Simon and Letta appeared on the beach near the ice cream shop in South Padre Island, startling a couple of seagulls that quickly flew off.
"What are you going to do when we return to the village if some of the wolves are angry that I agreed to mate you?" Letta asked Simon as they walked into the ice cream shop and she ordered a triple hot fudge sundae with a scoop of coffee ice cream, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip.
He picked out a large chocolate milkshake.
Simon was so glad he brought Letta here because this definitely had the effect he was going for, convincing her to be his. "You want to mate me?"
They took their seats outside on the veranda, the big blue and white striped umbrella keeping the sun off them while they watched the humans playing in the surf, walking along the beach, building sandcastles, or lying out to roast their skin.
Four more couples were sitting out on the deck near them, enjoying ice cream treats.
She sighed and slipped her spoon into her ice cream again. "It's inevitable. Don't you think?"
"No. I never thought it was inevitable. I thought I'd have to earn your favor. I don't know what came over me to propose to you in the way in which I did."
"You were desperate."
He laughed.
She smiled. "You were. Here all these men would be proposing marriage to me and you would have to try and convince me that you were the only one for me."
"I would do anything to convince you of that."
She reached over and took his hand and squeezed, then released him. "I wouldn't want to be with anyone else. Don't you feel the strong pull? Scorpion fae have an ability to 'see' the one who seems to be right for them, though I had to overcome my annoyance with you for sticking me in a cage."
He chuckled. "For your own good. Wolves experience the same thing." He gave a heavy sigh of relief, leaned over, and kissed her. "You've made me the happiest wolf alive."
"You've made me happy too. When I set out on my journey, I had no idea if anyone would even want to be with a scorpion fae. Even though I am a princess."
"Well, so you are a princess."
"The king is my grandfather. So now what do we do?"
"The Gathering celebration doesn't start until tomorrow. We'll have our mating celebration upon our return. That way everyone who is at the Gathering will know for sure that you aren't available and you're not joining another pack. But if you want more time to prepare, we can wait."
"I don't need any more time. Gia needs to know she has no chance with you."
"She had to have figured that out after she tried to kill you." He finished his milkshake. "Good, then it's settled."
Once Letta finished her ice cream, they walked along the beach, shoes in hand, toes digging into the sand.
“Do you want to go swimming?” Simon thought it could be fun. It was nice and warm out. “We could go to one of the beach shops to grab what we need.”
“Sure. Let’s do that.” Letta and Simon headed through the sand to the shops.
They saw royal guards of the dark fae walking next to the shops, invisible to humans. Simon waved to them. “They come here to ensure that other fae don’t try to take over their human territory.”
“But they’re dark fae when you’re a wolf.”
“We’re friends with the dragon fae, and through Princess Alicia’s marriage to the dark fae crown prince, we are friends of theirs.”
“We took them in for a time, though the dark fae royal guard were searching for them so they may not see me in a good way.”
“You are a wolf fae like me.”
He had his hand on the door of a shop that sold swimwear, beach towels, T-shirts, and more when she said, “You know, we probably need to see my brother in the human world at the home where I spent many years. Would you like to?”
“Do your parents still live there?” He was surprised she'd all of a sudden mention a brother.
“No, but my brother does. We should see him. Come, let’s go.”
Simon was pondering if she felt her brother needed to approve of their mating first. He wondered how her brother would feel about how she had been turned. Simon hoped he wouldn’t try to change Letta’s mind about him. “All right. Let’s go.”
When they finally arrived at a redwood cabin surrounded by a deck in the Ozark Mountains, the pine tree scents gave Simon the urge to run as a wolf. “Could we run out here?” They climbed the steps to the front deck.
“Sure. I never thought I'd be running through the woods where I used to play as a girl, except as a wolf now. We can do that after you meet my brother, Griffin.” She knocked on the door and a man, who had the same long, pale-blond hair and blue eyes, opened the door and looked from her to Simon. It was more a look of speculation, than appearing to be glad to see his sister or the stranger on his doorstep.
“You are hanging out with wolves now, dear sister.” He opened the door wider to allow them entrance and then turned and headed to the kitchen.
She and Simon entered the cabin and Simon shut the door.
“Sodas? Water? Tea?” Griffin asked.
“Griffin, this is Simon, who has taken me into his wolf pack.”
“Tameron kicked you out then.” Griffin brought them bottles of water, not waiting for them to tell him what they wanted.
“It was time. I wanted a mate and I found Simon. I’m a wolf too now.” She raised her hand as soon as her brother’s head swung around to glower at Simon. “He didn’t do it. A fae seer, who was taken in by the dragon shifter fae, turned, and attacked me and Simon’s sister. Anyway, I took care of Myla’s injuries, and Simon offered me a home.”
“It sounds to me like he’s offered more than that.”
“To be his mate, yes. He’s the pack leader of the Wolf Mountain pack.”
“You could join us if you’d like,” Simon offered. Not that he really wanted a non-wolf in the pack, but if it made Letta happy, he was willing to do whatever it took.
“He must not know of our pledge,” Griffin said, then took a drink of his water. “We aren’t to congregate or if we do, we could become warlike with our kind all over again. King Tameron only has the young ones under his tutelage. Once they grow old enough, they must find their way to other fae kingdoms and became productive and dutiful citizens of the other fae realms. Some of us live in the human world. Like me. But a wolf?” Griffin shook his head. “I didn’t think wolf shifters could turn fae kind. I hope the wolf is past tense.”
“It is so good to see you, my brother,” Letta said, changing the subject.
“How is our old grandfather?”
“Looking as young as ever. We dropped some fae seers off with him to deal with.”
Griffin laughed. “To practice what he preaches.”
“Do you live here always?” Simon knew some fae loved to live in the human world, despite the danger of running into the fae seers. The fae lived for danger. It was just part of their nature.
“I love living out here with nature. Sure, I could live at home in the world of fae and try to make a go of it somewhere. But I like creating trouble for the humans.” Griffin shrugged. “I have a bowling alley I love to go to. My favorite pastime is messing up the champion’s game. You should see the looks on everyone’s faces as they watch that ball take a little detour into the gutter.”
Simon didn’t bother going to the human world to play pranks on the humans. He’d always been too busy being groomed to be a pack leader with all the responsibilities that came with the job. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the inborn trait to mess with the humans, he just didn’t have the time.
“I can see Simon’s disapproving look. He’s a responsible pack leader. He will be way too dull for you, sister.” Then Griffin smiled. “Come on. It is time for the bowling games to start. Let’s have some fun. Shall we?”
Simon wanted to run as a wolf with Letta. He hadn’t intended to prove to Letta’s brother that he could enjoy being a typical fae where the humans were concerned, but he went along with it. “All right. A couple of games and then Letta and I are going for a wolf run.”
They transported to the bowling alley then, where the lights were tuned off and black lights were on. Then LED disco lights and multi-colored lane lights came on.
“Isn’t this great?” Griffin asked. “I love glow bowling.”
Letta laughed. “This is great.”
Simon had to agree.
Neon-colored balls were rolling down the lanes to knock down neon-colored pins. Many of the people were dressed in either fluorescent clothes or white clothes, which made them glow. The fae weren’t there to glow. Simon, Letta, and Griffin were invisible to the humans as they watched the neon balls rolling down the lanes.
“You, first,” Griffin said to Simon, as if he were the guest of honor in starting the fae games with the bowlers.
Simon didn’t believe humans losing a bowling game was any big deal. Games like these didn’t mean anything to him. A tug-of-war contest between wolves, now that proved real teamwork, and strength, and competitiveness.
Simon transported to the middle of one of the lanes and as soon as the ball rolled toward him, he hit it with the side of his foot, knocking it into the gutter. He hadn’t thought he’d feel any real pleasure in messing up the guy’s game, but the astonished looks on everyone’s faces did amuse him. He was fae, after all. He bowed to Griffin and then transported back to where he and Letta were standing.
Griffin motioned for Letta to have a go at it, but she shook her head. Her brother went to another lane and waited right near the pins. Then he knocked the ball into the gutter before it reached its target.
“I told you this place is haunted,” the bowler said.
“I keep thinking something’s wrong with the balls or the lane but the next time we play, they’re fine,” another man said.
“Yeah, which makes me think they’re haunted. This place, I mean.”
“We should go to the other bowling alley.”
“I go there too,” Griffin told Simon. “I wouldn’t want the owner to lose all his business here. What fun would there be in that? I don’t mess with the beginners. They have a hard-enough time trying to hit anything. No little kids either. Even if they’re really good. I just go after the overconfident guys. I’m headed to the movies. Good to see you, Letta.” He gave her a hug. And then he shook Simon’s hand. “Treat her well or you’ll be hearing from me.” Then he vanished.
“Scorpion fae. He has to show how tough he is. Are you ready for the run?” Letta asked, sounding relieved that they were finished here and her brother seemed to approve of Simon.
“Yeah. And then we can return home so we can tell the pack we’re mating. I’m sure everyone’s eager to hear you play your music too. I know I am.”
They walked through a couple people in the bowling alley standing in their path. That was one of the things he liked about being a fae. If humans got into their way, he didn’t have to wait for them to move, he could just walk straight through them. The two women shivered.
“I felt so numb all of a sudden,” the one said.
“Yeah. And it’s happened to me before when I’ve been here.”
Simon smiled and took Letta’s hand and transported her to the woods.
They shifted and began running through the predominantly evergreen forest. He loved being here with her like this in a new wilderness. They ran for a good hour when they heard a couple of wolves howl, his brother Aegis, and his council member Steel. Simon howled back and turned to head in their direction. He wondered what was wrong now. No one would have come after him if they hadn’t had trouble back at the pack. He thought about humans who might hear the haunting sounds of the wolves in the area when he didn’t think any real wolves lived out in these woods.
When they reached the wolves, he greeted them. They all shifted. “What’s wrong?” Simon asked.
“There’s fighting among two wolf packs who are there for the Gathering. The leaders both claim that Hannah is theirs and they want to lay claim to Letta because she was bitten by one of their own,” Aegis said.
“Oh, really. When only one pack could truly claim the woman. Since that’s never been an issue that we’ve heard of, I wonder where they got that idea.” Simon put his arm around Letta’s shoulders. “What about Mark and Bryan? Do they want them too?” He figured they wouldn’t.
“Nope. They just want Letta and they’ll put up with having Hannah,” Aegis said, smiling.
“All right. We’re done here. It must have taken you some time to find us.”
“Yeah, we followed your dust trail to the beach in South Padre Island, then to the cabin near here, then we finally assumed you were off running in the woods and we were trying to catch up to you. I figured we needed to just howl to get your attention.”
That did the trick.
“All right, let’s go.” But Simon was thinking he needed to keep Letta under lock and key or someone was sure to attempt to steal her away from him.
“It’s her scorpion fae magic I think they’re the most interested in,” Aegis said.
“Her singing,” Steel said. “And that she’s a healer.”
Letta folded her arms and raised a brow. “Not for my beauty, kindness, and intelligence?”
“That’s why I love you.” Simon kissed her and then returned her to their world and to the village.
When they arrived, Simon could see how serious the altercations were. The two pack leaders had shifted and were tearing into each other as wolves. He couldn’t believe it. Especially since neither of them had a chance to take Letta home with them. He suspected Hannah didn’t belong with the packs either.
“A little early for the wolf competitions, isn’t it? They start tomorrow,” Simon said.
The wolves stopped fighting and stared at Simon and Letta.
“And if you’re fighting over Letta, I need to put this matter to rest,” Simon said. “She and I are mating, which means she’s not going anywhere. There are no rules that state a fae bitten and changed by a wolf will become part of the pack that the attacking wolf belongs to. You don’t have conclusive evidence that Hannah even belongs with either of your packs.”
“And I don’t want to belong to a pack where the only reason I’m wanted is because the leader wants her,” Hannah said, pointing at Letta.
Letta only smiled at her. Simon was really hoping Hannah would find her pack and leave. Soon.
“I think she belongs with our pack,” an older man said. “Hannah, I mean. We had a woman leave with a baby girl some years ago, and there was speculation that she had left a spouse who had been cheating on her, which is practically unheard of among wolves. She never returned. She didn’t have any family with our pack. She had married into it. He never looked for her. We never found any evidence he was seeing another wolf. We think his mate just decided she’d made a mistake and didn’t want to be with him. It’s the only case I know of where one of our pack members left with a child, and Hannah is about the right age. That wasn’t the baby’s name, but I’m sure someone else would have changed it.”
“And your claim to Letta?” Simon asked.
The leader smiled. “She has nothing to do with my claiming Hannah as one of our own. Just like we have no claim to the fae seers she changed. They’re all welcome to join our pack as we can always use new blood as long as the wolves are hard workers like the rest of us, and agreeable.”
Simon had no intention of telling him that Hannah was neither of those things. “It looks like you have a home finally, Hannah. I’m glad for it. If all the fighting is done here, we’ll have dinner.” Then he took Letta’s arm and led her to the cottage.