Saturday afternoon, Weaverville, California
Chelo adjusted the roses in the arrangement she’d just put together in the front window. She’d only been open a couple of weeks, and already many local businesses in town were displaying her flowers in their stores and hotel lobbies. Of course, bargain prices never hurt, but she’d made certain everyone knew these were introductory prices.
She took her broom and went outside to sweep the walk, mainly so she could look at the sign on the front window. “Chelo’s Flower Basket.” Maybe not the ritziest name, but better than the one on the last store she’d had. Naming it Los Lobos Flowers had been stupid, like putting up a big arrow for her bastard of a brother-in-law to find her.
She wasn’t going back. Never. She’d barely gotten away as it was, but she’d lived with an abusive man for way too many years, and she’d actually rejoiced when he was killed in that bar fight. Until his brother showed up, claiming Chelo as his.
Rube was crazy—crazier even than Jorge had been. No way in hell was she going with him. Not while she drew breath.
“Excuse me. Are you open?”
Chelo spun around with her hand over her heart. She’d been so lost in being pissed off that she hadn’t even heard the customer approach. That was dangerous. “I am,” she said, laughing.
“I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Elle.” She was a large woman and tall—at least six feet to Chelo’s five three. She had ebony skin and her long, dark hair, shimmering with burgundy highlights, was caught back in a ponytail. Even in blue jeans, hiking boots, and a gauzy shirt, she looked absolutely regal as she held out her hand.
Chelo wiped hers off on her jeans and shook hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m…” Their hands touched. She raised her head and stared into dark brown eyes with gold flecks. Shivers raced over her skin. “I’m Chelo,” she said. “Please. Come inside.”
Smiling, Elle followed her into the store.
It took Chelo a moment to catch her breath. “I need to talk to you,” she said. Then she locked the door, flipped the sign to “Closed,” and led Elle past the cold room she’d just had installed to keep her flowers fresh, to the small office in the back. Once they were both inside, Chelo shut that door as well.
Elle merely smiled, folded her arms across her chest, and waited. Chelo’s mouth felt dry. She’d hoped for this day, had moved here in hopes that the rumors she’d heard had been true, but she’d never planned far enough ahead to know how to act once it happened. Her heart pounded in her chest and she knew the woman standing just feet from her could hear every beat.
“It’s okay, you know.” Elle hitched herself up onto the work counter and sat there, dangling her feet. “I can tell. Can you talk about it?”
Chelo nodded, sucked in a sharp breath, and swallowed back the nervous jitters that had her hands shaking. “You’re a shifter, aren’t you?”
Grinning broadly, Elle nodded her head. “That I am. And so are you.”
* * *
Evan spotted the blinking lights and the shiny red Honda as he rounded a sweeping turn. That had to be the red car Cherry had told him to look for. A long hill sloped down to the right, a fairly steep hillside went up to his left, but as he drove slowly by the car, looking for a place to turn his truck, there was no sign of his Nellie.
He had to go almost a quarter mile before he found a spot wide enough to turn his big Chevy pickup. He liked the club cab when he wanted to take the guys somewhere, but it was a pain in the butt when he had to make a U-turn. He finally got the truck turned around and pulled up behind the little red Honda. Yep … right rear tire. He wondered if Nellie would think he was funny if he pointed out it was only flat on the bottom.
He got out and immediately picked up her scent, but he didn’t see her nearby. “Darnell? Where are you?” What if she’d gotten a ride into town with someone? She shouldn’t be too far—she’d only called about half an hour ago. He heard a sound on the hillside above him and she was right there, coming down the steep hill with a big smile on her face.
She waved, took a step, and her foot went out from under her. Evan was in motion before her butt hit the dirt. He leapt over the front of the car and hit the hillside a good ten feet beyond, landing about six feet from Darnell, who stared at him like he was some kind of monster. Ignore it, he thought. If I just ignore it she’ll think her eyes were playing tricks on her.
“Evan?” Wide-eyed, she stared at him.
Before she could ask, he shot her a big grin. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, still staring.
“Well, let’s get down there so you can unlock the car. Your spare should be in the trunk.”
He’d helped her down to the asphalt before she turned to him with a stricken look on her face. “‘Should’ being the operative word,” she said. “Damn it. I’m sorry, Evan. I don’t think the spare is in there.”
* * *
“I can’t believe you made that long trip without a spare tire.” At least he was laughing.
“I remembered my suitcase. Does that count? And my makeup supplies. I never go anywhere without them. You never know when a job opportunity might arise.” She gave him a cheeky grin that she really wished he’d kiss right off her face, but they hadn’t gotten that far. Yet. He’d hardly touched her.
“Actually,” he drawled, “you almost forgot to get your stuff out of the car before we left.”
“Don’t remind me.” Then she laughed. “You must feel like my babysitter by now.”
He leered. At least she thought it looked like a leer. “Not even close.”
She gave a soft whimper and leaned a little closer, but the cab of this blasted truck was just too wide for him to take advantage of the opening she gave him.
They were almost to the road to Feral Passions. Evan had told her he’d call for a tow truck once he got a decent signal, which he’d done, and they’d already met the tow truck driver at the main road to give the keys to him so he could haul the car into town and fix the flat.
Darnell glanced at Evan out of the corner of her eye. She was usually so levelheaded. She never did stupid shit like this, but she sighed and admitted it. “I totally forgot the spare and I feel like an idiot. I hauled some stuff for my neighbor and needed the room. The spare’s in the garage back home.”
She expected him to say something about how stupid she was, but instead he smiled at her. She loved his smile. She hadn’t quit thinking about that smile ever since she’d last seen him, and that had been over four months ago.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad that if you had to have a flat, it happened up here.”
She watched him, and Darnell could have sworn he was blushing, but …
“I’m glad you’re here, Darnell.” He shot a quick glance her way. “You left so suddenly that last morning, I never got to say good-bye to you, though I can understand your not wanting to hang around.”
“That’s an understatement.” As much as she hated to remember that horrible morning, there was no avoiding it. The woman who had organized the week at the resort for Darnell and one other friend had turned out to be an absolute bitch. The last night of their vacation, she’d made some cruel comments about Cherry and her weight that Cherry had, unfortunately, heard. Humiliated, Cherry had sneaked out of the resort before anyone was up, taking her sister and her sister’s girlfriend with her.
Darnell sighed. “I felt just awful when I found out what Fred said about Cherry. I’ve wished ever since that I could apologize to her. That was so cruel and she’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“She is. You’ll see her once we get to the resort.”
“I know! I couldn’t believe it when she answered the phone. I thought she sounded familiar, but I was still shocked when she said it was her. All I was thinking about was asking if you were available.”
Evan gave her a quick grin.
“Available to come help me, Evan.” She bit back a laugh when he sighed and turned his attention back to the road. “What’s Cherry doing here?”
“Brad and Cain weren’t playing her, like Fred told everyone. They love her. After she left so suddenly and we found out what happened, the guys went to San Francisco and brought her back to the resort. She’s with them, now.”
“You’re kidding! That’s so cool about Cherry.” She shrugged. Wondered what might have happened if she’d stayed on … or at least had said something.
Evan merely laughed. “There’ve been a lot of changes since you were here. More new faces, all female. You’ll meet them once we’re there.”
Wow. She wasn’t sure how to take that. Had more women gone after their guys? If so, at least now she didn’t feel nearly as weird about pursuing Evan, even if it had taken her all summer to work up the nerve to make this trip.
Mainly she just felt stupid for waiting so long, and she really wished the front seat of his truck weren’t so honkin’ wide. He might as well be in another room.
He slowed the truck for the narrow road that led through the woods to the resort, and it was even prettier than Darnell remembered. She glanced at Evan and wondered if he was the reason the view was improved. There was something about him—his manner, the way he watched her. He made her feel safe, as if nothing anywhere could hurt her, that bad things could never touch her.
She’d felt that way when she’d been at the resort. Felt safe with him. Probably the reason she’d gotten stupid drunk, because she knew it would be okay if she was with Evan. She’d trusted him to watch over her.
Growing up in a rough neighborhood had taught her at a very young age that bad things could happen to anyone. Could happen so unexpectedly that only the strong or the quick survived. Or the ones who had a strong person watching over them. She’d been on her own, but at least she’d been quicker than most. She’d lost some friends and the memories hurt.
Evan carefully negotiated the narrow hard-packed road running through a forest of cedar and pine and the occasional oak, driving with his right arm over the steering wheel, his left resting on the open window frame.
Every once in a while he’d sneak a look at her and grin. “I’m thinking of all that’s changed since you were here,” he said. “It’s been a lot. A bunch of the guys went into the summer single, and most of them are paired up. Sort of like The Love Boat on steroids.”
She laughed. “I didn’t think anyone remembered that old show, but it sounds like Feral Passions has been a busy place. Is it something in the water?”
Evan laughed. “Might be. You never know.”
Darnell laughed, but honestly, her heart wasn’t in it. She studied Evan a moment, and an icy flash of fear sent chills down her back. What if…? She glanced at his ring finger. “What about you? Have you found someone special?”
He stared at her for a long time before smiling that lazy, sexy smile of his. “I sure hope so, darlin’. And I am so glad you’re finally here.”
What did a girl say to something like that? Smiling like an absolute fool, Darnell watched the road ahead and forgot all about her car and flat tire, somewhere with a mechanic in Weaverville.
* * *
Elle’s tea had grown cold while she sat in Chelo’s small office and listened to her horrifying tale. Tuck had called about an hour ago and Elle had sent him off to his next appointment, said she was busy talking flowers with the proprietor.
Chelo hadn’t mentioned so much as a rose. Instead, she’d told a story that Tuck was going to have to hear. Tuck and Traker Jakes, because Chelo was going to need the pack’s protection whether she wanted it or not.
Elle was certain Chelo wanted it. It wasn’t healthy for a shifter to live alone. Rogues were rarely successful, and Elle had never heard of a female rogue. Once mated, pairs generally stayed together for the remainder of their very long lives.
Elle was surprised Chelo had stayed with her bastard of a mate as long as she had.
“I’m going to need to call my mate,” she said. “I want him to come here and meet you, but then I want you to come with us out to the resort. My pack has a vacation resort called Feral Passions. It’s a long story why the guys built it, but we’re in the process of turning it into a venue for weddings. That’s why I came here—to talk to you about doing flowers for a wedding Sunday after next, if you’re up to it. We have a couple of really good human friends who want to have their wedding at the Feral Passions Resort.”
“A wedding? I would love the chance.” She paused, took a deep breath. “You have human friends? They know about us?”
“They do, but it’s an unusual situation. I’ll explain it on the way out to the resort.”
Chelo nodded, but she looked apprehensive. “Okay. But why do you want me to come with you?”
Elle knew she had every reason in the world to be afraid. “I’m still new to the pack,” Elle said, “but I’m learning a lot of their protocols. You should check in with our alpha, let him know you’re here, but most of all, I want him to hear your story in your own words. It’s not my place to tell him. Are you willing to do that? Trak, our alpha, is a good man. He’s honest, and most important, a very gentle, compassionate man. We’re nothing like your old pack. Not at all.”
Chelo stared at Elle for what felt like a long time, but then she nodded. “I’m essentially through for the day. Let me turn on my answering machine and put the displays back in the cold room.”
“Good. I’m going to call my mate. Tuck’s amazing, but I’m guessing you’re not real comfortable around large men. My guy is huge, but he’s gentle as a lamb. Quite literally. He’s a veterinarian and his patients—and their owners—love him.”
Chelo nodded, though she still didn’t look convinced, but she went about closing down the shop. Elle called Tuck, and when he answered she laughed. When Chelo came back into the office, she caught Elle heading out to the showroom. “He’s outside. Been sitting in the truck waiting for me. He’d already scented you and knew I was with a shifter, so it’s been driving him nuts. I figure that’s a good thing to do to my man every once in a while.”
She waited while Chelo locked up the shop. Tuck was leaning against the hood of his pickup but pushed away from the truck and walked across the road to meet them. He winked at Chelo and then grabbed Elle up in a very hot hug and a kiss.
It always happened this way when she and Tuck had been parted for even a brief time, though not usually in front of someone who was essentially a stranger. Blushing furiously, Elle finally broke the kiss. When she glanced at Chelo, the other woman was smiling.
“That’s the way it’s supposed to be, right?” Holding out her hand, she shook Tuck’s big mitt. Her fingers disappeared in his grasp. “I’m Consuela de los Lobos. It’s very nice to meet you. Please, call me Chelo.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chelo.” He glanced at Elle, and she nodded. They’d only been mated a short time, but already it was as if they read each other’s minds. “Are you able to come out to Feral Passions with us now? And don’t worry, one of us will give you a ride home.”
“I guess now’s as good a time as any.”
Chelo didn’t sound all that certain she believed what she was saying, but then Tuck smiled at her, and Elle wanted to hug the big man when he laughed. “Don’t worry, Chelo. I know it’s got to be scary, coming into a strange pack’s territory, meeting the alpha and the rest of us, but it’s a good pack, and I know they’re going to be really excited to meet you.”
Opening the back door on the club-cab pickup, he cleared some boxes and a cat carrier off the backseat, brushed the leather seat to make sure the dust and papers were cleared away, and then helped Chelo into the cab. “Sorry,” he said with a quick glance at Elle. “Elle’s always telling me my housekeeping is impossible. I don’t think she means it as a compliment.”
“I don’t,” Elle said, climbing into the front passenger seat. She fastened her seat belt but turned around to look at Chelo as Tuck pulled away. “But you have other redeeming qualities so I plan to keep you, anyway. If it’s okay with you, Chelo, I want to call the pack office and let them know we’re coming in with a shifter. This isn’t something you want to spring on the guys, but it’s merely a formality. We’ll bring you back after you meet everyone, or I’m sure we can find a place for you to spend the night if you want to stay.”
Chelo looked a bit dazed. Blinking rapidly, she nodded. “Thank you. I apologize if I seem a bit out of it, but this is more than I’d hoped, to meet other shifters somewhere, to have the chance to plead my case and not immediately be run out of their territory. Or worse.”
Tuck glanced over his shoulder after he pulled onto the main road. “I can guarantee that’s not going to happen. We’re a small pack, but we look out for each other. We’ve managed to avoid a lot of the issues that bedevil other packs. Strong leadership is the reason. You’ll like Trak. He’s one of the best.”
* * *
Trak scooted his chair into the shade on the deck and looked over the paperwork Cherry’d dropped on the table in front of him. She’d been such a find—the girl was a whiz on the computer and seemed to grasp everything about how to successfully run and promote a business like Feral Passions. She’d already put together plans for a new Web site should they decide that the wedding destination concept was the direction they wanted to take.
Plus, she kept both Brad and Cain smiling all the time, something any alpha enjoyed seeing in his pack. The phone rang inside the lodge. He waited to see if Cherry would take the call and relaxed when she did. But a moment later she was standing out here on the deck, handing the phone to him.
“It’s Elle,” she said, but she was smiling, so it couldn’t be anything too bad.
He held the phone to his ear. “Trak here. What’s up?”
“Tuck and I are coming in with a female shifter who’s left the Rainy Lake pack from northern Minnesota. Just wanted to let you know we’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”
His heart actually seemed to skip a beat. Women never left packs. What could have sent her here? Was she leaving her mate? Running away from a bad situation? He didn’t know much about the Rainy Lake pack. They summered on the Canadian side of the border, came south to an area southeast of International Falls in the winter. A tough breed of wolves who clung to the old ways, from what he’d been told. He wasn’t really sure—he’d never met any of them.
Well, he was about to.
“Excellent,” he said, hoping he wasn’t making a mistake. He’d have to trust Tuck and Elle on this one. “Please tell her she has my permission to enter pack territory.”
“Will do. See you in a bit.”
He got up to take the phone back inside to Cherry. Both Brad and Cain were in her office, and the three of them were laughing when he handed the phone over.
Cherry took it and set the thing back in its cradle. Then all three of them stared at him.
“What?” he said, folding his arms across his chest.
Cherry laughed. “We heard your conversation, you know. It sounds as if it’s a female shifter we’re waiting on. I’m just wondering if I’m going to have to take back my ‘last man standing’ comment.”
This he could handle. Trak merely shrugged, as if he hadn’t already had the same thought himself, though he’d never admit it. “As Cain can tell you, whenever any wolf leaves their pack there’s some kind of trauma involved. We don’t know anything about this woman, why she’s a rogue, how long she’s been on her own, what the circumstances are that brought her here. Once we find out, see what she’s like and if she wants to stay, what she’ll need to help her assimilate into our pack, then you can start teasing me. But not until, okay? I don’t want to do anything to add stress to a woman who’s already in a stressful situation.”
Cain hugged Cherry close. “Trak’s right. When I joined this pack, I was literally at the end of my rope. Trak made it work, when I’m sure a lot of the guys would rather have had me just go away.”
Trak laughed. “Including me, more often than not.” And there were still days, but … “The thing is, Cain, when someone saves your life, it’s really poor manners to treat him like a pariah.”
Cain’s green eyes twinkled. “There is that.” He glanced toward the door. “Is that them already?”
Trak spun around. “Shouldn’t be. Nope. Looks like Evan’s truck. Crap. He’s got Darnell, and she has no idea what we are. Make sure none of you slip. Pass the word. Cherry? Call Elle and warn them. I forgot to say anything. And if Darnell is still here when the wedding happens, we’re going to have to have a talk with Meg and Zach, too.”
As he walked back outside to meet Evan and Darnell, Trak heard Cain’s soft comment to Brad. “It looks like things are going to get a lot more complicated at Feral Passions this week.”
Chuckling, Trak held his arms out for a hug from Darnell. Cain was right, but one thing he’d learned about this resort. At Feral Passions, nothing was ever boring.