Alex watched from the door as Simone instructed Haine and Lucky on how to decorate the cupcakes.  From what she could see, the boys were doing a great job.  Both had smiles on their faces, and Haine actually looked relaxed. 

She needed this moment, seeing him like this.  Maybe Finn was right.  This small town could make them both happy.  Yes, this was all happening fast with Finn, but she couldn’t deny the connection she felt for him and the others, too.  She loved working at the store and doing the books for Quinn and Simone.  They both made incredible profits and they were growing with the online stores.  Maybe she should give them all a chance. Even the chief could smell a rat and knew that none of this made sense.  

“Haine and Lucky have become the best of friends,” Monica said beside her.  Shit, she didn’t even hear the woman walk up.  Alex’s hand flew up to her chest.  

“I’m sorry I scared you,” Monica said, placing her hand on her arm.  “I’m used to other wolves who know I’m here.”

“No, you’re fine.  I’m fine.  I was just watching the boys having a great time and was in deep thought.  They weren’t any trouble for you today, were they?”

“No. They were the best kids.  They played video games when we got a break, but they never gave any of us a problem, and to be honest, they are helpful.  Haine catches on quickly and is great at decorating.  But they were no problem at all.  They had fun together and Lucky needs a friend, someone his age and size.  The others in the pack are older and bigger, but Lucky is smarter and one day he will be Alpha.  He has that way about him already and Haine is the type of person who figures out how to solve a problem.  He reminds me of Bain, the Beta of the pack.”

“You sure see a lot.” Monica didn’t take offense to what she said, but the woman was right.  Haine was always a problem solver and he needed Lucky as a friend, too.

“I think you do too, but I understand wanting to be careful with all of us.  I just hope you give the pack a chance.  I also wanted to apologize to you for my mate scaring you.  He didn’t mean any harm to you.  He’s an alpha, too, and he mistook you being worried about your brother as coming in the bakery to harm me.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“How do you know he’s your mate?”

Monica smiled and it was the first smile she had seen on the woman.  Her black hair looked silky smooth, and even though she had it pulled back in a ponytail, she was a natural beauty.  Her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled staring over at Ben.

“I was born a shifter, and the moment I saw him, I knew and when I scented him.  We are taught from a very young age what signs to look for, but it hits your body like a freight train.  I ran from Ben the first time I saw him.  I immediately knew he was my mate, but I loved my pack and I wasn’t ready to be mated.  I still don’t know when I will be ready.  This is probably not making sense to you, but…”

“But, Monica, what if it’s just attraction and you mistake it and then one day your real mate comes along.  What if you’re wrong?”

“Shifters are different.  We never get that wrong, Alex.  It felt like my life had just stopped.  I wanted Ben but fear overtook me.  It has to do with what happened to me…in my past.  I know this sounds so stupid.  I’m not the right person to give you this advice, but I will say that Finn isn’t wrong.  If he says you’re his mate, then you’re his mate,” Monica said as she started to walk off and stopped. 

Looking over her shoulder, she said, “I don’t know if anyone has told you or not, but we are only granted one mate in our life and it would be a shame for Finn to meet his mate and then she left him.  I’m not saying that’s going to happen, but I hope you give him a chance.  Finn Eagan is the most…”

Monica looked down at the floor before she spoke. “Well, he’s a good person, Alex.  One of the best people I’ve ever met. He’s kind, sincere, makes you feel happy when you’re sad. He has become a best friend to me. I don’t have to talk around him and he knows what I’m thinking. Those people don’t come around often. Don’t pass this one up because you’re scared to take a chance.”

Alex watched as Monica walked over to the dishes.  She never looked back to see her reaction.  The woman didn’t have to.  What she said made perfect sense, and like her, she was scared to admit that Finn was hitting her heart, too.  

Moving to the table, Alex leaned over and took a good look at the boys’ cupcakes and she was shocked.  They had done a great job.  Each cupcake had a different flower on it.  “Wow, bubba, that looks great.  Lucky, yours are beautiful, too.  I think I may have to send you two to culinary school.”

“Thanks, Alex.”  Lucky was first to respond.

Looking up smiling, Haine winked at his sister.  He was such a good kid and her parents would never get to see just what a great man he will become one day.

“Well, boys, I think you earned a good meal and from what I understand, Miss Charlotte has a big meal planned for all of us,” Simone said.

“She’s the best cook,” Haine replied.  “I’m starving, too.”  

“I take it you didn’t know we were coming for dinner?” Simone asked.

“No, but it’s not my house and she is a great cook.  Plus, I think I like you guys so I don’t mind,” Alex said.

“Well, we like you, too.  Both of you,” Simone added.  “They were a huge help to me today.  If I needed something, they were both eager to assist.  I paid them some cash money earlier today.  I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not, but, Simone, you didn’t have to do that.  I should be paying you for watching my brother while I work and feeding him.  I don’t know how I will repay you.  All of you actually.”  Alex shook her head. “Simone, this is…”

Shaking her head, Simone shrugged.  “Pay me for getting free help.  I’m being serious when I say Haine was a big benefit to us today.  I needed that extra person with the big orders we have to fill.”  Simone took off her apron and glanced at Monica. “Hey, Mon, I’m out of here.”

Monica nodded and continued putting pots on the stove.  “If you are ready, I’m starving.”  

“Sure.”  Alex didn’t finish complaining about how great they were being.  How would she pay back Simone and the others?  She couldn’t believe how much things had changed in a few days.  She thought for sure her life was over, but now she couldn’t see herself leaving New Hope.  How did she survive in such a big city and think she loved it? This place was different, slower, and had a way of sucking you in.  The people were friendly and always helping each other.  She loved it here.  Her parents would have loved it, too.

Lucky rode back to the B&B with Haine and her.  The boys played video games on their IPads, sitting in the back seat.  She couldn’t help but smile as the boys laughed and talked to each other about the game.  This was good for Haine.  She couldn’t praise God enough for a friend like Lucky.  She was afraid they would be inseparable from this moment on.  Pulling up at the B&B, the parking lot had more vehicles parked out back.  Charlotte did say she would have a full house during the fall festival this weekend.  

She had helped Jade unload three boxes of purses.  Jade made a new one called Boo Crazy for Halloween.  The purse was a kaleidoscope of purple, orange, yellow, and an Easter grass green.  She would sell them tomorrow, and already, had orders in the thousands online.  The woman was getting so popular that Quinn explained that high-end department stores in New York and Los Angeles wanted to sell her products.  At the moment, she didn’t have a big enough place to make that many products. Right now, she was making so much money, she turned them down.  Before long, Jade Cross would be a house hold name in her jewelry and purses.  

Again, Finn was opening her door before she had a chance to turn the car off.  “Thank you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Finn offered his hand.  She couldn’t believe how nice this man was to her.  This was all so unbelievable that it was hard to grasp what was going on.  Just go with it, Alex. Just go with it.  

“Your left back tire looks a little lower than the others.  I can get that checked tomorrow while you are at work.  Tate owns the mechanic shop.  He works on the town’s vehicles.  Plus, he’s part of the pack and won’t rip you off.  If that’s okay with you?” Finn asked.  As she stared back at him, he almost looked vulnerable as if her opinion was the most important one.

“I can do that, Finn.  You don’t have to,” Alex insisted.

“I know, but since I know him and where the shop is, I can just drop it off for you while you are at the store.  It will be a big weekend.  There are always out of town people whose cars break down so I want him to get to yours first.”

“Well, okay.”

Finn just nodded.  He won this battle and she could tell it meant something to him.  Maybe he was one of those who took care of people.  She figured he needed to do that because of what happened to his friends when they were killed. Didn’t matter because she was the same way.  She had no clue how she was going to repay Finn and the others but she would figure something out.  

She had dreamed of one day finding a man like Finn.  She wanted someone who cared for her and took care of her, even getting her car checked meant something to her.  Finn felt like a dream come true.  One she would eventually wake up from and realize she was still on the run and didn’t have a chance in hell of learning the truth.  Always running.

Sitting at the table, Alex looked around the room at her new friends who were all cutting up and having fun. But at the moment, she wanted to throw up.  Not because she didn’t want to be there, but scared to death that it was all going to come down around her and one of these wonderful people would get hurt.  

* * *

“Now, I got you,” Dominic said, looking over the hacker’s shoulders.  “You sure that’s him?”

“It’s his account.  He’s playing under the same name he was before,” Phillip Camp, the hacker, said. He hired the geek to find Alex and Haine Marsh.

“Can you trace him and find out where he’s at?”  Dominic asked.

“That’s easy.  Give me a few minutes and I will give you the coordinates.”  Dominic smiled and walked to the window.  He had to hurry up and find the girl.  She had to have that information.  They would have given it to her.  Why, why did he think it would be a good idea to fix the computer instead of buying a new one?  Damn porn he was looking at uploaded a virus.  

“Shit.”  

“What is it?”  Dominic glanced at the computer.

“He went black again.” 

“Fuck, you got to find that damn kid.” 

“Okay, man, how about not losing your grip.”  Dominic patted the guy’s shoulder.  “You just find that kid.”

“Sure.  He will get back on and I’ll track him,” the hacker said, rubbing his shoulder.

Dominic walked out the door and looked at one of his guards.  “Make sure he’s on that system.  I want that kid found.”

The guard nodded as Dominic got into his car.  He had to find them before Ramone found out the money was missing.