New Mexico, the night of the summer solstice 2017
“I know what this must be costing you, son, and I really do appreciate it,” Ajei Wolf said, leaning against the truck door as the window rolled down. She did know what her request was costing him, and it weighed heavy on her conscience when he avoided eye contact. “If there was any other way I would….” She let the sentence trail unfinished.
Any other way indeed, Aaron Wolf thought bitterly. If Dibe had only done what she was told, he wouldn’t be here right now. Aaron fixed his gaze on the full moon hanging just over the mountain top. He could feel it coming, the call was strong. No, not now. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and he gnashed his teeth together to will away the change. Ebony fur sprouted and raced across his face and forearms, then receded as his human half won the battle not to shift. The moon’s pull had his beast snapping at him to join the pack. Staring at the golden orb only tortured them both, so he looked away and took a cleansing breath to the calm the beast. Soon, he told him. “But there’s not, is there?” he finally said.
“No…but your sister—”
“Dibe made her own bed.” His sister had ignored him and chased off after that loser that had come into their bar. He had made her empty promises and she fell for it. Now she was stranded with no job, no money, no food, and no way to get home.
Ajei caught her breath at the viciousness in his tone, and took a step away from the truck. “Surely you don’t mean that.”
“I do.” He cut his gaze to hers. “She disobeyed a direct order from her alpha.”
The muscles in Ajei’s jaw clenched in irritation. “You mean she disobeyed you, don’t you?” When Aaron narrowed his eyes and reached for the door handle, she braced her hands against the door, holding it closed. “Well, don’t you?” she said sharply.
Aaron’s gaze never wavered. He knew on some level that his mother was right. He was being an ass, but damn it, he was their alpha and his mother and sister needed to acknowledge that. How could he expect the rest of the pack to follow him if his own family didn’t? The short answer was, he couldn’t. If that meant he had to be an ass about it, then so be it. “Since I am her alpha, yes.”
Ajei let go of the door and crossed her arms defiantly across her chest. “You have changed since your father died.”
Aaron swung the door to his black GMC open and stepped out of the truck. The gravel crunched beneath his leather boots when he turned to push the door closed. He didn’t want to fight with his mother. Fighting about it wouldn’t change a thing. He took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh. “Do what you have to do…I’ll take care of the tavern while you’re gone.”
Aaron pulled out the towel hanging from his back pocket to wipe the water rings from the varnished bar top. As he gathered empty beer bottles from the tray, he glanced around the room, noting that the only patrons left in the tavern were outsiders, strangers that stopped in occasionally on their way to bigger cities.
They had been fairly busy, which he had been thankful for. It made the time pass. But now the night was winding down, which left him with way too much time to think. Just yesterday he’d been pressured by the elders of his tribe to find a mate and settle down. An alpha could focus on his duties and be a better leader if he was mated. But thoughts of marriage were the furthest thing from his mind. He would settle down when he damn well pleased, and at the moment the thought of marriage didn’t please him at all. He shook his head and looked around the room again. It would be better if his thoughts would linger elsewhere before he lost his temper again.
It was the first night of the summer solstice, which meant he would rather be with his pack than stuck closing the bar. The night was calling to him…loudly. His wolf stirred every time he heard one of the pack howl in the distance. “Ignore it, Wolf, you’re just torturing yourself, and you know it,” he admonished himself. “Just three more hours and you’re outta here.”
Aaron entered the stockroom to restock the bar. As he bent over to pick up a case of bottled beer, his nostrils flared. A tantalizing scent wafted through the doorway. What the…? He lifted his head and looked over his shoulder. He hadn’t heard anyone come into the room, and his eyes confirmed there was no one there. Turning toward the door he inhaled again; someone new had definitely entered the tavern. He went ahead and picked up the case and toted it to the bar.
His curiosity was getting the better of him. As he hoisted the case of beer onto the counter, he scanned the room. That’s when he spotted her, the sultry beauty standing in the doorway of the tavern. She was unlike any woman he had ever seen: medium height, slender, with pert, ample breasts, a tiny waist, long lean legs, and slender hips. Her hair, waist length, was black as night and looked to be soft as silk. Her exotic features captivated him: large golden brown eyes framed in dark lush lashes, a small nose, high cheek bones, and lush full lips complimented her flawless olive complexion. She wore tight, hip hugger, black leather pants, and a red fashionable shirt that hung off one shoulder, with a large link silver chain belt that draped on her hips. A high fashion silver necklace dipped just above her cleavage. Matching earrings and a pair of red stiletto shoes completed the ensemble.
From across the room her eyes locked with his. She inclined her head, and that smile turned to him.
He smiled back and felt his wolf stir. Maybe this night wouldn’t be a wash after all. She looked away and to her left. That’s when Aaron noticed she wasn’t alone. To his disappointment she was with a large, muscular man, with black hair and the same coloring. He was as strikingly handsome as she was beautiful. Aaron felt a deep regret, and was envious of the man to have that beauty on his arm.