A shifter finds his soul mate...

Ronni Lyles and her son are just settling into their new pack when her dead husband’s brother comes to claim them. Bodie Gryffon is looking for a safe place to raise his daughter—a raven-shifter, just like him. What begins as a purely practical alliance turns passionate. But Ronni senses that Bodie has a secret—one that could force him to make a painful choice.

Southern born and bred, KRISTAL HOLLIS holds a psychology degree and has spent her adulthood helping people and animals. When a family medical situation resulted in a work sabbatical, she began penning deliciously dark paranormal romances as an escape from the real-life drama. But when the crisis passed, her passion for writing love stories continued. A 2015 Golden Heart® Award finalist, Kristal lives with her husband and two rescued dogs at the edge of the enchanted forest that inspires her stories.

Also available by Kristal Hollis

Awakened by the Wolf

Rescued by the Wolf

Charmed by the Wolf

Captivated by the She-Wolf

Visit millsandboon.co.uk for more information

Captivated by the She-Wolf

Kristal Hollis

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN-13: 978-1-474-08200-6

CAPTIVATED BY THE SHE-WOLF

© 2018 Kristal Hollis

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the Cradle of Forestry employees and volunteers at the Brasstown Bald Visitor Information Center, thank you for your dedicated conservation efforts and diligence in maintaining one of my favorite places to visit.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Extract

Chapter 1

Watching two wolves copulate wasn’t how Bodaway Gryffon wanted to spend his evening.

In his raven form, he’d flown into the Walker’s Run Cooperative’s wolf sanctuary to scout possible locations for his daughter, Willow. Her Transformation Ceremony would take place on her sixteenth birthday, the age their kind, the Tlanuhwa—an ancient Native American clan of raven shifters—developed the ability to shift into their bird forms.

Bodie had first learned of the Walker’s Run Cooperative and their commitment to conservation and the preservation of wildlife a few years ago while working with other state, federal and local agencies to contain a massive fire within the Chattahoochee National Forest.

Recently moved to the area, Bodie now had the opportunity to explore the Co-op’s protected lands with the hope of finding a safe and permanent home for Willow, his mother and himself.

Ignoring the activity below his perch, Bodie lifted his gaze to the full moon, a large, bright, unblinking eye that watched over the earth—or at least the wolf sanctuary. He wondered if its bluish glow served as an aphrodisiac for the wolves, considering the number he’d seen mating tonight.

Peripheral movement in the distance drew his attention and he launched from his perch to investigate. Weaving through trees with branches still weighted with lush, green leaves, he honed in on the she-wolf leisurely padding ahead. Thick reddish-gold fur covered her sleek, toned body. Nose twitching, she tilted her head and watched Bodie alight in a nearby tree. Curiosity shimmered in her cobalt blue eyes and as she examined him inch by inch, an indelible warmth spread across Bodie’s skin beneath his dark feathers.

Inspection complete, she continued on her trek and he felt an unusual tinge of sadness at her departure. Before the she-wolf disappeared completely from view, she looked over her shoulder directly at him.

Bodie wasn’t presumptuous enough to simply assume that he was her visual target. His vision was as sharp as any raptor and he could see her blue gaze fixed on him as clearly as if they were standing nose to beak.

She smiled.

Whoa!

Could wolves actually smile?

Damn curious, Bodie took off from his perch and landed in a tree near where the she-wolf waited. No sooner had he settled than she restarted her journey.

Following along, he flew from limb to limb. She didn’t look back at him again, but if he waited too long to catch up, her pace slowed.

That she wanted Bodie’s company gave him a rush. Although he couldn’t physically smile with his beak, mentally he couldn’t seem to stop himself. If all of the Co-op wolves were this friendly, then the sanctuary would be ideal for Willow’s ceremony and a great place to teach her how to fly.

The she-wolf made her way to a wide, peaceful stream. Gently flowing water sparkled with the moonlight. She eased into the water, as graceful as a nymph, and Bodie landed on an outcropping of rocks at the water’s edge. Leisurely, she swam without once casting her gaze in his direction. He shook off the unexpected annoyance, ruffling his feathers.

A few minutes later, she leaped from the stream and shook. Hopping backward to avoid the spray, Bodie slipped on a slick spot and one of his three-toed feet wedged inside a small crack in the giant rock. A shock of pain shot up his leg and he squawked.

Wiggling his toes didn’t cause further pain, so nothing was broken. Gently, he tried to pull his foot free. But again, something sharp in the slim crevice kept him pinned. Even clenching, then unclenching his toes as he lifted his foot didn’t work.

He tilted his head and peered inside the crack at the jagged piece of debris. With a spaghetti-thin stick or perhaps a pine needle, he might be able to dislodge the obstacle. Too bad nothing was in reach of his beak.

An ominous prickle crawled up his spine and he became aware of the sound of nails clicking against the rock. Slowly, he turned his head and saw the she-wolf peering down at him.

Oh, boy!

Trying to remain calm, still and avoid sudden movement, Bodie tried again to lift his foot free of the crack. He got the same result—a stabbing pain when he bumped against the sharp debris.

Nudging him, the she-wolf snorted softly, blowing air through his feathers. His heart stopped and panic exploded in his mind. He didn’t think about death often, but on the occasion he did, getting eaten by a wolf was not one of the scenarios his mind conjured.

Attempting to shoo her away, he squawked and flapped his wings. Her nose wrinkled in a grim expression, then she planted her rump on the rock.

The silvery light that flashed along the tips of her fur wouldn’t have bothered Bodie in his human form. However, to his bird sight, the brightness was blinding. When he finally lowered his wings from his face and the black spots faded from his vision, he saw a beautiful, naked woman crouched where the she-wolf had been.

Shock threw his brain into flight mode and the only clear thought he had was to escape. Wings flapping, he intended to soar upward. Pain anchored his trapped leg and he fell flat on his beak.

“Easy, little one.”

Little one?

Indignation nearly overrode his sensibility. Too bad it would be really awful for him to shift right now.

“Ouch!” The woman drew back her hand. A perfectly round drop of blood formed in the spot where Bodie had pecked her.

“I’m only trying to help.” She pressed the small wound against her mouth.

Yeah? Well, Bodie didn’t know that when she’d reached toward him and he had defended himself with the only weapon he had, his beak. He felt bad about breaking the skin, though. But his reflexes were hyped on adrenaline. Having never encountered a shifter species outside of his own, his linear view of reality had suddenly turned kaleidoscopic. As a matter of survival, Tlanuhwas like himself were extremely secretive about their ability to transform into ravens.

“I know what it’s like to feel trapped and afraid,” the woman cooed.

Now sympathy overran the adrenaline, awakening Bodie’s protective nature and flooding him with an undeniable need to safeguard the she-wolf. Instinctively, his chest puffed and his feathers fluffed.

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you in my human or wolf form. Wahyas are forbidden from harming other creatures, especially inside the sanctuary.”

So that’s what they called themselves. Bodie repeated the word in his mind. Wa-hi-ya.

Filled with suspicion, her eyes inspected every inch of him. “You look different from the ravens in these parts.”

That’s because I am.

Double the size of ordinary ravens, Tlanuhwa had inky black feathers that shimmered with a silver iridescence in moonlight and their eyes were golden rather than black.

“If you’re scavenging for leftovers, you won’t find them here.” She eased forward. “No hunting of any kind is allowed inside the sanctuary. Our sentinels will hunt down anyone who tries.”

No hunting allowed.

Bodie wanted to kiss her. Would have in fact, except for...well, him being a bird with his foot stuck in a crack.

He looked at her. Really looked to see the woman, not the she-wolf.

Her long, strawberry blonde hair was damp, rumpled and sexy. Her captivating eyes had remained the same beautiful blue as her wolf’s had been. Tiny crinkles around her mouth and the faint lines in her forehead said she experienced the ups and downs of life head-on. He’d expect no less from a she-wolf.

High cheekbones flanked her straight nose, neither too long nor too short, and the slightly upturned tip was the perfect place for a teasing kiss. The faintest freckles dotted her creamy skin and the delicate expanse of her slender throat inspired visions of delicious nips and licks.

Any man would be honored to be held by such soft, round shoulders and sleek, strong arms. Her breasts were full and perfectly shaped and the pale, pink nipples made his mouth water even though his throat went dry.

“Hey!” She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Unbelievable!”

Sorry.

His gaze naturally found her chest again.

Oh, so not sorry.

“Show some respect or I’ll leave your feathered ass here. None of the animals will hurt you, but the ants are bitches.”

The threat snapped Bodie’s mind back to where it needed to be.

“So you do understand me.”

He answered with a deep-throated croak.

“If I’m going to get you unstuck, I need to see what your foot is caught on.” Slowly, she leaned down.

He froze, unable to breathe. His form might be that of a raven, but he was still male. Hot-blooded and drowning in testosterone.

“How in the world did you manage to get stuck like that?” she said, staring down into the crack.

Funny story. Maybe I’ll tell you one day.

“I’m gonna need something to dislodge that pebble.” Frowning, she glanced around.

Hey, beautiful, what’s your name?

Crouched on her hands and knees, she leaned over the boulder and reached into the water.

Come here often? I’d really like for you to show me around. Show me a good time.

Unable to resist, he cautiously stretched out his wing so that the tips of his feathers grazed her backside.

“Hey!” Clutching a thin reed, she sat up and looked around.

Bodie quickly pointed his beak in the air looking everywhere except at her gloriously naked body.

“Weird,” she mumbled, moving back into position to peer into the crack.

He couldn’t see what she was doing but he felt the debris fall away from his foot. In his excitement to be free, Bodie accidentally slapped the woman’s face with his wing.

“Gee, thanks.”

Sorry! This time he meant it.

On his good leg, he hopped in circles, trying to inspect his other foot. Thankfully, it wasn’t bloody or mangled.

“You should be all right now.”

He eased his foot down until it was flat against the boulder. After a few tentative steps, he put his full weight on it. It didn’t buckle and he felt no pain.

Croaking gratefully, he bowed to his lovely rescuer.

His reward was a soft smile. This time, when she reached toward him, Bodie didn’t strike back.

She gently stroked his chest. His insides got all warm and fuzzy, and he felt a little drunk. He blamed the sensation on his relief at being freed.

“Aren’t you cute.”

Cute? Seriously?

Cute was for teenagers. When she saw him in his human form, that would not be the first word that popped into her mind.

A howl rose in the distance.

“Gotta go, little one,” she told Bodie before shifting into her wolf and leaping from the boulder.

Little one.

Oh, he couldn’t wait to show her how little he wasn’t.

Chapter 2

The hypnotic whir of the sewing machine was as near to heaven as Veronika Lyles could get, except for the moment of ecstasy when being loved by her mate.

Since Zeke had died, owning her own business was near enough.

Inside The Stitchery, the aromatic scent of dye from the bolts of fabric lining the shelves had taken a while to get used to, but now Ronni barely noticed them. She loved the feel of fabric between her fingers, taking yards of shapeless cloth and fashioning them into something useful and beautiful.

The Walker’s Run Cooperative, the public human face of her new wolfan pack, had spared no expense on the renovations of the abandoned store next to her cousin’s automotive repair shop. Not only had they given Ronni a place within their pack but also a purpose.

In Pine Ridge, her poverty-stricken and turmoil-plagued former pack in Kentucky, she’d mended threadbare clothes, patched thrift store finds and reshaped garage sale discoveries into whatever her family had needed. Now she and her teenage son, Alex, lacked for nothing, including the freedom to live a life of their own choosing and the safety in which to do it.

Gratitude swelled in her heart. The Co-op really took care of its own. Even those adopted into the pack.

Having lost and gained so much over the last nineteen months, she was finally starting to feel settled and relaxed. Time did eventually heal even the deepest wounds. She had expected last week’s full moon to be a difficult night, since it fell on the anniversary of her claiming—the night Zeke had bitten her during a sexual encounter and marked her as his life-mate.

His death had been the catalyst in expediting Ronni and their son Alex’s relocation to Walker’s Run, saving them from the deadly uprising within her birth pack. The tug-of-war between the grief of losing her beloved mate and the downright thankfulness for a new and better life was a battle she fought daily.

Since the encounter with the unusual raven a few nights ago, Ronni had found the struggle a little easier to bear. Every night since, he perched in a tree outside her house and watched over her as she sat on the back porch swing. Ravens were infamous thieves, so maybe he was stealing her troubles away, one night at a time.

Whatever his reason for visiting, she now looked forward to his company. Preferred it, actually, to the males who figured her mourning period was over and that she was back on the market. Most of them would make fine mates for some other she-wolf. Having been loved and loved hard, she wouldn’t be content with anything less and she simply hadn’t connected that strongly to any potential suitor. Except the raven.

She laughed at the absurdity.

The delicate chime of bells jingled from the front of the store.

“That you, Elliott?” Ronni rolled her chair away from the sewing table and stood, arching her back and stretching her arms above her head. The bunched muscles relaxed.

“Yep.” Without fail, postal employee and fellow packmate Elliott Dubois delivered Ronni’s mail at ten fifty-five every morning.

She walked into the front where slanted teak shelves were loaded with bolts of every imaginable color of fabric. More for show than actual use, the rainbow effect reminded her that this store, this pack, this life was her pot of gold.

“You have to sign for this one.” In his late fifties, Elliott had dark springy hair clipped close to his head, smooth brown skin, sepia-colored eyes teeming with intelligence and a tightly trimmed beard framing a generous mouth that usually dazzled her with a flash of straight white teeth. Today, Elliott clenched his jaw hard enough to flatten his lips until they whitened around the edges.

“Well, it can’t be an eviction letter.” The Co-op owned her building and she paid a portion of her profits to the Co-op, as all members did.

Ronni stepped behind the sales counter and picked up a pen from the cup beside the register.

“It’s from the Woelfesenat.” He handed her an overnight, certified letter.

Ronni’s heart stopped. As did time itself.

The air inside The Stitchery stilled. Neither she nor Elliott breathed. The ticking of the pendulum clock on the wall behind her ceased to tock in her ears.

Although all Wahyan packs were independently governed by their respective Alphas, the Woelfesenat was the international wolf council that ensured their species continued to live peaceably among the unsuspecting human populace. They held the ultimate ruling power over all wolf shifters, world-wide. A communique from them was either really good news or it wasn’t. There was no middle ground with them.

Since Ronni preferred to stay off their radar, she doubted they were awarding her a commendation.

Nervously, she signed for the document.

“Maybe it’s not too serious.” Elliott offered her a hopeful smile.

“Probably paperwork involving my mate’s death,” she said, even though Zeke had died over a year ago. “It all happened so fast, Alex and I just packed up and left.”

“I’m sure that’s all it is.” Relief eased Elliott’s worry. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Ronni kept her smile in place until Elliott walked out of The Stitchery and across the street. Hands shaking, she tore into the letter.

It wasn’t about her deceased husband, Ezekiel. It was about his brutal older brother, Jebediah.

Ronni’s heart dropped into her stomach with such velocity it could have passed right through her pelvis to make a crater on the concrete floor.

Jeb wasn’t dead like everyone had believed. And despite the many prayers and supplications Ronni had made to never lay eyes on that man again, the Woelfesenat was officially informing her that Jeb had petitioned for the assertion of his blood-kin rights and would be contacting her shortly regarding visitation with her son, Alexander.

The letter slipped from her fingers. Her knees gave out. She sank to the floor. Her heart climbed back into her chest and beat in a furious attempt to make up for lost time. A sudden deluge of adrenaline made her head spin. Her breaths grew short from the tightening of her chest and the closing of her throat. Even her nose seemed unable to draw in air.

As her mate’s brother, Jeb had a stronger blood-kin relation to Alex than Rafe Wyatt, Ronni’s distant cousin, who had given them refuge after Zeke’s death, providing a home and helping to establish them in the Walker’s Run pack.

Zeke had risked his life to protect her from Jeb, who had begun obsessively stalking her with a mind to forcibly claim her if she resisted. And later, in hopes of giving his family a better life, Zeke had been coordinating with Rafe on their transference to Walker’s Run when he was killed by rebel packmates.

If allowed to go unchecked, Jeb would undo everything Zeke had sacrificed to give them.

Under no circumstance would Ronni allow that to happen. Taking a calming breath, she forced down her panic.

The clock on the wall behind her chimed and she jumped.

Irritated with herself, Ronni stood and shook off her momentary weakness and flattened her hands on the counter. She couldn’t stop Jeb from coming to get them, but she would make damn certain he left Walker’s Run empty-handed.

* * *

“Who are you again?” Mary Jane McAllister, an elderly woman with short, gray curly hair and wearing overalls, squinted at Bodie from behind her screen door.

“Sergeant Gryffon.” The wooden porch squeaked as he shifted his weight. He’d been interviewing tight-lipped Co-op residents all morning about the gunshots he’d heard inside the wolf sanctuary last night. “I’m with Georgia DNR.”

“What’s that?”

“Department of Natural Resources,” he answered, for the third time. Noting the hearing aids in her ears, he swallowed his impatience.

Again, she inspected him head to toe. “Are you a game warden or something?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Though as a DNR conservation ranger in the law enforcement division, Bodie had the same investigative and arrest powers entrusted to all local, state or federal law enforcement officers.

“Well, whatcha doin’ here?” She crossed her arms over her full chest.

That was a loaded question.

In recent years, there had been a number of fatal wild boar attacks in and around Maico. DNR’s growing concern with the feral hog situation was, in part, responsible for Bodie’s reassignment here. And since his arrival, he had combed the entire area, on foot or in the air. And there wasn’t a single boar to be found, wild or otherwise.

There were, however, wolf shifters who in all likelihood did not take kindly to trespassers or interlopers.

“A witness reported shots were fired inside the Walker’s Run wolf sanctuary last night.” Bodie didn’t elaborate that he’d been the one to hear the shotgun blasts while perched in a tree at the she-wolf’s house.

After following her home from the sanctuary a few nights ago, he couldn’t seem to stay away, returning nightly to watch over her as she sat on the back porch swing. During the day, wherever his job led, he searched the faces of every woman, hoping to find her and introduce himself.

This morning as he began to interview residents living near the wolf sanctuary, Bodie had thought he would finally meet her. But when he knocked on her door, no one answered. Somehow, he had to find a way to meet this woman while in his human form. Maybe then, visions of her would stop invading his dreams.

“Did you hear gunshots last night, Ms. McAllister?”

“What if I did? It’s hunting season.”

“Yes, ma’am, but it’s illegal to hunt inside a protected wildlife refuge.”

“You ain’t got nothing to worry about,” she said. “The Co-op will take care of any poachers caught on their land.”

The thought had crossed Bodie’s mind more than once. In the sanctuary, the she-wolf-turned-beautiful-woman had said sentinels would hunt down anyone who harmed an animal on Co-op lands.

“I’m trying to do my job, ma’am.” Before someone gets hurt.

“Well, go do it somewhere else.” Ms. McAllister stepped back and gripped the hardwood door. “I ain’t got nothing to say.”

The door closed hard enough to rattle the metal screen. Definitely not the first one slammed in his face this morning, but since this was the last house bordering the Co-op’s wolf sanctuary, it would be the final interview for today.

He descended the porch steps, walked to his state-supplied, double cab truck and climbed inside. Shaking off the autumn chill, he studied the McAllister homestead. It was different from the other homes bordering the Co-op’s wolf sanctuary in that she had a dozen or so chickens running around her yard and an empty pig sty. There had been no indication of pets or farm animals at the other residences.

The house appeared more weathered than the others he had seen, but still in good repair. In the front window, one slat in the blinds parted. His intent when questioning the residents wasn’t to antagonize them, but to offer help.

Help that no one seemed to want or appreciate. If indeed they were wolf shifters, as he suspected, perhaps the Co-op residents believed they were safe living among their own kind. Estranged from his clan and under constant scrutiny, Bodie could only imagine how comforting that feeling must be.

He turned the key in the ignition and waved to the woman in the window. The blind snapped closed.

In the rearview mirror, he saw a white pickup truck pull in behind him. An older man got out, his movements stealthy and predatory.

Wahya! The term the she-wolf had used when referring to her species pierced his mind. Whereas her spirit had been kind and gentle, the aura emanating from the man stalking toward Bodie’s vehicle caused his feathers to ruffle.

Bodie rolled down his window. “Good morning, sir. I’m Sergeant Gryffon with DNR.”

“I know who you are.” The man’s dark eyes narrowed. “Appreciate your interest in the shots fired last night, but it’s a Co-op matter. Best you stay out of it.”

“If it involves poaching or any other illegal activity, I’m inclined to disagree.”

“It doesn’t.”

“Then you know who discharged the firearms?”

The man sucked his teeth and his gaze flickered right. “A couple of the Co-op’s teenagers were horsing around. Won’t happen again.”

It was an outright lie. In his raven form, Bodie had seen the shotgun casings on the ground and the cut fence. He’d also followed several wolves tracking the perpetrators’ trail, which stopped abruptly at the tire tracks that disappeared at the asphalt road. Since he couldn’t very well admit to it, he was at a dead end, too.

Bodie picked up the notepad and pen on the seat next to him. “Do you mind telling me your name, sir?”

The man’s wizened face darkened. “Don’t see why I should.”

“For the record,” Bodie said. “If I’m going to close out the incident report, I need to know who provided the information.”

“Henry Coots.” The man exhaled heavily. “Most people call me Cooter.”

Bodie jotted down the name. “Who are the juveniles involved?”

“I don’t think their names are necessary. They got a good scolding from the sentinels. It won’t happen again.”

“The sentinels?” The she-wolf had mentioned them, too.

“The Co-op’s security force.” Cooter nodded. “Put down in your book that they handled the situation. There’s nothing more to it.”

Oh, there was a hell of a lot more to it. “Thank you for your time, Cooter.”

“Next time, before you stick your nose into the Co-op’s matters, you should talk to Tristan Durrance. He’s been in charge of security since I retired.”

“Yes, sir.” Bodie had left a message for Tristan but hadn’t received a call back yet. Having first met while working the fires in the Chattahoochee National Forest a few years ago, they had reconnected when Bodie moved to Maico.

Cooter returned to his truck and drove around Bodie’s vehicle toward the house. Bodie checked the rearview mirror.

At least no more Co-opers were driving up to tell him not to stick his beak where it didn’t belong.

Thankfully Willow was having a better time integrating with the locals than her father. She loved her new classmates. Had to be a first. Quiet and heartbreakingly shy, Willow had hated every school she’d attended. Bodie suspected bullying though she never admitted it.

But on her first day at Maico High, she had come home all smiles and talking more than she had the entire summer before they’d moved. Coming out of her shell, she had made friends and was growing more confident in herself every day. Perhaps it had something to do with the nearing of her first transformation, but he hoped that it was because she was happy.

The gnawing in his belly turned into an obnoxious rumble. He’d missed lunch and now his stomach was trying to devour itself. He lifted the phone from its holder on the dashboard and called the local diner.

“Mabel’s,” a woman answered.

“I need to place an order.”

“Bodie?” She drew out his name with her Southern drawl. “Is that you?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, hey, cutie pie. I wondered if you were comin’ by today to see me.”

Bodie had no idea which server was talking to him.

Being a new face in a small town always made one stand out. Being a new single face was like wearing a neon sign. But after Willow and Bodie’s mother had joined him in Maico, the neon sign went nova.

“I’m running late and need to pick up something to go.”

“Want the usual?”

“That’ll be fine.” Bodie glanced at the clock. “I might not get there until after the diner closes.”

“I’ll keep it warming in the window. You drive safe, now. See you soon.”

Bodie backed out of the driveway onto the road. Heading into town, he passed the KOA campground and the weight on his shoulders increased. Living in the camper had been a temporary plan when he’d arrived in Maico, alone. He’d expected to have time to find a place before bringing up his daughter and mother.

However, plans changed after two Tlanuhwas had unexpectedly approached Bodie, hoping to recruit him into a small faction wanting him to pick up the mantle of modernization among their kind that had gotten his forward-thinking father killed. Not knowing if they were sincere or informants for the Tribunal—the Tlanuhwas’ governing council—Bodie had adamantly declined.

Still, if something was going on among his clansmen, he wanted his family close. Of course, his mother had squawked about the move. But she didn’t know about the incident and he wasn’t inclined to worry her over something that might not come to fruition.

Clipped to the dashboard, his phone chirped. He tapped the speaker button. “Gryffon.”

“Hey.” Tristan sounded like his usual friendly self. “Just got your message. Nel turned my phone off so I could get some sleep.”

“Nel is in town?”

“Yeah.” Tristan’s voice faded into a contented sigh. “This time, she’s staying.”

“That’s great,” Bodie said, now making sense of how devastated his staunch bachelor friend had been by the break-up with his summer fling. Wolves mated for life; apparently wolf-shifters did, too, when they fell in love.

Not that Bodie was looking for love, but maybe Tristan could help him connect with the she-wolf. Never far from his mind, she captivated him in a way no woman had. He needed to meet her in person, gauge her reaction to his human form. Find out if the strong attraction he felt was mutual.

“About the gunshots last night,” Bodie began before his thoughts continued to lead him elsewhere.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m calling.” Tristan paused. “Can you meet me at the Walker’s Run Resort? We need to discuss a few things.”

Oh, yes, we do.

Chapter 3

The gray gloom in the early afternoon sky matched Ronni’s mood and she barely felt the nip in the light autumn breeze. Strolling past Wyatt’s Automotive Service, she gave a finger wave to Rafe inside the garage and then crossed the side street to Mabel’s Diner.

After an explosion at Rafe’s business last year had caused damage to the diner, the aging owner, Mabel Whitcomb, had considered retiring instead of reopening. She—like most humans—was unaware of the existence of wolf shifters and was not a member of the Walker’s Run Cooperative. But, because she was a pillar in the community and a friend to many Co-op members, Gavin Walker—the pack’s Alpha—had directed funds from the Co-op’s reserves to finance the diner’s remodeling project.

On the outside, the town landmark still looked the same with its bright yellow walls and white trim. The interior, however, had been given a significant overhaul. Gone was the faded eighties decor, the stained and threadbare commercial carpet, the ripped vinyl booths, the wobbly aluminum tables and a lunch counter with a large, face-like coffee stain the servers had named Fred.

Now the palette matched the cozy feel that Mabel’s always generated. The walls were creamy yellow with white accents, though some rich wood paneling kept customers from feeling like they’d been swallowed by a lemon meringue pie. Instead of carpet, the floor was now wood laminate. The worn and rickety booths, tables and chairs were replaced with solid, sturdy wooden ones. Red-and-white-checkered cloths decorated the tables, and lacy curtains hung over the windows.

The menu was as Southern as ever. Just walking into the diner, one could hear the patrons’ arteries hardening. In an effort to not kill off all the customers with cholesterol-induced heart attacks, a few lighter and healthier menu options had been introduced.

Mabel herself remained the most prominent fixture. Sporting her iconic red beehive hairdo and sky blue eyeshadow, she perched on her stool behind the cash register, ringing up the last customer in the restaurant.

“Put your order in about five minutes ago, hon,” Mabel said. “Should be out any time.”

“Thanks.” Ronni smiled as if she hadn’t received a letter announcing her entire world could come crashing down at any time.

She continued on into the women’s restroom that wasn’t much bigger than a closet. After washing her hands, she splashed cold water on her face. The harried look her eyes had held after Zeke died was back. Fear, mostly, of what an uncertain future held.

She stared at her reflection until the fear cowered beneath her determination. No man, no wolf, would take her son.

This was the twenty-first century. Wolfans had evolved alongside humans. It was about time their laws did, too.

Ronni returned to the dining area, empty except for one other person. A man. Sitting on her stool. Eating her lunch.

A growl rumbled in her throat. Stealing a wolfan’s food could be a deadly mistake.

“Hey!” She marched over to her seat. “What do you think you’re doing?”

The Native American man wearing the green slacks and gray button-down of a Georgia state ranger uniform didn’t startle. He merely finished chewing and slowly turned in her direction.

Straight black hair fell to his shoulders and the shadow of a beard shaded his jaw and mouth. Leisurely, his gaze rose from her midsection to her face. Recognition flared in those whiskey-colored depths, though she’d never met the man.

She had, however, heard talk about Bodie Gryffon, the town’s newest bachelor. Tall, handsome, mysterious.

In a place as small as Maico, the rumor mill never ceased, especially when a single man was involved. There had been speculation as to why he’d declined interest from all the ladies who’d put themselves in his path.

Ronni could tell by the way his eyes dilated and his nostrils flared when assessing her that at least one of the rumors was dead wrong.

He was nice-looking, with high cheekbones balancing a well-proportioned nose that turned down slightly at the tip. And his naturally bronzed skin was simply flawless. Still, Ronni wouldn’t agree that he was as handsome as the gossip mill reported until she saw his chest. Broad and taut with muscles sculpted by hard work, yet warm and comforting when she needed to be held—that’s what made a man desirable in her eyes.

It was difficult to really ascertain much about Bodie’s chest from the way he filled out his shirt because he wore a bulletproof vest beneath it.

“I’m eating lunch.” His broad and toothy smile held no apology for pilfering her food, but it did speed up her heart. “Care to join me?”

“I might’ve considered it, if you weren’t already eating my lunch.” Wahyas took food very seriously.

Her inner wolf didn’t care and urged her to take a seat.

“This is mine. I called in a to-go order.”

Ronni flattened her hand on the counter and leaned close. “Does that look like takeout?” she said, catching a whiff of his clean, masculine scent. Hormones that had been dormant for quite some time took notice. Awareness spread through her body while bewilderment distracted her brain.

Bodie wasn’t wolfan. Wahyas had a special sense that helped them recognize their own kind. But something about him was setting off her intuition.

He stared down at the platter of food and drink. “You ordered a fried fish sandwich minus the tartar sauce, pickled okra, cheesy tater tots and an orange soda, too?”

Ronni nodded.

The double doors to the kitchen swung open and Mabel sauntered out carrying a takeout bag. “Here ya go, hon.” Her gaze slid from Bodie to Ronni.

Eyes wide and apologetic, Bodie hopped off the stool. “My mistake.”

“We can swap.” Smiling, because he was a gentleman after all, Ronni took the seat next to him.

“Actually, I have a meeting and was going to eat on the way.” He tugged his wallet from his back pocket. “I ate a couple of your tater tots, so I’ll give you mine and pay for your lunch.”

“Don’t worry about it. I won’t miss a few tots.”

He handed Mabel his money and shoved his wallet back into his pocket. “By the way, I’m Bodie Gryffon.”

“I know. Small town.” She shrugged. “I’m Ronni Lyles. I own The Stitchery down the street.”

“Lyles?” Bodie studied her. “Do you have a son named Alex?”

Ronni’s hackles rose along her spine. “I do, why?”

“My daughter, Willow, is very shy. Alex and his friends have been very kind to her at school.”

Ronni relaxed. “I would be disappointed to hear otherwise.”

“The Stitchery? Is that a dress shop?”

“Fabric store and sewing supplies, mostly. But I also do custom orders and alterations.”

“Willow needs some things for a school sewing project.” He fished his cell phone from his pocket. “Do you have any of this?”

Ronni read the list: two or more cute pieces of fabric, matching felt, piping, color-matched thread, straight pins, a sturdy needle, fabric glue.

“I do. What is she making?”

“Beats me.” He started to put the phone away and hesitated. “What’s your number?” The golden flecks in his curious eyes glittered.

“Why do you want my number?”

“To text you the list.” On any other man, the smugness in his smile would have immediately turned her off. Somehow on him, it worked. Maybe it was the tease in his eyes which she found more playful than arrogant.

She took the phone from him, ignoring the static charge that nipped them both, and put in her name and number before returning the device to him.

“Great. I’ll ask my mom to bring Willow by your store tomorrow.” Bodie glanced at his watch. “I have to go.”

He picked up the takeout bag and his drink. Going out the door, he flashed a sexy grin. “See ya later.”

“You might be the first woman in town he’s asked for a phone number.” Mabel sidled over to Ronni.

“It’s for business.” Her phone pinged with a text.

Hey, beautiful. You’re a lifesaver and made my day. :)

His daughter’s list followed.

“I don’t think he got your number just for business.” Mabel chuckled. “He can’t take his eyes off you.”

Ronni turned to look out the window and met Bodie’s gaze. She couldn’t explain it, but something about him seemed very familiar.

* * *

The morning might’ve been a bust, but starting the afternoon meeting his she-wolf in person had overshadowed the disappointment.

Ronni Lyles.

Now Bodie had a name to go with the beautiful face that haunted his dreams. And an excuse to see her again. Once Willow picked up her supplies, he planned to stop by Ronni’s store and take her to lunch to thank her. He couldn’t wait to see what developed from there.

Walking inside the rustic-themed lobby of the Walker’s Run Resort, he noticed a huge wolf totem with a large black bird at the top in one of the far corners. The irony wasn’t lost on him, but maybe it was on the wolfans.

Legends often associated wolves and ravens. He wondered if and when the two shifter species had been allies and what had come between them.

A tall, blond man appeared in a hallway near the registration counter. Bodie met him halfway across the lobby.

Smiling, Tristan extended his hand. “Glad you could make it.”

Bodie accepted the cordial handshake, feeling a little awkward suspecting his friend’s wolfan secret yet remaining quiet about his own shifting abilities. But, until he knew more about the Wahyas, caution was paramount.

“I’ve been meaning to catch up with you.” Tristan led Bodie down a carpeted hallway decorated with rich tapestries. “Between getting our security force up and running and Nel coming home, I’ve been short on time.”

Having long hours and an erratic schedule with his own job, Bodie completely understood.

“Speaking of which, I’m not able to stay for the meeting. I need to pick up Nel for a doctor’s appointment.”

“Then why am I here?”

“I want to introduce you to Gavin Walker, the man in charge of the Co-op. He wants to discuss what happened in the wolf sanctuary last night.”

Bodie hoped it wasn’t more of the same stone-walling he’d received from Cooter.

They stopped in front of a large wooden door. Before Tristan’s knuckles rapped against the wood, a strong, masculine voice called out, “Come.”

Bodie’s palms began to sweat. Wolfans must have damn sensitive noses if the one inside the room had smelled them coming.

Tristan pushed open the door and ushered Bodie into the office. “Gavin, this is Sergeant Bodie Gryffon from DNR.”

“Welcome to Walker’s Run.” The older man sitting behind the mammoth mahogany desk slowly rose. Intelligence and wariness shone in his icy blue eyes. His hair and close-cropped beard might be snow-white but he exuded health and vitality and more than a little cunning. He waved at the two captain’s chairs in front of the desk. “Please have a seat.”

Bodie took the one on the right, closest to the open window. He might not be able to outrun a wolf to the door, but he could fly out the window if necessary.

“Sorry to make introductions and run,” Tristan said to Bodie. “But I promise we’ll catch up later.”

“Today is the ultrasound, isn’t it?” Gavin asked.

“Yep.” Tristan grinned. “Boy or girl, doesn’t matter. We just want the baby to be healthy.”

“So do Abby and I.” Gavin gave a slight nod. “Do let us know.”

“Will do.” Tristan ducked out of the office.

Bodie had yet to meet Tristan’s girlfriend, but he wished her all the best. Pregnancy, even in modern times, was risky. So was the post-delivery, which was when Bodie had lost his wife.

“Are you all right, Sergeant Gryffon?”

“Yes, sir,” he said, a bit more solemnly than intended. He hadn’t thought of Layla in a long time. They married out of duty, not love. Because the Tlanuhwa numbers were alarmingly low, marriages were arranged by their Tribunal to ensure the best matches for healthy offspring. Despite the emotional distance between them, Layla had given him a daughter. For that, he would always be grateful.

“I had a number of calls this morning about you,” Gavin said.

“It wasn’t my intent to alarm anyone. I was simply following up on a report regarding a possible poaching incident in or near the Co-op’s wolf sanctuary,” Bodie answered.

“The Co-op has dealt with poachers in the past.”

“So I’ve heard.” Bodie didn’t want that happening again, especially on his watch. “However, I’ve been assigned to this area and it’s my job to deal with these situations.”

“We appreciate your commitment, but whatever happens on Co-op property is not your concern.”

“Actually, it is. I have the same power and privileges as any law enforcement officer. And, in situations regarding game and wildlife, I actually have more authority. Which means your wolf pack is completely within my realm of responsibility.” And it was a responsibility Bodie took seriously.

A subtle tension crept into Gavin’s body. Bodie knew to tread carefully. He did not want to get on the bad side of the man who had the power to help him on a personal level.

“The problem I face is that I work alone and I can’t be everywhere,” Bodie said. “I’ve noticed the Co-op’s security teams patrol well beyond the wolf sanctuary.”

“They do.” Gavin leaned back in his chair. “The Co-op owns a lot of property, which is why we maintain a separate town charter. Our lands, including our wolf sanctuary, lie outside the jurisdiction of the Maico sheriff’s department and emergency services, so we created our own.”

“The Co-op is its own public municipality?”

“Municipality, yes. Public, no. We maintain an exclusive membership.”

“What are the requirements?”

“Most of our members were born into a Co-op family,” Gavin said.

Well, Bodie wouldn’t be joining their ranks that way.

“Others married members or were inducted because of determinable loyalty to the Co-op and our mission.”

Things were looking up again. “And your mission is?”

“To safeguard and provide for our families and community, and to protect our way of life.”

“An admirable mission close to my heart.”

“Then perhaps you are a kindred spirit.” Gavin smiled. “I hear your family came with you to Maico.”

A reactionary sliver of alarm pulsed beneath Bodie’s skin. He didn’t detect any hint of malice or threat coming from Gavin but Bodie was overly cautious where his family was concerned. “Yes, my daughter and my mother.”

“Your wife?”

“She died following childbirth.”

“Now I understand why you paled when Tristan mentioned Nel’s pregnancy.” Something in Gavin’s demeanor softened. “My condolences.”

“It’s been almost sixteen years, but thank you.” Bodie hadn’t realized he’d reacted at all. He needed to school his expressions more carefully. “I would do anything to protect my daughter and I’m sure you would do the same for your family.” Or pack.

Gavin nodded. “I’ll speak with Tristan about coordinating efforts regarding last night’s poaching incident.”

“So there was an incident. I was informed the shots were an innocent kids’ game.” Not that Bodie had believed it.

“Cooter told me what he said to you. He doesn’t like outsiders nosing into Co-op business.” Gavin gave a look that silenced Bodie’s interjection. “However, I believe it can be mutually beneficial if we work together to curtail this threat.”

“I appreciate your cooperation.” A weight didn’t necessarily lift from Bodie’s shoulders but he did feel a small sense of relief. “Were any of your wolves harmed?”

“Thankfully, no. But the hunters did kill a young deer inside the sanctuary,” Gavin said.

A chill passed through Bodie; he knew the Co-op’s sentinels wouldn’t stop until the perpetrators were found and he hoped to avoid another situation that might be blamed on the nonexistent wild boar.

“Reed Sumner, one of our security officers, said three men escaped through a cut portion of the sanctuary’s fencing. The breech is being repaired and we’ve doubled our patrols.”

“Did Sumner get a good look at the men? Or their vehicle?”

Gavin shook his head slowly and Bodie got the feeling that if the men’s identities had been known, they would not be having this conversation. “We do suspect that the vehicle was a truck, based on the tire tracks.”

“At least I know to look for a trio in a truck.” Bodie stood. “Thank you for your time.”

“Tristan has your number?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent.” Gavin stood. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Just out of curiosity,” Bodie began as they headed down the corridor.

Gavin chuckled. “I thought you might have a question or two.”

“How did the select few you mentioned earn membership in the Co-op?”

“Quite frankly, they put themselves in jeopardy to defend and protect one of our own.”

“So basically, they honored your mission by nearly dying for it.”

“Exactly.” Gavin patted Bodie’s shoulder.

“Thanks for the tip.” But it was one too risky to consider. If Bodie decided to pursue membership in the Co-op, a safer and more pleasant way would be to court Ronni and take her as his mate.

He’d married out of duty before and would do so again if necessary. Maybe this time, it would be different. Bodie already knew he was sexually attracted to Ronni. The warmth of her kind touch still lingered in his mind. Too easily, he could recall every luscious curve and line of her naked human form. Fully dressed in jeans and a flowy blouse, she was still beautiful.

For a moment at the diner, when she had leaned close to him, he’d had to force his gaze away from her before he reached to touch the reddish-blonde tendrils that had worked loose from her relaxed braid. And those cobalt blue eyes... He’d seen more than a flicker of interest in their depths.

Even if they didn’t fall in love, she could be a good match. And as long as his family was safe, having Ronni warm his bed wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience. He almost smiled.

Chapter 4

“It’s past quittin’ time.” Ronni tried to turn her grin into a frown as Rafe and Alex ducked their heads from beneath the car hood and stared wide-eyed at her with identical “oops” expressions.

“Rafe was showing me the guts of Brice’s Maserati.” Excitement flushed Alex’s handsome face. Every day, he looked more and more like his father.

Except his eyes. Those cobalt blues were a gift from Ronni’s maternal line. A gift that Rafe had also inherited.

Over the last year, Rafe had become like a brother to Ronni. And, at the very least, a favorite uncle to Alex. Rafe’s quiet strength and patience had helped steer Alex through the maelstrom of emotion the last year and a half had wrought. Alex was in a good place now.

So was she, until this morning.

When coming to Walker’s Run, they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. After receiving today’s letter from the Woelfesenat, the exact opposite was true.

“I meant to call,” Rafe said, cleaning his hands with the shop towel he drew from the back pocket of his gray coveralls. “I’m dropping off Brice’s car and I told Alex he could come along, if it’s okay with you.”

Blood pressure inching up, Ronni eyed the expensive sports car. “By come along, you mean as a passenger, right? Not the driver?”

“Mom!” Alex’s brow scrunched in tandem with a ferocious frown. “I do know how to drive.”

“My four cylinder.” Ronni swallowed the screech in her voice. The upcoming drama with Jeb paled in comparison to the thought of her son speeding along a narrow, crooked road, missing a sharp curve and sailing off the side of the mountain. “Not something with a rocket engine.”

“It doesn’t have quite that much horsepower.” Rafe snorted. “And I’m not crazy. I didn’t agree to let him drive.”

“Brice said I could and he’s the Alpha-in-waiting.”

“Brice isn’t your mother. I am.” She raised one eyebrow, her signal to Alex that the discussion was over.

Alex humphed resoundingly, indicating his compliance under protest.

“I’ll see you after school tomorrow,” Alex said to Rafe, then glanced longingly at the flashy car.

“We’re not leaving yet. It’s time for a family meeting with Rafe.”

“Let’s go inside.” Rafe punched the buttons on the wall. Motor humming, the bay doors descended slowly to close up the service area. He held open the interior door leading into the empty customer service lounge. Ronni and Alex followed him through the short hallway to the employee break room.

The layout of Wyatt’s Automotive Service was similar to Rafe’s first repair shop, which had burnt down in an industrial fire caused by the same deranged wolfan who had torched the home Rafe had given Ronni and Alex upon their arrival in Walker’s Run. Only Rafe’s new building didn’t have an apartment like the old one did. Of course, now happily mated and a new dad, Rafe no longer cared to sleep where he worked.

She and Alex sat at one of the round tables in the kitchenette. Rafe pulled three bottles of water out of the refrigerator. Alex accepted the one offered to him, but Ronni waved hers away. Anything in her stomach might come right back up.

Rafe sat in the chair directly across from Ronni, concern weighting his gaze. “Whatever is eatin’ at you, just spit it out before it chokes you.”

“Remember how we thought you were our only blood-kin?”

Nodding, Rafe swallowed a gulp of water.

“Well, Zeke had an older brother.”

“Uncle Jeb,” Alex announced. “Dad said he left the Pine Ridge pack and was killed in a bar fight before I was born.”

“That’s what we thought, hon. But I got a letter from the Woelfesenat.” She handed it to Rafe. “Jeb isn’t dead.”

Alex blinked and gave a slight shrug. “What do they want us to do? Let him live here? Like Rafe did for us when Dad died?”

“Jeb doesn’t need a place to live. He’s the Pine Ridge Alpha now.”

No emotion registered on Alex’s face. The loss of his father, relocation to a new pack, a devastating home fire and nearly losing Rafe, whom Alex idolized, in a deadly wolf fight... How much more could a teenage wolfling handle?

On the flip side, plenty of emotion flickered in Rafe’s laser-intense eyes. She didn’t need to explain the gravity of the situation to him.

“Well, he can’t be any worse than the last Alpha,” Alex said.

Oh, he certainly could. Jeb had been a terror in his own right. He liked to hurt people, something he learned from his abusive father. Jeb hated his sire and eventually put him down, but the fallen apple hadn’t rolled away from the tree in his case. Those violent seeds took root and Ronni doubted the years had wormed out those traits.

“The Woelfesenat said Jeb wants to get to know us.” Ronni’s brain silently screamed furious defiance and she had to force herself not to shake.

“When?” There was a cold edge in Rafe’s voice. Likely, he was sensing her outrage and his protective instinct had kicked in.

“Soon, I imagine.” The thought of running had crossed her mind more than once, but she had no doubt that Jeb would track them down. Better to face him in Walker’s Run where she had the protection of her pack. “I asked Brice to schedule a video conference with the councilman he knows.” The Alpha’s son was highly respected within the Woelfesenat and he had promised to do all he could to keep the situation from escalating. “I’ll know more after speaking with them.”

“If you want me to be there...” There was a pregnant pause.

“Of course I do.” Ronni’s heart squeezed. As the oldest male blood-kin in her family, he could make significant decisions concerning her and Alex, until she took another mate or Alex turned eighteen. However, Rafe allowed Ronni the freedom to make choices and act in her and Alex’s best interest without interference. “I’d appreciate the support.”

“Where do you think he’s been all this time?” Alex toyed with his empty water bottle.

Not dead and buried as she had believed. “I don’t want to imagine where he’s been or what he’s done. Jeb isn’t like your father, Alex. Your father was a good man. The only decent thing Jeb ever did was leave Pine Ridge.”

“Why did he go back?” Rafe leaned in his chair, arms crossed high on his chest, his default posture when mentally digging in his heels on an issue.

It warmed Ronni’s heart to know he really cared about them.

“I guess he finally heard about Zeke’s passing. Alex is now his only blood-kin.” And Ronni was the she-wolf Jeb had been dead-set on claiming, until Zeke beat him to it.

Finally understanding the significance of Jeb’s return caused the bright blue of Alex’s eyes to turn icy. “I’m not leaving Walker’s Run. If Uncle Jeb wants to see me, he can come here.”

Ronni would inform the Woelfesenat of the same. Both she and Alex had finally settled into a comfortable routine within the Walker’s Run pack. It wasn’t fair to uproot them because a stranger with a closer genetic relation to Alex had suddenly risen from the dead.

Regardless of wolfan law, she was Alex’s mother. It was her right to decide what was best for her son and that definitely wasn’t Jeb Lyles.

* * *

“What’s going on?” Stepping into the camper serving as their temporary residence, Bodie nearly choked on the tension between Willow and his mother, Mary.

“Enisi!” Willow ground out the Tlanuhwa word for grandmother. “She never lets me do anything fun!” Willow sat at the small dining table, her arms folded across her chest, an uncharacteristic, cross look on her angelic face.

Equally visibly vexed, Mary took a plate of food from the refrigerator and shoved it into the microwave.

Really, Bodie could warm up his own supper without his mother’s assistance, but the last time he tried, she’d gotten upset. A full-time homemaker when Bodie was growing up, Mary continued to fulfill the role after his daughter was born. Now that Willow was on the cusp of early adulthood, Bodie guessed his mother was feeling like she was no longer needed.

“I’m almost sixteen.” Willow’s jaw jutted, reminding Bodie of himself.

Even without hearing both sides of the story, he was sympathetic to Willow. At her age, he’d been eager to stretch his wings, too.

“What is it that you want to do?” he asked her.

Still frowning, she watched him with guarded eyes. “There’s a football game Friday night and Lucas asked me to go.”

Bodie’s first instinct was to agree with his mother. His little girl, out with boys? He shuddered, remembering very well what teenagers were like.

But his mother had tried to keep him under an iron thumb and he had rebelled, sneaking out at night, keeping secrets. Bodie didn’t want Willow to engage in similar behavior.

“Just you and Lucas?” Bodie sat across from Willow.

“Alex and Ella are going, too. Alex said his mom will take us.”

Now Bodie’s interest was definitely piqued. “Is she staying or dropping off?”

“I guess she’s staying.” Willow bit her lip, her eyes growing wide. “Please, Dad. I’ve never had friends before and I want to do stuff with them.”

“How about I take you to the game and meet your friends? Afterward, I’ll consider taking everyone out for pizza.”

Sunshine burst on Willow’s face. She squealed and slid out of her seat to hug him.

He squeezed her, wanting to hold on to his little girl. But she wasn’t little anymore. Soon she’d experience her first shift and in a few years, she’d likely take a mate.

His heart sank. The Tribunal would select a match for her, as it had done for him. Bordering on extinction, the Tlanuhwa had one priority: increasing the flock.

Bodie had resented being forced into an arranged match. He’d wanted to choose his own path, his own mate. In the end, he’d been forced to submit. Still, he never regretted his decision. How could he when he’d been gifted with Willow?

As Tlanuhwa, he understood the dire need for the propagation laws. But as a father, he had a difficult time supporting an archaic mandate that might not be in the best interest of his child.

Willow gave her grandmother a triumphant look. “I’m going to call Lucas.” She grabbed her phone and plopped on the pullout couch in the small living area which also served as Bodie’s bedroom.

Shaking her head, Mary retrieved the plate from the microwave and placed it in front of Bodie. He nodded his thanks without meeting her gaze.

“You’re too soft with her,” his mother said. “It gives her false hope.”

“How?” Bodie swirled his fork through his food.

“She cannot escape the law.” Mary hovered over him. “Unless you want her thrown to wolves, defenseless and shunned.”

Mentally, Bodie snorted. The wolves he’d encountered at the Walker’s Run sanctuary might not be as ruthless as the threat his mother intended.

“I want Willow to be happy.” Bodie watched his daughter. All smiles and giggles as she lounged on the couch and video chatted with Lucas.

“How happy will she be when our race becomes extinct?”

“The Tlanuhwa’s survival isn’t dependent on one girl.”

“What if more fathers think like you?”

Considering the recent conversation that he had with a couple of clansmen, Bodie suspected some already did.

“The Tribunal will be unable to pair the best matches. What then?”

“Maybe we’ll evolve into something more than a tired, frightened people.” Bodie shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth and swallowed without tasting it.

Mary tossed her hands in the air. “If your father were here!”

“We wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Because Bodie would’ve made an entirely different choice. But when his father died, Bodie did what he had to do for his mother’s sake.

“It’s cruel to give her so much freedom. It will only break her heart in the long run.” Huffing, his mother moved into the kitchenette to wash the few dishes in the sink.

Bodie’s heart pinged. His own heart had been broken after falling in love with his college girlfriend. His mind’s eye had even created a reality in which they could’ve lived happily-ever-after, if he had been human.

But he wasn’t, and the Tlanuhwa were the monsters in fairy tales, not the princes and princesses. How many times had his mother told him that there were no true happy endings for their kind? Survival was all that mattered.

He yearned for something different for his daughter.

Maybe that was how the end began. One father breaking with tradition, hoping to give his daughter what he and her mother had been denied.

“Times have changed,” he said quietly. “The Tlanuhwa should, too.”

“Remember,” his mother warned. “That kind of thinking is what got your father killed.”

It wasn’t something Bodie would likely forget.

If he met his father’s fate, his mother and daughter would be all alone and without support. He hoped forging an alliance with the Co-op would ensure that his family would be looked after if anything should happen to him.

“Dad?”

“What, chickadee?” Turning toward Willow, he cleared all worries from his expression.

“Did you get the stuff I need from the craft store in Gainesville?”

“No, but I met Alex’s mom. She owns The Stitchery in Maico and she has everything you need. Enisi can take you after school tomorrow.” He glanced at his mother. “It’s off Sorghum Avenue.”

Bodie wished he could take Willow himself but by the time he got off, Ronni’s store would be closed. He would have to wait until Friday night to get up close and personal with her again. Until then, watching over her from his perch in her backyard would have to suffice.

Chapter 5

“Boy or girl?” Ronni asked the pregnant woman walking into the store.

“I didn’t want to know.” Nel Buchanan’s unexpected visit was a bit of sunshine in Ronni’s gloom.

“I bet Gavin had a conniption, or did Doc tell him?”

“Nope. I pulled the HIPAA card. Doc can’t release any of my information without my explicit permission.”

“That’s an advantage of being human,” Ronni laughed. “A wolfan can’t keep a secret from the Alpha.” Something she’d learned when Gavin called about the situation with Jeb minutes after she had received the news and assured her that she had the pack’s support.

Ronni knew she would, but having the Walker’s Run Alpha tell her that personally had meant a lot.

“Which is why Tristan doesn’t know either.” Nel’s skin had a radiant glow, not just from the pregnancy; she was truly happy.

Ronni’s heart pinched. Tristan was lucky to have recently reclaimed his mate after she left him. Having lost her own mate, Ronni had sympathized with his pain. However, Tristan’s mate had returned to him and Ronni’s never could.

Still, that didn’t diminish her happiness that her friends had reunited. And everyone in the pack loved it when a new wolfling was on the way.

“He’s okay with not knowing?”

“Said he didn’t care. He only wants the baby to be healthy.” Rubbing her stomach, Nel walked up to the counter where Ronni stood. “No matter what, he’s going to spoil this little one rotten.”

“As well he should,” Ronni said. “How are the house plans coming?”

“That’s why I’m here.” Nel withdrew a folder from her flashy designer bag. Likely a gift from Tristan’s socialite mother. Nel’s personal style was more subdued.

“Meeting Suzannah today?”

“We had lunch.” Nel grinned. “She was not happy when I told her no one would find out the baby’s sex until delivery. I may not get any more highfalutin gifts.” Thank goodness, Nel mouthed.

“What are these?” Ronni picked up one of the papers Nel had laid on the counter.

“Rough sketches of the interior of the new house. We finally agreed on a floor plan. Tristan is meeting with his dad today to work out the construction plan. If all goes well, we’ll be able to move in by the end of January.”

“That’s wonderful.”

“It will be. I’m grateful Gavin is letting us live in one of the resort’s rental cabins, but I’m counting the days until we have our own place.”

“I know the feeling.” Ronni and Alex had temporarily lived in a resort cabin after the fire that destroyed their home.

Nel handed Ronni sketches of each room’s decor. The patterns and color choices were spot-on, but Ronni would expect no less from an artist whose future mother-in-law was an interior designer.

“I know your schedule is pretty full, but I’m hoping you can squeeze in an order for custom curtains, bedding and some accessories.”

“Of course,” Ronni said. “I’ll order the fabrics and call you when it comes in. Before I start cutting, I want to make sure it really is what you want.”

“Great! Here are all of the window measurements. Tristan promised he wouldn’t make any more changes.”

Ronni tucked all the papers into a manila folder.

“Grace, Cassie and I are having a spa day at the resort on Sunday. Would you please join us?”

Ronni nearly defaulted to her usual “thanks, but no thanks” response. Grace, Rafe’s mate, often tried to include Ronni in her girls-only outings. She had always declined because Grace and her friends were human, they were younger than her and Ronni wasn’t quite sure how she would fit into their group.

“Everything you do is either for Alex or the store. Once in a while, it’s okay to do something just for you. Besides.” Nel made an exaggerated pouty face. “It’s unlucky to make a pregnant woman sad.”

Ronni didn’t need any more bad luck. “What time?”

Surprise lit Nel’s face. “Ten o’clock. We do a leisurely brunch in the resort’s restaurant, then a full massage, followed by a manicure and pedicure which is a-mazing.”

“Sounds nice.” Ronni’s voice fell unintentionally flat.

“Don’t tell me you’re coming and then skip out,” Nel said. “It’ll hurt my feelings.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Good.” Nel slipped the straps to her bag onto her shoulder. “We’ll see you Sunday at ten.”

After Nel left, Ronni pulled the laptop from beneath the counter. As her nails clicked the keyboard, Ronni silently admitted it was time for a good manicure and decided she was actually looking forward to spa day.

By the time the chimes above the door jingled, Ronni realized she’d spent nearly two hours searching online fabric wholesalers for Nel’s project.

“Welcome to The Stitchery,” she greeted the newcomers, an older Native American woman and a teenager.

“You’re Alex’s mom, right?”

“Yes. You must be Willow.” The girl’s long, black straight hair fell midway down her back and her flawless skin was a shade lighter than her father’s.

The teenager’s eyes, a light brown with golden flecks just like her father’s, widened. “I am.”

“I met your dad yesterday. He said you would come by today.” Ronni walked from behind the counter toward the older woman. “I’m Ronni.” She extended her hand as human custom dictated. “You must be Bodie’s mother.”

“Mary.” The woman accepted the greeting but there was no warmth in it. She had the same sharp angles in her face as Bodie, but her eyes were an espresso color and the black hair pulled back in a severe bun was laced with threads of silver.

“I have the list of supplies you need,” Ronni said to Willow. “What are you making?”

“A study pillow.” Willow took her phone from her book bag. “Like this, but cuter.”

The photo was a basic blue rectangle throw pillow with a small red pocket in the top left corner to hold pens and pencils and a gray pocket on the right side large enough to tuck a small book and homework papers inside it.

“Pick out the fabrics you like.” Ronni pointed to the upright bolts of material loaded on standing shelves and stacked on wall racks. “I suggest a neutral main color, such as something in a gray or taupe pattern. Brighter colors will fade with use.”

“Gray and taupe aren’t cute,” Willow said.

“No, but they are a good balance if you’re using fun, colorful fabric for the pockets.”

“Okay.” Willow strolled through the aisles, running her fingers over the bolts of material.

“Please, have a seat, Mary.” Ronni motioned to the table and chairs in the corner. “Would you like some coffee or tea?”

“Black coffee.”

Ronni went into the small kitchenette in the back, filled a medium-size disposal cup with hot coffee and gave it to Mary.

“You shouldn’t have given Willow so many choices.” Mary waved her hand. “She’ll take forever.”

“I don’t mind,” Ronni replied mildly, joining her at the table. “If Willow takes her time, she’ll be happier with her selections.”

“It’s just a school project. As long as she gets a good grade, what difference does the material choices make?”

“Kids should be happy as much as possible. When they become adults, those moments may become few and far between.”

“You sound like my son,” Mary said. “Willow is his whole world.”

“My son, Alex, is mine.”

“Oh, yes. Alex.” The flat corners of Mary’s mouth dipped. “Willow talks a lot about him and a boy named Lucas. She wanted to go to the football game with them Friday night but Bodie decided to take her himself.”

Ronni’s heart flip-flopped. “Bodie is going to the game?”

“Apparently.” Mary’s frown deepened.

With the situation with Jeb looming, this was not the time for Ronni to feel all giddy and such. Still, her hormones switched on and she had a difficult time containing her smile.

As long as Friday morning’s video conference with the Woelfesenat went well, then Ronni would be more than ready to explore the spark between her and Bodie.

* * *

“This space is a temporary location.” Tristan chowed down on the burger delivered by room service to his office, a small conference room on the second floor of the resort. “We have plans to build an actual emergency services building to house the Co-op’s LEO, EMTs and fire rescuers.”

“Your Co-op really is becoming its own city.” Bodie swiped a paper napkin across his mouth, greasy from his burger.

So far, he’d learned the Co-op was an entirely member-supported entity. They prided themselves not only on their thriving wolf population but also on taking care of their own. From education to healthcare to homes and business start-ups, the Co-op made sure no member was left struggling.

To Bodie, whose own people were few and scattered, the Walker’s Run Cooperative’s close-knit, family-style operation sounded like paradise.

“Yes and no,” Tristan said. “We still rely on water and power from Maico’s public utility services. And all Co-op businesses are in and around Maico.”

“Is The Stitchery one of those businesses?”

Nodding, Tristan swallowed another bite of his food, confirming what Bodie had suspected. “Why do you ask?”

“I met Ronni at Mabel’s the other day. I figured if she was a Co-op member, you would know her.”

“I know pretty much everyone in these parts. Co-op or not.”

Bodie wasn’t surprised. When he’d worked with Tristan during the fires, the man never seemed to meet a stranger.

“Word of advice,” Tristan said. “Since she’s been here, Ronni has shot down all suitors. Don’t take it personally if she gives you the cold shoulder.”

“Does she usually give out her number?”

Tristan looked up from his food. His chewing ground to a stop. “Not her personal one.”

“Oh.” Bodie hid his smile behind his burger, taking a giant bite.

“Ronni has been through a lot.” Tristan’s expression turned serious.

“Is that a warning to tread lightly?”

“What do you think?”

“I think Ronni is someone I’d like to get to know better.” Pretty in a natural way, she was comfortable in her own skin. Kind, gentle, but definitely not a pushover, considering that she had confronted him over unintentionally stealing her food. What impressed him was that once they’d figured out the mistake, Ronni didn’t stay mad at him. Even perturbed, she was still rather pleasant. Plus, she was beautiful naked. “In the time I’ve spent with her, I’ve felt a connection that I’d like to explore.”

Tristan merely looked at him. His dark brown eyes bored through Bodie but not in a menacing way.

Bodie resumed eating. “If you want me to back off, I will. I won’t like it, but I don’t think you would ask without a damn good reason.” One being that wolves didn’t get involved with non-wolves. If that was the situation, better to know now than after he’d invested time and energy into pursuing a she-wolf.

“If Ronni wants you to back off, she’ll tell you herself. If she does, respect her decision.”

“I will.” But Bodie intended to do everything possible to ensure that she didn’t want him to back off.

Chapter 6

Cold throbbed deep inside the marrow of Ronni’s bones but it wasn’t from the chill in the night air. The video conference with the two Woelfesenat councilmen presiding over the Southeastern Wahya packs had not gone entirely in her favor.

Because Jeb had no children of his own, and Alex was his only blood relative, the council had decided not to deny visitation rights.

After the meeting, Rafe assured her that he would be present for all visitations, if she wanted him to be. And Brice explained that Jeb could only meet with Alex within the Walker’s Run territory and visits had to be arranged through Gavin.

Ronni let out her breath, a puff of steamy fog forming as it left her lips.

Twenty years ago, Jeb had been a cruel, frightening man. He didn’t care for anyone or anything, except Zeke.

Jeb could have changed in the years he’d been gone, the years she’d thought him dead and buried, fattening the insects feasting on his rotten carcass.

Maybe now all Jeb wanted was assurance that his baby brother’s family was taken care of and safe.

Jeb was now the legitimate Alpha of the Pine Ridge pack. If he violated any law, including the Woelfesenat’s current ruling, not only would he face hostilities from all the Alphas who had a treaty with his pack, he’d also face the Woelfesenat’s wrath.

Jeb was a lot of things. Stupid wasn’t one of them.

“Willow!” Seated two rows below where Ronni sat, Lucas Grayson, Alex’s best friend, jumped up and waved.

A girl at the bottom of the bleachers looked up, her uncertain eyes widening a moment before a relieved smile lightened her anxious expression. She waved and carefully climbed the steps, her father trailing behind her.

There was no uncertainty in the look he gave Ronni. Sexy, confident, predatory.

Her skin prickled and she gritted her teeth, willing him to sit anywhere except next to her. She had enough to deal with without adding her hormones into the mix.

Alex and Ella, his girlfriend of the month, scooted over to allow Willow room to sit next to Lucas. Usually the quiet, awkward one among Alex’s expanding group of friends, Lucas beamed and chattered excitedly with Willow.

Young love. The wolflings in Walker’s Run had no idea how fortunate they were.

Bodie inched past the people sitting on the same row as Ronni. Her heart raced, even though she willed it to beat at its normal pace.

“Hi.” Though a smile hung on his face, the crinkles around his eyes seemed to be more from fatigue than excitement. “I was hoping to find a friendly face in the crowd.”

“Considering the number of women’s heads turning in your direction as you climbed the bleachers, I’d say there are at least a dozen to choose from.” In her current mood, Ronni was fairly sure even a blind man would sense that she wasn’t in a friendly state.

“Didn’t notice them,” Bodie said easily. “I was focused on you.”

“You might want to adjust your sights. I’ve had a bad day and won’t be good company tonight.” Ronni watched the players rushing onto the field.

“My sights are fine. Your company will be, too.” Bodie sat closer to her than necessary since there was plenty of space on their row. “By the way, you look lovely.”

“Thanks.” She wasn’t wearing anything fancy, just a pair of dark blue jeans and a buttercream sweater that complemented her peachy complexion and the red tones in her hair. “You should’ve brought a jacket.”

With sleeves rolled to his elbows, the blue button-down shirt he wore wouldn’t keep the chill out for long. Fall would likely come early, with temperatures beginning to dip into the low sixties at night.

Bodie’s gaze fell on the blanket covering her lap. “Maybe we can make a deal. You share, I share.” He dangled a large thermos and winked.

She was sure he meant it only as a tease, still her nerves tingled and her body warmed. “What’s in it?”

“Coffee, strong and black.” He set the thermos between their feet.

“Lucky for you it isn’t hot chocolate.” Ronni returned her gaze to the activity on the football field.

“Yeah?” Inching closer, he bumped her shoulder.

“I’m allergic to chocolate.” She refused to look at him or encourage his flirtatious behavior. “You would’ve lost your only bargaining chip.” She saw his arrogant male grin without even looking at him.

“Oh, I doubt that.”

Ronni did, too. Especially since his shirt molded around his shoulders, back and torso, teasing her with glimpses of his solid, sculpted, muscular chest.

Bodie gazed up at the clear, dark sky. “Beautiful night to be outside.”

Ronni agreed. Ordinarily on nights like this, she would run the woods behind her house, only entering the sanctuary on full moon nights to avoid prowling, unmated males. Since learning of Jeb’s reemergence, Ronni had stayed on her back porch swing. Every shadow that flickered beyond the porch light elicited an involuntary shiver and she hated that the mere thought of Jeb Lyles induced such unease.

Something brushed her thigh and Ronni jumped.

“Everything okay?” Bodie’s deep, soothing voice drew her attention. Warmth spread beneath his palm, flattened against her leg.

“Yes,” she said, swallowing the tightness in her throat.

Doubt lingered in his gaze, but he offered a reassuring smile. He opened the thermos and poured a steaming cup of coffee, then handed it to her. “This should help you shake that chill.”

If only it could.

“Mmm.” She inhaled the fresh, robust aroma before taking a drink. Her body warmed, but it had more to do with the heat Bodie radiated as he scooted close enough for their hips and legs to touch. She shouldn’t allow him the liberty, but strangely she found his closeness comforting.

“Is the home team any good?” he asked.

“I suppose. I don’t really follow football.”

“What do you follow?”

“My instincts.”

“Yeah?” Humor sparkled in his eyes. “What do your instincts say about me?”

She swallowed another mouthful of coffee. “That you’re trouble.”

“Me?” Bodie’s deep, rich laugh rolled through her body like the rumble of distant thunder. “I’m a boy scout.”

“I have serious doubts about that.”

“I like your smile.” His gaze turned molten like liquid gold. “You should wear it more often.”

She looked away. “I’ll take that under advisement.”

“Oh, no.” He playfully bumped her. “Don’t try to hide it from me now. I’ll consider it a challenge to find it again.”

Ronni doubted it would be much of one. She found his playfulness more charming than she should, considering the trouble she could soon be facing.

The crowd roared around them.

“First touchdown of the night for the home team.” Bodie playfully bumped her shoulder. “We’re off to a great start.”

“Don’t get cocky,” Ronni said. “The night is young.”

“And chilly.” Bodie unrolled his sleeves.

Ronni gulped the last of her coffee and handed him the empty cup so he could have a hot drink.

“Your blanket looks toasty. Do you mind?”

“Tit for tat, huh?”

“Something like that.” Smiling, he took the blanket from her lap and wrapped it around their shoulders.

The simple comfort of a warm male body caused her heart to ache. This was so not the time to explore the possibilities.

Dammit, Jeb.

He hadn’t shown up yet and already he was screwing up her life.

* * *

Laughter rose above the comfortable buzz of patrons inside Dino’s Pizzeria. Willow’s soft, lilting tone was among them. Bodie couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her so happy, carefree. Maybe never.

“They are good kids, right?” he said.

Ronni’s gaze landed on him, only the third time since they’d arrived. “Of course they are.” She gave him a questioning look.

“Willow has had a rough time with mean ones. I don’t want her getting hurt.”

“Alex and Lucas will look after her.”

“She seems to be having a good time.”

“Hmm.” The opening door pulled Ronni’s attention again.

“Are you having a good time?” During the football game, he’d sensed Ronni’s tension and assumed she was nervous because of his attention. Now he was sure it was something else.

“Yes.” She smiled, a perfectly pleasant plastic smile.

“What’s wrong?” Bodie decided to tackle the problem head-on.

“I told you earlier, I wouldn’t be good company.”

“Your company is fine, Ronni. But you jump every time the door opens. Who are you afraid of?”

The warmth drained from her eyes and her smile turned into a brittle frown. “It’s nothing.”

Bodie didn’t push. He wanted Ronni to confide in him but not at the risk of alienating her. He placed his hand over her fingers worrying the paper napkin beside her plate. “If you need someone to talk to...” He shrugged.

“Thanks, but—”

“Ah, don’t shoot me down. I’m hoping to strike a bargain.” He offered her a smile.

Her reddish-blonde brows arched.

“My wife died in childbirth, so it’s always been me and Willow, and my mom.” A dull ache rose in his chest. Though he hadn’t loved Layla, he had planned a future with her and sometimes he missed what could’ve been.

“My mother has helped me raise Willow, but some of her ideas are a bit old-fashioned. It would be nice to have someone to talk to.” Bodie looked over at Willow, her head bent toward Lucas as he showed her something on his phone. When his gaze returned to Ronni, her eyes had warmed and her expression softened.

Just the response he was aiming for.

“It’s hard being a single parent.” She blinked away the water in her eyes, then squeezed his fingers. “I lost my husband over a year ago.”

“Is this your first date since his death?”

Surprise registered in her expression. “This isn’t a date.”

“What is it?” Bodie leaned forward, arms resting on the table. He couldn’t stop the smile wavering on his lips as a myriad of emotions flickered across Ronni’s face.

“We’re chaperoning them,” she said, more confidently than the doubt that flashed in her eyes suggested.

“Maybe. Willow isn’t sixteen yet. And considering the rough time she’s had with fake friends, I intend to keep a close eye on her. But Alex—” Bodie glanced at the tall, blond young man with an easy smile and manner. There was a subtle prowess that suggested when he entered adulthood, he would be a force to be reckoned with—if he wasn’t already.

“Has been through a lot,” Ronni said defensively.

The fierce look in her eyes said she was in protective mama mode and would likely use those pretty white teeth to shred someone to pieces if she felt her son was threatened.

Unbidden affection rushed through Bodie. He could really use an ally as strong as Ronni. All he needed to do was earn her trust and the best way to do that was help her deal with whatever had her so worried. But she was too defensive tonight. He’d have to broach it another time.

“I was nineteen when I lost my father.” A bitter lump grew in Bodie’s throat. He sucked down his entire glass of water, trying to dilute it.

“Losing a parent at any age is difficult,” Ronni said quietly. “Did your mother remarry?”

“No.” Bodie knew to tread carefully, but he figured if he spoke to be flattering, the she-wolf would sense the insincerity. “I became her life and now that’s a huge complication for us.”

He averted his gaze to Willow. His mother wanted to shelter Willow, keep her safe, protected. Caged. More and more, Bodie simply wanted to see his daughter soar.

“She’s a lovely girl.”

“Thanks.” Willow would grow into quite a beauty, like her mother, but she needed a strong feminine role model who would help her discover her own inner strength and develop a stronger spirit than Layla had.

Rather than encourage Willow, his well-meaning mother was more likely to squelch her emerging independence.

“Do you want to get some fresh air in the park?” Bodie could use some.

Ronni’s furtive gaze shot to Alex and then to the door. “It’s getting late.”

“Tomorrow isn’t a school day.” Bodie stood. “We’ll be in full view of the restaurant. The kids will be fine.”

He could read the word no forming on her tightly pressed lips.

“Unless you’re afraid of being alone with me.” He held out his hand.

The she-wolf’s nostrils flared. Fire sparked in her eyes and pride straightened her shoulders.

Bingo!

He’d pushed the right buttons. His smile grew uncontrollably broader, until she clutched his hand. Electricity shot through his palm as if he’d grabbed an exposed wire juiced with a live current. The powerful charge scrambled his brain and his vision might’ve gone a little wonky because an overly satisfied gleam lit Ronni’s eyes.

She walked over to the kids’ table and spoke to them, then sashayed to the door without looking back. He gave Willow a nod. Her smile lit the dining room. Lucas inched closer to her, dropping his arm protectively across the back of her chair. Alex’s gaze was fixed on his mother. When she disappeared out the door, his laser-intense eyes swung to Bodie.

The warning was clear. This one would be hell to deal with if crossed.

Bodie turned to follow Ronni outside, willing steel in his legs. He wished the wobble was from something other than the she-wolf’s touch, but he’d only drank one beer and Alex’s attempt at intimidation had no real effect.

A light breeze nipped Bodie’s face as he stepped into the night. Ronni leaned inside her car and pulled out the blanket they’d used at the game. She wrapped it around her shoulders, closed the car door and walked to a nearby park bench. He sat close beside her. Closer than he normally would on a first date but he’d already seen her naked and his instinct pushed him to leave no space between them.

The moment their thighs touched, Bodie’s mind flooded with the awareness of her femininity and her vulnerability. All the while, her heat warmed him far deeper than the surface of his skin. If she hadn’t been the first to break eye contact, he could’ve easily drown in the sea of blue her gaze held.

Tilting her head back exposed the creamy expanse of her slender throat. “It is a beautiful night,” she said, echoing his earlier sentiment.

“Not compared to you.”

Something more than physical attraction awakened in him. Whatever it was, he needed to keep it in check. He couldn’t afford to lose his heart or his head when his family’s future hung in the balance.

Chapter 7

Tha-dump. Tha-dump. Tha-dump. Tha-dump.

Biting back his annoyance, Bodie pulled to the side of the narrow, two-lane road. The sun had dipped lower than the mountaintops. All he wanted to do was get home, take a hot shower and crash for the next eight to ten hours.

Last night, he’d barely slept. Every time his eyes closed, visions of Ronni’s soft-looking lips beckoned him for a kiss while her eyes pooled with depths of emotion he wanted to explore.

I should’ve kissed her. Long and deep and possessively. Instead, he’d gone with a brush of lips against her cheek to leave her wanting more rather than being presumptuous.

As he walked to the back passenger side of the truck his boots thudded against the gravel. No other sound carried. Right smack-dab in the middle of nowhere was the last place he wanted to be with a flat and no spare.

Correction. He had a spare, but it happened to be in use, as the front left tire.

Severe cutbacks in government spending had every department tightening their budgets. Approval of his request for a set of new wheels was buried somewhere in the pipeline.

Bodie knelt to examine the flat. Nothing protruded from the outer side. His hopes that a simple patch would suffice died when he leaned underneath the vehicle and saw the metal sticking out of the interior sidewall.

Sitting on the ground, he leaned against the vehicle. A few minutes ago, he’d passed the turn to the Brasstown Bald Visitors Center, but it was nearly five o’clock. By the time he hiked back to the turnoff and up the road toward the summit, anyone who might give him a ride into Maico would likely be gone.

Although he was in excellent physical shape, at the moment, he didn’t have the energy to walk several miles of deserted road to get home.

He could shift and fly, but then he’d have to abandon the vehicle, his uniform and his gun. Gathering his strength, he stood, then walked to driver’s side of the truck.

Bodie reached inside the vehicle and grabbed his phone. Due to the escalating tensions, a call to his mother wasn’t ideal, but it was the only viable option.

“Dammit!” No signal.

He walked nearly fifty feet before the call went through.

“Hi, Daddy.” Willow answered the phone and her sweet voice melted his heart. “Are you on your way home?”

“I have a flat. I need Enisi to come get me.”

Bodie heard footsteps, then a door opened and closed.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Willow said. “She’s crankier than usual.”

Bodie knew why. His mother didn’t exactly approve of him allowing Willow to meet up with Lucas and Alex at last night’s football game. Layla’s parents had felt the same when she was a teenager. As a result, she’d never learned how to relate to boys, or men, which caused significant difficulties in their brief marriage.

Bodie was determined to raise his daughter differently.

“Alex works at Wyatt’s Automotive Service,” Willow said. “Want the number?”

“Yeah, give it to me.” Bodie had seen the place between Mabel’s Diner and The Stitchery. “Maybe I can catch someone before the place closes.” Bodie scribbled the number she gave him on the dashboard pad. After they said goodbye, he called the automotive shop.

Silence greeted him after the ringing stopped.

“Hello? Is this Wyatt’s Automotive?”

“Who else would it be?” No sarcasm tainted the deep, quiet voice.

“This is Bodie Gryffon. I’m out on 180 with a flat and no spare.”

“Whereabouts on 180?”

“A couple of miles northeast of the turnoff to Brasstown Bald Visitors Center.”

“On my way.”

The call disconnected.

Bodie returned to the driver’s seat, cracked the passenger window and locked the doors. Since he was given no ETA, Bodie settled back for a nap.

Tap, tap, tap.

“Gryffon?”

Bodie opened his eyes and looked at a copper-headed man wearing work coveralls standing beside the truck. His name, Rafe, was embroidered on the patch sewn on the upper left chest. His vivid blue eyes were just like Ronni’s and Alex’s. Neither physically favored the man otherwise, except Alex carried himself in a similar manner. Bodie figured they must be related.

“Are you all right?” Rafe spoke low and soft, yet Bodie had no trouble hearing him.

“Yeah.” He opened the door and climbed out. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

The wolfan’s eyes slitted just a little. “I heard you were out with Ronni.”

Bodie wasn’t the type to gossip so he didn’t respond.

“She and Alex are family.” There was an edge of expectancy in Rafe’s tone.

“Ronni and I ran into each other at Mabel’s a few days ago,” Bodie replied, figuring Rafe was asking out of concern, not simply being nosy. “She was kind enough to let me sit with her at the football game and we took the kids out for pizza afterward. Alex has been a good friend to my daughter. She hasn’t been so lucky in the past.”

“Ronni has gone through a rough patch, too. She could use a good—” Rafe gave him a look that made Bodie feel as if he were standing on a precarious slope with oil-slick feet “—friend, too. Otherwise, leave her be.”

Bodie gave a slight nod and Rafe seemed satisfied.

“I checked your tires while you were sleeping. The thread is worn on all of them. The back right one can’t be fixed.”

“I’ve requisitioned replacements, still waiting for approval.”

Rafe hoisted the vehicle onto the tow truck. “Are you seeing Ronni again?”

Bodie wanted to say that his plans with Ronni were no one’s business, but wolves were pack-oriented. Since Rafe was a male relative, it was very likely that Ronni’s personal life was very much his business.

“If she accepts my invitation,” Bodie answered honestly.

If Rafe objected, he remained silent on the subject. He hopped into the tow truck and Bodie slid into the passenger seat.

A mile or so down the road, Rafe spoke again. “Do you work up at the Bald?”

“No, I was out at the WMA checking permits and fishing licenses.” And scoping out if any of the campers matched the poachers’ basic descriptions of three men in a truck. Yeah, that was searching for a needle in a haystack.

“Work alone a lot?” Rafe asked.

“Yep, unless I’m on a coordinated assignment.”

“You might want to check in and out with someone local. Cell phones don’t always work in these parts,” Rafe said. “One day, you might need more than a tow.”

Tristan had suggested the same when they’d met for lunch yesterday, but Bodie had been a game warden since before Willow was born. Working alone was part of the job. “I can handle myself.”

“We all think that,” Rafe said. “Until the moment comes when we can’t.”

More than capable of taking care of himself, Bodie worried less about working alone than he did about a summons from the Tribunal, which came without warning and usually things did not end well for the one summoned.

If his plan with Ronni worked out, at least Bodie would have an entire wolf pack to guard his back, if and when that moment came.

* * *

“We were about to take bets on whether or not you would actually come to our spa day.” Nel’s voice was light and she smiled sweetly.

“I couldn’t wake up Alex. He sleeps like the dead sometimes.” Truth be told, Ronni had also overslept after two frustrating nights, dreaming of Bodie.

Why hadn’t he kissed her good-night? On the lips?

The vibes bouncing between them had been electric. She had desperately needed that kiss, if just for a moment, to block out all thoughts of Jeb and to feel something other than flickers of panic.

Taking her seat at the lavishly decorated table set with antique china and polished silver utensils, Ronni stared at the three human females grinning broadly, their white teeth straight and even, and without the slightest hint of fang. Still, she felt as uncomfortable as a hen in a starving wolf’s den. “What’s going on?”

“We were hoping you would tell us.” Cassie Walker, Brice’s mate, tucked a springy red curl behind her ear. The smallest of the group, she looked as fragile as a china doll, but her tenacity and sheer grit were an undeniable force of nature.

“I’m out of the social loop. I don’t know what you expect me to say.”

“Start with giving us the scoop on the hot guy you were out with Friday night.” Folding her arms on the edge of the table, Grace Wyatt leaned forward, her long, blond ponytail slipping over her shoulder. “Rafe said he hardly got any work done yesterday because of all the people who called or came by the shop to ask about your new boyfriend.”

Irritation flashed through Ronni. Since the archaic wolfan law mandated that the eldest male relative of a widowed she-wolf with children was responsible for their welfare, the pack probably assumed she had asked Rafe’s permission to start dating. “If anyone wants to know my business, they should ask me.”

“That’s exactly what Rafe told them.” Grace’s grin deepened the dimples in her cheeks.

“And why we waited until this morning to ask,” Nel said. “Although we were dying to come by yesterday. But we didn’t want to intrude, in case the date ran over.”

“It wasn’t a date and I’m too old for a boyfriend.” Ronni humphed. “Bodie and I were simply at the same place at the same time.”

“Sharing a blanket.” A teasing lilt gave Cassie’s voice a sing-song quality and she radiated with genuine warmth. Smart, even-tempered and uncannily insightful, she would make a wonderful Alphena when Brice succeeded his father, Gavin, as Alpha.

“He got cold. It would’ve been rude not to offer.” A lame excuse. She-wolves did not arbitrarily share personal items with males. “I was just trying to act like a human.”

The brows of all three human women arched in unison.

“I wouldn’t share a blanket with a man I wasn’t interested in getting to know,” Nel said.

“I would give him the blanket, but I wouldn’t snuggle beneath it with him unless I wanted other things to happen.” Grace’s green eyes sparkled.

“I thought we were having brunch.” Ronni glanced around the restaurant decorated with rich, warm autumn colors. “I don’t see a buffet—are we supposed to order from a menu?”

“It’s family-style,” Cassie said. “The servers will come around with trays filled with each course.”

“I hope they start with coffee,” Ronni mumbled. “I could use a tankful.”

“Me, too, sister.” Grace stared longingly into her empty china cup. “Rafe makes me drink the half-caf at home. Sundays are the only days I can indulge in the double-leaded stuff.”

“I hope we aren’t making you too uncomfortable,” Nel said. “All joking aside, we really are interested and concerned about the things that affect you.”

“That’s a perk of having us as family.” Cassie’s demure smile was hopeful. Until becoming Brice’s mate, Cassie had no family and few friends.

Even though the entire Walker’s Run pack had embraced her, there was a small inner circle of absolute trust and Ronni was humbled to be included.

“And we won’t stop pestering you until all the deets are spilled.” Grace leaned to the side, allowing the beverage server access to her cup. Once the coffee was poured, she lifted the cup to her face and inhaled deeply. “Oh, how I’ve missed you.”

Nel and Cassie were served hot tea.

“I’ll have what she’s having.” Ronni pointed at Grace. “And I’ll need a refill in about five minutes.”

“Me, too,” Grace piped up.

Despite the curls of steam rising from the cup, Ronni lifted it to her lips. The hot liquid sizzled her tongue and slid down her throat, spreading a comforting heat through her body.

The three women continued to look at her but no further teasing ensued. It was up to Ronni to complete the bonding ritual by satisfying their curiosity or shut it down by changing the subject.

If she did the latter, what was the point of coming?

“Bodie’s daughter and Alex are friends,” she began. “Bodie and I ran into each other at Mabel’s. He’s been so busy at work that he hasn’t met a lot of people, so he sat by me at the football game.”

“Where is he from?” Grace asked.

Ronni shrugged. They hadn’t really talked about the past. Hers was too painfully close to catching up with her to mention.

Nel picked up her teacup and blew over the rim. “Tristan said Bodie works out of the DNR office in Gainesville. He moved here a couple of months ago. His daughter and mother came a few weeks later.”

“He’s a game warden?” Grace peered at Nel above her coffee cup. “Does the pack need to be worried?”

“Well,” Cassie began. “When Gavin, more or less, told Bodie to stay out of the Co-op’s business, Bodie informed him that the wolf pack falls within the realm of his responsibility. Then, he pointed out that he has law enforcement power and is willing to use it.”

Ronni choked on the coffee she’d swallowed. In essence, Bodie had unwittingly threatened the Walker’s Run Alpha. It was a very good thing that Bodie wasn’t wolfan.

“What did Gavin do?” Nel asked.

“He told Bodie what actually happened and what little the sentinels knew about the three poachers,” Cassie said. “Bodie really wants to catch them, too, and suggested working with our security team. Believe it or not, Gavin agreed. He feels that Bodie could become a trusted ally, eventually.”

Speculative eyes landed on Ronni again.

“Don’t look at me. I barely know the man.” Ronni took an unhurried drink of coffee.

“What does your instinct say?” Cassie asked.

At the moment, nothing trustworthy. Ever since Ronni had met Bodie, her instincts were a scrambled jumble of confusion.

“Tristan really likes him,” Nel said when Ronni didn’t speak up. “Bodie reminds him of Mason.” Brice’s older brother had been Tristan’s best friend until rogue wolfans killed him. Brice had survived the attack because of his brother’s sacrifice, and no one in the Walker’s Run pack had forgotten the loss.

“Then he must be a good man,” Cassie said quietly.

“No pressure or anything,” Grace said, “but are you planning to go out with Bodie again?”

“We haven’t actually gone out a first time, yet.” Friday night was simply a shared outing with their kids. And although she might want Bodie to invite her on a date, she’d rather wait until after the situation with Jeb was settled.

Delicious scents wafted toward Ronni and she watched servers with loaded trays parade from the kitchen. Their table was the first served and a smorgasbord of food was placed before them.

While Nel and Cassie began with fruits and lighter fare, Ronni and Grace dug into the meats and quiches.

“I can see how the football game might’ve been an accidental meet-up, but grabbing pizza afterward, that was a date.” Grace licked the bacon grease from her fingertips.

“The kids were on dates.” Ronni speared another sausage link. “Bodie and I were chaperones.”

“He kissed you good-night, didn’t he?” Grace asked.

“A peck on the cheek is not a kiss.” Actually, Ronni wasn’t sure what it was. Though Bodie’s lips had barely grazed her skin, her face had warmed and the heat had spread through her entire body. He simply stood there, eyes closed, until her tightly coiled breaths synced with his soft, rhythmic puffs and then he’d said good-night and walked away.

“So, it was a non-date date.” Cassie nibbled delicately on a banana nut muffin.

“That’s how Tristan and I fell in love.” Nel stabbed a strawberry using her fork. “We did a lot of things together, but neither of us considered them dates.”

Ronni’s gaze fell to Nel’s baby bump becoming noticeable. What Nel and Tristan had done on their non-dates was fairly obvious, and an accidental claiming had resulted in her pregnancy.

Since Ronni had undergone tubal ligation due to recurrent miscarriages and a problematic, high-risk pregnancy with Alex, an unplanned pregnancy would not be possible. “I’m not looking to fall in love.”

“None of us were,” Cassie said. “It happened anyway.”

The three women were lucky to have met and matched with their true mates, allowing a mate-bond to form. It was something that didn’t happen for all wolfans.

Independent of a mate-claim, which was established during sexual intercourse with a bite and bound a couple for life under wolfan law, a mate-bond synced the lovers, body and mind, heart and soul.

Mostly, the bond began forming from the first moment true mates met, but not always. When Zeke had claimed Ronni, to keep her out of Jeb’s clutches, she didn’t sense a mate-bond. Theirs had developed over time.

So, she’d already had her true mate and lost him.

The argument could be made that she could find another, as Rafe had done. Though his heart had been no less broken, he’d been younger when his first mate died and they didn’t have children.

Ronni’s situation was different. She was a mother and Alex’s needs always came first.

“Bless you,” Grace said to the beverage server who refilled her coffee. The young man topped off Ronni’s cup, too.

“If you’re more comfortable with non-date dates, I’ll get Tristan to ask Bodie to join us at Taylor’s,” Nel said. “We could do a group family night.”

“That’s a great idea,” Grace said.

“No, it isn’t,” Ronni replied.

“Don’t you like him?” Cassie asked.

“I like him just fine, but this isn’t the right time for me to start dating.”

“That’s why this will be a non-date.” Nel grinned. “Trust me, Tristan is an expert at setting these up.”

“At the very least, it will give Bodie a chance to meet people,” Cassie said.

Ronni understood it would also give the upcoming leaders of the pack a chance to assess Bodie for themselves.

“Do whatever you need to do.” Ronni waved her hand, as if her heart wasn’t picking up speed and her nerves weren’t tingling.

Nel leaned toward her. “You will be there, right?”

“I need to check my calendar.” Ronni picked up her cup and took a slow sip, watching the three women watching her and hoping they couldn’t see the giddiness her brain was doling out.

“If you have any interest in him at all, be there,” Grace said. “Now that Bodie has made a public appearance with a woman, all the single ladies will have him on their radar.”

Ronni swallowed the silent growl tickling her throat. She might not be sure what to make of Bodie’s interest, or her own, but she definitely didn’t like the thought of him turning that interest toward someone else.

Chapter 8

“I’ll be out in a minute!” Ronni paused the mental replay of her Friday night encounter with Bodie. If not for her busybodied friends probing her for details yesterday, she might’ve been able to put the non-date date behind her.

Liar!

Smiling, she finished tacking the hem and smoothed the dress over the mannequin. Everything looked even, but she would inspect the garment more thoroughly later.

Feeling good, she went to greet her customer.

The long-forgotten scent raised her hackles even before the man turned from the storefront window to face her.

“Hello, Veronika.” His low, raspy voice caused her stomach to roll over like an armadillo playing dead.

“Jeb.” She stood behind the service counter, her palms flat on the glass top. “You shouldn’t be here. Gavin is supposed to arrange contact.”

“With Alexander.” Removing his mirrored sunglasses, he walked confidently toward her. Dressed in snug jeans, a dark blue long-sleeve knit shirt, a black leather jacket and polished shoes, he looked downright civil. “Nothing prevents me from seeing you. And you look...” A smile slithered across his mouth and arrogant possessiveness gleamed in his gray eyes. “Well, I’ll give Wyatt my thanks for taking such good care of you.”

“Stay away from Rafe.”

Jeb tipped his head.

“The Woelfesenat said I had to let you see Alex, but understand this. You will only visit him with Gavin’s permission and my supervision, and only so long as he isn’t upset by your presence.”

“I don’t like restrictions, especially those concerning my family.”

“We are not your family.” Fire flamed in her chest despite the ice crystals in her veins. “We will never be your family.”

“Blood is a bond that can’t be broken.” Jeb’s cool demeanor caused chill bumps to pebble her skin. “Everything that belonged to Zeke, I intend to claim as my own. Including you and Alexander.”

“Never gonna happen.”

His calloused hand firmly captured her wrist. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. All the while, his calculating gaze froze her breath.

“You should’ve been mine, Veronika. You were meant to be mine.” Turning her wrist, he exposed the tender underside and touched his nose to the delicate skin, dramatically inhaling her scent. “Had any other male been stupid enough to take you from me, I would’ve ripped out his throat. But Zeke...”

Jeb had loved his brother like no other. Ten years older, Jeb had been the one to raise Zeke after their parents’ untimely deaths.

“I left the pack so I wouldn’t hurt Zeke. But he’s gone now, and I intend to take back what should’ve been mine.”

“I was never yours. I was never going to be yours. There’s nothing for you to take back.” She yanked free of his clutches.

“I expected resistance.” Jeb’s jaw pulled tight. “Can’t say that I like it.”

“Get used to it.” Ronni crossed her arms over her chest.

“I should’ve come for you sooner.”

“You shouldn’t have come at all.”

“Are you going to contradict everything I say?”

“Are you going to listen to reason?”

“This doesn’t have to be difficult.” Annoyance narrowed his eyes.

“You’re right. All you have to do is turn around, walk out that door, leave Walker’s Run and never come back.”

“I will, as soon as you and Alexander are packed to come with me.”

“Alex is happy here. He’s safe.” She held his gaze. “I’m safe.”

“I would have returned to Pine Ridge sooner, had I known the state of the pack.” Jeb’s fingers curled into his hand. “If Zeke would have told me, he might still be alive.”

“We thought you were dead.”

“Obviously, you were misinformed.” Jeb opened his arms. “I’m very much alive and Zeke damn well knew it.”

A vacuum formed in Ronni’s chest. The air whooshed out of her lungs and her heart squeezed until she thought it would explode.

Breathe! Just breathe!

“Easy, darlin’.” Jeb reached over the counter.

“Don’t touch me.” Needing to regroup her sensibilities and her composure, Ronni took a step back.

“It seems Zeke was keeping secrets.”

“He would never!” But the truth of her mate’s deception stood before her, full-size, in living color and a very clear and present danger if she didn’t get a handle on her emotions.

Forcing a calm she definitely didn’t feel, Ronni straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “Zeke knew I was afraid you would return and challenge him.”

In her heart, Ronni believed the only reason her mate would have perpetrated a lie was to protect her. Still, pain sliced through her heart and tainted the trust she had afforded him.

“I would never hurt Zeke.” Jeb’s glacial stare drove an involuntary chill down her spine.

“That’s the lie you tell yourself.” Ronni blew out a breath. “You nearly crushed his windpipe when you found out he had claimed me.”

“You manipulated him, knowing he was the only one I wouldn’t challenge.”

“I loved Zeke.” And he’d been the one to offer her protection. She didn’t need to manipulate him.

“Who’s the liar now?” Jeb flattened his palms against the top of the counter. “You never needed to be afraid of me, Veronika.”

“You killed your parents!”

“They were bad people. My father beat Zeke unconscious when he was three. I had to make sure that never happened again. And when I joined the service at seventeen, I sent home nearly every penny I earned to help support Zeke. Then I found out our dear mother was drinking and gambling away the money and my baby brother was eating garbage scraps.”

Jeb raised his fists to slam the counter, but hesitated. A moment later, he dropped his hands to his sides.

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