Chapter 6

" I t's electrifying!" Sliding across the floor, I shelved another book and danced to the beat of a song in my head.

A song from Grease , to be exact.

Musicals were my weakness, an indulgence I enjoyed when not reading. Even though we didn't have a TV, those movies and songs had carved permanent grooves in my soul. They were a part of me, so I continued singing "You're the One That I Want" while filling the last row of the left-hand shelf.

I'd flattened the empty boxes and stacked them against the wall. As promised, Noah had the air fixed today. The man had come early that morning and found the issue. Luckily, it wasn't anything costly. Now it was so chilly that it put an extra pep in my step.

Although I'd taken many bites out of the pie Mercy had brought yesterday, everything kept well for last night's dinner. Noah didn't know about Mercy's visit until I told him, which meant he wasn't constantly watching the cameras. He seemed suspicious about the kind gesture until I told him they had lunch leftovers that would go to waste. Noah assumed she was offering it to all the local businesses, so I let him think that.

I'd been singing and dancing for the majority of the day as I organized. The faster I shelved the books, the sooner I could open. Until then, the door remained locked with a Closed sign hanging on the glass.

A horn beeped several times out back.

My heart skipped a beat as I jogged to the front of the store, avoiding eye contact with the cameras. After collecting a small box of books, I carried it toward the back with the assumption that Noah might be watching me on camera. Once at the back of the store, I set the box down and exited through the rear entrance.

"Hey, girly!" Mercy handed me a blue helmet with daisies painted on. "Here. You wear this."

I let the door with the automatic lock close, then put the helmet on. "I'm wearing a skirt."

"That's all right. Just lift and tuck."

It was my first time riding on the back of a scooter. Some parts of the drive were bumpy, but it put ideas in my head that perhaps asking for another expensive car was unrealistic. All I needed was a scooter or moped to get around.

Mercy eventually pulled down a dirt road. After a short while, she made a left onto a long, paved driveway. I admired the field on the left and the wildness of open land. A young woman with pink hair flew past us on her kick scooter while yelling something.

I sucked in a breath when I laid eyes on the house. The beautiful stones, towering roof, and extended front porch stole my breath away. Pink crepe myrtles added a splash of color on the property, the front lined with spectacular oak trees. Giant ferns hung from the front porch, and pink flowers cascaded from flowerpots near the steps and sidewalk that led to the driveway.

Mercy slowed the bike to a stop. "I need to park her in the garage. Wait here. "

After handing her my helmet, I got off and adjusted my skirt while she slowly rolled toward a monstrous garage on the left. While she waited for the garage door to open, I strode around the side of the house and noticed a garden filled with tomatoes and peppers.

When I saw a brown wolf torpedoing toward me, I froze in my tracks.

He slowed his pace, sniffing the air and frightening me with his piercing gaze.

"Catcher, be nice!" A pretty woman with a blue-jean baseball hat covering her shoulder-length brown hair strutted toward me, her legs lean and brown, her smile as warm as the sun. "Hi. You must be Cecilia."

I stared apprehensively at the wolf.

"Don't worry, he's just saying hello. Aren't you, Catcher?" She scratched his ear, and the wolf moved his hind leg as if he wanted to scratch it.

The wolf drew closer, and his tail wagged.

"See? He likes you. I'm Robyn. I'm the one running the class. Well, it's not really a class, but I don't know what else to call it. A session, maybe? Full disclosure: I don't have any training or previous experience doing this. It's an introductory class."

A lengthy pause followed, one I was supposed to fill with conversation.

"I like your shoes," I said, staring at her brown lace-up boots.

"Thanks." She gestured to my worn black boots. "You won't need those for yoga; we'll be inside. I need to make myself scarce for a few minutes to finish up something and change. Where's Mercy?"

I pointed at the garage.

"Make yourself at home. Tell Mercy I'm running late. Come on, Catcher. Quit terrifying our guests."

As she sauntered off, the wolf playfully loped ahead and then barked at her. When I noticed Mercy wasn't coming out of the garage, I followed the direction Robyn had gone. Music blared from the far side of the yard, but it wasn't the sort I listened to. In fact, it was similar to the hard metal stuff that Noah liked, only this music had words and not just screaming.

The first thing I noticed in the backyard was a dirt path that led to a barn and stable. Closer to the house was a covered well, which piqued my curiosity. A nearby lavender bush perfumed the air with a calming fragrance that was slightly overpowered by the smell of freshly cut grass.

I glanced up at the raised deck and recognized a man I'd seen with Archer at the bar. His dark blond hair fell past his shoulders, and he gave a charismatic smile when he caught sight of me.

"You didn't tell me guests were coming over," he said to no one in particular.

A Native woman stepped forward, her long silky hair caught on a breeze.

I smiled at her and crossed my arms.

Stop staring at them. Just look normal. It's too late to wave at them.

Shut up, brain.

My inner voice stilled when I spotted Archer chopping wood at the opposite end of the yard. I almost didn't recognize him in shorts. With his legs apart, he swung a long axe with his right arm and split the wood down the middle.

What is he doing here?

Enamored of his boundless energy, I swallowed hard at the visual of his taut leg muscles and sculpted rear end. His muscles flexed against his tight shirt, and when he set another log on the stump, he split it with ease. I gingerly touched the base of my throat, unable to strip my eyes away.

The man on the deck started singing "Afternoon Delight" in a melodious voice. After walking out of view, he did a running leap into a handstand on the railing.

The woman flicked a gaze between him and me and then lightly pushed his chest. "Quit showing off."

The man tipped over, spun in midair, then shifted. His ivory wolf landed feetfirst, and after his clothes dropped around him, he chased his tail. Then he froze, front legs splayed, and looked at me with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. When he started chasing his tail again, I backed up.

"It's always something," the woman muttered. "Virgil!" She quickly descended the steps, her baggy pants catching my eye because of the vibrant blue shade. She swatted the wolf's hindquarters. "You can't shift in front of guests. If your wolf misbehaves?—"

Suddenly, the wolf named Virgil shifted back to a very naked man.

I spun around, and the heat on my face was not from the sun. While Shifters who lived in groups were undoubtedly used to nudity, I wasn't raised in that environment.

"My gosh, Virgil. She just got here. Have you no shame?"

Virgil chuckled and said, "If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that, I'd be a jillionaire."

"Sorry," the woman said, her voice drawing nearer. "I'm Hope, the Packmaster's partner. Mercy said she was inviting a friend."

I cautiously faced her. The man called Virgil zipped up his jeans and jauntily whistled a tune as he swaggered toward Archer.

"I'm Cecilia."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Mercy mentioned you're opening a bookstore?"

I nodded.

She smiled warmly. "I'd love to come by sometime. "

Hope was slightly taller than me, but I was only five foot six, so that didn't exactly make her an Amazon queen.

"Is everyone ready?" Mercy called while approaching our group. "Where's Robyn?"

"She had to do something," I answered. "She said she was coming in shortly but had to change first." When I glanced around to search the area, all I saw was Archer swinging the axe.

A high-pitched whirring of a table saw made me cover one ear.

"Is that going to be the heat house?" I asked.

Hope shaded her eyes and followed the direction of my gaze. "It certainly is. Not that I have to worry about that for a while." She stroked her belly the way pregnant women do, only she didn't look pregnant.

My eyebrows shot up. "Congratulations."

She smiled as if no one could say that to her enough times. "Robyn's classes might help me with childbirth. I'll need all the muscle I can get to push out Tak's child."

She and Mercy both laughed, and I guessed it had something to do with Tak's size or personality.

I looked past her to the field in the back where a stunning white horse was grazing, her tail swishing back and forth. It tugged at my heart, as my own mare would love a pasture like that. Poor thing. All this noise. Between the music, hammering, and saws, she must have been itching to go for a run.

"You're a quiet one," Hope said while leading us up the steps. "That means you have a lot on your mind, doesn't it?" She smiled over her shoulder before we turned down the back hall.

We passed a resplendent kitchen that was half the size of my house. I marveled at the stunning wooden beams of the ceiling and gorgeous Spanish tile. Down another hall that cut to the front of the house, we passed a staircase before entering an enormous living area .

My fingers grazed the leaves of the fake trees on the right as I was awestruck by the room's size.

Hope gestured to the stunning stone fireplace on the right wall. "Tak and I worked on that ourselves."

"It's beautiful," I said, realizing that was the understatement of the century. Who builds their own fireplaces?

People who have living rooms this big, that's who.

Brown leather couches faced each other, and I stood behind the recliner while admiring the fireplace. I noticed a large grey sectional in the right corner, behind the fake trees that formed a privacy wall. The television was the biggest I'd ever seen.

"Bear and I love having movie night," Mercy said, leaning against the back of the sectional. "Especially old movies."

On the opposite side of the room were expansive windows that overlooked the front yard. They even had room for additional seating. When I turned around, I peered through an archway that led to another room.

"We plan to make that into a game room." Hope wound her hair up into a bun. She was so poised, and I admired her reserved and no-nonsense demeanor. "There's much to do around here and no rush. Would you like a tour?"

I had to shut my mouth before I started catching flies for real. "Not today. I don't have much time."

Then my brain fired up. Was that rude? Am I supposed to say yes? No one's ever asked me to tour their house.

She gestured to a room on the right of the fireplace. "We practice yoga in here since there's no foot traffic. We tried using the spot by the windows, but someone was always coming in and slamming the door."

As if to prove her point, someone walked in and slammed the door.

The pink-haired woman who'd just come in unzipped her shorts and yanked them off right in front of us. But she had on striped leggings, which I guessed were her workout clothes. "Am I late?" When she stripped off her T-shirt, revealing a sports bra, I realized I wasn't dressed appropriately for yoga. Even Mercy had changed into a pair of leggings. I scrutinized my outfit.

Hope noticed. "I have some harem pants you can borrow. Some of the poses won't work in a skirt. It's just us girls, but if someone walks by one of those windows?—"

"And someone is always walking by the windows," the pink-haired woman complained. "Virgil acts like he's never seen a woman before, but he never joins us. The mind boggles."

Mercy toed off her shoes. "Virgil likes to be in the middle of everything. He's as harmless as a fly."

"A naked fly," the woman added. "You get used to seeing everyone naked in a pack, but Virgil takes it to another level. I'm Melody, but my friends call me Mel."

Melody had a lean physique with feminine features and freckles and seemed like a tomboy.

"Cecilia Talius," I answered.

"Finally, more female energy in this house. Shall I get the wine?" she asked Hope. "I think a new addition to our group calls for a celebration."

Mercy snorted. "Y'all can count me out. I have to drive Cecilia back to the bookstore when we're done."

"I wouldn't mind a drink," I admitted quietly. "What kind do you have?"

"I'm not exactly a wine connoisseur, but how about the white stuff?"

I hadn't indulged in a glass of wine since the time I lived with my father. "If it wouldn't be a bother."

"A bother?" Melody exclaimed. "Girl time is my favorite time of day. Sometimes we just eat cookies and talk, and other times, I like to use everyone as my guinea pig." Her gaze traveled down my body. "Are you about a size eight? "

Hope caught Melody's wrist. "She's not a dress-up doll. Maybe another day. Sorry, Cecilia. Melody likes to use us as models for her outfits," she said, dragging Melody into the room behind the fireplace.

I followed them, and once inside, I noticed clothes hanging on racks, a couple of desks, large jewelry hangers on a wall, and a pink sofa in the left corner. The room was large with sunny windows, and even with the workstations and furniture, there was still so much space to walk around. It was narrower than the living room but just as long.

An attractive woman with curly blond hair laid out the yoga mats. Her oversized shirt billowed out, and unlike the other girls, she had on comfy-looking pants that were wide at the ankles.

I whispered to Mercy, "Are you sure this is okay?"

She put her arm around me. "Don't be a worrywart. Everyone loves you already. Joy, come meet Cecilia."

The blonde finished rolling out another mat before walking barefoot across the room. "It's lovely to meet you," she said, her blue eyes curving like crescent moons when she offered a dazzling smile. "Welcome to our group. I adore your skirt. Is it stretch material around the waist? That's what I need. My weight is always bouncing around."

Hope handed me a baggy pair of brown pants. "These are great because the ankles have elastic and you can pull them up."

"Thanks. Is there somewhere I can change?"

Hope walked behind me and closed the door. "This is a safe space. Everyone, turn around and give Cecilia privacy."

Melody and Mercy sat on their mats and stretched forward to touch their toes. While Melody relayed a story about her mate putting a rubber snake in the glove compartment and asking her to get a map out of there, I slipped out of my skirt and into the pants. Dresses and skirts had always been my preference .

"These are comfortable," I said, admiring the way they looked.

"Sorry I'm late!" Robyn, the woman I'd first met with the wolf, burst into the room and shut the door. "Montana wanted me to help him with something."

"I'm sure he did," Melody said with a snicker.

Robyn tucked her shaggy hair behind her ears and gestured to my pants. "Those look good on you. Have you ever done yoga before?"

I shook my head. "Is it hard?"

Mercy cackled. "Don't you dare lie to her."

Robyn smiled and said, "Let's do an easy class today."

"Thank heavens." Joy chose a mat to sit on. "I'm not as limber as the rest of you." She patted the spot beside her. "Come sit with me."

Melody, Hope, and Mercy sat in the front row, Joy and I in the back.

I drew my knees up and wrapped my arms around them.

"What's your profession?" Joy asked. "Or do you stay with a pack?"

"Oh. I'm not a wolf." I waited for them to make snide remarks or kick me out, but no one did. "I'm opening a bookstore."

"A bookstore!" she exclaimed. "That's exactly what we need. That and a yarn store."

"It's only temporary. Mostly nonfiction."

Melody leaned back on her hands and caught Joy's attention. "Isn't that Salem's catnip? Nonfiction?"

"Is running a bookstore what you want to do?" Robyn asked, walking to the front of the room and then standing with the windows behind her.

"I don't know. But for now, it's temporary."

"You should create a vision board," she suggested .

"What's that?"

"It's a visual representation of your goals so you can manifest them. You cut out pictures of what you love, places you want to travel to, careers that inspire you, things you want to try, and paste it to a board. Then hang it up to focus on your goals and what you want in life."

"I want a hot tub," Melody said. "Where's my vision board?"

When we finished yoga, Melody opened a bottle of chilled white wine and shared it with Robyn and me. Since Mercy planned on driving me back, she declined. Hope was pregnant, and Joy sipped on fresh lemonade that Bear had made especially for us.

I used to have a glass of wine every so often with my father, but I hadn't had any alcohol in years. Needless to say, the wine hit me fast. We stayed in the art room, and I listened while they told stories that had me in stitches.

When Hope detailed how her mate had bought her adult diapers by accident, thinking they were baby diapers, I let out a snort.

"So now I have a whole box of them," she said on a laugh. "I should probably donate them, but keeping them around to remind him is so much better."

"You're so bad," Melody said from her spot on the floor.

"Guilty as charged." Hope stood up from the hot-pink sofa. "Well, ladies. This was fun. I should see if Tak needs me for anything. It was nice meeting you, Cecilia. I hope we can do this again." She crossed the room and left the door cracked after leaving.

Joy watched me from the opposite end of the sofa, clutching a small pillow, her legs tucked beneath her. "We'd like to know more about who Cecilia is. Are you mated?"

Both Melody and Robyn rolled over from their spots on the floor to look at me. There were never awkward pauses around these girls, and I felt free to say whatever was on my mind. Was it the wine, or did we have a connection?

"Noah and I live together. It's not official yet."

" Yet ," Robyn said, waggling her eyebrows.

Joy put one foot on the floor and tilted her head to the side. "Why not make it official? You're living together. That sounds serious to me. All you need is a Council member to officiate a brief ceremony."

I worried my lip. "He works a lot. I think he just wants to make our living circumstances better."

"He sounds like a good man," Joy said. "Don't think for a second that we're pushing you, honey. Everyone goes their own pace in life. I once knew a lady who mated ten minutes after she met a fellow. Can you imagine?"

"It smacks of an arranged marriage to me." Melody burped and then covered her mouth. "I had cold feet. But I was scared it would mean quitting my job to be a wife. Little did I know…"

"Lakota doesn't seem like the old-fashioned type," Robyn remarked.

"Everything was happening all at once between opening our store and us falling in love." Melody drew up her knees. "I was also scared Hope would hate me forever. We grew up together."

I furrowed my brow. "Why would she hate you?"

"Lakota is her brother."

"Oh." I could see how that might complicate a friendship.

"Hope was the most supportive person in the whole wide world," Melody said, clearly influenced by the wine. She twirled her hair around her finger and stared at it cross-eyed. "I got lucky in the friend department. "

"What about the mate department?" a man boomed from the door.

Melody squeaked and jumped at once. "You can't spy on us!"

The long-haired man swaggered in with a wolfish smile. He offered her his hand. "Come on, wife . Let me sober you up."

"I'm not drunk."

"You're a lightweight. You can get drunk just sniffing the cork."

She snorted. "Get me my bow, and I'll prove I'm sober."

He barked out a laugh. "The last thing you need is a weapon in your hand. Remember what happened to that poor mockingbird after you had too many glasses of wine?"

She took his hand and lay down on the floor. "That wasn't my fault. He flew in front of my target."

"Are you sure that's how you want to tell it?" He dragged her a little ways across the wood floor.

Melody bounced to her feet. "That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. Come with me, husband . You need a shower."

He gently swatted her behind as they left the room.

Joy got up next. "Well, I think I'm going to stretch my legs and get a few chores done. If I don't see you before you leave, I hope you join us again. This was fun. I'll be sure to tell Salem about your store."

I smiled at her as she padded to the door. "See you later."

Robyn yawned loudly. "Do you think you'll come back tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Perhaps."

"Of course she will," Mercy said, returning to the room with a half-eaten apple. "I get off work midafternoon, so I can bring you over to the house anytime you like."

"If she's running a store, she has to work."

"It's okay," I said, realizing breaks were necessary. "Noah's dropping me off there early and picking me up late, so a couple of hours won't make any difference. I have a lot of unboxing to finish first. Noah signed a short lease, and after that, whatever doesn't sell gets tossed or sent off to some dealer."

"Don't you worry about that," Mercy chimed in. "I'll make sure everyone at the bar knows so we can get the word out. You should hang a sign outside to draw people's attention. I wouldn't have known y'all were selling books if the boys hadn't helped."

I put my feet on the floor. "Do you have any markers or paint I could borrow?"

Robyn's eyes lit up. "You've come to the right place!"

She and Mercy waltzed to the other side of the room by an easel, and Robyn collected a few items.

"I'll get paint," Mercy said, dashing out.

I stood. "Are you an artist?"

"I sketch," Robyn replied. "Sometimes I try my hand at pastels or watercolor, but mostly I work with charcoal and pencils. Here." She handed me pencils and markers. "You can use that to trace out your design. Don't worry about bringing them back. I have tons more."

"This is really thoughtful." I rubbed my hand down my pants, searching for the pockets, then laughed. "For a minute, I thought I was wearing my skirt."

She grinned while touching a large scar on her left hand. "Don't worry. I'm a lightweight drinker myself. Come on. Let's find something to put these in."

Robyn hooked her arm in mine, and we stumbled into the living room, laughing and tripping over our own feet.

"This place is enormous," I told her.

"You haven't seen the half of it. But we're a pack, so we need the room. There's nothing worse than living in a house that's too small, especially when you invite more packmates or have babies." She lowered her arm. "What's your animal?"

"Guess." I smiled as we weaved down the hall .

"Not a wolf. Definitely not a bear."

I giggled. "A bear?"

She opened the back door. "They have a certain attitude. If you're a skunk, you need to shift right this minute and go find Virgil."

The sun warmed my skin, and I realized it was dipping below the treetops. It was later than I'd thought.

"Montana!" Robyn called out before reaching the railing.

A handsome man in a black cowboy hat strutted into view and stared up at us. "You okay?"

"I need that wooden toolbox you guys didn't want."

He braced his hands on his hips. "And what do I get?"

"My undying gratitude."

"There you go again, making promises you can't keep." He winked at me before heading off. Despite his hat, he didn't have a twang.

"Is that your mate?" I asked.

"The one and only Montana Vance. Don't let him fool you. That man would paint this entire house yellow if I mentioned I like the color."

I followed her gaze to the right, where Montana was turning the corner. Archer wasn't chopping wood anymore.

Why would he be? Do you think he chops wood for two hours straight? Or were you just hoping he'd be so hot by now that he would have taken off that shirt and showed you his sexy muscles?

"Shut up, brain," I muttered.

"What?" Robyn spun around. "Oh! You didn't tell me your animal yet."

My gaze shifted to a towering Native man trying to round up the mare. "I'm a horse."

"Really? The only horse Shifter I know is Kevin."

"Mercy mentioned him. "

Montana ascended the steps and handed Robyn a wooden toolbox. He gave her a quick kiss before heading inside.

Robyn took the pencils and markers from my hand and dropped them into the box. "You can keep this to store your pens and whatnots. Someone bought the wrong one at the store, so they were going to take it back. You see? Fate."

I hefted the toolbox. "Thanks."

"Do you want some water? I need water." She staggered back to the door and headed inside.

Still eyeing the horse, I set the toolbox down and walked out to the pasture.

The Native man was taller than Bear and had a commanding presence. When he turned to face me, I stepped back at the jarring sight of the tribal tattoo inked on half his face.

Why would anyone tattoo their face?

He smiled. "You must be Cecilia. Hope told me you were coming by today. I'm Tak, the alpha."

The horse ran by, her hooves beating against the earth.

"What are you trying to do?" I asked him.

"Bring her in."

She whinnied and then trotted up to him before turning around. Then she kicked her back legs but wasn't close enough to make contact with him.

"She's being stubborn," Tak said with an exasperated shake of his head.

"Why not leave her outside? You have a fence, and it's summer."

He rubbed his chin while watching her. "We have some difficult neighbors I don't trust. She's still getting used to her new packmates, and I don't want her to get spooked and jump the fence in the dark."

I locked eyes with the snowy mare. "She wants to play."

"She plays all day," he said, giving a spirited laugh .

The horse snorted, bobbing her head.

"Alone?"

He gave a regretful sigh. "I brought her over from my tribe. She had horses to socialize with, but now it's just my girl."

I lowered my hand to offer it to the horse. "You should get her a companion animal. If not a horse, then a dog, sheep, or a donkey. Just not a goat."

"Why is that?"

I grinned as the horse approached me. "They're troublemakers. Hi, girl. What's your name?"

"Luna," Tak replied.

She nickered when I stroked her muzzle. Then I let my hand brush over her coat, down her neck, and across her side. She radiated contentment, and I could tell she was happy here. Just lonely.

"She doesn't like the noise. See how differently she's behaving from earlier?" I patted her side.

Tak approached and rubbed her nose. "I can't do much about that. We have work."

"Perhaps someone could take her riding when you're running the saws? I bet she'd like to go for a ride now. Then she'll be tired and ready to go back to the stable."

"You know your horses."

"I should. I am one."

His eyebrows popped up.

Then it dawned on me that I was slighting a Packmaster by giving him advice on how to do his job. Under normal circumstances, I would have never had this conversation.

Wine and me did not mix.

I lowered my head, my heart racing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. Of course you know what's best for her. Please forget I said anything."

Before I embarrassed myself any further, I hustled back to the house. Having lived around humans, I'd forgotten that I couldn't speak as freely with all Breed, especially leaders who lived in the same area as me. It might reflect poorly on Noah and hurt his standing in the community.

I swerved and realized the wine had gone to my head since I hadn't eaten lunch or had anything else to drink. Working out and then standing in the sun had proved a dangerous combination. On one hand, alcohol relaxed me and brought me out of my shell. But now I felt dizzy and slightly nauseated. One bottle between three women had turned into two.

Still, I'd had so much fun. I'd never realized how comfortable I could be with complete strangers, but I'd also never had friends.

When I made it to the top of the steps, my bladder threatened to burst. I stepped inside the house in absolute panic, desperately needing to pee.

From around the corner, a man with a shaved head and golden eyes stalked up, his nostrils flaring. He scrutinized me and tipped his head to the side.

My stomach clenched. Chitahs were a Breed similar to Shifters, only they didn't shift. I'd never had close interactions with them.

"What's wrong, female?"

"Bathroom?" My knees locked together.

His lips curved in a sinister smile, and he gestured to a door on my left.

I flew inside, locked the door, and peed for so long that I heard the man chuckling. Mortified, I finished and washed my hands. A glance in the mirror revealed my ponytail had given up on all existence, the hair tie loose and low, strands hanging askew. I pulled the elastic tie off and shook my hair. Still woozy, I splashed water on my flushed face to sober up.

After emerging from the bathroom, I steered around the corner and smacked into Archer .

He stepped back, his brows drawing together. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

Great. I'd thought he was just friends with their pack. How was I to know? Archer smelled sweaty, so he must have been working out or chopping more wood. His arm muscles looked especially taut and his face flushed. His thin T-shirt was even sticking to his body.

Stop looking at his body.

But he still had on those shorts, and I couldn't resist peeking down at his leg muscles.

"So what are you up to?" he asked.

"Yoga." I peered behind him. "A Chitah was in here a minute ago."

"That's Lucian. Hope he didn't scare you. He has that effect on people."

"He lives here?"

"We think so." Archer gave me a close-lipped smile. "Lucian spends a lot of time alone, so who knows? How long have you been here?"

"I'm not sure. Since three."

Archer rubbed the back of his neck. "That's four hours."

"Four?" I touched my bracelet. "I didn't realize it was so late."

"And where do you need to be in a hurry?"

My thoughts drifted to Noah, and I worried that he might show up at the store before I returned.

Archer dipped his chin, making my heart bounce. "Your eyes look funny."

"So does your nose."

He frowned. "What's wrong with my nose?"

I poked the tip. "It's in my business. "

Archer's eyes brightened, and he laughed. "I never took you for a comedian."

Oh, this is absolutely normal. Just hanging around, having a great chat with my one-night stand. Why did I agree to this? Are the fates punishing me? I finally make friends, and they're living with the one person I need to stay clear of.

"Have you seen Mercy?" I asked. "I have to get back to the store before Noah gets off work."

Archer shoved his hand in his pocket. "That won't be necessary."

"Why not?"

"He's here."

Fear gripped my spine. "What?"

Noah must have seen something on his cameras and asked around, but how did he find me? This wasn't going to end well. He would never want me hanging around a wolf pack unprotected.

"Calm down, cutie-pie." Archer stared at me carefully. "You look like you're about to pop your top. He swung by to check out my gym. If you want him gone, I'll tell him to piss off."

"No. Don't. He'll think something's going on."

The back door opened.

"Hey, you." Mercy approached with the wooden toolbox. "I was looking all over. Is this for you?"

I glanced inside at the small jars of paint she'd added. "Robyn said it was okay for me to have it."

"Of course it's okay." She set it down. "I'll have to strap it on the bike so you're not holding it."

"That won't be necessary. Noah's here."

"He's in the gym," Archer explained.

Mercy looked toward the kitchen, where we heard and smelled food sizzling on a stove. "Do you two want to stay for dinner? "

That sounded amazing, but I wasn't sure what Noah's plans were. Especially once he discovered I was here without permission.

"Perhaps another time," I told her. "We need to head home."

Noah's voice boomed from the living room, "Holy shit! You've got some pad here."

Curious of whom he was talking to, I wandered around the corner toward the front.

The long-haired man with the crystal-blue eyes and leather pants was standing with his arms crossed while Noah gawked at the house.

When Joy walked through the front door, she gave me a nervous smile. "I thought you left."

Noah turned on his heel to see who she was talking to, and his face reddened. Then he prowled toward me and lowered his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Yoga. Mercy invited me. She was about to drive me back."

"Are you pulling my chain?" he asked calmly. "This is a wolf pack."

"We don't bite," Archer said with a smile.

Noah's eyes flicked to my loose hair and then down to my pants, but he said nothing. "Yoga?"

"It was so much fun. As it turns out, I'm pretty good at it."

"She sure is," Mercy agreed while joining our group.

A smile touched Noah's lips. "Are you drunk?"

Mercy put her arm around me. "We had a little girl-talk session. I'm the designated driver."

"I didn't think it would matter," I said, my chest tight and heart galloping. "Since it's only me in the store today, no customers, I figured a break wouldn't hurt." I searched his eyes, wondering if his tiger was pacing.

Noah stroked my cheek. When he did, Mercy smiled and drew back. "I don't want to worry about you, baby. "

Others had joined us, and before I knew it, Noah was making introductions and winning everyone's admiration. He was so affable and rarely entered a room without making friends.

"Archer here promised he can make me as buff as him." Noah clapped Archer on the shoulder. "He's got a sweet setup. I just don't have the room for all that equipment."

Melody and Robyn pulled me aside while the men bantered. " That's Noah?" Melody asked. "I thought you were paired up with a quiet librarian type."

Robyn smiled. "He's a keeper. Nice-looking, friendly, and he looks at you the way Montana looks at me. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I answered quietly.

She stole a quick glance at him. "What's his animal? I'm getting potent energy, but I can't tell by his demeanor."

"Tiger."

"Rawr." Melody clawed the air with her hand.

Robyn lowered Melody's wrist. "Stop that. You're tipsy."

"So are you," Melody whispered back.

While everyone in the room chattered, I noticed Krys pulling Archer aside. After a brief exchange, Archer nodded, then Krys pulled Mercy to the side. A few seconds later, she disappeared down the hallway.

"I'll have to get the grand tour next time." Noah admired their giant flat-screen TV. "I guess this is one of the perks of living in a pack. Tigers can't do this shit. You put a bunch of us in the house, and we're at each other's throats," he said on a laugh. "I don't see any speakers for a sound system, but it just so happens I know a guy who can hook you up. He might do it for a discount since we're friends."

Noah always knew a guy. He met all kinds of notable people at his job.

He strutted over and then scooped me up in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck, loving how sweet he was being—relieved that this hadn't ended with a fight. When he kissed me on the mouth, I reeled back, fire heating my cheeks from everyone watching.

Noah chuckled softly and slipped his tongue in my mouth before setting me down. "Let's go home, baby. I want to hear all about your day."

Embarrassed, I stepped back in case he got the bright idea to do that again.

"Hold on!" Mercy called out. She appeared from the hallway with two deep plastic sacks. "Cecilia said you two had to get going, and since you can't have dinner with us, the least we can do is send you home with a hot meal." She raised both bags. "My mate is the best cook in the county."

When Noah regarded me, I shrugged.

"Hey," Virgil said from behind her. "Are you giving away the Chinese chicken?"

Mercy shoved the bags in Noah's hands before he could object. "Bear cooked these hot off the skillet. Or wok." She looked over her shoulder at Virgil, who was pouting. "He's fixin' to make more, so quit havin' a hissy fit."

"That's so nice of you," I said, my mouth watering from the delicious aromas. "Thank him for us."

While Tak and Noah chatted about cars, Archer disappeared down the hallway. When he returned, he handed me a bottle of room-temperature water. "Drink this. You look dehydrated."

I unscrewed the cap and guzzled a mouthful of water. After another drink, I screwed the cap on and said, "I'm a little dizzy is all."

"She never drinks," Noah pointed out. "I guess that's a lesson learned." He handed me the heavy sacks. "You'll be fine. It's too early for drinking." He gave the women a scolding glance but then laughed. "Thanks for taking care of my girl. "

Tak escorted us out, and before we got to the car, Mercy jogged down the steps with the toolbox filled with paints and pencils. After handing them to me, she waved and jauntily walked off.

"What's that for?" Noah asked.

"I'm going to make a sign for the store so people know we're open." I carefully set it in the back seat.

"It sounds like you're up to all kinds of things."

"Are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" He planted a kiss on my temple and then nodded at Tak. "Let Archer know I'll be stopping by again. Hope that's cool."

"Anytime, my friend. Anytime."