Riding shotgun in Drew’s truck was an unfamiliar experience. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been a passenger in a vehicle. Maybe at her last foster home? She wasn’t sure.
They loaded the bag with all her clothing, computer, and art supplies. She’d insisted they didn’t need to bring so much, that it was only for a few days, but Drew had grumbled something about “best to be safe.” If she was reading him right, he likely thought he was moving her into his house and hoping she wouldn’t notice.
I don’t think so, life mate.
Despite not steering the truck, Alyssa had a rather enjoyable and educational ride to Wildlings.
“So, are we immortal?” She asked as soon as they pulled out of the parking lot surrounding her building.
“No, we aren’t immortal. We heal quickly, though, and don’t get sick.”
“I’ve seen the healing thing in action, and now that I think about it, I’m not sure I’ve ever been ill.” She gave it some thought. “Yeah, you’re right. What about things like cancer?”
“Nope. We’re fortunate that our bodies heal quickly and are immune to such illnesses.”
“So, how do we die, then?”
“There are a few ways. A wolf shifter can die by decapitation or having their heart ripped from their body. Those are mortal wounds that we can’t heal.”
Alyssa’s hand went to her throat. Not cool.
“And while there aren’t a lot of werewolf myths that apply to us, the silver bullet does. Depending on your rank, health, and size, it could take several bullets to take out a wolf shifter, but it can be done.”
She bit her lip. “That’s all very violent. Is that how I’ll die?”
Flipping on the right turn signal, he laughed. “No. Those types of grisly deaths are quite rare now. In our day and age, most of us die from old age. The one ailment our bodies can’t stop, which really isn’t too bad. Their loved ones surround them when they pass from this life to the next.”
“Oh.”
“You sound disappointed. I suppose finding out you won’t live forever is a buzzkill.”
“It’s not that. Well, I guess it kind of is.” It was difficult to explain. While she wasn’t sure if she was immortal or not, she hadn’t been willing to put it to the test. She just assumed she’d live forever. “But not for the reason you’re thinking. I figured I would live a lonely, long life forever, being the only one of my kind. Now that you’re telling me I have a chance to be part of a family, eternity doesn’t seem that long if you have someone to share it with.” She glanced over at him, taking in that strong jaw and the dark hair she’d run her fingers through.
“In the past, whenever I dated, it was for a little companionship, but I always knew it wouldn’t last. I was always super careful with birth control because I had no idea what I was, and I knew I couldn’t tell another human I was a were—er, I mean shifter, so having a child with someone was always out of the question. Hell, having a relationship that lasted more than a few months was out of the question. And forget living with someone. They’d think I was cheating because I would sneak out at night.” That one she’d learned from experience.
He looked over at her. “Do you want to have children?”
Did she?
“I—honestly, I’ve never given it any thought. I always thought I’d live my life alone.” Do I want to be a mother? It had never been possible before. “Do you want kids?”
His gaze darted back to the road. She wasn’t sure if the traffic demanded his attention or if he wasn’t comfortable with the question. “I always thought I would like to have kids. My dad is a retired alpha who lives in Florida. He gave up the pack to me when my mom and dad decided they didn’t want the stress anymore. I know they’d love grandkids. A sibling would have been nice. Callum’s been a great friend all my life, but he doesn’t completely understand the pressures involved with being alpha. I always imagined I’d had more than one kid.” His gaze swung back. “If my mate was agreeable, that is.”
Clearly, he wasn’t distracted by the traffic. She should have known. Nothing about Drew screamed conflict and commitment-phobe. He’d handled Mitch head-on and likely did the same with any problem. He was an alpha, after all.
“You’re an alpha,” she said, tactfully changing the subject. “So you’re the top of the food chain, so to speak?”
She watched his lips curl up as he focused his attention back on the road. “Yes, I am. In our pack, I’m the only alpha. We have a small pack, but in larger packs, there can be multiple alpha and beta wolves. One alpha leads the pack, but as long as the other alphas get along and follow his rules, packs can have more than one alpha. They can also have multiple betas. I have a few betas in my pack, but Callum, whom you met at the gallery, is my actual second in command. He’s also the VP of Master’s Grilling. He helped me build the company.”
“Okay.” It was a lot to absorb. As she opened her mouth to ask her next question, Drew interrupted.
“Actually, legend has it there’s a shifter even more powerful than an alpha.”
This gave her pause. At least most of what he’d told her so far had roots in the research she’d done, but this piece of information was new. “Really?”
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “But it’s just legend. They don’t really exist. At least, I don’t think they do. My grandfather used to tell stories about the Sovereigns, about an alpha so powerful he could control anyone, human, shifter, alphas included. He could render them immobile with a single word, and anyone would have no choice but to follow his orders. His eyes would glow red as they uttered commands.” He laughed, lines appearing at the corners of his eyes. “He was just telling tales, though. No such creature exists.”
Alyssa settled in her seat. “Be pretty dangerous if they did.”
“Well, the way my grandfather told it, a Sovereign was only the most righteous of shifters. They were pure, good, and always made the right decisions.”
“Righteous or not, I think history has shown us time and time again that absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Alyssa grabbed at her seatbelt as Drew took a corner a little faster than she would have liked. “Right, that’s the saying? I never finished school. Sometimes I mess those things up.”
“Yeah, I think that’s it.” He reached over and placed his hand on her knee. “Seems pretty accurate, too. I can be pretty corrupt.” He sent her a saucy grin before his palm slid up her thigh and cupped her between the legs.
Laughing, she pushed his hand away. “Tell me about the women. What kind of power do they have?”
Drew made a thoughtful noise. “Depends on the pack. Each pack has the alpha and the alpha’s mate. Like I said, our pack values women. We’re only as strong as our weakest member, so why leave women at a disadvantage? They need to be successful, contributing members too.”
He’d touched briefly on what her position would entail. She supposed it would be a role she’d grow into. As long as she didn’t have to sacrifice her art, it wouldn't matter what her title was, especially if she had a family.
Family.
She’d never had that before. A life partner, friends that lasted longer than a season, and maybe even children. “What’s involved in— What did you call it? Imprinting?”
Drew slowed the car for a stoplight. He cleared his throat. “It’s the most intense sex you’ll ever have.” He chuckled. “At least that’s how it was always explained to me. That’s the simplified version. Do you remember the first time we touched?”
“Yes.” She’d run cold and then immediately too hot. Her nervous system had felt like it was in overdrive. “You felt that too?”
“Oh yeah. Big time.” He eased off the brake and pressed the gas while turning the steering wheel to follow the row of cars ahead of them as they used the advanced green. “Imprinting will be like that. Intense. Powerful. Undeniable. From that moment on, we’ll be even more connected, and unless one of us dissolves the mating, we would belong to each other from that moment on.”
“It sounds nice.” She’d wondered why Mount Woodridge had felt so different. Maybe it had always been because it was Drew’s home. She belonged here too.
He reached over and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “It will be.”
They drove on for a few moments, quietly enjoying the ride out of town. Alyssa’s skin buzzed where he touched her. He turned down the road that would take them to Wildlings. “Any more questions?”
Taking a deep breath, she thought about it. “Not that I can think of right now.”
“Don’t hesitate to ask. It’s a lot to take in all at once.” After parking the truck, he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I will always make time for you and answer any question you have honestly. You are my partner, my mate. And although it may take you time to truly understand what you mean to me, know that I am always here for you.”
Her heart hammered in her chest, and tears rose in her eyes. At first, she’d disregarded all her recent tears and emotional turmoil, claiming lack of sleep caused them, but today she was well-rested. It was the situation. She was happy. And when was the last time she could claim she’d been truly happy?
“Ready?” He popped open his door, letting the winter breeze into the cab.
Nodding, she unfastened her belt and stepped out of the vehicle. She was about to meet the pack. Her new family, whether she liked it or not. She just hoped they liked her.
When they arrived at the sanctuary, a tall, slender woman with a platinum pixie cut, dark lipstick, and two full sleeves of tattoos greeted them. She wore an off-the-shoulder sweater and ripped jeans. She was effortlessly stylish.
“Hi, I’m Fredrica. Maddox told me you were coming.” She rubbed her hands together. “I’m so excited to meet you!”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. Not only have you captured Drew’s elusive attention,” she said, glancing affectionately toward the alpha, “but I love your work.”
“Really?”
Fredrica nodded. “Yep. You’ve accumulated a following. I think some of your landscapes would be perfect for Wildlings. In fact, Drew’s office has this great, big, barren wall. It needs you desperately. Something on display from our very own pack member would be awesome.”
Beside her, Drew tensed. “Maddox wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
Fredrica shrugged her slender shoulders. “We’re mates. Of course, we’re going to talk.”
“I might have to muzzle him.”
“Please don’t.” Fredrica didn’t take the threat seriously, based on her smile. “I like his lips and his tongue intact.”
“Not what a guy wants to hear his little sister say.” Callum’s voice preceded him from the hallway to the right of the entrance.
“I don’t particularly enjoy the visual either.” Drew frowned, prompting a laugh from Fredrica.
“Still waiting for a few members to arrive,” Callum informed Drew. “But you’ve got a problem to deal with before addressing them.”
“I’m still working on solving the last problem that crept up. I assume Maddox updated you.”
Alyssa figured they were talking about Mitch. Drew had asked her if Mitch had ever given her anything. She’d been curious why that would matter, but then realized he wanted something with Mitch’s scent. Mitch had given her a necklace with a little wolf on it. A vendor had handcrafted it at one fair where she was selling her paintings. Another sign that she should have been more cautious.
“Yeah, but this problem needs immediate attention.” Callum’s gaze slipped briefly to her. “Hi, Alyssa. Nice to see you again. We met the other night.”
She nodded. “At the gallery. I remember.” It would be nice to know at least one familiar face when she met the pack for the first time.
He looked back at Drew and lowered his voice. “Shaw and his niece are here. I got the impression they’re already planning things.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything,” Drew growled.
“And thank fuck for that,” Callum replied. “Or you’d be really screwed right now.”
“Why don’t you go with Fredrica? She’ll show you around the facility while I deal with this issue.” Drew placed his hand on the small of her back and urged her closer to the other woman before turning to Callum. “You and I need to talk before I go in there. I need to know exactly what she said to you the last time they were here.”
Alyssa didn’t like the scowl on Drew’s face or his growled tone. Whatever was going on seemed to be an unpleasant problem. But Fredrica pulled her attention away. “Come on. You have to meet Izzy. She’s the best.”
It turned out Izzy was a red-tailed hawk who had been hit by a car and suffered brain damage. She couldn’t hunt and hence was living indefinitely at the facility. Fredrica, Alyssa learned, was a bubbly woman with an abundance of energy. She alternatively fawned over Alyssa’s art career, showed off the animals and the facility, and explained her position at Master’s Grilling. Fredrica was the company’s graphic designer and website guru. She ran the website for Master’s Grilling and Wildlings and did all their graphics.
As her informal tour ended, Alyssa asked, “So you’re a shifter, too?”
“Yep.” The loops in her ears moved when she nodded her head.
“And you’re mated?”
The smile that spread across her face was one of pure joy. “Oh, yeah.”
“To Maddox?” She thought back to the giant hulk of a man who had rammed his way out of the stairwell and into the hallway that morning. “I think I met him.”
“This morning, yes. He told me.”
Alyssa nodded. “What’s it like?”
Fredrica’s eyebrows pulled together. “What?”
“Having a mate? What was it like when you met him?”
Her gaze clouded with memory, and she chuckled. “I basically told him to fuck off.”
That drew a smile from Alyssa. It was nice to talk to a female shifter and see that what Drew said was true. They could be themselves and not have to kowtow to the men. “Really? Why?”
“He came on a little strong.” She crossed her arms and leaned against a wall. “I’m not sure how much Drew has told you, but he inherited this pack from his father.”
“A pack can be inherited?”
She wiggled her head back and forth. “Sort of? It depends on the reigning alpha and his son. Some sons aren’t born alphas or betas and therefore have no interest in running a pack. Some are alphas, but their opinions on leadership differ from what the pack wants, in which case another alpha or beta might step up and challenge him for the position. But in Drew’s case, everyone liked how his father managed our pack, and it was clear Drew had no intention of making any big changes. Everyone stayed after he took leadership. Except for his parents and mine.”
Fredrica pushed off the wall and began leading them back the way they’d come, past the caged animals, and toward the front of the building. “His parents wanted a simpler life instead of continuing to lead, so they moved to Florida for some distance and relaxation. Although, apparently, Thompson, Drew’s dad, is president of the condo board, and at least one recreational group down there.” She shrugged. “He’s a born leader. My parents moved down there too, but they come back often. They’re best friends. My dad was pack beta, and naturally, Callum assumed the role when he left. But they’ve been visiting more frequently since I announced my mating. They wanted to meet the man who’d claimed me.”
“Claimed you?” Alyssa didn’t like the sound of that.
The graphic designer laughed. “That’s what he thought was going to happen. He strolled into town, found me, and demanded I basically follow him to his hotel room and let him do his thing.”
“Seriously?” Okay, that wasn’t going to happen.
“Yeah, like that was going to happen,” Fredrica said, mirroring Alyssa’s thoughts. “He learned quickly that I wouldn’t put up with his macho, chauvinistic attitude. I was raised to believe that I could be who I wanted and do anything I put my mind to. No way in hell was I going to bow down to some jackass that was used to women falling at his feet.”
Amen.
“Anyway, we had a bit of a rocky start.” She led Alyssa into a small office, explaining it was where she worked when she was at the facility rather than the factory.
After an appreciative glance around Fredrica’s tidy space, Alyssa guided their discussion back to mating. “He’s imprinted on you and everything?”
“Yep.” Fredrica beamed.
“What’s that part like?” Having grown up with no pack to support her, it fascinated her, not only how they functioned, but the feminine view of all this new information.
“Imagine the best orgasm you’ve ever had, then multiply it by about a hundred. That’s what it’s like.” She sighed. “It’s difficult to explain and needs to be experienced, but it was like our souls touched or something.” She glanced at Alyssa, then straightened. ”Anyway, you’ll basically be chasing that high and that powerful orgasm for the rest of your life. Mated sex is incredible, but imprinting was wow. Maddox keeps trying to recreate it, which I am totally fine with.” She winked. “He can try anytime he likes.”
She pulled the door shut as they stepped into the hallway. A few feet away, Callum stood with another man outside a closed door, sporting the name Drew Masters in white paint. Fredrica rushed down the hall. “Where’s Lydia?”
Callum’s gaze slipped from his sister to Alyssa. “She wanted a moment alone with Drew, to convince him that declining her offer wasn’t in his best interest.”
“Uh oh.” The formerly bubbly woman looked apprehensive. “Seriously?”
The older man smiled tenderly at Fredrica. “My niece is very persuasive. She is a lawyer, after all. I’m sure Drew will see the mutual benefits of an arranged mating.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Alyssa barked louder and more aggressively than she ought to. But hearing another woman trying to lay claim to her mate was more than unsettling.
Callum sucked in a breath.
Fredrica stepped up and diplomatically performed the introductions. “Alyssa, this is Shaw. He’s the alpha of a nearby pack. Shaw, this is Alyssa. She’s—” Her tour guide stumbled over a title, likely unwilling to announce that Drew had a fated mate.
“A new pack member,” Callum supplied.
She wasn’t officially a pack member but being denied the title of mate gnawed at her.
“Hello there, sweetheart.” Shaw extended his hand in a friendly greeting.
Alyssa blinked at him before glancing at Callum and Fredrica. They wore matching expressions of concern. She wasn’t sure if their concern stemmed from agitation on her behalf or the turmoil that her response could cause. Unaware of how packs interacted with one another, Alyssa wasn’t sure how to respond. Anger? Hurt? Betrayal? Jealousy?
How should the alpha’s mate react?
She didn’t know. But she knew a possible arranged mating between Drew and another woman was something Drew should have warned her about. Especially if she genuinely was Drew’s fated mate. Surely the man didn’t think he was going to have two mates. He might have hoped to take advantage of the poor, uninformed, naïve shifter who was so desperate for love and a home that she’d believe any line. She was made for him. Yeah, right.
Swallowing her anger, Alyssa ignored Shaw’s hand and grabbed the doorknob. “Excuse me.” Her tone came out more bitter than she’d planned, but she couldn’t help that. “I need a word with the alpha.”
Apparently, she did have more questions. A lot more.