Page 5 of Amaris Rejected (Stone Mountain Shifters #2)

Amaris - Three years later

TheHealing Hand is quite busy today. If this trend continues, Julia and I will need to buy the space next to the shop. We became business partners two years ago, after I graduated with honors as a certified and licensed healer from the University of Sparksburg. At that time, we acquired the vacant offices to the left and expanded it to include a healer's clinic.

We’ve also broadened our line of remedies to include not only the basics but also my shelf-stable potion for insomnia, along with several new items I’ve developed. Everything continues to sell out quickly. The business is thriving, with customers coming from all over the territory to purchase and seek treatment at the clinic. My reputation for the gift of healing attracts them in large numbers. Additionally, we are preparing to launch an online store that will offer shipping for at-home shoppers.

We also expanded upward to include a third floor, so now we have two spacious apartments above the shop. Julia and her mate occupy the second floor, while my three-year-old daughter, Zoe, and I live on the third floor.

Shortly after arriving in Sparksburg, I found out I was pregnant. The problem was I didn't have Devon’s contact number. We hadn’t shared much during our few hours together, and honestly, I had no interest in tracking him down. After all, he’d abandoned me, his fated mate, without a single thought. We were legally married, and I had the certificate, but we’d never completed the mate bond by marking each other. So, Zoe and I were just left in limbo.

After following my last patient out of the exam room, I handed the file to my med tech for follow-up. "Jace, since that’s the last patient, I’m heading up to my apartment. Is there anything you need from me before I go?" I ask as I lock the entrance and turn the sign to Closed .

"I don't have anything else," Jace replies. "Have a good night."

"You too, Jace." I stifle a yawn. As I head upstairs, the lights are off in the apothecary, so I assume Julia is back in her office, tallying the shop’s daily sales.

I get to the third-floor landing and punch in the keycode to the door. "Mama!" I hear my three-year-old daughter shriek as I enter.

"Zoe, my darling!" I swing her into my arms. Looking at Mrs. Clark, I ask, "Has she eaten yet?"

Mrs. Clark shakes her head. "Afraid not, dear. I couldn't get her to sit still long enough even to take a bite."

"Zoe!" I sigh. "How will you grow up to be big and strong like Mama if you don't eat?"

"Zoe, not hungee!" She sticks out her bottom lip while crossing her arms. She’s the most adorable little pup, but I can't encourage this behavior, so I stifle my chuckle.

"Zoe!" I bite my lip. "We’ve talked about attitude!" I warn.

Her chocolate brown eyes welled up. "Sorry, Mama."

"That's better," I say, tousling her blonde ringlets. "Why don't we go to the diner and get some spaghetti? I know how much you love it!"

Her eyes light up. "Sketti!" Clapping her hands, she runs to the door and slips on her rain boots. "Ready!" She giggles.

She is quite a character with a personality larger than life.

"I guess that's settled then," I say, clasping Zoe’s hand. "Thank you, Mrs. Clark. Give my regards to Mr. Clark."

With that, we all walk out the door, closing it behind us to lock it.

Zoe and I forgo driving the car since the diner is just around the corner, within walking distance. She jumps and skips down the sidewalk, swinging energetically from my hand. I’ve always been grateful for her exuberance for life. After being abandoned by my mate, she’s the one who brought color back to my world.

In a booth at the back of the diner, the waitress, Misty, brings over a high chair. Zoe is nearly too big for it now, but it helps keep her seated long enough to get some food into her. As active as she is, it takes a lot of calories to fuel her tiny frame.

I place our dinner order while Zoe's coloring and chewing on the crayons I keep pulling from her mouth. "Misty, we’ll have spaghetti with meatballs, a child's portion for Zoe, and a garden salad. Please bring Zoe some milk, and I'll have water. Thanks."

"Sure thing, Amaris." I’ve lived here long enough to know that most everyone knows each other. During my pregnancy, when I was too tired to cook, I’d come here a couple of times a week for a meal.

It isn't long before Misty brings our salad and drinks. I pour Zoe's milk into her sippy cup. While we wait for the spaghetti, I try to feed her a few bites of salad.

"Me, Mama," she insists, taking the fork and trying to stab a piece of lettuce. She barely manages to spear a chunk of tomato in her efforts. Gleefully, she holds up her prize. "See, Mama!" I laugh as she stuffs it in her mouth, her eyes going wide. "Mmm!"

I’m so preoccupied with Zoe's antics that the diner fades into the background. Zoe keeps feeding herself, taking bites of salad while holding onto the plate. She is actually doing quite well.

Oddly, a tingling awareness pricks at my chest, causing it to itch. I rub the skin over my heart to ease the growing discomfort. I glance around and see nothing unusual—just the same faces I’ve known for the last three years. Then, through the large plate-glass windows of the diner, I notice two black SUVs pulling into the parking lot. The tingling sharpens into a stab, making my breath catch as I clutch my chest.

A powerful Alpha aura emanates from the vehicles, so strong it’s almost suffocating. It’s not our pack Alpha, Alpha Blake; I’d recognize his presence anywhere. Besides, his SUVs are built differently. Our pack often hosts Alpha conferences, and I believe there’s one this week. Perhaps it's an Alpha from a neighboring pack. It’s strange that I should react to another Alpha.Then it hits me! Oh, Goddess, no! I jerk my head up, and sure enough, Devon freakin' Wright climbs out of one of the SUVs and looks straight through the plate-glass window at me and Zoe!

“Crap, crap, craptastic!” I panic, searching frantically for an escape, but there is none.

“Crap, crap, craplastic,” Zoe mimics like a parrot as I roll my eyes at her words.

“Crap, crap, crap,” I repeat internally. Okay. Maybe he won't approach me. He did, after all, abandon me three years ago. And he never bothered to talk to me as I walked out of the Meet-and-Greet. No word from him since.

Breathe! Breathe! Don't panic! Don't panic!

I look down at my food and keep eating calmly, with the healer’s facade intact, as I ignore his approach. My body language communicates , “I don't know him, and I don't want to know him.”

Zoe sits with her back to him, babbling merrily while stuffing food into her mouth and waving her spoon in the air, blissfully unaware that the room is closing around her Mama as the past steps out of the shadows. Thankfully, Misty chooses that moment to step between our line of sight to place our plates of spaghetti on the table.

"Sketti!" Zoe shrieks, clapping.

"Thanks, Misty," I say while thinking that was perfect timing. Or was it? As Misty walks away, Devon stands just behind her, not three feet away. He's bulked up since I last saw him. His chest muscles flex as he runs a hand through his long, slightly darker blond hair. Those sweet chocolate-brown eyes seem more dangerous to my self-preservation than charming. He was gorgeous back then, but now he’s sexier than ever. He’s no longer a young pup but a strong, virile male.And he's staring right at me.

"Amaris?" His eyes widen, and his mouth tightens into a straight line.

"Mmhmm?" I reply, taking a bite of spaghetti. I might seem calm on the outside as part of my training as a healer, but I'm freaking out on the inside.

"I want a bite," Zoe demands, suddenly becoming helpless and wanting me to feed her. I scoop up a forkful and offer it to her. I glance back up at Devon, and he notices Zoe. Recognition dawns on him, and his eyes fill with anguish.

Behind him, seven large wolf-shifters gather. It resembles the cast ofan FBI movie.

"Amaris?Can I... can I join you?" he asks hesitantly.

"I don't see why you’d want to," I reply, frankly.

"That's fair. I’d probably feel that way too,"he admits.

"Look, Devon," I state firmly. "I don't think there’s anything left we really need to discuss right now. The conversation ended years ago when you ran out of our honeymoon suite and never looked back." I continue feeding Zoe and I bites of spaghetti. Breaking off a piece of garlic bread, I hand it to Zoe. She grabs it like she’s starving and shoves it in her mouth.

"Slow down, little one," I coo. "You’re going to choke."

I hand her the sippy cup, which she takes a drink before throwing it down on the floor.

"Oops!" she laughs, playing a game. As I reach for the cup, Devon picks it up and hands it to her with a smile.

"Tank you!" she giggles, preparing to throw it again when I catch it and move it out of her reach. She folds her arms and pouts at me. I can't quite understand Zoe's unusual behavior. Her little wolf seems to sense the tension in the room.

"Amaris." He’s still eyeing Zoe with wonder.

"Why are you still here?" I snap. I take a wipe out of my bag and clean Zoe's face and hands.

"I think we need to talk..." He shoots a look at Zoe.

"Devon. You’re about three years too late for that conversation!" I snarl as quietly as I can, still trying to keep Zoe’s involvement to a minimum. “It’s one that should’ve taken place before you walked out on me—on us.”

He recoils and turns to talk to his enforcers. I use his distraction to unstrap Zoe and lift her from the highchair. Grabbing my bag, I maneuver around Devon and toss $20 at Misty as I do another runner out the door.

Zoe screams, "Sketti!" I feel terrible, but I need to get out of here, and I’m sure I have some healthy snacks at the apartment to give her. As I sprint down the sidewalk, holding Zoe close, I realize it’s no use. Not only is Devon effortlessly following me, but both SUVs are trailing us down the highway.

Frustrated, I stop and turn to face him. Holding my hand up between us, he halts.

"I’m not sure what this sudden fascination with me is, but this stalking behavior needs to stop. I don't want you around me, I don't want to talk to you, and I don't want to see you. What part of this are you having trouble understanding?"

"Amaris, please, just let me talk to you for a moment..."

"Leave me alone!" I grit out as I look up to see a couple of pack enforcers I recognize running toward us.

I guess we’re making quite the spectacle: a lone female carrying a toddler while being chased by an Alpha and two SUVs full of male wolves.

"What's going on here, Amaris?" John, one of the enforcers who came to my aid, asks as he eyes Devon suspiciously. John is an admirer who frequently visits the shop to ask me out. Most shifters here don’t know my story; I’m private and like to keep it that way. But John has always been protective of me despite my refusals.

"John, these wolves are stalking me and won’t leave me alone," I say, pointing to Devon and the two SUVs following me. Chris, the other enforcer, instantly grabs his radio for backup. "I had to leave our meal at the diner, and they followed me all the way here."

"Listen," Devon starts, "John, right? Amaris is my mate..."

"No!" I snap, interrupting him. Zoe, her face pressed against my chest, starts to cry softly. I can tell this argument is upsetting for her. I just need to postpone this conversation until Zoe isn’t with me.

"Whoa, man! Amaris doesn't have a mate." John instantly becomes furious but lowers his voice to a whisper. "I've known her for three years. What’s your business here? Are you attending the Alpha conference or just passing through?"

"We're here for the Alpha Conference," Devon replies, lowering his voice as well. "But if I could just..."

"This isn't Alpha's gone wild or spring break, bro." Chris puts his hand on Devon's chest, easing him further away from me and Zoe. "You can't just go around harassing our she-wolves. That's not cool, man." Devon raises his arms to show he will comply.

"Chris, can you let me head home?” I gesture toward a crying Zoe. "I need to comfort her, and I don’t want him to discover where we live. Will you keep them here until I get home safely?"

“Amaris,” Devon interrupts softly. “You know I’m not a threat to your safety.”

I shoot him a baleful look. “I know nothing of the sort. I don’t know you.”

Devon flinches as the truth bomb lands.

"Sure, Amaris. Go ahead," Chris replies, grabbing Devon by the arm as he tries to follow me. "Hold on, man. The Alpha is on his way and wants to have a conversation with you. And you need to leave Amaris alone."

"You don't understand..." Devon keeps pleading as I rush to the apartment. His voice fades as I put distance between us.

Once there, I grab a bottle of Scent Away off the shelf. I developed this unique formula to help dissipate scents to prevent tracking. I sell a lot of it to women, along with a wolf-strength pepper spray. I practically soak the inside of the shop and clinic. Next, I step outside and spray around the front and back. Finally, I spray the entire inside of the apartment. Hopefully, that will mask Zoe’s and my scents until the Alpha conference concludes or our Alpha makes them leave.

Zoe stomps her foot. "Sketti!" She pouts.

"Alright, Pumpkin, your dinner was interrupted." I lift her and set her in the high chair. "How about some berries for dessert?"

"Berries!" Her eyes light up as I grab a cup of washed berries from the fridge and add a dollop of whipped cream. She takes her spoon, and before long, her face is covered. I wonder how much actually makes it into her mouth.

Stooping down, I kiss her on her silly, berry-covered face. "Yummy, Zoe! I love you, little one."

"Wuv you, Mama." She grins, revealing her purple teeth.