Page 1 of Chasing the Wolf (Dark Wing #7)

Chapter 1

Mackenzie

A fter placing the sundae on the table, I light the sparklers. The cub's face brightens. He's eleven, that age where they're too cool for everything. But not now. "Holy crap! This is going to be the best cruise ever!"

"Enjoy, and don't burn yourself." I laugh and head around the counter.

Colette, my roommate, knocks her hip into mine. "That right there is why I don't mind picking up shifts at Java Lava. The cubs are awake and not cranky yet. In the dining room, they’re exhausted and cranky."

"I thought you liked picking up shifts at Java Lava because you got to hang out with me!"

"I do love hanging out with you. But there are other benefits, like seeing the pool deck."

"Ah, a cat shifter and her sun."

Colette’s eyes widened. "Yes! Speaking of sons with an O, have you seen your brother and his guest yet?"

"Nope. And he's not answering my texts. Which, to be honest, isn't that strange. I told him to come here once he was on board. The ship's really full. Hope said she'd try to get Colton the best room possible but not to hold my breath." That’s the thing about the friends and family discount: it’s cheap... but you can end up in an awful cabin.

"Well, I've seen pictures. He can stay with us."

My brother is... hot, but just thinking that makes my skin crawl. He and all his friends are elevens, and it’s just not fair. I put the cup down for the iced Frappuccino I’m making for a cute couple. "You don't have the rule?"

"What rule?"

"Siblings and best friends—aka roommates—are off-limits. There is no way I want to sleep in my bunk, under you, while my brother and you?—"

I make a gagging noise, and the female across the counter’s eyes widen. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, my roommate just asked to hook up with my brother."

The couple turn together. "Oh, that's a hard no."

"Right?" I pass them their drinks, and they hold out their room bands to be scanned. "Nah, these are on the house. Sorry for the sound effects."

"Thank you. Mmm, delicious." They walk out, and I start the next order, rolling my eyes at Colette.

"Heard. I won't make a move on your brother. But if his friend is a hottie too..."

"No. Whomever he brought is from my old pack back in Werwick, Maine. Trust me when I tell you, you don't want to get involved with anyone from my old pack." I shudder. There are a lot of people I haven't thought about for a long time. And there's a reason for that. My childhood was shit.

"It can't be that bad. I mean, I don't want to go home either. Not to live there. My family and old pride is effed up." She swings around me and steams the milk with a hiss. I hold my hand up while I grind beans for espresso. When I stop the machine, she continues. "My brothers are numerous and a pain in my ass, but I wouldn't mind seeing them. I think. Not that they'd ever come on board."

"That's what I thought about Colton. I've offered a bunch of times, but he's always said no. He's too busy." I watch Colette in my peripheral vision. Her large bouncing blonde curls are tucked under a purple Dark Wing bandana. I'm glad Colton's come. We've been texting more over the last few years. And even though he and his group of friends were horrible to me, I know if anyone else tried to do something, they would take them out. It’s frustrating beyond belief how much I both love and hate my brother.

"Have you had your break?" Colette asks.

"I'm good." I pass the espresso to the customer in front of me. On the first day of a cruise, before we've left port, I don't usually take a break. We're so busy. New guests on board with jet lag from early morning flights or ones that came in the night before and partied a little too hard. What is it about Florida and vacations that turn wallflowers into raging party animals? But they all need their caffeine, even if it doesn't work as well for shifters. Which explains the espresso beans being ground all the time.

"Just go, Mackenzie. Look, there's no line." Colette waves with her bar rag and wipes up a splotch of milk with it.

"You know that will change in less than... three, two, one." I glare at the door, fully expecting a rush of customers to flow in. Because they always do.

"You're off your game, Mackenzie Northwood." Colette laughs and wipes down the flavor syrups with a clean rag.

"I'm never off my game, but I could use a quick bathroom run. I'll be right back." I hang up my apron and make a dash for the door. Where I end up holding it for six people. I glance back at Colette, but she's got it. And I've got to go... Why do I always do this to myself?

Java Lava's perched on top of the pool deck four steps up. The ramp off to the side helps with the illusion of our logo, a volcano. Guests wander around with their mouths hanging open. They're loaded down with backpacks and carry-on luggage. Their rooms won't be ready for a few hours. There's a whole lot of gawking and oohing at the giant screen behind the stage and pool. They're already showing a Kunyon game on it. Not my team. I might not live in Maine anymore, but I'll be a Maine Bears fan for the rest of my days.

I dodge around a stroller with a cute cub in it. The dad's holding a duffle bag big enough to carry me, while trying to wrangle a three-year-old. I laugh to myself. Luckily, I'll never have to deal with mates, strollers, or duffle bags full of cub stuff. Nope, because I'm never getting mated.

I find my way to the bathroom. It's mercifully not full. I could have used the crew bathroom, but it’s down two decks, and I definitely wouldn't havemade it.

Back out on deck with a fully functioning brain, I dodge through the deck chairs and try to ignore the wafting scent of the wood-fired pizza trailing around the corner. I pick up a stack of towels from the deck and put them in the dirty towel bin. It's not my job, but I'm not going to not do it. We’re pack, and pack helps each other out. That's what family does. At least, that's what the family does here.

It took me a while to get used to the fact that people didn't have ulterior motives when I joined the ship. Because that's how things worked back in the Timberline pack. The Alpha’s an ass, a controlling alpha. So controlling that he believes he can just do whatever he wants with whomever he wants. We are his property. Not here, though. The captain doesn’t treat us that way.

My brother coming on board reminds me how wonderful it is to live here. Having autonomy. With an Alpha who cares about us. When I first arrived here, my parents were still sending me letters saying that having a dragon for an Alpha would be like being his servant, his slave. That dragons just wanted money to grow their hoard. In a way, my parents were right. Captain Matthias does want to grow. I’ve heard rumors about him starting a second ship. But we’re a team.

I walk by the giant mega screen with the game on. We are a team, just like the 12 players on the field.

I hustle back through the chairs and up the stairs to Java Lava and yank open the door. My heart drops—my brother’s talking to Colette. Her head’s bobbing, up and down. She's got that smile on her face, and I'm so glad I laid out the brother rule. Because Colton is one of those guys that has magnetism. There's not a girl in New England safe from his claws.

He moves to the side, and another set of broad shoulders appears from behind him. A set of shoulders I know.

It’s fine. It’s fine.

It’s not fine. It’s so not fine. Next to Colton is a familiar 6-foot-five, dark-haired male. My heart bounces from my stomach to my throat and back again. I want to run. My brother hasn't brought just anyone with him. He's brought his best friend, Xavier Wilder—the alpha's son. The reason why—or one of the reasons—I left. One of the reasons I never want to go back to Maine.

"Mackenzie, are you going in or out?" Ina asks, wearing her bridge officer’s uniform. She’s one of the best pilots the Dark Wing has.

"Oh, hey, Ina. I... In, I guess." I take a step in and then turn around, fleeing down the stairs instead.

Ina's hot on my heels. She pulls me to the end of the ramp.

"I'm fine."

"Oh, girl. You don't look fine. You look the opposite of fine."

I cross my arms over my chest, holding my elbow. My face scrunches up. There's a rush of heat rising up my neck and a flood of tears cresting on my lower eyelids.

"Oh, shit. I've never seen you like this, Mackenzie." She takes my elbow and pulls me to the corner of the ramp. "Do you need to go lie down? I could try to help Colette until we can find someone to replace you. I don't have to be back on the bridge for another hour."

"No, no. I can pull it together. I haven't felt this way in a long, long time."

"Yeah, I've never . . . What's wrong?"

"See the two guys talking to Colette?" I point to the window. We’re down a half level, so Ina peers up a few feet above the floor.

"The dark-haired ones? Tall, one of them is hitting on Colette? Not that that’s unusual, right?" Ina turns back to me, her blue eyes blinking. "What? Did one of them say something to you? I'll call FO Laurit right now." She grabs her radio from her belt.

"No, no." I put my hand on her wrist. "No, the one in the T-shirt is my brother. The other one is his best friend."

"And we're not Team Best Friend?"

"No, no, we're not. He . . ."

"Oh, my— I'm calling the FO. We're having him removed before we leave the dock. What did he do to you?"

"No, no, Ina... it's not like that. He's never done anything physical to me." I shiver. Even with all the things he said to me when I was young, I still liked him. Still had a major crush on him. "No, no. He's just..." I shake my head. "You know when you were young and looked in the mirror and there was that voice that said you're not good enough, that no one will ever want you?"

She blinks at me. Of course she doesn't. Ina's beautiful. "Of course I do. But how did you ever have that voice? That voice was lying to you. Holy shit, there's no reason on the planet you should have had that voice."

A couple sitting at the table next to the window turns and glares down at Ina.

"Shh, Ina. Of course... Well, I did. Anyway, I don't know." At least I think I don't, do I? "Anyway, the voice I heard was his." I point at Xavier.

"Mr. I've got too much money and am wearing a thousand-dollar button-down shirt in the Florida heat?"

"Yes."

"What lies did he tell you?"

"Oh, that's the thing. I didn't think they were lies. That no one would ever want me."

Ina laughs. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh, but what a load of crock. I bet he's got a tiny dick."

I gaze through the bottom of the window at Xavier's back. "He could be nice sometimes."

"Oh, no. Don't go making excuses for asshole alpha types."

"He's the Alpha's son." I cross my arms over my chest.

"Exactly, no excuses. You are better than all of that." Ina cocks her head. I know she's trying to protect me, but she's also checking out Xavier's ass, and my wolf's fur is ruffling inside. Shit, I wish I'd shifted on my last afternoon off. Now she's going to be all pushing at my skin. Being around my brother's friends always made my wolf upset, pushing to change, and I'm guessing now is no different. "There was always a part of me that thought..."

"What?"

"It's crazy. I haven't seen Xavier since I turned eighteen."

"Oh, and you think he's your mate?"

I squeeze my eyes tight and tell that younger, frightened version of myself to quiet the hell down. "Yes. It's crazy. But when I was off at school, I didn't come home much, and it always worked out that when I did he wasn't in town. But then he was engaged. So I didn't try to track him down." I smile at Ina. I'm leaving a whole hell of a lot out. The pull I felt toward the Alpha house. How sometimes I would steal Colton's sweatshirts after he was at Xavier's house. I put up with the scent of my brother just to be surrounded by the slight scent of Xavier. I don't just think that Xavier Wilder is my fated mate. I'm positive he is. Or at least, almost positive. But he's engaged to the Alpha's daughter of the next pack over. Has been since his adult ceremony. "I'm probably wrong." But I'm probably not. My wolf growls at me.

"You want me to go back in with you?" Ina asks.

"It's now or never." I raise my chin, and she walks me to the door. The smell of ice cream and coffee hit me, but so does Xavier's scent. Not in here. I can't do this in here. I pivot back out, and Ina follows. I can't get close enough to know if it's true. "Can you tell them to meet me by the pool?"

"Of course. I'll help Colette. Or more likely get in her way. But remember, you're better than that son of a?—”

The door opens again, and Colton's blue eyes glint at me. "Mac!" my brother says, lifting his arms and coming in fast for a hug from across the coffee shop.

"Fudge pockets!" I shout at Ina.

"What?"

“Nothing.” But it’s not nothing. I asked Hope at the front desk to get Colton the best cabin possible. And a lot of the time that means... I turn and run. “Pool bar,” I say to Ina.