Chapter 2

Iparked my green Toyota sedan next to a pickup truck with so many hood ornaments affixed to the exterior that I couldn't even see the paint. I'd seen all kinds of unusual cars in Austin, so nothing surprised me. When I got out, a gentle breeze lifted a few strands of my hair. I smoothed them back in place before tightening the knot at the bottom of my white button-up shirt.

When Melody and I had dreamed up the idea of Moonglow, I'd never imagined our job would include anything other than working in the store and designing the merchandise. But here I was, scheduling meetings and learning how to negotiate contracts.

The lady I'd spoken to regarding the feathers lived in a quaint house by Shifter standards. It reminded me of a Spanish villa—stucco exterior, clay-tile roof, and archways at the entrance. Wind chimes hanging from a nearby tree sounded like tiny bells playing a nonsensical tune. Tall trees bordered the property, and giant pink crepe myrtles added a splash of color to each corner of the house, front and back. The houses in the neighborhood were spaced generously apart, and most of the homes had paved driveways. I walked around the circular driveway, admiring the fountain in the middle.

When I rang the bell, no one answered.

"Are you Hope?" a woman yelled from above.

I backed up several steps and swung my gaze to the upper balcony.

A lady in a floral shirt pointed to my right. "Asia's in the backyard. You can walk around."

I waved and followed the narrow sidewalk around the side of the house, careful to avoid a large ant mound that had taken over some of the concrete. When I reached the back, the first thing that entered my mind was that they didn't have a pool, something I often saw in Shifter homes. They had plenty of room, but maybe bird Shifters weren't big fans of water. Instead, they had a tiled patio with a fire pit. The sheer number of beautiful plants around the yard and in planters made it a horticulturist's dream.

Asia stood in front of a large cactus, spraying water on a cluster of aloe vera plants with a green hose. She glanced up at me and flashed a bright smile. "You're early!" The water splattered on the patio when she turned around, some of it spraying onto her beige shorts and white tank top. "Hold on. Let me shut the water off."

I strolled over to a glider bench near the house and took a seat in the shade. I'd never asked Asia about her name, but I found it curious since she was Asian. Either her parents had a sense of humor or it was a nickname. Most Shifters gave little consideration to social norms.

The faucet squeaked as she shut off the water. Asia strode toward me, leaving behind a trail of wet footprints. "Do you want something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine," I said. "Don't trouble yourself."

She took a seat and fanned her face with her hand. Loose strands of hair floated free from the messy knot on top of her head. "It's hot today." She kicked the rocker to set it in motion and straightened her legs as a child might. "We need a cool breeze. Why doesn't Mother Nature understand that we are delicate women? This sun is no good for my skin," she said, holding out her arm. "You see? I already have a burn."

I laughed. "There's always sunscreen."

She waved her hand and wrinkled her nose. "I don't trust what those humans put in bottles. All those chemicals. It's a conspiracy. Their food and products make you sick, and then the doctors and pharmaceutical companies swoop in to make a fortune selling you drugs to get well. We don't get cancer or things like that, but I still don't trust them. One day they might end up making something that actually does make us sick. You know… there could be one of us working in their labs. Someone who wants to discover a chemical that'll destroy Shifters."

I smiled inwardly, the glider giving me a taste of wind against my face. I hadn't pegged Asia as a conspiracy theorist, so I decided to switch topics before she got on a soapbox. "We're launching the new jewelry today. I wanted to stop by and give you the news but also speak to you about a contract."

Her thin brows arched. "Contract?"

"I know we talked about it, but if sales go well with this first batch, I'd like to work exclusively with you. It's not fair for either of us to go into business together without working out the details. I'm still uncertain how they'll sell, but I think it would be wise to create a short-term contract in case I need immediate supplies, and then we can negotiate for something more long-term. This is a great opportunity for both of us."

Asia drew up her slim legs and gripped her knees. "Does that mean I have to make a contract with my suppliers? Or do you just want one with me? I don't know. This sounds too complicated."

"That would be up to you," I said, praying she wouldn't find this too overwhelming. "If I were in your shoes, I'd create a basic contract with everyone I obtained feathers from. It's really easy. There's nothing to it. I know someone who can draw up the paperwork and go over it with you. A contract is just peace of mind so that no one leaves you hanging, especially if you're paying them a cut. I had issues with my old gemstone supplier, and right before our store launched, he tried to swindle me out of money and then backed out when I refused to pay."

"What an asshole."

"It almost ruined our launch. A good contract would have made him keep his end of the bargain until the renewal period, and by then, I could have found a replacement without putting my business in jeopardy. You're someone I trust enough to work with, but I don't want either of us in a vulnerable position."

She reclined her head. "Contracts sound like a lot of work. We have girls in the house who make lots of money. I just water the plants."

Asia was no different from low-ranking packmates who didn't have an important job. Sometimes their duties were around the house, allowing other Shifters to shine and bring in the big money.

"This is a chance for you to show those women how important you are in this community," I continued. "Think about it. All these feathers you have lying around are worth something. I think you'll enjoy the responsibility. I'll need quality feathers, and I'm sure you have ideas on the best way to acquire those. Everything starts small at first, but you might come up with some great ideas to expand the variety. As for negotiating with outside Shifters, it's better to pay them a flat fee than give them a percentage of your cut. Don't let a supplier talk you into a royalty share. All you have to do is clean and package everything for me. We'll touch base every now and again to discuss pricing strategies based on sales. If the demand goes up, then so will the price. You'll get a percentage, and that's not a deal I'd normally make with anyone. But I like you, Asia, and you deserve to be a part of this venture. You can either keep the money for yourself or share it with the house; it's up to you."

Asia tilted her head to the side. "Me… a businesswoman. You would laugh if you knew about my humble beginnings." She patted my hand. "You are a good speaker, Hope. Very smart girl. Send me the paperwork and make sure to put down how long the contract is for so I can estimate how many feathers I'm able to give you."

I smiled and tried to hide my relief. "We'll work it out. Why don't you run an estimate on how many you can provide me per week, and we'll go from there?"

"Oh, I'm good with math," she boasted. "But I need to think about what to do when my housemates are away on a job and they won't have anything to contribute."

"Understood. I wouldn't want you to go around plucking their feathers out in the middle of the night to make up for the loss."

She laughed melodically and got up. Then she bent forward and spoke in a hushed voice. "You know I laugh, but there's one girl I would do that with. She always puts out her cigarettes in my plants. I'd like to pluck the feathers right off her bird's little ass."

I snorted and tried not to laugh. I liked Asia's bluntness. She spoke in an animated voice that was endearing, none of her emotions veiled. "I hope you don't mind my coming out here this morning on short notice. I prefer having these kinds of discussions face-to-face." Knowing someone might be listening in, I lowered my voice. "Also, if you don't trust the leader of your house to have your back, you should consider creating separate contracts with everyone."

She wrinkled her nose. "Why?"

I wasn't sure how to put it delicately, but sometimes the people you trusted most were the ones who made your life hell. "Since they're also supplying the goods individually, you'll want to make sure no one is going to change their mind one day and put you in a tight spot. They need to know their roles are important even if they're not doing any work. They should always have an option to quit, but a contract will make sure they finish out the time frame set in the terms so none of us get screwed. I can't involve myself since it's more of a family meeting. Make sure everyone is okay with you collecting their fallen feathers. If you plan to keep the money for yourself, they'll need to know. That might change how they feel about giving you their feathers. They might not care, but people can be funny about certain things."

"Some people are so funny that they like putting out their nasty cigarettes in my plants. They say birds of a feather flock together, but they don't tell you the part about how some people have a big beak and poop all over your garden. Do you want to stay for lunch?"

I stood up. "I'd love to, but I need to work on a few pieces before my afternoon shift. Maybe next time?"

She held up her finger. "I'll hold you to that. I make good food, the best you've ever had. You come by next time, and I'll make tempura, miso soup and… Do you like Japanese food? I can cook anything. You've never had my barbecue!"

I chuckled and tucked my long hair behind my ears. "Call me after your family meeting, and we can get together. If I don't hear from you by, say Tuesday, I'll call and fill you in on how it's going with sales."

Asia clapped her hands together. "Okay! Sounds like a plan. I have to finish watering my plants," she said, heading toward a watering can. "Nobody around here cares. If it were up to them, they would just let them wither and die." Asia turned her gaze to the upper balcony and shouted, "Unless they burned the house down with their cigarettes!"

I waved goodbye and headed back to my car. My gosh, that girl was a riot! She and Mel would get along famously. I only hoped she could convince the others in the house. Otherwise, our new line would be nothing more than a limited edition. Not a big deal since my gemstones brought in a lot of business, but I hungered for more than just money. The dreamer in me wanted to test my creative boundaries.

After I started the car, I rolled down the window and circled the fountain on my way back to the main road. The wind cooled my skin, and I leaned my head out to savor the feel of it combing through my hair. Teased by the beautiful weather, my wolf paced beneath my skin, itching to go for a run.

The downside of living in an apartment in a congested city was not having enough space for our wolves to stretch their legs. They couldn't smell pine and earth or feel cold water splashing beneath their paws as they crossed a stream. Wolves weren't meant to be confined, and I wondered how much longer I could survive in an apartment. The human side of me loved the convenience, but my animal paid the price. She only got to enjoy the outdoors on scheduled trips to my father's house, where he lived on the outskirts of Austin. And how long did I really want to keep that up?

I steered left, remembering a nice patch of land on the way back owned by the Shifter Council. They'd bought up a lot of land in the early days to keep it in reserve. No one ever went out there. My wolf was smart enough not to cross any boundaries that would lead to occupied territory, and it wouldn't be the first time I had run wild on land the Council owned.

When I reached the stretch of land, I pulled my car off the road and parked near a short barbed wire fence with sunflowers clustered around it. To keep thieves and nosy people away, I lifted the hood and left it open using the rod. Then I locked my purse in the trunk and hid the keys inside a cooler in the back seat. A giant oak tree shaded half my car, and after a quick glance around, I stripped out of my clothes and folded them neatly in the passenger seat. A mockingbird sang from a branch overhead before diving at a squirrel that scurried into the high grass. My wolf wanted to chase it too, so I gripped the fencepost and hopped over, careful not to catch myself on the barbed wire.

A jackrabbit sprang out of his hiding spot near my feet, his strong legs jarring loose the white florets from dandelions as he trampled them. A blue jay squawked overhead, alerting all to my presence. Wild animals could sense a Shifter. We weren't like them, so predators ignored us, and prey fled for their lives. I waited patiently as my spirit wolf prepared to come out. Overhead, miles of blue sky washed over me like an ocean.

I closed my eyes, arms spread wide, as my wolf emerged in pursuit of the rabbit.