25. Twenty-Five

twenty-five

T he next morning, over oatmeal and black coffee, Penn announced we were making a trip into town for groceries, since the farmhouse pantry was far from stocked.

“How long until I can go back to my house?” I asked.

“The repairs should be done by next week,” he said. “Until then, we’ll stay out here.”

We rode to town in the truck beneath a blue sky dotted with fluffy, white clouds. The temperature outside was below freezing, but I was toasty warm inside the small space with Penn.

Someone had cleared the sidewalks closer to the village, and the yards we passed were tidy, as always. It was like any other chilly January day in the Snake Mountains. That felt surreal, given how drastically my life had changed—how much all our lives had changed.

Penn parked on a residential street near downtown, and we walked the last few blocks to Artisan Alley. The vendors sold everything from baked goods to hand-carved figurines. Dad and I used to come down once a week to shop and talk to the merchants, and they’d always been delighted to see us.

That was not the case today. All conversation halted at the sight of Penn and me, and no one called out a greeting. Most acknowledged Penn with a respectful yet reticent nod. His cell phone buzzed in his pocket, and a shadow overtook his features.

“I have to take this.” He lowered his voice and spoke directly into my ear. “Will you be okay?”

I nodded and waited for Penn to step away before approaching the first stall to say hello to a man named Berra who sold stained glass pieces depicting the history of the Ophiuchus pack. They were the sort of gift parents gave their children on significant birthdays, but he didn’t sell many and his stock rarely changed from week-to-week. So I was a little surprised to see one with a white wolf running beneath four elemental moons.

Before I could ask Berra about his newest creation, he practically tripped over himself bolting out the back of the booth. Coward , I thought. Pasting on a smile, I pretended the snub didn’t sting.

Maybe I should’ve been used to the rejection by now. Spending so much time with Penn had made it easy to act like the opinions of others didn’t matter.

My next two attempts had similar results, but the streak finally broke on the fourth vendor.

Hidalga Burns bustled around her display and hugged me like a long-lost daughter. Her tight embrace nearly brought tears to my eyes.

“Hello, Drake, my dear. I think of you so often.” Her mouth quirked like she wanted to say more but couldn’t.

“I’m glad to see you doing well,” I replied. “What new soap are you debuting this week?”

She lifted a paper-wrapped bar from the table. “It’s eucalyptus and lavender,” Hidalga answered with a wink. “Please, take one.”

I breathed in the heady scent. “It’s wonderful. Thank you. Let me make a donation to your herb fund.”

Hidalga always refused payment from me, though she usually allowed me to contribute a few dollars toward her next recipe. Of course, normally, I had a few dollars to donate, which was no longer true. Without my father, I had no money to my name.

Hidalga shook her head. “Oh, no, dear. I couldn’t accept anything from you. Alpha Asp—” her mouth clamped closed. “Your father set me up with a generous account at the market last month.”

My brow furrowed. That wasn’t totally out of character for Dad. In fact, it was precisely the type of thing he would do for any pack member in need. Hidalga, however, wasn’t hurting for money, or she would’ve sold more soap than she gave away.

“Thank you,” I said again. “Please don’t hesitate to send word to me if there’s anything else you need. I don’t have my phone, but Penn can pass along any messages.”

Her eyes flicked behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Penn shaking the hand of the man running a booth across the way. He raked his sandy blond hair back with his fingers, and a rebellious strand fell right back on his forehead.

“Enjoy the soap, dear,” Hidalga said, handing me a small paper bag.

I said my goodbyes, then joined Penn and the other man.

“Hello, Gerard,” I ventured, greeting the vendor.

Penn eyed the man pointedly. The next thing I knew, I was leaving the table with fresh-baked bread, warm blueberry muffins, and an apple pie. The interaction soothed my frayed nerves as we moved on and visited other stalls. Several vendors were visibly nervous speaking with me and kept looking around as though the wrong person might overhear us. Still, no one else fled at the sight of me, so the day appeared to be on an upswing.

By the time we strode out the other side of Artisan Alley, I felt closer to normal than I had in ages. I had a piping hot cup of mint matcha tea in my hand, and Penn carried half a dozen packages for me.

We crossed to the far side of the town square and walked the long way around to the market. Penn had a list of items he wanted to pick up to stock the farmhouse kitchen. I considered teasing him about his level of organization, since I was more the type to wander around and buy whatever jumped out at me, but Penn’s mood had plummeted after his phone call. He wasn’t short with me or anything, just not chatty either.

Three strays passed us going in the opposite direction, and not one made eye contact with me. Though it wasn’t ideal, I supposed it was better than the lecherous stares they gave me when Penn wasn’t around. Other pack wolves changed course to avoid the trio of outsiders. Given their palpable emotions, it seemed my people weren’t shunning the strays; they were scared of them.

Absorbed in my thoughts, I didn’t register the irate woman stomping toward me until an enraged Paula reached my side. She batted the tea out of my hand. My mouth dropped open as the steaming liquid met the frosty ground.

“What the fuck?” I demanded, the words popping out before I could formulate a more eloquent response.

Her porcelain features twisted with fury, reminding me of an angry miniature poodle who thought she was a Doberman. “How dare you speak to me like that!”

Unable to help myself, I laughed. My reaction did not go over well. Her eyes bugged out of her head like a cartoon character in love…but whatever the angry version of that was.

She swung her frenzied attention to Penn. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

Penn’s jaw twitched. “That’s not your concern.”

Paula’s hands curled into fists at her side. “I doubt your brother would agree,” she said.

“Right. You should call him and let him know what I’m up to,” Penn said with zero inflection.

“Don’t think I won’t.” She held his gaze for a long moment before rising to the challenge. Yanking her phone from her pocket, Paula tapped the screen.

“If you put it on speaker, he can yell at us himself,” I offered helpfully.

Penn nodded gravely. “Yes, do that. Finneus will be so pleased.”

Glowering, she held the phone to her ear. A moment later, she frowned and looked at the screen.

“Straight to voicemail?” Penn arched an eyebrow. “That’s no way to treat a fiancée. You should call him back.”

Hesitation flit over her expression even as she pressed Send again. This time, she held it up to her ear instead of using the speakerphone.

When he answered, she fixed me with a smug look of triumph. After she tattled on us to Finneus, I enjoyed watching her face fall. She blinked several times before ending the call.

“How did that go?” I asked, even though I knew better than to goad her.

Penn almost smiled.

After a moment, Paula put the phone back in her pocket. “When I am the alpha’s mate, I will ensure you know your place as a disgraced traitor’s daughter. The pack is lucky your mother died while giving birth to you—at least that spared us all from more of your father’s traitorous blood infecting the Ophiuchus.”

My wolf shot to the surface as I barreled toward Paula, sending her flying into a snowbank. Red tinged my vision. How dare she speak of my family like that. Who the fuck was she to pass judgment? She knew nothing.

Paula shifted and lunged, snarling and snapping as she came for me. I met her advance, tearing into her fur and ripping out tufts until clumps of hair were stuck in my teeth. She screeched from the pain, her howls filling me with a sense of satisfaction that I’d never felt from a spar.

My canines sank into the scruff at the back of her neck, and I flung Paula into another snowdrift. I pressed my advantage, pinning her down in the cold, icy powder with nowhere to go and no choice except to submit.

That’s when I realized we had something of an audience. My wolf eyes scanned the passersby watching us, expressions aghast. Shame lanced through me. Fighting in the middle of town wasn’t proper behavior. It was something hormonal teenagers did, and even they received reprimands.

This wasn’t how Ophiuchus acted. Each and every pack member gave over to animal instincts at times, but we did not settle our differences by brawling in the streets at the center of town. My father had expected far more of me.

The thought of disappointing him made me release Paula. I backed away. Her bright yellow eyes were venomous. She had meant the hateful words she hurled my way, and she would keep her promise to destroy me once she became Finneus’ mate.

If she became Finneus’ mate.

Gaia, what have I done?

The strays had circled back and shifted, finally coming to Paula’s aid. Spectators whispered to one another, agreeing with Paula about my bad blood. My attack had further proven that I couldn’t be trusted.

“And right after she pledged her loyalty to the alpha?” a woman commented, clucking her tongue in disapproval.

I felt Penn’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look in his direction. My father wasn’t the only person I’d let down with my impulsive actions. The weight of everyone’s stares was too heavy, and I couldn’t stand it a second longer. I bolted.

I flew through town, crashing through bushes and backyards, then sprinted across the snowy canyon. My ears listened for the sound of pursuers, yet no one came after me. For a minute, I considered making a run for it again. Finneus might not have cared that my presence in town upset his fiancée, but he wouldn’t let me get away with assaulting her. He couldn’t. It would make them both look weak.

As the farmhouse came into view, I knew fleeing our territory wasn’t an option. I couldn’t leave the pack, particularly not Evera…or Penn. I barreled through the front door, cringing as the hinges snapped off.

Still in wolf form, I dashed up the stairs and curled into a ball on the bedroom floor. Paula’s words crashed through my mind. I truly hated her in that moment, and that was an emotion I’d thought was reserved strictly for Finneus. I clawed at the carpet beneath me as wave after wave of boiling fury rocketed through my body. What had I ever done to deserve such disrespect, to inspire such rage?

A hollow feeling overtook my stomach. Images from my dreams started playing in my mind like a slideshow. I thought about what Penn said, about white wolves and the superstitious belief it all tied back to the first of us—Diana.

In my dreams, I was her. I saw the world through her eyes. How was that possible? Was it intentional? Was the vampire trying to tell me something?

My sensitive ears detected the rumble of an engine approaching the house. A moment later, a car door slammed, followed by the front door squeaking open. I knew it was Penn before he stepped foot inside. His calm energy soothed my soul, and I finally stopped sharpening my claws on the shredded floorboards beneath the destroyed rug.

Penn’s steps sounded heavy on the stairs. I remained perfectly still, heart racing so rapidly he probably heard the pounding. He hesitated outside the door before knocking twice.

“Drake?” he ventured. “Can I come in?”

I should’ve shifted and answered, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Pain, whether physical or emotional, was easier to deal with as a wolf. Basic instincts reigned in my animal form, and I could think more clearly and rationally.

“I know you’re in there, Drake. I can feel you,” Penn said, his tone patient with the slightest hint of irritation. “Answer me or I’m coming in regardless.”

A low whine slipped through my gritted teeth. Penn cracked the door and slipped inside the room. Clouds had gathered outside the window, casting shadows inside the dim bedroom, but Penn didn’t turn on the light. There was no need. We could see each other perfectly.

His blue eyes darkened to midnight as magic gathered in the air. Then, he became the mahogany wolf. He padded slowly toward me as though approaching a frightened child. I loved watching the way he moved, with unquestionable authority in each and every step. Despite that energy, when Penn reached my side, his touch was gentle as he nuzzled his snout against me.

My wolf responded, leaning in and returning the affection. The lingering anger retreated. Penn lay down beside me. He radiated warmth, which thawed the icicles piercing my heart. I inched closer to bask in his rays.

“I know I screwed up,” I said.

Penn didn’t sugarcoat his reply. “Yes. You did.”

“How bad is it?” I asked.

“He’s pissed. At both of you.”

The petty part of me liked knowing I wasn’t the only one in Finneus’ crosshairs. Then my empathetic side kicked in. After what Finneus had done to his last fiancée, Paula might’ve actually had more to worry about than I did.

“I know why he’s mad at me, but what’s the deal with Paula?” I asked before my mind could start turning over all the dark punishments Finneus might inflict for my disobedience.

“He’s upset you beat her. More so because she submitted,” Penn replied. “He’s doubting she’s his true mate.”

Of course he was. Finneus thought himself superior—a true alpha warrior. He would expect his mate to be strong and intelligent as well as beautiful. I was no great fighter, yet I had defeated Paula easily. She had never stood a chance against my rage.

“What’s going to happen now?” A lump formed in my throat, and I desperately wanted to take back the question. Sometimes not knowing really was for the best.

“To you, nothing.” Penn growled the words like a promise, a vow that almost made me believe nothing bad could happen with him by my side.

Those three words unlocked something inside of me, something powerful enough to override common sense. I rolled to my paws and shifted, cupping his furry face in my palm and staring deep into the wolf’s golden gaze.

He hesitated, as if he might reject me again, and I pulled my hand back. The transformation was instantaneous. His fingers darted out and closed around my own, bringing my palm back to his stubbly cheek.

His dark gaze captured mine. My skin grew hot as I leaned down and brushed my mouth across his soft, full lips. Penn returned the kiss before pulling back. “I don’t think—” he started.

I shook my head. “No thinking.” My tongue dipped between his lips. “Just kiss me.”

His hand snaked behind my neck, fingers getting lost in my hair. “Are you sure about this?” he murmured, breath coming in restrained gasps.

The promise of something dark and dangerous lived in the depths of his gaze, and I wondered if that was the face he truly hid behind his everyday mask. I’d thought he was protecting his emotions, but now it seemed his inner demons were the true reason for the disguise.

What did it say about me that the idea of meeting Penn’s demons was as much of a turn-on as the gorgeous man himself?

It wasn’t like anything I’d felt with human men. I’d been attracted to my lovers, but never before had I experienced such intense desire for anyone or anything. I needed him, which was so different than wanting someone. If he turned me down again, I didn’t know if my pride or my heart would recover.

Penn searched my eyes as if truly seeing me for the first time. I bit my lip, and his restraint snapped.

Penn circled his thumb over my mouth, staring as if in a trance. My teeth grazed his skin, then his mouth was on mine with a crushing force. His tongue dancing with my own was all that existed for me in that moment.

He rolled onto his back and pulled me down with him. His fingertips slid from my neck down my arms until my nipples hardened into peaks and the scent of desire filled the room. My hand slid down his chest, then across the hard planes of his stomach. When my fingers wrapped around his erection, I truly appreciated another difference between Penn and my human encounters. I’d seen him naked plenty, but an up close and personal experience with him gave me a completely different view.

“Fuck,” he groaned, letting his head fall back against the floor as he moaned.

My hand stilled. Normally, when men uttered that word during sexy time it was a good thing, but Penn sounded irritated.

“Am I doing something wrong?” I asked, suddenly nervous with my inexperience.

“No.” Penn kissed me, teeth dragging against my bottom lip. “You are doing everything right.”

“Then what’s—” I heard the engine outside. “Someone’s coming.”

He slid a hand between my legs and cupped my thigh. “Later, you will too. I swear it. Now, you should probably get dressed.”