Riley's Pride

by Sandra R Neeley

  Riley stood there, his mouth open, not sure what to say. Finally words came to him, “How did you find us?”

  “You said Hwy 248, Barry County. You said it was an old store, deserted for a while. I planned to just stay near the store ‘til you showed up. But,” he tapped his nose, “my Panther scented you over here. We came on over to see if you needed help getting the place together enough to stay in.”

  Riley took in all Richie had explained and didn’t know how to break it to him other than honestly. “Richie, man, I don’t have a thing to offer you. I have no Pride, no job to offer you, nothing. I’m just as new here as you are.”

  Richie’s smile dropped. He met Riley’s eyes, “I know that, Alpha. But you have to start somewhere. And I’d be honored to be your first Pride member. I’ll take whatever pledge of loyalty you want me to take. I don’t need money right away, just room and board if you’re okay with that. If not, I’ll find a place to shelter. I know you have a little one to think of, and I’d be happy to help you protect her, too. It’s what a Pride does. If you’ll have me, I’d be proud to be a member of your Pride.”

  Riley could feel the honesty pouring off Richie in waves. There was no ulterior motive with this young man. He truly wanted to be a member of Riley’s Pride and to help Riley build that Pride. Then he did something that completely took Riley by surprise. He lifted his chin, displaying his neck to Riley in a sign of submission, “I request sanctuary, Alpha.”

  Riley’s Panther strutted in his head. This was what it felt like to be Alpha. This is what they were made for, to govern their own territory, with men who respected them and each other, and knew their place among his Pride.

  Riley reached forward, placing his hand on Richie’s neck, gently squeezing his throat. Richie tensed, but did not pull away.

  “Do you pledge your loyalty to me, mine and our Pride?”

  “I do,” Richie answered.

  “Do you promise to defend to the death the same?” Riley asked.

  “I do,” Richie confirmed. Then, “I will give my life to defend you, your daughter, and our Pride. I agree to accept any discipline you see fit if ever it is required. I look to you to guide our Pride, without question, Alpha.”

  “Sanctuary is granted, Richie.” He looked behind Richie and saw his bike parked out by the road, “Pull your bike inside the gate and bring your stuff in while I get dressed.”

  Richie’s face glowed with his smile, “Yes, Alpha! Thank you!” he said, as he turned to jog toward his bike.

  Riley called after him, “My name is Riley. Riley Colter. You don’t have to call me Alpha all the time. Riley is just fine.”

  “Yes, sir, Alpha. ‘Er, I mean, Riley,” Richie called back before he cranked his bike and drove it up to the front porch, parking it only a couple of feet from it. He went back and pulled the gate closed and latched it, then went back to stand outside the front door, which Riley had closed when he went to get dressed.

  Riley came downstairs expecting to find Richie in the living room. He wasn’t there, so he went into the kitchen, still not there.

  Riley went back to the front door and pulled it open. There was Richie, sitting in one of the chairs on the porch.

  “What are you doing?” Riley asked.

  “Waiting for you to come back down. I didn’t want to enter your house without permission,” Richie answered, standing.

  “Well, come on, you got permission,” Riley told him, smiling.

  Richie walked into Riley’s home, looking around, smiling. “This is a nice old house, Riley. You are going to be very happy here. Just needs a little work and it’ll be in great shape again,” Richie said.

  Riley looked around as Richie did, trying to see what he saw, “Yeah, I think you’re right. We’re all gonna be happy here. We’re gonna build a strong Pride. A good life.”

  They walked into the living room, “The living room is here, the kitchen is through there,” Riley pointed in the direction of the kitchen, “There’s a dining room on the other side of the staircase and what looks like either a small bedroom or an office on that side of the house, too. There’s a guest bathroom to the right when you first walk in. Upstairs are three bedrooms and another bath. I have Cristie sleeping in my bedroom, and hers will be on the other side of the bathroom that’s between them. The bedroom at the other end of the hall upstairs is available, or you can take the one down here. Either way is fine with me, so suit yourself.”

  “Really?” Richie said, stunned that he was being given a choice to sleep with the Alpha’s family upstairs if he wanted to.

  Riley looked at him like he’d lost his mind, “Yeah, really. I don’t ever say anything I don’t mean. If I cared which room you chose, I’d say so.”

  Riley could tell that Richie was a little emotional when he said quietly, “If you don’t mind, I think I’d like the room upstairs, near ya’ll.”

  “Done,” Riley responded. “Go put your stuff in it.”

  Richie shrugged, “All I got is what I have on.”

  “You didn’t bring anything with you?” Richie asked.

  “Well, I got a picture of my mom in my wallet, and other than that, all I left behind was a couple changes of clothes. Everything else was Alpha’s. If we had too much, he’d make us pay more in dues, thinking we were holding out on him. So I never really accumulated much.”

  Riley decided not to make a big thing out of it, but couldn’t help saying, “If all you have here is a couple changes of clothes, I’m doing something wrong. I want you to prosper. I want us both to prosper. Anyone who joins my Pride is expected to make a good life for themselves. You got it?”

  Richie was grinning, “Yes, sir. I do.”

  “You hungry?” Riley asked.

  “Naw, I’m good,” Richie answered.

  “Alright, come on, let me show you your room, and let’s get some sleep.”

  Riley showed Richie his bedroom and then went to his own.

  Richie pulled the sheet off the bed and just as Riley had said, the bedding underneath was clean. He looked around the room and marveled at his good luck. He was in a good place now, with an honorable Alpha, helping to build a new Pride. He’d never been happier and he made a vow to himself to be sure to do anything he could to help his new Alpha build a Pride that everyone who heard of it wanted to be a part of.

  There was a knock at his door, “Richie?” Riley called through the door.

  Richie jumped up to rush to the door; he pulled it open, “Yes, sir.”

  Riley shook his head, “Stop with the sir, I’m Riley. And quit being so damn jumpy. This is your home, too, now. Relax.” Then Riley held something out to him.

  Richie took the small bundle from him, “What’s this?”

  “Clean clothes. We’ll get you some more tomorrow when we go find the grocery. I’m sure they’ll have somewhere to grab some clothes, too.”

  Richie looked from the clothes in his hand to his new Alpha, speechless. His Alpha was kind, too.

  “Sleep well, Richie, while you can. Cristie hits the floor early — ain’t nobody able to sleep through that.” Riley smiled at him and walked away.

  Richie finally recovered enough to call down the hall after him, “Good night, Riley. Thank you.”

  Chapter 3

  Squeals and the slapping of little feet on a hardwood floor woke Richie the next morning. He grinned before he even opened his eyes. Turning over, stretching his arms over his head, and looking around his room, he grinned again when he heard Cristie say, “Is him gonna make ‘sketti’s again?”

  “Maybe later, but right now he’s still resting. Let’s go downstairs and see the rest of our house, okay?”

  Another squeal of delight had Richie actually chuckling to himself as he hauled his body out of bed. He pulled on the clean clothes Riley had given him and went to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. Only he didn’t have a toothbrush, so he just swished some mouthwash Riley had left in there, before making his way downstairs
.

  “Good morning!” Richie called as he came down the stairs.

  “Morning, Richie. How’d you sleep?” Riley asked.

  “So deep I forgot where I was ‘til I heard a little angel laughing this morning. Is there a little angel living here with us?”

  Cristie was jumping up and down, her hand in the air, “Me! Me! I angel!”

  “Was that you I heard?”

  “I laughed. I angel!” she said excitedly.

  “Yes, you are,” Richie answered, chucking her lightly under the chin. Then he turned his attention to Riley, “Anything I can do to help you get situated today?”

  “Matter of fact, I need to bring in the rest of our things from the truck and double check the house for any repairs that can’t wait. Then we’ll head into town and see if we can pick up some supplies.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Richie answered.

  “Let’s get started,” Riley said.

  A couple hours later Riley stood in the middle of Cooper’s Mercantile, a shopping cart in front of him piled high with new bedding, pillows, curtains, a vacuum cleaner, cleaning supplies, kitchen towels, bath towels and anything else he could think of, while Richie followed along with his own shopping cart piled just as high with like items and some clothes and a pair of tennis shoes, since all he had with him was a pair of work boots.

  “I think we’re done here for now. Anything else you can think of?” Riley asked, trying hard to ignore the Christmas crap that seemed to be growing from every spare inch of the store. He couldn’t help it — Christmas was just not on his radar this year. Heartbreak tended to do that to you.

  “Yeah! Light bulbs - the porch one needs to be replaced, but otherwise I’m pretty sure you got it covered,” Richie answered, his ever-present smile in place.

  “Right! Let’s find ‘em and get this paid for and loaded. Then we need to head to the building supply and then find a grocery.”

  Riley loaded Cristie into her carseat where she happily cooed and talked to the new stuffed dog toy she’d refused to leave the store without. Then they loaded the bags of new purchases in the back of the truck. While he put the bags of clothes in the front seat, Richie became very somber — he couldn’t remember the last time anyone had done anything even remotely kind for him, “Thank you for the clothes and the shoes, Alpha. You didn’t have to do that. I will pay you back.”

  “You already have, Richie. You’re here, and you believe in me. You’re my friend.”

  Richie nodded, trying to hide his emotional response, it’d been a long time since he’d had a friend. Then he raised his eyes to Riley’s, “Friends?”

  “Friends,” Riley confirmed, patting Richie on the shoulder and hugging him briefly as he went past to get in the truck.

  They stopped at the hardware store that also housed a small lumberyard and building supply. As they pulled into the parking lot, they noticed an older four-wheel ATV for sale sitting up close to the street. “Wonder what they want for that?” Riley said.

  “Think we need it?” Richie asked.

  “Got a lot of acres to take care of now.”

  “True. It looks to be in good shape.”

  “Remind me to ask while we’re in there,” Riley said, driving to the rear parking lot to park his truck there, since that was where they stored all the lumber and larger items he planned to buy.

  They picked up several rolls of chain link and the clips they needed to rebuild the fence around the house and also bought some lumber, nails and such just in case they found anything that needed to be repaired in the old store he had yet to look around. Here, too, Christmas seemed to have exploded inside the store, but Riley made sure to smile and be polite, introducing himself to anyone who seemed to want to talk. He explained he’d bought Amos’ old place and planned to start a new business, make a new life there. He shook hands and made small talk with the small town folk until he felt they’d remember him before resuming his shopping. He went to the front counter to pay for everything and asked about the four-wheeler up front.

  “It’s in pretty good shape. We overhauled it, cleaned it up and put it out. Couple of people have shown a little interest, but nothing serious yet,” the store owner told him.

  “How much you asking?” Riley asked.

  “Four hundred,” the owner said.

  “I’ll give you three,” Riley said.

  The owner regarded Riley, thinking about the offer. “Split the difference?” he asked.

  “Sold,” Riley said, holding out his hand to shake.

  The owner shook his hand and excused himself to go bring the four wheeler around back to load it into the back of Riley’s truck. Riley paid for everything and went around back to have the guys who worked in the warehouse load him up. When he got there, Richie was already overseeing the reloading of the truck. They’d moved all the bags of bedding and such into the cab of the truck. Loaded up the four wheeler and were placing the other items around it in the bed of the extended cab. Riley shook hands with the teenage boy who was the designated loader, introducing himself as they finished up. His nostrils flared at the fleeting scent of another shifter. He cut his eyes toward Richie, whose head was raised, scenting the air himself.

  “You the only one working back here?” Riley asked.

  “No, sir. But it’s just me at the moment. It’ll likely be me or Scott loading you whenever you come by. We pretty much share the job. Ain’t much around here for us to do for a job, so we share, each working part time.”

  “Well, I’m glad to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mr. Riley. I’m Alan.”

  “Planning to start a couple businesses in the next few months, maybe something for you or your friend to do if you’d be interested.”

  “Oh, yeah. Always interested in finding work,” Alan answered.

  “Good, very good. Maybe I’ll be seeing you around,” Riley smiled as he and Richie climbed back into the truck to drive away.

  “Was it him?” Richie asked.

  “I don’t think so. But whoever it was is not full-blooded. The scent is not strong enough to be a full-blooded shifter.”

  They headed to the grocery next, which was an experience in itself. Riley pushed the shopping cart with Cristie sitting in it, while they went up and down the rows picking up the things they liked most to eat — cereal, sandwich meat and cheeses, mac n cheese, frozen pizza — things that Riley could cook. But Richie was having none of it. He was like a kid at Christmas, wandering here and there, picking up items and talking animatedly about how he’d make this or that dish while he dropped things in the shopping cart and wandered away to put back whatever prepackaged quick fix food Riley had picked up, to look for other ingredients.

  Riley looked down at Cristie and said, “I think we’re gonna be eating good. No need to worry about too many sandwiches and cereal.”

  Cristie, still fiddling with her new stuffed dog, looked up and said, “’Sketti!”

  From two rows over, Richie called back, “On it!”

  Riley chuckled and shook his head doing his best to keep up with Richie as he wandered here and there through the store, calling out, “But I like cereal!”

  Which had Richie tossing him a box of Frosted Flakes and scowling at him playfully while he perused the aisles for the rest of the things he needed to make whatever he had in mind.

  “And don’t forget we need all the basics — mayo, ketchup, mustard, corn dogs.”

  “Corndogs? Corndogs is the basics?” Richie asked, laughing.

  “Hey, man. Never a bad time for a corndog.”

  “Chips!” Cristie called out.

  “You got it, baby girl!” Richie answered, as a multi bag of assorted chips sailed over the top of the neighboring aisle and landed in their shopping cart.

  Checking out was another adventure. Riley was a beautiful man, as was Richie, and both were shifters, which naturally drew women to them.

  They placed all their choices on the conveyor, neither reall
y noticing the young woman waiting to check them out. Riley had moved to the front of the shopping cart, his wallet in his hands, ready to pay, but smiling back at Richie playing with Cristie where she sat in the shopping cart.

  “You must be new around here,” a feminine voice purred at Riley. “I’d have remembered you if I’d seen you before.”

  Riley turned his attention back to the cashier. He smiled tightly, “Matter of fact, I am new.”

  “Gonna be here long, or just passing through?”

  “I bought the old store and the house beside it just out of town. Gonna be here a while.”

  “Oh, how nice,” she said, “maybe I could show you around.”

  Riley’s skin crawled at the sound of seduction in her voice and the thought of another woman besides Maia getting close to him. But he didn’t want to hurt the girl’s feelings — it wasn’t her fault she wasn’t Maia. He smiled, “You know what? I’ve pretty much found everything I need, but my cousin is new, too.” Riley thumbed at Richie at the other end of the shopping cart, “He could probably use a tour of the town. Can’t find his own ass in a snowstorm.”

  “Really?” Richie snapped. “I had no problem tracking you!”

  Riley chuckled, while he counted out the money to pay for their food. When he handed the money to the woman, he noticed that she was now looking intently at Richie. Mission accomplished, Riley thought.

  “Is that your daughter?” she asked Richie.

  “Naw. Cristie’s Riley’s.” Richie indicated Riley.

  “She’s precious.” She turned her attention to Cristie, handing her a candy cane from the basket beside her register for the kids to help themselves from, “Hi sweetheart. What’s that you have there? A doggie? What’s his name?” she asked.

  Cristie held up her stuffed doggie for the lady to see, “Poppy,” she said.

  “Awww, yes, it is a puppy. And he’s cute, too!”

  Cristie’s little brow wrinkled, and she pulled the dog back in for a hug. He wasn’t a puppy; he was Poppy.