by Renee Rose
Since the waitress had been so busy with other guests, we’d dropped a tip on the table and decided to eat back at the house.
While Wade and Landry pulled together burgers like we would have ordered, I got out my laptop and sat at a table in the living room in front of a large picture window. The view was impressive, ecompassing the entire valley. I could see why Wade’s great-grandparents had settled in this exact spot. I imagined the scenery hadn’t changed in the hundred years since.
I pictured myself living here and it felt… right. As if this was where I belonged.
“You’re quiet in here,” Wade said, coming in from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel.
With the windows open, the scent of grilling burgers filled the air. My stomach rumbled.
“Except for that noise,” he grinned, pointing to my belly. “What are you working on?”
I’d turned to face him, but shifted back to look at my laptop screen. “Tracking the wolves and updating spreadsheets.”
He flung the towel over his shoulder. “You’re going to keep going with it?”
I looked at him over my shoulder and frowned. “With what? My research?”
“Yeah.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Landry stuck his head around the corner. “Burgers are up.” He looked between us, then asked, “What’s going on?”
“Caitlyn’s continuing with her research,” Wade said. I didn’t miss the unhappiness in his voice, or his stance.
“I’ve spent years on it,” I countered. “Why would I stop now?”
“Because you aren’t tagging more wolves,” Wade snapped. I couldn’t miss that he was riled. There was a little vein in his forehead that throbbed when he was frustrated or angry.
“And in those years, I’ve got plenty of tracking data. I don’t need more. I can finish it without them.” I could. I hadn’t really considered it, always being driven to get more and more wolves in the study. But things had changed. I’d finish it with the animals I’d been tracking.
“Then why did you come here last weekend?” Wade went on. “Why do you have… eight more trackers in your bag?”
I turned to face them head on. “Because my boss believes our paper will be best received if it’s as thorough as possible.”
Landry stepped fully into the room and decided to join the conversation. “You only tagged the two wolves last weekend. They won’t provide you with much data, or at least only short-term data. When will you stop, and finalize your work? It could go on forever.”
I stared up at him. He had a good point. Data on a wolf was best if studied over a long period of time. Fewer wolves with longer study was better than many wolves with short review times. When was I ever going to finish?
“My grant money is tied to collecting as much data as possible,” I replied, even though I knew the answer sounded thin.
“I thought the grant money was to publish the research, not collect data,” Wade said.
I opened my mouth to speak, then shut it. Considered. “You’re right. I need to use what I’ve got, finalize the data, and publish my findings.”
A muscle tightened in Wade’s jaw. “Now? Even after what you’ve learned? About us, I mean.” He waved his hand between himself and Landry. “You’re going to expose us, our way of life? You’re going to put our entire pack, all shifters, in danger!”
I shook my head. “No. I would never do that.”
Wade crossed his arms over his chest. “If wolf status is changed from predator to trophy game because of your findings, what’s going to keep other wolves, shifters and non-shifters, from being carelessly shot by ranchers or game hunters, like my mother was?”
Landry didn’t say anything because I could tell he agreed with Wade.
He thought I would hurt shifters? Or wolves? “My paper isn’t going to do that.”
“How do you know?”
“Do you trust me to keep your secret?”
Landry’s cell rang, my question hanging heavy in the air between us. Wade was all but vibrating with frustration. I felt for him, but his anger was misdirected. I’d never hurt these animals.
Landry looked at the screen, then gave Wade a glance. “Time’s up,” he said, before he put the cell to his ear.
Wade blew out his breath.
I didn’t know what he meant, but Wade did.
“Gib. I’m guessing you’re home,” Landry said into the phone.
Ah. His brother was back in town.
“Right. Yes.” He looked my way, and I knew whatever Gibson was saying was about me. “Thirty minutes.” Finished, he slipped the cell back in his pocket.
“He wants to see us,” Wade assumed.
Landry nodded, then looked to me. “I told you, Gibson’s my older brother. He’s also alpha of the Two Marks pack. The leader. What an alpha says, goes. On all things. He wants to meet you.”
I swallowed hard. He wanted to see… me?
“After lunch,” Wade added. “Caitlyn’s hungry, and we don’t want to waste the burgers.”
Even though he was upset, Wade remembered that my stomach had rumbled. He would see to my well-being before anything else.
Except, I was going to meet a shifter pack’s alpha. I wasn’t sure about my well-being at that meeting. I wasn’t so hungry after all.
17
LANDRY
I didn’t like bringing Caitlyn over to the West family house. The home was now for Gib and Ben and their newly marked mate, Shelby, whom we were going to meet for the first time.
Except there was more to this visit than meeting the pack’s new alpha female.
Things were so unresolved with Caitlyn, and I knew how Gib would see things. I’d allowed a wolf biologist to tranquilize and install trackers in wolves on our pack land. What’s more, she still planned to publish her research, which could seriously damage any kind of relationship she might hope to form with our pack. And she was our fucking mate! Wade and I needed—hell, our lives depended on—claiming her. Bringing Caitlyn into the pack and making her want to stay.
I didn’t know how in the fuck we were going to do that, but I did know meeting with Gib was only going to make things worse.
But it wasn’t like I had any choice. He was my alpha. I didn’t get special favors for being his brother. In fact, it was the opposite. He held me to a higher standard, especially since I was the one he left in charge of the pack while he was away.
The best I could hope for was that he was still in a honeymoon phase with their new mate, and she’d smoothed his rough edges.
I parked my SUV in front of our house and climbed out.
I hadn’t moved out yet, but it already felt like Gib’s house. He’d returned with a mate. He and Ben would be living together with Shelby. It was time for me to move into Wade’s. Especially since we’d found our mate. Yet, without the certainty of Caitlyn being there permanently, that didn’t feel right, either.
I was in limbo right now, and it certainly was a special kind of hell.
Even though it was my house, I tapped on the back door before entering, showing deference to the change in our situation.
A beautiful young shifter female with long, whiskey-colored hair and tattooed, muscular arms stepped out of the kitchen with a wide smile on her face. She wore jeans and cowgirl boots, and a tight crop-top that showed off a flat, tan belly. Intellectually, I knew she was stunning, but with my own gorgeous mate’s hand in mine, I experienced zero physical response. Which was a good thing, because no male would want to tangle with Gib or Ben if they got possessive of their female. Their marked female.
“You must be Landry.” Shelby threw her arms wide.
I accepted the hug, hesitating before I wrapped an arm around her in return.
“Meet the pack’s new matriarch.” Gib sauntered in behind her, his gaze both warm and possessive at the same time. He sported a fresh tattoo across his right biceps—Shelby’s name in bold letters. I guessed she wanted their bodies marked, too
.
“I don’t know about matriarch.” Shelby laughed. “That makes me sound like an old lady.”
“Yeah, I’m the old lady around here,” another voice called from the kitchen, taking me by surprise. A shifter female in her fifties stood there beside Ben.
Shelby had already released me from the hug and was offering her hand to Caitlyn. “That’s my mom, Marne,” she said.
“We talked her into changing packs for Shelby,” Ben explained. For an enforcer, he didn’t look as deadly as usual. In fact, he appeared relaxed and content. Happy.
Shelby and Caitlyn shook hands warmly, and then Shelby introduced herself to Wade.
I grabbed Caitlyn’s hand and tugged her forward to introduce her to Gib and Ben, and to meet Shelby’s mom. “This is Caitlyn, our mate,” I said firmly.
Gib and Ben were both polite to her—thank fuck. Otherwise, I would not have hesitated to throw down with my brother, alpha or not.
“The wolf biologist, yes,” Gib said. His nostrils flared as he scented her, then shot an inquisitive look in my direction.
No, she isn’t marked yet, fucker. My thoughts were more than a little defensive when it came to my mate.
Shelby’s mom was as friendly as Shelby. She touched Caitlyn’s shoulder, her gaze warm. “I’m still getting used to my daughter having two mates—it must be especially shocking for you, as a hum—I mean…” She broke off, sending a worried glance in my direction like she’d said something wrong.
“She knows she’s a human, yes,” Wade said to lighten the mood.
Marne laughed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be awkward. We have a half-dozen or so human mates in the Wolf Ranch pack, so I’m not shocked or anything. I just didn’t know what stage you were at. Courting a human is different than claiming a shifter, isn’t it?” Marne split a bemused glance between Wade and me, and a little of my defensiveness slipped away.
“Yes,” I admitted, almost relieved to hear it voiced out loud.
“Don’t worry. I know all the human ladies at Wolf Ranch. I’ve got this down.” Shelby slipped her arm through Caitlyn’s. “We’ll give her the full scoop on your kind.” She tugged Caitlyn toward the kitchen and out to the large deck beyond, Marne following. “Come sit outside with us, we have some iced tea and brownies.”
“What do you mean, your kind?” I called after them. “You’re a shifter, too!”
“I mean male wolves,” Shelby tossed over her shoulder with a smile and a flounce of her dark hair. “I’m going to clue her in to all your secrets.”
“I like her.” Wade shoved his hands in his pockets, grinning.
I couldn’t help but nod my agreement. Shelby’s warmth and welcoming nature eased some of my tension. She might be just what Caitlyn needed. Especially after that awkward exchange we’d just had over her research before we left.
“Yeah, she’s incredible,” Ben agreed, his normally stoic expression soft.
“You two, in the living room.” Gib jerked his head in that direction, all business now. My hair was as dark as my brother’s but I’d yet to gain any of the silver that threaded through his and his beard. Maybe it was being alpha that had him going gray a little early. Sure, it made him look distinguished, but the responsibility of leadership had its price. I’d only been filling in, and I felt the weight of it.
Still, I had to stifle the growl that wanted to creep up my throat. I wasn’t here to challenge him or his authority. My wolf just couldn’t take any threat to our mate, especially because she was unmarked.
The four of us filed into the living room and took seats in opposite corners. Our mother had replaced the couch when we were kids, after we’d set the corner of it on fire… accidentally. Otherwise, the furniture dated to our grandparents, and some items, like the painting over the cold fireplace, even older.
“So, last I heard, you’d allowed a wolf biologist—who also happens to be your mate—onto pack land to tag two wolves. You want to update me on the situation?”
Gib’s voice was calm, like usual, but that didn’t mean he was happy.
A growl did escape my throat this time, and Wade quickly cleared his and interjected, “We had to take our time with her because she’s human. She knows what we are now, and the dangers her research poses to our community.”
“And?” Gib said.
I drew in a breath. “And, we introduced her to Cord to discuss his shifter gene research project. We’re hoping to get her to redirect her focus to something that would benefit the pack rather than harm it.”
“You’re hoping.” Gib’s voice dripped with doubt as he leaned forward and set his forearms on his knees.
“She’s human.” I repeated Wade’s defense. “As Shelby mentioned, courting a human is not the same process or on the same timeline as claiming a shifter female.”
Gib’s dark gaze met mine. “No, but I left you in charge of the pack. You are the alpha if anything happens to me. I’m not seeing a lot of concern for the pack as a whole here.”
I flew to my feet and Wade launched his body in front of mine, blocking me. “With all due respect, Gib, Landry’s done everything he can to minimize pack exposure.”
Gib also rose and pointed a finger at Wade, his eyes narrowed. “Listen to me, both of you. You need to stop her research—at all costs. No more tagged wolves. No studies of wolves in this area. And mark her.”
“Claiming Caitlyn is not necessarily going to change anything,” I pointed out. “It may mean something to a shifter female, but for a human, it’s a ritual she doesn’t relate to. To her, it only means we’re going to leave her with puncture wounds and scars. Hardly something we should pressure her into before she’s ready.”
“I understand about not wanting to push.” Gib shot a glance toward the door to the back deck. “We had to wait a few days to mark Shelby because she wasn’t ready. But I’ll tell you this—in that time, my wolf was going nuts. It’s hard for me to believe either one of you has your full wits while you’re trying to manage an unclaimed mate and this wolf research situation. So that’s why I am ordering you to claim your female. Get your heads on straight. For her sake. If the pack rejects her over her research, she won’t be comfortable here, and you’ll be living the rest of your lives among humans. I don’t want to lose either of you. You’re far too important to this pack.”
The wisdom of Gib’s words sank in, and some of my defensiveness fell away.
“All right,” I agreed. “We’ll get there.”
“Take some time off from the distillery if you need to. We’re back, we can manage things without you, barring some IT emergency.” He glanced at Ben and Wade, who both nodded.
Gib spread his arms, opening himself for attack. “You still want to knock my teeth out?”
“Sort of,” I grumbled.
He grinned. “It will be better after she’s marked. I promise.”
“You’re an asshole,” I muttered, but accepted the bro-hug, slapping his back in return.
CAITLYN
“Are you freaking out?” Shelby demanded the moment we were outside.
I instantly liked her—she was that type who obviously made friends quickly, and seemed warm and perceptive.
“Kind of,” I admitted, dropping into the patio chair she directed me to. While we were about a mile down the road from Wade’s house, the view was very much the same: beautiful.
The table and chair set could seat twelve, which meant it was probably often used by large groups. A huge grill was in the corner, and there was even an outdoor fireplace.
I realized while Shelby might have been a shifter, she was new to West Springs and to this house. She’d only just arrived with her mates and her mother.
“Which is crazier, the two mates thing, or the wolf part?” she asked.
“The wolf part, definitely,” I said. “But at least that explains the two mates thing a little more. Before I knew, I just couldn’t figure out why they wanted to share me. But it’s some kind of biological compuls
ion, right?”
“It seems so,” Marne agreed. She had on a cute pair of black capri pants and a deep orange sleeveless blouse. “But it’s particular to this pack. Maybe a few other packs across the globe, but it’s pretty rare. Probably an evolutionary advantage in times when female shifters were in short supply.”
“Yes, that's what Wade guessed,” I said. “And for the sake of creating stability in the population, their biology has shifted to include human females as mating partners.”
Shelby’s eyes widened. “That makes sense! Because it used to be forbidden. We weren’t allowed to mix with humans, for safety and privacy reasons. But as my mom mentioned, in the Wolf Ranch pack, six of the young men recently mated humans, breaking all the pack rules. Well, one of the women turned out to be part-shifter, but the point is—they were all fated mates. Not just human love-matches, but true, biological mates. Marked mates, I mean.”
I nodded, understanding, thanks to Cord’s Shifter Biology 101 lesson.
Studying the shifter genome would be a fascinating project…
Only, where would I present that paper? Somehow, I doubted there were any shifter universities or science journals. If I abandoned my current studies in favor of shifter science, I’d be totally isolated. I’d give up the chance of getting tenure at a university, gaining recognition for my studies.
Then again, it hadn’t ever been about recognition. Tenure was something I had to pursue because it was necessary for employment, but my real love had always been pure science.
Wolf science.
“So what are these secrets you’re going to share with me?” I asked with a smile.
Shelby leaned forward in her chair, her eyes lighting up with eagerness. “Here’s what you need to know. Shifter males are over-the-top possessive. They’re definitely dominant. Even spending my whole life with them didn’t prepare me for how overwhelming it is to have two of them fixated on me. But don’t ever be scared. You hold all the power, sister.”
Marne looked a little wistful. “That’s true. A fated mate will do anything to keep his female safe and happy. You just became their number one job in life. So whatever you need, just demand it. They’ll figure out how to make it work.”
