Six Months (14 page)

“Here,” he said, offering the plastic container. “Tide yourself over with one of these. They’re abso-fucking-amazing. A friend of mine makes them for a living and I brought over a bunch of containers, but most of these pigs have already cleaned them out. I grabbed these for myself,” he said with an orgasm-inducing grin.

I reached in and politely took one of the cupcakes, licking the mint-cream icing off the top. “Mmm. Not bad. Is that buttercream?”

Jericho’s broad smile had a glimmer of mischief—the kind that could make a woman’s panties damp and give her a feverish glow. He seemed harmless and I didn’t know why Lexi had presented him with all the warning labels like he was some kind of a prescription drug. Jericho looked like a rock star, but he didn’t act cocky or rude.

“So you’re the guy Lexi warned me about.”

“Shit, really?” He shook his head. “I personally think she doesn’t dig my music.”

I peeked in the room again and noticed Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd posters, a black amplifier, and three guitars sitting on stands.

“Anyhow, if you change your mind and want to get away from those jerk-offs, I’ll be in here. Some of those assholes get a little rowdy as the night wears on, so watch yourself.”

He winked and closed the door, abandoning me in the hall to devour my chocolate cupcake. I patiently waited at the top of the stairs because it would have been rude to let Ivy go through all that trouble and then disappear on her. When I licked the last crumb from my finger, I wadded up the wrapper and placed it on the floor beside me.
Why didn’t I just talk to Reno like a normal person?
Maybe all that stuff he had said to me about saving a dance was just talk.

A door swung open behind me and a cacophony of sound headed my way. A man stormed out, pulling a shirt over his head as if he were getting dressed. I recognized him as the one who’d made all the lewd comments in the game room. A few spatters of bright blood stained his shirt, but his face didn’t appear broken or bruised.

“I don’t give a shit,” he said to his buddy. “That motherfucker is going down, so don’t you even try to stop me.”

“If you go after the host’s pack, then you’ll get buried in a shallow grave. I’ll be sure to stop by and piss on it to water the daisies,” his friend said. “Packmasters don’t like trouble at peace parties. Get a grip.”

“Fuck off. A swing for a swing is all I want.”

They tromped down the stairs in a hurry and I wondered what drama I had missed.

As the front door slammed, I rubbed my finger on a piece of icing staining the fabric on my dress, disappointed by the growing smudge. I had a hunch this would be an uneventful night.

Reno watched as April handled her pool stick like a novice
. He felt an inexplicable attraction to this human, as if he knew her better than he did. Maybe it was how straightforward she was about her life, especially given how Reno was a closed book when it came to his own past. An unexpected protectiveness flooded his veins, and he needed to get a grip on it. The second he entered the game room, he’d wanted to go to her. But he played it cool and took a moment to soak her in. That’s when a ball of nerves hit him right in the gut.
Shit
. Men like him didn’t get nervous over a woman, especially a human. All he could do was notice how radiant she looked in that delicate dress. Reno realized he didn’t know a damn thing about humans. Maybe they didn’t like the same abrasive approach he would give to a Shifter. He had to play this cool. Then she turned away and showed an interest in Denver.

Reno sighed deeply. Maybe she wasn’t that into him.

None of these assholes knew April was a human. You could only pick up on a human’s distinct lack of energy when you stood close to one. When April leaned over the table—her dress hitching up in the back and showing more leg—it became an open invitation to every man in that room. Reno had no claim over this human, but damn, it burned him nevertheless to see all those eyes leering at her. She was an innocent amidst a pack of ravenous wolves.

When a female Shifter turns her back on a man and bends over, she’s signaling her interest. April didn’t know better and was giving mixed signals to every male in that room.

The man in the pale blue shirt who kept shouting lewd remarks at them was three ticks away from getting his ass kicked if he didn’t keep it in check.

And then there was Crystal. Reno was pretty damn sure she wasn’t on the invite list, but Wheeler or Jericho must have added her. She’d been stalking Reno at every public function. He thought he could lose her by heading inside the house, but she had a talent of hunting him down.

Persistent little bitch, and he didn’t mean that in a derogatory way. Among Shifter wolves, females were affectionately referred to as bitches. It didn’t have the same negative connotation as it did among humans.

Reno had spent a lot of time getting ready that afternoon. He’d shined up his black boots, put on new laces, and picked out a white shirt that looked good on him, carefully rolling the sleeves to the elbow and unbuttoning the first two buttons. The leather belt he wore was one of his favorites and had a silver buckle. Reno even splashed cologne on his face and neck. He was a little surprised at the care he’d taken, but he wanted to impress April.

“You smell delicious.” Crystal let out a little growl, twirling her fingers around one of his buttons. “What color is your wolf?”

Personal
, he thought. Unlike Jericho, who thrived on winning over the ladies with his wolf, Reno kept that shit locked up. He’d been told his wolf had a mask, and a lot of people thought that meant he had something to hide.

“I bet you’re famished,” she said. “I’ll go fix you a plate, so stay
right
here.”

Shifters loved a good woman who kept them fed; it was a nurturing characteristic. Other Breeds, like Chitahs, believed a man should cook for a woman. Not Shifters. They revered a strong-willed woman who looked after her family, took care of her man, earned a living, and kept the pack in line. In return, a good pack protected that woman and made sure her needs were met. Some packs lived outside the new laws and followed the old ways of some of the rogue packs. Those Shifters saw women as subordinates and treated them like whores. It disgusted him because it wasn’t the true way of the Shifter. Those were traditions spawned from corrupted Packmasters.

Crystal was submissive, and that was an attractive quality to Reno. She was the kind of woman he’d normally take to bed without hesitation. But tonight he didn’t give her a second glance.

“Be right back,” Crystal said in a soft breath, slowly easing around him and letting her hand slide across his chest. “I’ll take real good care of you.”

Meanwhile, two men drifted toward the bar. Reno’s wolf paced within him as Denver positioned himself behind April. She had
no clue
that letting a Shifter come up from behind was as good as giving him the green light to pursue her for sex. Denver knew, and he was taking advantage of her naivety. Something he was going to be sorry for after this damn party was over.

“I saw her come with a date,” the man in the blue shirt said. “Looks like this bitch needs a leash. Look how she’s slutting around and letting him mount her over the pool table.”

Reno clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth in the process.

His buddy gave him a friendly jab on the arm. “I want a piece of that when he’s done.”

“Not before me,” Blue Shirt said. “I got my eye on her, and I’m going to have my turn later on after this party kicks into gear. She can play with my balls and stroke my pool stick.” He laughed and walked out the door.

Fuck. That. Shit.

Reno pivoted around and stalked into the hall. He cracked his fist into Blue Shirt’s face so hard that the man hit the ground in less than a second. Reno didn’t break stride and went down the stairs.

“Austin,” he yelled out.

“Reno, get your ass out here and join us,” Austin said from the end of the porch. He sat casually on the railing with Lexi standing between his legs, his arms wrapped around her. That was one lucky alpha.

“Need to talk to you,” Reno said, jogging down the steps and cutting across the lawn.

Austin kissed the top of Lexi’s head and hopped down. “Be right back. You boys watch over my girl,” he said in warning, half kidding, half not.

No one ever assumed an alpha was joking when it came to his woman, and with him being a Packmaster, they fenced her in and continued talking over beers.

“What’s up?” Austin put his hands in his pockets and they walked to the side of the house for privacy.

“Why is a human here?”

Austin jingled some coins in his pockets and shrugged. “We don’t have rules about that kind of thing and you know it.”

“It’s an unspoken rule,” Reno argued, folding his arms. “She doesn’t know how to behave and—”

“She… You mean April?”

Reno kicked up a tuft of grass. “She’s leaning over a pool table with Denver right behind her. He’s answering to me later on, but it’s getting some of the men worked up.”

Austin rubbed his bristly chin, pushing the skin around as he glanced up at one of the lanterns. Out in the sticks, the night lit up as if someone had thrown a million diamonds into an obsidian sky. Reno noticed a few people lying on their backs, stargazing.

“Lexi’s been debating on telling April about our world since they work so close together running the business. I think she wants her to hang out with us first to prove we’re normal or some bullshit. You want April to leave? That’s going to be awkward as hell, and you can bet Lexi’s going to make a scene.”

Someone hollered and they both turned their attention toward a group of men out front who were pointing as a wolf ran by. Austin slid his jaw to the side. “They know better than to shift,” he said in a gruff voice. “That’s a big fucking rule of a peace party.”

Shifting created too much opportunity for the wolves to attack one another and instigate conflicts among the packs, so it was against the rules whenever Packmasters were present. Shifters had to stay in human form at all times during a peace party.

Another wolf sprinted by, his paws kicking up tufts of grass.

“
What the fuck?
” Reno said, stepping out in the open. “Austin, you need to get this shit in check before it gets out of hand.”

A man lying on his back flopped around, laughing hysterically. No one seemed to get the joke, but after a quick scan of the crowd, other people were acting peculiar.

“Let me find out what’s up,” Austin said, briskly stalking away.

“You boys got it under control?” a voice said coolly.

A Native American with long, silky hair and high cheekbones that intensified his dark gaze strolled up. Lorenzo Church. Personal enemy to Austin, but not technically a foe.

Not a friend, either.

But to keep up civilities, all neighboring packs had been extended an invitation. Lorenzo had once had a thing for Lexi, but she’d lost interest after finding out they were related. Not by blood, but through marriage. Plus, he’d made the mistake of trying to cut in on Austin’s action. Lorenzo’s pack was established and wealthy, making him one of the most eligible Packmasters in town. While he had a few women in his pack taking care of his needs, Lorenzo wasn’t mated. Nor did he have children, which was extremely uncommon for someone of his status. No woman could tame that wolf.

“We’ve got everything under control,” Reno said in a flat voice, not showing any signs of incompetence. “Anyone who shifts will be escorted off the property and reported to their Packmaster.”

“Hmm,” Lorenzo purred. “Seems easier said than done.” A smile hovered on his lips as he watched a black wolf taking a piss on a nearby oak tree. “You should have invited more single women. There never seems to be quality bitches at these functions, and I deeply enjoy selecting new blood for my pack,” he said, his tone arrogant.

Reno had to agree with him for the most part. Women balanced things out, and a bunch of men getting together became nothing but trouble. Packmasters were attracted to large gatherings so they could strengthen alliances and the pack could find new mates. But it sounded more like Lorenzo was looking to add to his personal collection.

Reno paced the grounds, shoving a few guys who were acting sketchy. It smartened them up for a fraction of a second before they trailed off again. Beneath the aging oak tree on the front lawn, Ivy stood on the new swing that Austin had put up for Maizy. It was one of those old-fashioned rope swings with a flat board to sit on. She had decorated it earlier with a strand of ivy and battery-operated twinkle lights wrapped around the ropes. Her shoes sat at the base of the tree and she gracefully swung forward, gazing at the canopy of branches overhead.

“What’s going on out here?” Reno asked.

“A beautiful sky that’s been smiling over us for a billion years,” she said in awe. “An old tree that’s putting up with me tugging on its arm. The wind giving me a breath to float on.”

The branch creaked above as she continued pulling and pushing on the ropes. Ivy had a way with words, but this wasn’t Ivy talking.

“What’s wrong with you?”

A gust of wind lifted her dress at the hem, showing a little leg. She smiled as she glanced down at him, looking like an enchanted being out of a fairytale. Strands of mahogany hair had come loose from her long braid, not that she cared. Reno didn’t know what to make of it and turned around to see where Austin had gone.

“Is everything under control?” Lorenzo interrupted, slowing his stride until he stood beside Reno.

“You can’t control life,” Ivy interjected, her eyes wide on the night sky above.

Reno noticed Lorenzo watching her in a way that made his wolf want to bite him in the ass. Had Lorenzo been anyone but a Packmaster, Reno would have knocked him down for looking at his pack sister that way. He had no problems confronting a rogue alpha male, but rules were rules, and you never put your hands on a Packmaster.

“Who is this woman?” Lorenzo wondered in low words.

“My
sister
, so if you would respectfully back the fuck off, I’d appreciate it,” Reno said, warning him through clenched teeth. At least, as much as he could warn a Packmaster.

“I’m the tree fairy,” Ivy sang in a beautiful voice, the swing really going now and the wind undoing her braided hair. “I’m here to grant you three wishes,” she said to Lorenzo. “Don’t tell me what they are, just think about them, and if it’s something you truly want, then it will be planted in my heart. It will grow branches and leaves and bear fruit.”

Lorenzo’s jaw slackened as he was completely enthralled by her words.

“Tell me,” she said, her eyes fixed on Lorenzo. “What do you think trees dream about?” Her hair blew forward and backward with each soft swing, one tendril getting caught on her full mouth. “Do they miss their acorns when they fall to the ground and are scattered away from their reach? Trees are strong and immovable, but they sway. They are rough, but their leaves are as soft as kisses. I think they dream about love. I think they’re jealous of free spirits who can run, and that’s why we fall from their branches. We think they are protecting us because we are beneath them, but their arms do not wrap around our bodies.”