Juliette heard the rumble of the Sheriff’s patrol car and raised her eyes from the documents she had been studying for the last hour.

It said a lot about the state of her pack that she could recognize the sound that Sheriff Smith’s car engine made. The dark and tall werewolf seemed to be hanging around the Honolulu Wolves’ premises far too often lately, and all for the wrong reasons. Juliette wouldn’t have minded if the policeman were to visit her, but the truth was that Smith’s only interest in driving all the way to the pack was because its youth had a penchant for committing felonies. Juliette liked to talk to the officer, but would’ve preferred to go out on a date with him, rather than exchanging greetings as he wrestled her pack members out of his police car.

“What did they do now?” she asked, eyeing Nicky and Devon with a stern glare.

The Sheriff held them by the scruff of their shirts, and they had at least the good sense to lower their eyes and show their throats under her stare.

Releasing them, Smith said, “Picasso and Pollock here thought it would be great fun to smoke some weed and paint a mural on the façade of the library. Miss Kitamura—”

Juliette inwardly cringed at hearing the name of the sweet, elderly lady who taught ikebana classes at the local library.

“—caught these two artists guffawing at the masterpiece they left on the wall between the windows of the class. The anatomically correct humanoid rendition of two whales humping each other caused a few of the ladies to storm off in hysterics.” Smith let his words sink in for a few seconds. “I’m making an effort to forget the image, but it keeps coming back to me.” He shrugged.

“Really?” Juliette raised Nicky’s and Devon’s chins and was rewarded by twin panicked expressions. “I send you to town for an errand and you find the time to disgrace the pack, again?”

Earlier in the afternoon, she thought that giving the two troubled teenagers something to do would keep them out of trouble.

“I assume you spent all the money I gave you to buy the fruit for tonight’s welcome party on weed instead,” she said, and they nodded, averting their eyes. “Go straight to my office. I’ll deal with you in a moment.” She followed their hasty retreat to the pack hall before turning to Smith. “I’m so sorry, Sheriff. I don’t know why they do the things they do.”

Smith gave her an earnest smile, revealing white teeth and sexy dimples. Why couldn’t this perfect example of a virile, honest-working, well-spoken werewolf be here to see her? She deserved some good, all-encompassing romance, the kind she read in the A K Michaels’ stories she liked so much. Where were those alpha hunks when you needed some sweet loving? The kind that went on for days and left you all tingly inside. Not here in Oahu, it seemed.

“Fortunately for everyone involved, the librarian called me directly. I was first at the scene of the Mural Art murder, and I could call time of death.” Sheriff Smith’s upper lip curved up at the corner.

Juliette couldn’t help but laugh. The man had a great sense of humor too. And handcuffs she could borrow—

“I kept the two idiots at the precinct for the rest of the afternoon and waited until they could string a coherent thought again. I tried to call you but the line was busy,” he said.

“Our guests arrive tonight, and I’ve been answering phone calls since early this morning,” she explained.

“No worries. I only wanted to give you a heads up in case you were looking for them.”

“I had but hoped they were just avoiding me, not spending time at the police station. Again, I’m truly sorry for their abysmal behavior.”

“Hopefully, this is the last time I climb all the way up here to bring you bad news—”

Juliette’s cell phone rang in her jeans’ rear pocket. Ariana Grande’s latest hit announced that Lily, her beta, was calling. “Sorry,” she said, swiping the call off. “Yes, it would be nice if you came to visit—” The ringtone chimed again, and Juliette sent the call to voicemail. “Sorry again.” She smiled at the officer. “So, I was saying that I wouldn’t mind if, for once, you could come and just chill—” The blasted hip-hop theme went off a third time, jarring Juliette’s nerves.

Smith pointed his chin at her waist. “You should take that call. I gotta go back to the station anyway.”

Juliette nodded. “Of course.” She reached out her hand and Smith took it with a nice smile that lit up his face. His strong grip led her mind to a train of thought her ringing cell phone interrupted right away.

After bringing two fingers to his forehead for a formal salute, he said, “Alpha,” and turned toward his car. Juliette watched as the tall man climbed into the Sheriff’s Dodge and reminded herself that it probably wasn’t a good idea to date an officer of the law anyway. Or anyone else for that matter. Today’s episode was the latest in a long string of stupid things the pack’s youth had done, and by far the least of her concerns. Although only a few members of the pack knew about it, there were bigger problems that needed to be dealt with and swiftly.

Juliette swiped right to accept the call. “What?” she barked.

“Nicky and Devon got in trouble—” Lily said.

“I know. Smith drove them home.”

“Is the yummy sheriff still there?”

“No, you scared him away.” Juliette gave Lily the grocery list of items still missing for the party as she strode inside the pack hall and went straight to her office.

Thing One and Thing Two were harshly whispering to each other when Juliette entered, but immediately stopped and lowered their eyes to the floor.

On her way to the sleek glass and steel desk that sat in front of the wall-to-wall window, Juliette walked around them. Fear emanated from them, mixed with the lingering scent of pot. She didn’t waste her time telling them how disappointed she was. They’d had that conversation quite a few times before already, and she was tired. Instead, she sat on her leather and steel chair and called the librarian, intending for Nicky and Devon to listen to every word she’d say.

“Hi, Karla.” Kahana Public Library was managed by Juliette’s high school best friend, and unfortunately, it wasn’t the first time Juliette called to apologize on behalf of her pack. “I’ve just talked to the sheriff, and I wanted to thank you for calling him.”

“Miss Kitamura almost had a stroke when she saw the humping whales.” Karla’s snicker was contagious, but Juliette couldn’t start laughing in front of the two artists. “I must say, there must be some niche porn out there about marine mammals.”

“I’m pretty sure there is.” She stared down at the pups when they dared raise their eyes. “Listen, I’ll send them back first thing in the morning with a bouquet for Miss Kitamura—” An idea formed in her mind. “Just let me know what color you want the Library to be painted, and they’ll give a fresh coat all over the building.”

Nicky’s hands opened to the side as if to complain about the punishment.

“You know what? If you need a brand-new coat inside as well, they’ll be more than happy to oblige.” Juliette arched her eyebrow at Devon who had the audacity to growl his dissent. “And your apartment too. I have two eager handymen ready for you.”

At her last statement, both teenagers decided it prudent to keep quiet and look remorseful. Juliette ended the call with the promise to visit Karla after the Summer Solstice. Her last withering glance solicited low whimpers that sounded extremely satisfying.

“Scoot,” she said to them, pointing her chin at the door. “I expect both of you serving the tables tonight and helping the kitchen as well. For free.”

“Yes, Alpha,” they answered at the same time, hastily retreating into the hallway.

Before any other disaster would fall on her head, Juliette headed to her Land Rover parked outside the pack hall. The afternoon sun bathed the luscious valley in golden tones, and the scent of plumeria permeated the air, mixing with the pig roasting on the spit.

Soon, the guests would be arriving, but if she hurried she could reach Secret Cove, go for a swim, and be back before it was late for the meet and greet.

Driving through the dirt road that led from the compound to the cove, Juliette tried to leave behind all her worries as she advanced further into the thick tropical rain forest. The greenery and the cool humidity soothed her nerves. Twenty minutes later, Juliette reached the beach. Without wasting any time, she removed her top and shorts, letting the flimsy clothes fall on the roots of one of the hala trees bordering the sandy shore. Naked, she ventured into the warm water, and her remaining qualms dissolved with each step.

Stroke after stroke, Juliette let the therapeutic power of the sea soothe her soul. After ten years, the Honolulu Wolves still suffered because of their former alpha’s cruelty, and she couldn’t help but wonder if what she was doing was enough. Killing the bastard had been only the beginning of a lifetime commitment to save her pack from self-destruction. There was a long road ahead of her, and some days—like today—it seemed as if it were all for nothing.

Not ready to go back, but needing to hurry, Juliette reluctantly waded toward the shore when a sudden pang of hunger hit her stomach. Shocked by the strength of the pain, she doubled over, clutching her belly with both hands. She needed to eat something or she would faint.

Before she reached her car, the inexplicable hunger became unbearable and she shifted into her wolf to hunt for food.