicircular patio held metal tables and matching chairs all painted white. The front of the building was covered with windows on the first and second stories. A large covered deck adorned the front of the second floor with more of the white metal seating. Above the second story windows was a stone facing with large, black letters across the length of the building reading Sawtooth Peaks Lodge.
The feel of the hotel vastly contrasted the classic Victorian setting in town, and the natural feel of Cole’s cabin. The lodge was built to make a statement of over-the-top luxury.
“Nice,” I said.
“Yeah. It makes a nice post card and draws in a lot of hunters, people who want a ritzy mountain vacation, snow bunnies, and locals who want a decent bowl of soup,” Liv replied.
Liv opened one of the glass double doors for me and I walked through to an expansive, open lobby with a gray stone floor. Straight ahead was a tall counter with a man and woman behind the desk in black button-down dress shirts. People dressed in expensive coats and sweaters sat scattered across the room chatting amongst themselves. I felt underdressed in the casual worn, blue skinny jeans, long-sleeved striped tee, gray hoodie, and flats I had worn to work.
“You coming?” Liv asked from halfway across the room, snapping my attention back from people watching. I hadn’t even noticed that I had stopped walking.
“Yep,” I answered as I hurried to her side.
We took the elevator next to the welcome desk up to the second floor. The doors opened to a small lobby. Halls full of guest room doors extended in both directions. We walked up to a glass counter with pastries displayed on shelves inside.
A petite, middle-aged woman with thick yellow curls greeted us from behind the counter. “Hi there. Welcome to the Mountain Deli. What can I get for you today?”
I looked up at the black menu board behind the blonde. Choices ranged from sandwiches and salads to soups, specialty coffees, and pastries.
“Hi,” I replied. Then I looked to Liv and asked, “What’s good?”
She pointed down to a crescent that had cream cheese and strawberries on top. “That’s one of my favorites. But I’m going with the broccoli and cheese soup. Tasty and warms you up.” Liv looked at the woman behind the counter. “A cup of the broccoli and cheese soup, and a glass of water please.”
“That’ll be thirteen seventy-three,” she answered, pushing buttons on the flat screen monitor sitting upright on the counter.
Liv handed the blonde a card, which she tapped on the surface of the machine. Everything at the lodge felt so state-of-the-art compared to the rest of Sawtooth Peaks. Even the electronic register felt foreign after using the old-timey one at work. It was fun to try something new, but I preferred the classic feel that the town offered.
I ordered the broccoli soup, too, and we carried our waters and rolled flatware to a table next to the large windows along the front of the building. The tables on the porch were empty, but there were only two others inside that were vacant.
“Thanks for inviting me to lunch,” I said.
“I’m glad to see you. How are things with Cole?” Liv asked. “I’m guessing pretty good since you haven’t spent a night in your bed at home.”
“Surprisingly, yes, my relationship with Cole has been going really well. He bought a bed for me and even put together an art room,” I answered.
“A bed for you? Like, so you can sleep in a different room? That’d be crazy. I’ve seen him,” Liv said with a smile.
“No,” I explained, “He didn’t have a bed. He slept in front of the fireplace.”
“Who has no bed?” Liv asked.
“It was kind of cozy actually,” I said. “He has an awesome fireplace, and I’d lie anywhere snuggled up to him. He didn’t make time for furnishing the house before I came back into his life. But yeah, it’s nice to sleep in a bed again.”
“Wow.” Liv’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s kind of big. You guys are serious, huh?”
“Pretty serious,” I answered.
I wanted to tell my sister how committed I was to Cole. I wanted to tell her that he loved me so much that he would do anything for me, so much that he had killed for me. I wanted to tell her that I worried every day that someone would show up and take him away from me for doing what he had to do to save me. And I wanted to tell her that he was a wolf, and somehow even though that seemed like the craziest part of our relationship, he was worth it. But I couldn’t tell her. I couldn’t tell anyone.
So I left the distance between us, not sharing everything with my sister the way I wanted, and instead asked about her. “Are
you going to see Pierce again over the weekend?”
“I’m going to his place tomorrow after work and staying ’til Sunday morning. I’m a little nervous about spending so much time at his place,” she said. “It’ll be a lot more intense than when he was here and staying at the hotel. I had my own space to retreat to, just in case.”
“But nothing went wrong, right?” I asked. “And you guys did spend a lot of time together.”
“Yeah, he’s great. At least so far. I keep waiting to figure out what’s wrong with him,” she said, then lowered her eyes and placed her hands in her lap.
“There’s not always something wrong with everyone,” I replied, thinking about all of the problems Cole and I had been through in such a short time since I’d been home.
“Easy for you to say. You’re back with your high school sweetheart, no history of weirdos like the ones I’ve dated,” Liv said.
“Well, there was Frank,” I said, and creased my nose. I tried not to think about him, or get into any details that I couldn’t share. “But I do remember a few strange ones that you dated. Like the one that liked feet.”
“I think feet are great,” Liv said with a smile. “I like a good pedicure or foot massage as much as the next girl, but…”
“But when you’re ready for sex and all he wants to do is touch your feet…” As we laughed, the blonde from the counter placed our bowls in front of us.
“Thanks,” Liv said in response.
The woman gave us a nod and went back toward the counter.
The soup was rich and creamy, hot enough to warm us from the cold outside for a little while. The company was even better. I had missed my sister, and I still missed the way I used to be able to share all of the details of my life with her. After lunch, we drove back to town, radio blaring. Liv dropped me off at the curb in front of Rosebuds and Greenery, where I went in to finish my shift, and count the hours until I would see Cole again.
Werewolves & Whiskers: Sawtooth Peaks Wolf Shifter Romance Box Set Page 13
