Chapter Three
With Molly’s engine echoing through their wooded surroundings, Skylar and Emery drove the winding path toward what they hoped would be their new home. Of course, it would all be up to the members of the pack. They had passed a sign stating that Wolf Creek was just ahead, and Skylar could just make out the beginning of a small town. A cluster of tiny stores lined the street among the forest of trees. Small groups of people walked up and down the sidewalks, some with a hurried pace and others taking their time with a careless stroll.
Skylar pulled the vehicle into a parking spot but left the engine on. Through the windshield she gazed at the beautiful modern logo painted on the window. MANE DESIGNS stood out in neon pink, an abrupt contrast to the business’s rustic exterior. On the other side of the front window people sat in lifted chairs while others waited for their turn. Skylar turned to Emery.
“Stay here for a second. I’m going to see if they know where we should go.”
Emery nodded and turned the knob for the radio, looking for a station that didn’t only play static.
Skylar exited the vehicle and went inside the beauty shop. A bell rang over her head, announcing her entry to everyone within.
“Welcome! We’ll be with you in a minute!” a voice rang out from one of the stylists.
Underneath the horrendous scent of chemicals and cosmetics, the smell of shifter flooded Skylar’s senses, and she tried to filter through to find the source. The person in her pack who’d told her where to go had explained that all the shop owners in Wolf Creek were shifters. Skylar moved her eyes over the people in the chairs, dismissing them. The curvy hairstylist who had yelled in welcome seemed oblivious, so she was eliminated as a possibility. The second hairstylist, however, caught Skylar’s eye. The woman stared in return, her hands pausing over her client’s head. She nodded at Skylar in acknowledgment and finished blow-drying the person’s hair. Skylar continued standing until the woman made her way over.
“Hi, what can we do for you?” the woman asked and grasped Skylar’s hand in a handshake.
“I need to ask you a question. I’m looking for Killian Stone’s house; do you know how I can get there?”
Several glances shot toward Skylar from the women waiting. Skylar took a step back at the intensity of interest in their eyes.
The stylist cleared her throat, bringing Skylar’s focus back on her. “What do you need to see Killian for?”
Skylar shifted on her feet, glancing over at the women and uncomfortable with the nervousness that crept up on her. How did you say, “Oh, my shifter friend told me to come here for safety” in front of a bunch of humans? “I was told by a friend he could help me with something.”
The woman stared, her green gaze studying Skylar much the same way Jamie had that morning. She looked so familiar, like Skylar should know who she was but had it on the tip of her tongue. Instead of asking more questions, the woman nodded. Skylar sagged in relief.
“All right. There’s only one road in Wolf Creek. If you keep taking that road, you’ll get to Killian’s house. His is the last driveway. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Of course.” The woman paused, but then gave Skylar a warm smile. “What’s your name?”
“Skylar.”
“Well, Skylar, I’m Jessica. I hope Killian can help you with whatever it is you need.”
Skylar fought the urge to sigh and nodded instead. “Me too.”
She turned and exited the shop, hopping back into the truck. Emery had found some station playing country music and curled into her seat, her chin resting on her knees. Her long locks fell around her like a curtain as she stared out her window.
“Did you figure out how to get there?”
“Yep, we’re almost there.”
“Thank God. I’m so tired of being in a car.”
Skylar rolled her eyes as she backed out of the spot and turned onto the road they had traveled on before. It didn’t take long to find the driveway Jessica had told her about. It curved into the privacy of trees, blocking peeping eyes. The truck bounced over a pothole, sending the radio into a fit. It turned on and off with each movement of the vehicle, before finally settling on complete silence.
“Well, shit!” Emery cursed, banging a hand on the dashboard in an attempt to bring the music back.
“Emery, watch your mouth,” Skylar scolded, but they both knew it was pointless. Skylar wasn’t Emery’s mother, no matter how many times she felt as if she were. And if having a potty mouth was Emery’s only fault, it was better than most girls her age.
Emery rolled her eyes and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Do you think they’re going to be okay with us staying?” she whispered, the fear she tried to keep concealed peeking out from her dark eyes.
Skylar wanted to lie. She desperately wanted to give even the smallest amount of solace to her sister since they’d been through so much. But she also knew they both had been through enough, and she wasn’t going to start their new life off by lying. It would only make it worse if the pack kicked them out of their territory. So instead, Skylar shook her head.
“Honestly? I don’t know. Kevin told me Wolf Creek is meant to be some kind of haven for lone wolves. Technically, we’re not lone wolves.” After pulling up behind a large Ford and putting Molly in park, Skylar turned to Emery. Emery nibbled on her lip and tapped a finger against her knee nervously. “If they don’t, we’ll figure it out, okay? I don’t want you to worry about that. As long as we have each other, we’ll make it.”
Emery stared back, and Skylar knew she was unsure. Skylar slapped her on the knee and flashed her a grin. “Come on, it’s now or never!”
They both exited the vehicle, and Skylar walked from the other side to wrap her arm around Emery’s shoulders. The house’s vastness seemed out of place in the small town, yet whoever had built it took the forest into account. The beautiful oak exterior blended into the natural scenery, and windows dark with privacy glass glittered in the afternoon sun. The green-shingled roof blended with the color of the treetops. They stepped up onto a large wooden porch, and it creaked with their footfalls.
Skylar gave Emery a small smile and hoped it came out much more confident than she felt. She rang the doorbell with a shaky finger. Laughter sounded from behind the door a moment later, rich with amusement and joy. Skylar squeezed Emery closer. The door flew open and revealed an older woman, short and thick around her middle. Delight curved her lips and crinkled the corners of her eyes. That was, until she noticed the two unfamiliar shifters on her doorstep. Wariness filled her chocolate eyes, and her smile dropped ever so slightly.
“Can I help you?”
Skylar cleared her throat, doubt and fear closing it and preventing her speech. “We were sent to find Killian Stone. A friend told us he could help us.”
The woman’s hand clenched on the doorknob, and Skylar wasn’t so sure she realized she was doing it. Fear glazed her eyes over, and her lips parted a tiny bit as her breathing quickened. Skylar backed up a step, bringing Emery with her. She would bolt if the woman posed any danger to them, safe haven be damned. Reality seemed to clear whatever had passed through the woman’s mind because her smile returned, although it was much weaker than before.
“All right, come on in.” She opened the door, ushering Skylar and Emery inside. Skylar kept her death grip on Emery, noticing there wasn’t even the slightest motion from her to move away. She was probably just as scared as Skylar felt.
“Go ahead and sit right there on the couches.” The woman gestured to a pair of beautiful leather couches in front of a grand fireplace. “I’ll go get Killian. He’s doing some work. What did you say your names were?”
“My name is Skylar. This is Emery.”
The woman’s warmth returned in her smile. “I’m Kelly. I’ll be right back.”
Skylar nodded and pulled Emery with her to the couches. When Kelly walked up the stairs and disappeared from their sight, Skylar finally let go. The house seemed even larger on the inside than from outside. A staircase curved along the opposite wall of the room from the door to an upper landing, creating a beautiful opera-like balcony overlooking the room they sat in. Standing next to the leather couches, Skylar caught a glimpse of the kitchen’s stainless appliances and dark granite. Wooden floors creaked beneath her feet as she paced, but Emery sat on the edge of the couch. Her back remained ramrod straight with tension, and she nibbled her lip again; a nervous habit she’d had since she was a child. Somewhere in the house a clock ticked the seconds passing by.
Voices echoed from upstairs, reaching Skylar’s and Emery’s sensitive ears.
“Did they say where they came from?” a male voice asked.
“I didn’t stop to ask, Killian. They said a friend sent them for help,” Kelly answered.
“And you just let them in the house, Kelly? After what happened—”
“Killian, I know very well what you are about to say, and don’t you dare. Take one look at these girls, and you’ll know why I let them through the door,” Kelly scolded, and Skylar had to wonder who the real Alpha of the pack was.
A growl rumbled from what Skylar could only assume was Killian.
“Killian, come on. Leave Kelly alone, and let’s go see what these girls need,” a sweet feminine voice said.
Footsteps followed the voices, and Skylar looked up just in time to see the new shifters come onto the landing. A large Native American man walked ahead of two females. Looking at him, Skylar could never doubt he was an Alpha. His very presence demanded attention and submission. Skylar could already feel her hackles rising and, if it were possible, Emery stiffened more. Behind Killian a very tiny woman followed, her white-blonde hair piled in a messy bun atop her head. Despite her comfortable attire and sloppy hair, she looked elegant, like royalty entering a room of subjects she needed to address. She glided across the floor as if her bare feet barely touched the ground.
Killian walked up to them and offered a hand. “Killian Stone.”
“I’m Skylar and this is Emery, my younger sister,” Skylar replied, putting her hand in his oversize one. The dainty female brushed a hand across Killian’s shoulder, gently pushing him out of the way.
“I’m Catrina. Killian’s mate. But you can call me Cat.” She might be tiny, but the hand that grabbed Skylar’s was anything but weak. It gripped her own in a fierce grasp, but Cat smiled sweetly. “Take a seat.”
“I’m going to go check and make sure Mia is still sleeping,” Kelly said, shuffling out of the room and heading back up the stairs.
“Oh, you have children?” Skylar asked, content with the niceties for the moment. She sat down next to Emery on the couch while Cat and Killian sat across from them on the other.
Cat shared a glance with her husband, some hidden message burning in their eyes, before she looked back. “Not yet. Mia is another packmate’s daughter. Kelly watches her during the day while Mia’s mom works.”
Skylar nodded and sucked on her lips, unsure where to carry the conversation.
“So, introductions and all that out of the way, what can we do for you?” Killian asked.
Skylar released a heavy breath. This was it. This was the moment when the pack could choose to let them stay or kick them out for good. Their only real hope of finding some sort of safety—and a home.
“Emery and I are lone wolves. I heard from a friend that Wolf Creek is a sanctuary for those who have no place to call home.”
Killian nodded and leaned back in the couch, throwing an arm over his mate’s shoulders. “And you are wondering if you can find a home here?”
“If you have room to offer us one.”
The careful scrutiny behind Killian’s eyes had Skylar resisting the urge to squirm. Cat furrowed her brows and looked back and forth between Emery and Skylar as if she were trying to figure out their story.
“How did you become lone wolves?” Killian asked.
“We had a disagreement with our previous Alpha, so we left.”
A look that could only be described as understanding glinted in Killian’s eyes, and he looked over at his mate. She nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. Killian sighed.
“Yes, it’s true that Wolf Creek is meant to be a safe place for Shifters with nowhere else to go. But”—he emphasized the word with lifted eyebrows—“safety is the top priority for my pack.”
Skylar nodded, and Emery shifted next to her. Her sister’s gaze turned toward her in question, probably wondering how much information Skylar would tell the Alpha.
“We understand,” Skylar said.
“Look, we don’t care what your past is like. Everyone here has one,” Cat said softly. “As long as you think whatever you’re running away from won’t cause trouble, that’s all we ask.”
“If you endanger my pack, I’ll have to kill you,” Killian stated, his voice blunt and eyes cold.
Skylar tensed, and Emery did the same. They knew a ruthless Alpha, and the chance they were taking in joining a new pack had just hit them full force. The Alpha was leader. What he said needed to be followed at all costs, and that statement scared the shit out of Skylar. So it was shocking when Cat let out a loud laugh.
“Really, Killian? You’re going to use that line?” Cat backed away from her mate with a beaming smile. Killian’s dark eyebrows furrowed, and a shiver of fear ran down Skylar’s spine.
“What? It’s true,” Killian said, his voice gruff and defensive.
Cat snorted and slapped him on the chest. “Yes, Your Highness. We all know you are protective and unforgiving when it comes to the safety of your pack.” Shaking her head at Killian’s scowling face, she turned pale blue eyes to Skylar. “Where are you staying at?”
Still in shock over the ease with which Cat had bantered with Killian, Skylar had trouble wrenching her voice past the stopper in her throat. When she could finally speak, it came out in a stutter. “We…we’re staying at a motel.”
Cat frowned again, looking from sister to sister. She leaned over to whisper in Killian’s ear, and he cleared his throat.
“Well, we can’t make a packmate sleep in a motel. Especially with you having your sister with you and all. We have a place you can stay, but you’ll need to get your own furniture.”
Packmate. Skylar nodded mutely and looked at Emery. Her large eyes stared back with amazement. As simple as that, and they had a new pack. Their former Alpha would have had a horrendous “tryout,” or flat-out turned them down.
Cat stood, and Skylar and Emery followed suit. “I’ll show you where it’s at. Do you have a car? I don’t have my license yet, and my mate won’t let me drive anywhere until I pass the test.” She shot an evil glare at Killian, who only smiled back and stood.
“Yeah, we drove here from Montana.”
“Montana? Explains the accent. That is a long drive,” Cat said incredulously.
“Well, it was worth it. And we wanted to put as much distance between us and there as we could.”
Cat nodded. “I understand that, believe me.” She motioned toward the door. “Come on. I’ll show you how to get there. It’s right down the street.”