Page 9

Monday morning was shockingly quiet, considering everything that had happened over the last few days. Saturday had been the disastrous red moon ceremony, and I'd spent Sunday recuperating and getting Kit ready for his big day—attending school with all the other shifter kids.

He'd gotten on the bus a few hours ago, and I'd managed to wait until the bus was out of sight before bursting into tears. Samson, who had apparently maxed out his capacity for emotion, had awkwardly left, telling me he had pack business to attend to.

Now that I had collected myself from Kit leaving, I was enjoying a rare moment of solitude. The usual chaos was missing—the shuffling of toys, the constant hum of the TV, Kit’s loud and ever-enthusiastic chatter. I wasn't used to the silence, but if I didn't keep busy, I would start to feel suffocated by it. My son was smart and strong, and I knew he would make a lot of new friends today. Friends just like him...even if some of them had already had their first shift.

I put that thought quickly out of my mind. Kit had plenty of time to figure the shift out. Just because it never happened for me didn't mean it wouldn't happen for him.

I was sipping my coffee, flipping through a paperback, when I heard the doorbell ring. I froze at first—back in Portsmouth, every visitor made me panic, thinking it was someone just like Samson there to drag me back to the pack. But there wasn't much reason to worry since that had already happened, and this was Samson's house. Few people could threaten an Alpha.

I cautiously opened the door, but relaxed immediately when I saw it was Nayeli and Gwen on the other side.

"Sorry to bother you, Kiera," Gwen said quickly, "But we wanted to check in on you. See how you're adjusting."

"Adjusting..." I sighed, running a hand through my hair, "Well, I'm still alive. So that's good."

"Just alive?" Nayeli grinned, pushing past me into the house. "Come on, we all saw your little show at the bonfire. You can take care of yourself." Samson's cousin was loud and unapologetically upbeat. She'd only just lost her parents a few years ago, but she seemed to see the brighter side of the world still. I let the two girls make themselves comfortable in the living room before joining them.

"How was it?" Gwen asked. "Was it scary?"

I lifted one shoulder in a shrug."I would have been fine if those three hadn't cornered me."

Nayeli's grin widened. "You didn't have any trouble fighting back, though, huh?"

"I can't believe you're a witch," Gwen murmured, looking slightly starstruck, "That's so cool."

I winced. "It's not something I talk about a lot, okay? But you're right, Nayeli. I can handle myself."

Gwen shook her head. "I don't care how you did it, Kiera. Those three are jerks. They deserved it."

I shifted on the couch, remembering how terrified I had been at first. And then, remembering how Samson had calmed me with just a touch. "I just hope they're done trying to mess with me now. I don't want any of that nonsense getting through to Kit, especially rumors from the other kids."

"Speaking of our favorite little pup, he started school today, right?" Nayeli leaned forward excitedly. "Was he pumped?"

I laughed, my eyes stinging with tears at the memory of this morning. "He was so excited. He was up by six. But I made sure he ate first."

"Good," Nayeli said with a nod, "I remember that kid is always hungry. I'll bet he already has all the teachers wrapped around his little finger."

I nodded, remembering how much Kit loved to chat and make friends. It was the main reason why I hadn't put up much of a fight when Samson said that he wanted him to go to the local school with the other shifter kids.

"But I wouldn't worry about any rumors getting to Kit from the other kids there," Gwen chimed in, checking her nails as she spoke, "Samson made it pretty clear Sunday morning that you weren't at fault for the fight, and explained exactly what happened. He told everyone that he didn't want to hear a single negative word about you."

I was stunned, "He did that?"

Nayeli nodded sagely, "Yeah, he definitely did. He even had me call up all the parents in Kit's class to let them know, and he said if he heard anything different from what he told them, then there would be consequences."

I shook my head, trying to clear it. The Alpha of our pack, Samson Jones, had gone out of his way to defend me? That didn't seem like him. "There's no way he did that."

"Why would we lie?" Gwen frowned, leaning forward. "We're telling you this so you know Samson isn't just trying to control you. He's actually making it better for you. And for Kit, too."

I opened my mouth to argue, but I couldn't think of why they would lie to me. "I guess I'm just used to seeing a different side of Samson than the one you two have known your whole lives," I said finally. "I don't know why he would suddenly start defending me, and I don't want to get my hopes up that he's actually being kind."

"He's an Alpha," Nayeli says it in a poisonous tone, as if it explained everything negative about her cousin, "And we all know that he made a lot of fuck ups when he first took over from his dad. He was hell-bent on measuring up to old Zeke, and Zeke was one of the most controlling Alphas around. Samson, being his son, should have been doomed from the start, but I'm telling you, he's changed." Nayeli reached over and took my hands in hers, her touch comforting, helping to ground me. "When my parents died in that car crash two years ago, I was absolutely lost. Samson immediately moved me in here with him and made sure I had everything I could possibly want and all the space I needed to grieve. Now I work for him, I have my own apartment…he saved me, you know?"

My heart clenched. I had known Nayeli's parents had died, but it was heartbreaking to hear the grief still so fresh in her voice.

Gwen nodded along with Nayeli's story, her face full of sympathy. "It's true. It's an open secret that you didn't exactly want to come back with him, but again, he's an Alpha. We're saying it could be a lot worse, and he's trying."

"Trying in the only ways he knows how," Nayeli clarified, "It might not make sense to us, but it's better than nothing."

I looked down at my coffee cup as I tried to process what they were saying. Samson was...trying? That wasn't what I expected. It didn't add up to the picture I'd been painting of him since he'd taken me back to his territory.

But then, he hadn't been around much. And the times he had been, I'd been so focused on myself that I hadn't really paid attention to him. Had I judged him too harshly?

No, I decided firmly. He had hurt me. He had slept with me, and when I'd finally gotten up the nerve to tell him I wanted to be together, he'd cast me aside like trash. He kidnapped me, handcuffed me to a car door…the fact that he was defending me now didn't change what he had done to me.

But it was...something. Nayeli was right about that. He'd accepted me when I explained about my magic and my mother's bloodline, and had allowed me a certain amount of freedom to work and parent Kit the way I saw fit. Maybe he really was changing.

The thought was almost too good to be true, but it warmed me nonetheless.

"Now," Nayeli dropped the seriousness, and her mischievous grin returned, "Did anything else exciting happen once you two got home on Saturday?" She made kissing noises, and I couldn't help but laugh.

It was a real, genuine laugh, and Gwen quickly joined in. The entire pack might still be unsure of me, but these two women were doing a hell of a job making me feel welcome. I still resented being forced back into the Saltfangs, but it was easier with friends.

***

After taking Monday off to properly deal with the emotions of Kit going to school, I was back to work on Tuesday morning. I'd taken the early shift so I would be around to get Kit off the bus, but the business of the early hours had died down by 10 am.

The cafe, Crescent Moon Coffee, kept me busy, which was important. When I spent too much time thinking about myself, things started to get mixed up in my head. Samson, the Saltfangs, my son...

"Penny for your thoughts?"

I blinked and looked up to find a man leaning across the counter toward me, grinning. He was handsome, with jet-black hair that fell into his eyes and a boyish charm that he used to his advantage.

"Just zoned out for a second," I replied, trying to smile back, "What can I get you?"

"You know what I like." His grin widened, and he winked at me.

"Sure do." I grabbed a cup and scribbled his name on it. Scott. He'd been coming in ever since I started, being overly friendly, bordering on flirtatious, but he was nice enough and tipped well. I didn't want to talk to him for long periods of time, but I didn't mind him too much, either.

"It's pretty quiet in here today," he observed as he looked around. "I guess I just missed the rush."

"You've got perfect timing, then," I said as I started pouring his coffee. "We've had a bit of a slow morning today, so you won't have to wait long.”

"I'm not just here for the coffee," he said, and I had to suppress a groan. Ugh. Shifters. Always so confident. And so persistent.

I'd been getting that vibe from Scott since the first day he'd come in about a week ago, and he didn't seem to be deterred by my lack of interest. The truth was, I was tired of shifters trying to get close to me. Not in a romantic way—word had gotten out that Samson had performed a mating ceremony with his Omega, and that we were basically married in the eyes of the pack—but other pack members tried their damnedest to befriend me to be on Samson's good side.

Even after I struck Pete, Curt, and Francine, other pack members didn't seem to be overly deterred from talking to me. It annoyed the hell out of me. I didn't want anyone to treat me kindly because they wanted something from me. It all felt so fake.

Scott didn't give off that same sucking-up vibe, though. He was full of himself, no matter how early in the morning.

I kept up a running conversation with him as I made his coffee, and he flirted with me the entire time. By the time I handed him his cup, I was already over him.

"Well, Scott," I said, hoping he would take the hint, "It was nice seeing you this morning."

"It's always nice to see you," he replied smoothly, "Maybe tomorrow I can convince you to have lunch with me?"

"Uhh..." I hedged, wondering what sort of maniac would try to hit on Samson's Omega, but before he could push the subject, the door of the cafe slammed open, and a tall, blond, pissed-off figure stomped in.

Samson, as if he'd been able to sense that I'd been thinking about him.

Scott's eyes flickered to Samson, and then back to me. "Well," he said, stepping away from the counter, "It looks like I've overstayed my welcome." He winked at me again, but I barely noticed, because Samson was practically steaming as he approached me.

"What in the hell is going on here?" Samson demanded, his voice low and dangerous. His blue eyes were locked onto Scott, who had moved to a table in the corner and was sipping his coffee without a care in the world.

"Nothing," I replied shortly. "What are you doing here?"

"I just stopped by to check on you." He leaned forward, and his voice dropped, "You know, since you've barely spoken a word to me since Saturday."

"You could, you know, call instead of barging in here."

"It looks like my instincts were right on the money." his words were a growl, and before I knew it, he was grabbing me by the arm so he could pull me against him, eyes fixed on Scott. "If this fucker is going to be sniffing around all the time, then I think it's time for you to find another job, mate."

"I'm not your mate," I said angrily, but I let him pull me closer.

He looked down at me, his eyes blazing, "Fine. Wife.”

I glared back at him, but he didn't flinch away from the challenge in my gaze.

"You can't run away forever, Kiera," he said quietly. "You're mine."

"Maybe by shifter rules," I shot back, "But that doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do."

"You know, this whole attitude of yours is getting very old."

"As is you being an asshole!"

"You might as well get used to that," Scott unexpectedly laughed from the booth where he'd been watching us. "Samson has always, and will always, be an asshole. Takes after his dad that way."

Confused, I looked between Scott and Samson. "Now, wait a damn second..."

Samson grinned at Scott, but it was a dangerous smile, all teeth and threats of violence. "You're one to talk. Kiera, do you know who this man is?"

I shook my head. "He just said his name is Scott."

"At least he didn't lie about that part. Kiera, this is Scott Nevada, Alpha of the Shadowbay pack. And what I want to know," Samson was already stalking towards Scott while everyone else in the store rushed to leave before all hell broke loose, "Is why the Alpha of a neighboring pack is sniffing around my Omega."