Page 8

Chapter

Eight

Brick grabbed lunch from the deli in town run by pack members. Brandon and his mate Claire had been supplying sandwiches and snacks to the pack for decades and were a staple in the community.

“Heard you had an exciting morning,” Brandon said as he sliced fresh roast beef for the sub.

“Yep. With a happy ending,” Brick said.

“That’s always a good thing.”

He piled the meat high on the freshly baked sub roll and took Brick’s direction for cheese and toppings.

His mate came from the back and smiled. “Hi, Brick. Can I get you a drink?”

“I’ve got one in my car already, thanks.”

“Are you heading back to the alphas’ house?” she asked.

“Not directly, I was going to the security office after my break, but that’s near the house and I can stop in. Why?”

“Cinder called and asked if we had chips. She’s having a little luncheon at the house and is out.”

“I’d be happy to take them over.”

She smiled and returned to the back while Brandon wrapped up his sandwich. “Anything else, son?”

“No, I’m good, thanks.” He paid the bill and then took the paper sack containing two large bags of chips before saying goodbye and heading to his truck.

He scrolled social media and ate his sandwich, then crumpled up the wrapper and stuffed it into the cup holder to toss later. When he got to the alphas’ house, his wolf suddenly became restless.

He felt an urgency he couldn’t explain.

There wasn’t any danger. No strangers roaming around to rouse his beast.

But still. He felt like something was pulling him out of his truck, and it was such a strong feeling that he couldn’t ignore it.

He climbed from the truck, grabbed the bag containing the chips, and slammed the door shut. He inhaled to see if he could pick up any scents but didn’t smell anything out of the ordinary.

His wolf was no actual help, just head butting him from the inside and urging him to get into the house.

He walked into the house and dropped the chips off in the kitchen.

And then he froze as his heart clenched tightly. What the hell?

He heard voices coming from the family room and was drawn there. He strode into the room and scanned it, his gaze landing on a female he didn’t know.

His whole world tilted.

His wolf surged forward within him and he had to grit his teeth to stop from howling or shifting, or both.

Recognition rose inside him.

She’s ours.

His breath caught, and for a moment, he was struck speechless. His instincts demanded he approach her, claim her, but he reined them in. She seemed to be similarly frozen and staring at him in surprise, but he couldn’t miss the wariness and the stiff posture.

Adam rose to his feet. “Jade Albright, this is Brick Beaumont. He’s second-in-command of the wolf pack and also in charge of security. And, as a plus, he’s my cousin. You’re in safe hands with him around.”

Brick snapped to attention and forced himself to relax. Adam saying she was safe with him around told him that something was wrong in her world, and maybe she was in danger.

Not on my fucking watch.

He joined them and extended his hand. “Hi, Jade, it’s nice to meet you. Welcome to Thorn Hollow.”

She shook his hand, her grip firm but cautious. As their gazes met once more, her eyes flashed amber and then back to a beautiful green.

“Jade was brought here by our fallen angel friend Alli,” Cinder said as she walked into the room. “She’s not in danger per se, but we do have some concerns and were going to talk to you about them. Perhaps…Jade would like to tell you herself?”

Jade looked at Cinder and then back to Brick, but she didn’t say anything.

“Have you been around the territory yet? We could go for a walk, and I could show you our security measures if it might ease your mind,” he offered.

“That sounds like a great idea,” Adam interjected. “Cinder invited some females over to meet Jade, but they can just hang out until you get back. Assuming you want to go for a walk, of course, Jade.”

“Sure,” Jade said. Her voice was flat but a spark of curiosity was in her eyes.

Brick took her out the front door and into the yard. He said, “The alphas’ house is the center of the territory. Our pack has a clearing nearby that we use for ceremonies and full moon get-togethers. Was your pack like that?”

“Yeah.”

“I suspect most of them are, but it just makes it easier to have a place to get together.” As they strolled through the woods, he kept the tone light, pointing out the security measures around the alphas’ home and then the ones toward the edge of the territory.

He let her set the pace for the conversation, and eventually, as they reached the ledge where Caleb had nearly taken a header that morning, she talked about her past.

They stopped at the edge of the babbling creek and he listened as she told him about her mom being exiled when she was little and having no idea where she was or if she was even still alive, her distant father and his death the year before, that had opened the floodgates of her alpha’s crappy treatment of her.

She stared at the water and cracked a twig between her fingers.

“I think I started rebelling when I was younger to get a reaction out of my dad. He never seemed to care about me one way or the other, but when he had to get me out of trouble, it was like he actually saw me. I don’t think he liked being a dad. ”

She glanced at him and he saw the pain in her eyes. He wanted to wrap her up in a hug and promise to never let anyone hurt her like that again, but he kept his hands to himself. She was clearly going through things and needed time.

“I’m sorry about all of it,” he said. “I know that doesn’t change what you went through but still, I’m sorry.”

She gave him a half smile. “Thanks.” After a long pause, she continued the story of how she came to be in Thorn Hollow thanks to a pack member’s quick thinking and a benevolent fallen angel.

“Alli should start a rescue organization,” he said. “She’s been a friend to so many people over the years.” She’d even saved his cousin Angie’s life when she was on the way home from the vampire club and they were attacked by the anti-vampire church wackos.

“She’d be really good at that,” Jade said.

“You don’t feel safe,” he said.

“What makes you say that?”

“You’re tense and looking everywhere, like you expect someone to pop out from behind a tree. It’s understandable that you’d worry about either your alpha looking for you or that dangerous male he was going to mate you with.”

“But?” She turned to face him, her eyes wide and her lips parted slightly.

“But what are the odds they could actually track you here? You said you turned off your phone before you left your pack and never had to turn it on, and you didn’t use a credit card for the bus ticket or buy anything on the trip.

The odds they’d figure out you came here seem pretty damn tiny. Microscopic even.”

She pursed her lips together and then smiled. “Microscopic?”

“Definitely.”

When she actually smiled at him, genuinely, he almost fell to his knees.

He’d thought her beautiful when he first met her, but she was truly a stunning female.

Petite and curvy in all the right places, with a dimple in one cheek and long, dark lashes, and she had a waterfall of dark hair he itched to run his fingers through.

He wanted to pull her close and kiss her, savor the taste of her like fine wine.

And he thought about all the other wickedly wonderful things he desired to do to her.

“I’m worried I won’t ever be able to stop looking over my shoulder.”

“I understand,” he said. “But you don’t have to be afraid here. Not only does the wolf pack protect those within our territory, but I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She stepped close, their bodies nearly touching.

“Why is that, Brick?”

He wondered for a heartbeat what she was looking for in an answer. But he was an honest male and wouldn’t try to beat around the bush.

“You’re my truemate, Jade. I knew it the second I saw you.

But it’s also clear that you’ve been through hell.

So I’m not going to ask you to be my mate until you’re ready.

We’ll take it slow, get to know each other.

” He lifted his hand and hesitated, then cupped her cheek.

She sighed at the contact, and he smiled.

“But no matter what, I promise you’re safe here in Thorn Hollow and with me. ”

She wrapped her hand around his wrist and stared up at him. “I know you’re mine too. I didn’t think that would ever happen to me. I always kind of felt like I’d be alone forever, and maybe that’s because we were so far apart.”

“Let me take you out tonight. It’ll just be us. Mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“Our pack doesn’t let anyone leave the area alone, so we’d have backup in the form of a few security team members in a following vehicle.” He took her hand and they walked back toward the alphas’ house. He told her about the anti-shifter group and poacher who’d been causing problems.

“I had no idea there was an anti-shifter group. Or a poacher.” She shivered. “How awful.”

“Right? You have to be some kind of sicko to think that’s okay. But anyway, you won’t even notice the security team is nearby, and I promise you’ll feel safe.”

They reached the back patio of the alphas’ house and stopped, facing each other. He could see she was still a little wary, probably about leaving the safety of the pack territory, but there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

“Okay,” she said. “I’d love to go out with you.”

He felt a surge of triumph when she agreed, his wolf practically tap-dancing in happiness.

“I’m supposed to eat lunch with Cinder and some females, and then someone was going to take me back to Alli’s.”

“I’d be happy to drive you there,” he said.

“If you don’t mind waiting for me to get ready, we could go out after that so you don’t have to drive back and forth.”

“I wouldn’t mind the driving if that’s what works for you, but I’m happy to hang out. Did you get a new phone yet?”

“Yeah, Alli helped me get one so no one could track me with my old one. What’s your number?”

After giving Jade his number, she texted him so he had hers.

“I’m heading back out on patrol. Just let me know when you’re ready and I’ll drive you to Alli’s,” he said.

She gifted him with one of her amazing smiles again, then said, “Have fun on patrol. And be safe.”

“Always.”

He watched her go into the house and then turned to head to the security office. His wolf was prancing like a show pony and he was excited for what the night would bring. He couldn’t believe he’d found his truemate. At his alphas’ house of all places.

Opening the door to the security office, he was glad to see a handful of males inside, including Leo and Solan.

“All right, guys, I need help. I’ve got plans tonight with my truemate and I need to impress her with a spectacular first date. Ideas people. I need ideas!”