10. Mai

When I woke up, it was already dark outside. I had to admit, the bed was incredibly comfortable. I sat up and stretched. Then winced as my broken ribs asked what the fuck I was doing.

"Mai? Are you awake?" The voice came from the other side of the door.

Hayley.

I hesitated for a moment, but I couldn't hide in this room forever.

"Yeah, I'm awake," I replied, my voice a bit hoarse.

The door opened, and Hayley walked in. She was wearing a casual outfit of dark, fitted jeans and a plain white shirt, and her long blond hair was pulled back in a messy bun. She looked older, more aged than the four years since I'd seen her should have shown. She had always been tall and slender, like a toned marathon runner, but now she was bordering on the side of skinny. It wasn't a healthy look for a werewolf.

Hayley looked around the room and then finally at me. "So, you're back."

"It looks like it," I replied, wondering briefly if I should avert my eyes. She was a Pack Alpha but I bristled at showing her that respect. "Don't worry, I'm not staying long."

We stared at each other for a moment and I felt her Alpha power sidle round me. Her eyes bore into mine, willing me to look down. When I didn"t, her eyes flashed before they flickered over my injuries. "You should stay, Mai. As long as you need to," she said, her voice soft.

I tilted my head, wondering if Jem was within hearing range. Hayley used to pull this trick before, playing nice whenever Jem was around and making certain I knew I wasn't wanted whenever he was out.

"I mean it," she insisted, almost like she could read my thoughts. "Things are different now that I'm the Alpha. Jem has struggled with you being gone. It'll be good for him and the Pack if you stick around for a while."

A knot formed in my stomach at her words. The last thing I wanted was to get involved with the Pack again. But I knew I couldn't just run away this time. Not with security all around the compound and Ryan hovering over me like a mother hen. Maybe I was going to have to face my past.

"I'll think about it," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Hayley nodded and then sat on the edge of the bed. "You know, Mai, I always admired you. When you left, I knew you were strong enough to make it on your own. It takes a lot of courage to walk away from everything you've ever known."

Did it? I'd done it twice now, once when I fled from Ryan and again when I escaped Seth. Was it courage or cowardice that made me run from them? I didn't know anymore.

I did know that I wanted to steer this conversation away from me. "You seem to have gotten everything you wanted, Hayley. You're Alpha now. You live in the big house. No one to tell you what to do." That had been so important to her after growing up with her aunt's family. I really was happy for her that she had that security now, that she had what she always wanted. A shadow crossed her face at my words. If I'd blinked, I would have missed it. What was going on with her and Jem?

She paused for a moment too long, then laughed airily. "It certainly has its perks."

I wasn't falling for it. Hayley was not a happy wolf. Did I care enough to try to find out why? No. I had to look out for myself. Heal up, find a way to make a run for it again. Nothing had changed. I couldn't stay here with Ryan around every corner, his delicious scent drifting on the air, always just out of reach. I still knew that he was my fated mate. It would drive me mad to stay here and see him every day, knowing I couldn't touch him, not in the way my wolf yearned to do.

"Come on." Hayley got up off my bed. "Jem's waiting, it's time for dinner."

Hayley stayed in the corridor while I got dressed and freshened up. She didn't offer to help me down the stairs, something I was grateful for. I didn't like to feel like an invalid who couldn't look after herself. Going to school with Brock Madden and living on the streets for months after I'd left here had taught me the dangers of looking weak.

I followed Hayley into the dining room. She walked straight to a chair next to Jem. Jem was sitting at the head of the table, with Ryan next to him. I felt a stab in my chest at the sight of him. Okay, so the sleep didn't make it go away. Fine. I'd deal with it. No fucking clue how, but I would work something out so I could at least cope while I was here.

Jem stood up as I entered the room, a smile on his face. "Mai, how are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Good. Mai, you remember the Shaw brothers, right?"

Ryan and his three brothers, each of them tall and muscular men, stood up. With their Alpha standing at the table, Pack hierarchy dictated they were not allowed to be seated.

"They're all Pack enforcers now," Jem continued, "although Mason and Sam also run a private investigations firm on the side."

"Sure." I felt Ryan's gaze on me, but I avoided it and looked around at the rest of the Shaw brothers.

Sam and Derek were twin brothers and had been in the year above me in school. They'd left by the time Brock had held me down and got everyone to pour food on me. Otherwise, they would have broken both of his legs.

Although they were twins, it was clear that time had accentuated their differences. Derek had always been the more serious of the two and had just left for the army by the time I'd done my vanishing act. His time there seemed to have left its mark on him. He sat tall and confident; his dark brown hair was cropped short, and his steely gray eyes seemed to take in everything around him. Next to him, Sam appeared more approachable and easygoing, his warm smile and bright green eyes giving off a welcoming vibe. His light brown hair was longer than Derek's, falling into his eyes in a charmingly disheveled manner. I remembered how Sam had always been the more outgoing twin, and I thought it was a smart move, joining forces with Mason in a PI firm where Sam could use his knack for connecting with people to help solve cases.

Mason was sitting nearest to the door. He was the oldest, after Ryan. It had been four years since I last saw him, but I couldn't help but marvel at how much he had changed. He must be twenty-four now, and he'd certainly filled out. I guessed he was at least 6'3" when he stood up, his muscular and athletic build probably down to rigorous training I knew enforcers went through. His short, jet-black hair appeared slightly tousled, giving him a rugged and effortlessly attractive look that I hadn't noticed before.

Mason was always one to put family and Jem first. He'd backed Jem and Ryan one hundred percent with their plan to take over the Pack. I remembered his dry sense of humor and how he'd share a joke or crack a sly smile, but only with those close to him. Although he often came across as intimidating, I knew that beneath that tough exterior, Mason would always help those in need.

I turned to Sam and before I could blink, he had encased me in a bear hug. His scent of wood smoke, dark chocolate, and a tinge of citron enveloping me. "Mai. Girl. We missed you!"

"I missed you, too."

"My turn," Derek said, tugging his brother off me and pulling me into his arms. I'd only ever seen Derek truly relax when he was around Sofia. His hug was the same. Where Sam was an all-in kind of hugger, Derek held me carefully for a moment and then backed off.

"Hey," Mason said, striding toward me and kissing me on my cheek. "Sam's right. We missed you, Mai."

The sound of glass breaking and the scent of fresh blood made me turn around. Ryan was glaring at his brothers, a broken wine glass in his hand.

"For fuck's sake, Ryan," Hayley hissed as she started mopping at the spilled red wine on the table.

"Shit, man, you okay?" Sam said, going over to Ryan.

My wolf nipped at me, wanting me to go to him, but I pushed her back.

"It's fine," Ryan replied, gruffly grabbing a napkin and wrapping the cut on his palm. "Just a little cut."

"What happened?" asked Mason as he picked up the pieces of glass that were strewn on the table.

"An accident, that's all." Ryan's tone made it clear that was the end of any discussion. He took the pieces of glass from his brother and strode into the kitchen.

I watched him go, wanting desperately to follow him to make sure he was okay.

"Why don't you sit, Mai?" Jem said as he gestured for me to take a seat. "We were just about to start dinner."

I hesitated for a moment, my eyes darting to the kitchen, then I nodded.

"Sure."

Jem had gestured to the only seat left, and the universe seemed to be conspiring against me. It was right next to Ryan's. With a deep breath, I slowly made my way there. I could do this. I just needed to avoid smelling Ryan. Avoid touching Ryan and avoid talking to him. Easy, right?

As I sat down, a trim middle-aged woman with short brown hair and three earrings in each ear started to put dishes on the table. The woman's warm brown eyes took in the scene, and then she cursed. "Well, not the best start to a meal. But no matter. The food will more than make up for it."

"Mai, this is Sylvie, our housekeeper and chef extraordinaire," Jem said.

As the delicious scents of lemon chicken, sage potatoes, salad, and freshly baked baguettes wafted around the room, it was clear that Sylvie's culinary skills were not to be underestimated.

Sylvie smiled at me. "I've heard all about you, Mai. It's lovely to finally meet you in person."

I smiled back at her just as Ryan came back and sat down next to me, his hand in a clean bandage. I ignored Ryan and the way his body was mere inches from mine. He was so close. His scent was suddenly all I could smell, overpowering everything and everyone else in the room. I swallowed, looking down. His leg was almost touching mine; I couldn't even see daylight between them. The image of me running my fingers up his leg and slowly undoing his belt jumped into my head.

No!

I shoved the image away. Food. People. That's what I had to think about. I had to concentrate on this meal and then get the hell away from Ryan.

Sylvie put the last dish on the table. "There you go. Enjoy!"

Before Sylvie had even left the room, the sound of clattering plates and cutlery filled the space. My stomach growled involuntarily, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in what felt like days. I reached out for the potatoes, but Ryan got there before me.

"Here," he said, loading them onto my plate.

Okay. "Thanks. Can you pass the chicken?"

Again, Ryan took the dish, and instead of passing it to me, he loaded enough chicken to feed everyone at that table directly onto my plate.

Okay, then.

I opened my mouth to ask for the salad, but Ryan beat me to it.

"Sam, don't hog all the salad. Mai wants some. Pass it here," Ryan said without even looking at his brother. Immediately, the huge salad bowl, full of lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, croutons, peppers, olives, and a dressing that smelled amazing, was in Ryan's hands, and he was spooning it onto my plate.

"Either you're trying to fatten me up to…?" Eat me? Hell, no, I wasn't going to go there. "Cook me in a pot, or you need glasses."

"You need to eat."

"I'm going to eat, but everyone else needs food, too."

"Don't you worry, Mai, there's lots more food in here!" Sylvie's shouted reply from the kitchen made Sam and Mason laugh.

"I promise, Mai. When you eat your first bite, you'll be thanking Ryan for giving you the best food this side of the Rockies," Sam said.

"Aw, Sam, you always were my favorite!" Sylvie shouted.

I frowned at the kitchen doorway, wondering why Sylvie wasn't in here eating with us.

Jem saw me looking and leaned toward me. "It's not a rule. She doesn't like to eat with others."

I nodded, glad Hayley hadn't created a "Downtown Abbey" atmosphere here, then took a bite. They were not wrong. I almost moaned in pleasure at the flavors that were being set off in my mouth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ryan smile, but valiantly ignored him. Instead, I focused on my plate, letting the conversation wash over me.

"How's Shaw Investigations getting on? Any new cases?" Derek asked, breaking off a piece of bread and slathering it with butter.

"It's pretty quiet at the moment," Mason replied.

"Yeah," Sam agreed, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "So quiet we even had time for a chitchat with Tanya today when she made her deliveries."

"Who's Tanya?" asked Hayley.

"Oh, just a Bridgetown Pack wolf Mason has his eye on."

"I do not have my eye on her! She's Bridgetown. That says everything there is to say about it."

"Oh, really?" quipped Sam. "Coz I'm pretty sure I heard you flirting like a pro with her earlier."

"There was no flirting," Mason growled, making it clear to all of us that there was indeed flirting. "And maybe if you did less eavesdropping and more work, we'd actually make some money for a change!"

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Unless Mason had had a complete change of personality, he couldn't flirt even if he had a university degree in it. Everyone at the table, apart from Mason, knew Sam was teasing him.

Jem leaned over to me. "Don't listen to them, Mai. I know for a fact that Shaw Investigations does very well for itself."

Hayley remained silent, eating her food and glancing out of the window every now and again.

"We've been hearing rumors that Bridgetown are recruiting again, though," said Mason.

"I've been hearing that, too. Did Tanya confirm it?" Derek looked at Mason.

Mason managed to glare at his brother and look uncomfortable at the same time. "She's seen the new recruits. Delivered to where they are being based. She could give us an idea of how many there are, but we need to go slow with Tanya. She's loyal to her Pack. She likes gossip, which is where we get some intel from her, but it always needs to be confirmed with our other sources. Her use is more in giving us a feel for Bridgetown; the state of the Pack, how people are feeling about things that their Alphas are doing. She sometimes confirms things we have heard elsewhere, but I don't want to push hard with her unless it's an SOS situation."

"Michael and Camile might be allowing her to deliver to you, knowing she will plant false information."

Mason raised an eyebrow. "Sure, Derek, we definitely hadn't considered that."

"Alright." Derek grinned and held up his hands in surrender. "Just checking. The Bridgetown Alphas are clever."

I knew Bridgetown. Its territory bordered our own. When I left, it was already a pretty big Pack. Oliver had always forbidden us to interact with them, but if Tanya was making deliveries here, I guessed Jem had changed that. "Do you think Bridgetown is looking to expand their territory?" I asked.

Why did I ask that? I didn't want to know, didn't want to care, or be drawn back into the Pack and what was going on here.

Jem looked pleased at my question. "It's a possibility. We're keeping an eye on the situation. Derek, Mason, and Sam have been gathering intel to find out what their intentions are. We should know something for sure soon."

Mason chimed in, his deep voice steady, "It's important we know what their plans are. The Pack comes first. Always. But we also need to make sure our clients and those we care about are safe. We don't want any surprises or unnecessary confrontations. We need to be prepared for anything."

"Anything except you turning up again after four years," Sam said, a cheeky glint in his eyes. "So, Mai, you gonna tell us where the fuck you have been all these years?"