New Beginnings (5 page)

Simons was practically a giant at nearly
seven feet tall. He had a buzz cut and muddy brown eyes. Not only
was he an enforcer, but he was one of Hayden’s deputies. He was
also one of the few werewolves who was married to a human and had
kids.

Clint scrubbed a hand over his face and
whispered, “Something is up with Liam. I don’t know what, but he’s
been sneaking around a lot lately.”

Simons nodded. His hands were in his pockets
as he cast a dark glance through the crowd. “He was scoping out the
bar this afternoon. I don’t like it.”

“I also saw him darting into the woods near
Jess’ cabin the day she arrived,” Clint added.

Liam had been Slater’s second for decades.
There was a time when Slater considered him a friend. That started
to change about a decade ago, and only got worse after Brody was
infected and became a werewolf. Liam had felt threatened, but
Slater never understood why.

Brody was one of the few men he trusted
completely. He became a werewolf when he stepped in to stop another
wolf from beating a man to death for an innocent mistake he’d
apologized for. It only made sense to promote the man willing to
defend a defenseless human when he himself was a human.

After Liam’s shit the night before, Slater
was starting to wonder how far gone Liam was.

“Keep an eye on him. Discreetly.” Slater
quietly told them. “I don’t want him to suspect anything, but he’s
been cagier than normal lately.”

“What about Brody?” Clint asked.

“Don’t let him know. Not yet. I want to see
what’s up. You’ve heard the shit Liam’s been requesting. I’m
beginning to suspect that he’s losing his mind, but I need proof
before I take action”

“We’ll keep you posted.” Simons turned and
joined the rest of the wolves. Clint looked toward the trail and
ducked away with a frown.

Liam strolled into the clearing. The sun
glared off his bald head. His dark eyes sought out Slater and then
swept through the rest of the clearing, probably looking for any
sign of Jess or Brody.

When he didn’t find what he was looking for,
he made his way to Slater. “Where’s the female?”

Slater shrugged. “I’m sure she’ll be
here.”

“And Brody?”

“Same.”

“And you don’t think it’s possible he
finally got over his dead wife? I hear she’s a sexy little
thing.”

Slater snorted but he really wanted to grind
Liam’s face with a sandblaster. “Positive. I don’t understand why
you worry so much about him. It’s not like he’s trying to advance
his position. He only took the enforcer role because I put him
there.”

“I still don’t understand the motivation to
put a new wolf in an enforcer position unless you want to move him
up faster.”

“You have to admit that he did the honorable
thing at great risk to himself. He didn’t choose this life, and you
know it.”

“Another reason to question why you elevated
his status.”

Slater wasn’t about to argue with the second
in front of the rest of the wolves. He knew nothing he said would
get through Liam’s skull. He answered with the only thing he could.
“Relax. He doesn’t threaten your position.” However, if Liam kept
up these petty games, he would threaten his position himself.

* * * *

Jess was parked at the end of a gravel lot
that was hidden on a logging road. There were a ton of other
vehicles out there. Man, was she nervous. Meeting a crowd of new
people all at once was always weird. Last time she joined a pack,
she had to withdraw from any and everyone for an entire week just
to get the new visions to stop bombarding her.

Then again, she had already read the email
Slater sent out. He politely told everyone that she didn’t touch
and why. So maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

There was no sense in stalling. It was
better to just get it over with.

Brody pulled in right beside her as she
climbed out. He hopped down and gave her a hint of a smile.

“Hey, Brody.” She couldn’t help wondering
what Fallon would think when she saw the guy. He was just all kinds
of yum. Strangely, other than being a sweetheart and some tasty
eye-candy, he did nothing for her.

“Evening. You find it okay?”

“Yup. No problem at all.” She took a look
around and frowned. She didn’t see an immediate path.

“Over here. We’re probably the last ones to
arrive.” Brody nodded toward the other end of the lot.

“Lead on,” she said. He started in that
direction and she hurried to catch up with his long strides. “So, I
wanted to warn you. Slater volunteered your time to help with
redecorating the bar. You don’t have to feel obligated.” She looked
up at him.

“Well, I like to keep busy. So really, I
won’t mind at all.”

Man, she wished she had a good reason to
drag Fallon up to Edenton already. Not that she would dump Isaac
for another man, but one could hope. She knew Fallon was going to
have to see how wrong her man was doing her before she would leave.
It would be more than a year before that happened, and Jess hated
it.

“I’ll compensate you for your time with a
fair wage, and if you won’t take that I can offer home cooked meals
and beer.”

He chuckled, “No need to pay me, but I won’t
turn down a free meal.”

Distracted by her own thoughts, she didn’t
notice the branch until she tried to walk through it and nearly
face-planted.

Brody caught her shoulder, keeping her from
hitting the ground. The physical contact slammed her right into a
vision.

Brody lay on his side in bed, his head
propped on his hand as he traced the waterfall down Fallon
’s
back with a finger, then each little animal in the tattooed scene.
She could feel the overwhelming love he felt. Fallon was sleeping
with her side against his body, and neither of them wore a stitch
of clothing.

“Careful there. The path’s not real even.”
His slightly rough drawl snapped her back to reality.

“Shit, sorry,” she mumbled and took a couple
steps back as she shook her head.

His head tilted and his brow wrinkled. “What
is it?”

“Nothing.” She answered lamely.

He frowned, “You were surprised, but you
smiled. Why?”

She took a deep breath. “Just saw you
happy.” She shrugged but didn’t know what else to say.

He looked away as anguish filled his
eyes.

She reached out to touch his shoulder and
another image hit her.

It was Brody, sitting on the first pew in
a church. He twisted his wedding ring as tears fell down his face.
There was a closed casket with a portrait of a beautiful woman with
long dark hair and dark gray eyes smiling back at him.
Then she
understood, his wife had passed away.

“I’m sorry, Brody,” she whispered.

He looked back. His expression was so lost.
“Do you see what’s in my head? If so, you might understand why I
don’t believe I’ll ever be happy again.”

She wanted to cry for him. His pain etched
his face. Squeezing his shoulder gently, she promised, “Someday you
will be, but I understand why you can’t believe that.” She took a
deep breath before nodding down the trail. “You okay to go?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, his pain melting into a
dull expression. “Let’s go.”

Now she was curious what the story was, but
she wasn’t willing to ask him and drum his pain up all over
again.

The meet and greet was over. Most of the
wolves had shifted and run into the woods. A few wolves tried to
convince Jess to join them but Slater watched as she politely
declined. After the last one disappeared into the trees, she sighed
and started back for the trail.

Slater was just about to catch up to her
when Clint turned around and sauntered up to her with his best
come-hither grin.

Slater wanted to sand that look right off
the enforcer’s face. Instead, he stopped in his tracks. Maybe Clint
would sweep her off her feet and he would have a good reason to
ignore temptation.

“Hello, Jess. I’m Clint, one of your trusty
pack enforcers.” He wore a cocky grin as his eyes drifted down and
back up her body.

Slater ground his teeth together.

A smirk played across Jess’ lips. “Hello,
Clint. Just a hint, I’m not interested.”

He never felt so relieved in his life.

Clint chuckled, light dancing in his eyes.
“Unfortunate, but good to know. I don’t want to overstep my
welcome.” He tipped an imaginary hat and turned toward the woods,
stripping as he went.

That was a first. Clint was usually much
more hands on when attempting to pick up a woman.

Jess shook her head as she started for the
trail back to the cars.

Slater hurried to catch up. “You don’t want
to run with everyone?”

She didn’t bother to look up, just shoved
her hands in her pockets. “Nope. I still get visions when I’m
furry, and wolves get cuddlier when their beasts come out to
play.”

Shit, he should have asked her if she would
want to run with the pack that morning. “I wish I’d known. I
wouldn’t have suggested it.”

“I’m sure most of the wolves would have
still gone. It’s in our nature. Later, I plan to, but I prefer to
run alone, maybe in the woods behind the cabin.”

“Well, if you want company, let me know.
I’ll remember about the visions.” He looked over at her, and
resisted the urge to reach out and brush aside a lock of her
hair.

Her gaze cut up to him. “Isn’t that playing
favorites?”

The fire in her clear blue eyes sent a
thrill through him. He had to contain his grin. “Not really.”

“I’ll let you know then.”

“What are you doing for dinner?”

She stopped and turned to him with a
narrowed gaze as her hands landed on her hips. “What?”

“Not like that.” He scratched his beard
while trying to figure out how to dig his way out of that hole. “I
like to get to know my wolves. I don’t date them. I just thought we
both have to eat, and we are heading the same direction.”

She chewed her lip as she searched his face.
He didn’t waver and she finally answered, “I was just planning on
grilling a steak, and making cornbread.”

“Oh.”

Shaking her head, she turned back to the
trail. “I think I have enough steak if you want some. The bread is
ready to go in the oven.”

He followed after her. “Want me to bring
anything?”

“Not unless you want to.” She looked over
and wet her lips. “See you when you get there, but I’m starting the
grill when I walk through the door.”

“I won’t be long.” Slater grinned as he
turned toward his truck.

He would grab a case of beer. Wolves
couldn’t drink enough to get drunk, unless someone brewed something
special. Hell, he didn’t remember what drunk felt like, but he
loved Dragon’s Tooth Stout, from a Seattle brewery. He hoped she
liked it.

* * * *

Jess had just flipped the steak over when
she heard the knock on the door. Her stomach fluttered as she
stepped inside and walked to the front. This was a terrible idea,
and she knew it. Yet, she couldn’t quite turn him down.

Oh well, too late now
.

She opened the door with a pleasant smile,
and attempted not to notice how good Slater looked in his white
t-shirt that stretched across his chest and the worn jeans that fit
just right. “It’s nothing fancy. Come on back.” She turned on her
heel and left him there.

He stepped inside and she heard the door
shut before his footsteps followed her to the backyard.

“That smells good. What did you marinate the
steak in?” He murmured.

“Special recipe, it’ll be on the menu.” Jess
already had a spinach salad out, not that she expected him to eat
it. The bread would be ready shortly. He would probably eat that.
Most wolves didn’t bother with anything green, but she still loved
vegetables.

“Have you given much thought to how you may
decorate the bar?” Slater casually asked as he set a case of beer
down.

“I have, but what’s this?” She arched a
suspicious brow his way. “Please tell me it’s not some flavor of
moonshine.”

He laughed out loud. “No, what gave you that
thought?”

“I know a guy back in San Francisco who
brews some pretty potent shit that will get a wolf drunk. I like to
drink, but I don’t want to be drunk.” A shudder rocked through her
as she remembered that mess. There was no way in hell she would go
down that road again.

“Elysian Brewing Company is down in Seattle.
They have some great beers, but they don’t even give me a momentary
buzz. Just good taste. In fact, I brought this because I figure
you’ll be featuring some local brews.”

Relief eased her. “Definitely. I shouldn’t
have jumped to conclusions.” She felt like an ass for that. If he
was interested in a wolf, he would have gone after one by now.
Somehow, she didn’t think Slater was the type to expect a whole
harem of wolves to wait on him like Gregory seemed to.

His head cocked to the side as his gray eyes
sparkled, “I’d ask, but I have a feeling it’s none of my
business.”

“It’s not.” Her tone was harsh. She cringed
inwardly, but refused to take it back. Maybe he’d think she was a
pain in the ass and wouldn’t bother with the social calls. Things
would be so much easier if he didn’t.

The timer chimed. She shut it off and went
to grab the fresh hot cornbread muffins. It only took her a moment
to place them on a plate and put a dollop of butter on each.

She found him popping the top of two beers.
He looked up and locked gazes with her. For some lameass reason she
felt comfortable with him there. She actually wanted to get to know
him, just sit there and talk about everything. Normally, she wasn’t
much for those conversations because she always saw too much to
want to listen to the embellished version of the person’s past. She
had a feeling Slater would just tell it like it was.