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eleven

Early-morning sunlight heated the golden planks as I padded into the living room in search of Sloane.

I found her standing at the window overlooking the street in front of the house wearing a peculiar smile.

I squirmed to find her beneath the silver cascade of delicate chains most people mistook for a windchime, but she didn’t spare it, or its peculiar design, a second glance.

“What put that look on your face?”

A laugh huffed out of her as she turned, holding the curtain back to give me a view of the sidewalk.

“See for yourself.”

The invitation was too good to ignore, since it meant I could pretend yesterday didn’t happen for a while longer.

Happy for the distraction, I swept my gaze down the row of very short people lined up in front of my house until I hit a small lemonade-like stand made of cardboard boxes on my doorstep.

A small girl with flame-red hair stood behind the counter, accepting candy, toys, and cash for…

“What is she selling?” I couldn’t see a product. “And why is she peddling it at my house?”

“Tickets.” Sloane bit her bottom lip to hold in a laugh. “I was her first customer.”

The rectangular paper Sloane offered me wasn’t some crayon scrawl but must have been generated by an app. That, or the girl, who was around eight or nine, was a graphic design prodigy I might hire to refresh my old logo.

“Be the first to meet my sister,” I read aloud. “For an extra dollar, watch her shift into a real, live wolf.”

For a second, I thought she meant Sloane, but nope.

There was a photo of me. A candid shot taken from about her height at some point last night, based on the bloody clothes and the shell-shocked expression I wore.

I looked feral. I could see why the other kids believed I could wolf out with my lip snarled like that.

The kid must not realize I was a latent.

That the Walshes weren’t advertising it offered some relief.

“I hope her parents know where she is and what she’s doing, and that they’re standing by with refunds.” I had no siblings. I couldn’t shift. I couldn’t deliver on either of her promises. “And I hope you didn’t pay extra to see the wolf, unless you’re planning to supply it the fur and the fangs.”

“I’m surprised your man let me keep my charm—token—whatever.”

“He’s not my man.” I rested my shoulder against the door. “He’s a very tall, very delusional man.” I let my head rest against it too. “Whatever this is, I’m sorry I dragged you into it with me.”

“I chose to come with you, not just to protect you but support you.” She resumed her people-watching. “You’re safe here.” She shook her head. “Otherwise, these kids would be on lockdown and not outside.”

“But are you ?” I shoved off and padded into the kitchen. “I don’t care how safe I am if you’re at risk.”

“He let me keep my charm,” she said again. “He’s allowing me the means to protect you, and myself, if it comes down to it.” She followed me to the stove. “Do you need any help?”

“Cooking is my therapy.” I waved away her offer. “It’s how I destress.”

The whole truth was more humbling. Food was life to shifters. I taught myself the basics so I could whip up cookies, cakes, and pies that obligated the pack to spend time with me in the kitchen if they wanted a treat. But I had grown to love it. Especially baking for my four-legged customers.

“That’s probably for the best.” She retreated a safe distance. “I can burn water.”

“Impressive.” I aimed for the fridge, digging through the contents. “How about eggs Benedict?” A check of my supplies had me shifting gears to use what I had that was freshest. “Make that Tex-Mex. I can grill some potato slabs and whip up some avocado-lime hollandaise.”

“I’m willing to cross the cuisine border with you.”

While I heated the built-in griddle on my gas cooktop, I checked my phone. “Still no service.”

“At least he warned us.” She plunked down at the table. “Our inboxes aren’t going to be fun places to visit when we have internet access again.”

“I’m a terrible daughter for enjoying the calm before the storm, but it’s nice to have quiet to think.”

As soon as phones came online again, I was going to get an earful.

Which suited me just fine. I had a few choice words for Dad too.

All these years, he never said a word about a betrothal.

He let me date, let me think my life partner was one choice I could make for myself when he had already handpicked a guy for me.

Before I was born. The odds of a latent having a mate were zero.

I had no wolf. I could fall in love with a packmate, but the wilder half of him would never be mine.

“You don’t get a say in the blackout, so enjoy it while you can.”

“What will your family think? Will they be worried about you?” I began slicing a red onion in neat slivers. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner. I’m rusty on my reciprocation, since it’s mostly clients who talk to me.”

And those interactions, even years later, after I earned their loyalty, were surface level.

“You’re fine.” She plucked at her bottom lip. “I lost my parents about two years ago. I’m an only child, so without them, I didn’t have anything worth staying for. That’s when I applied with your dad for this job.”

“No aunts or uncles?”

“Dad was a healer, a good one, but his pack already had one. To establish himself, he and my mom left. I wasn’t born yet, so I never met their families.

They didn’t visit after the big cross-country move, and we didn’t have the money to go back, so we all drifted apart.

” She rubbed her thumb across the old tabletop. “You know how it goes.”

“Yeah. I do. I don’t remember my mom. Just the stories Dad told me.

Which didn’t match up to what the parents at my school said when they thought I couldn’t hear.

Things their kids repeated later to my face like it was a contest to see who could make me cry.

” I got to whisking my eggs. “She wrote to me when I was younger. Actual letters. On paper. Nice paper. Like they were meant to be keepsakes. Like she knew she was never coming back and wanted me to have something to remember her by. And there I go again dominating the conversation.”

Halfway done with my potatoes, I wiped my damp fingers on a towel when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it.” Sloane shot to her feet. “You’ve got your hands full already.”

“Are you worried the kids are coming to cash in their tickets?”

“If that happens, I’ll be forced to trip and accidentally fall against the door, slamming it in their faces.”

“Brutal.” I reclaimed my tongs, clicked them. “I like it.”

While she dealt with the problem outside, I finished up with breakfast, curious what was taking so long. I had started plating us up when she returned with Rían in tow, who whipped a faded ballcap off his head as he entered the house.

“Morning, Ana.” He dusted the hat across his palm. “I came to apologize for Marigold.”

“The front porch entrepreneur?”

“That’s her.” He raked his fingers through his short hair. “Marigold—Goldie for short—is my little sister.”

“That explains the meet my sister on her tickets.” Sloane grinned as a flush tingled in my cheeks. “She must be excited for Ana to join the family.”

“More like excited for the opportunity to cash in on Ana potentially joining the family.” His nostrils flared as he zeroed in on the plate in my hands.

“She’s a tad obsessed with building an empire, but it’s a girl empire, so I’m not allowed to know the details.

Just that it requires a lot of startup capital. ”

After settling Sloane with her breakfast, I returned to the stove and lifted the other plate. “Hungry?”

“Always.” He did the math, and his excitement dimmed. “I won’t take food out of your mouth, though.”

“I wouldn’t give you food out of my mouth. That would be gross. Probably soggy too.” I thrust the steaming food toward him. “Take it. I cooked plenty. I can fix another plate.”

“Thank you.” He darted a glance at the table then back at me. “Do you mind if I…?”

“Have a seat.” I heaped the leftovers meant for second helpings into a serving for myself then joined the two of them. “Have you heard from my dad yet?”

“Many times.” He dug into his plate like someone might snatch it away if he didn’t eat fast enough.

“The town is on lockdown as a security measure, so he’s barred entry, but I’ve met with him outside the boundaries twice.

Until he cools off, I don’t have anything left to say to him.

He was made aware of the timeline for occupation months ago.

He just didn’t expect you to be on this side of the line when the clock ran out. ”

“That makes two of us.” I picked at my food. “This isn’t how I expected to spend my weekend.”

As the last smear of sauce disappeared from his plate, he stared at the dish like it had wronged him.

“Here.” I nudged mine toward him. “I’m not hungry.”

“Do you want to see your dad?” He nudged it back to me. “Talk to him?”

“You would let me do that?” I paused with my finger midair. “You wouldn’t mind?”

“I don’t want to pluck you out of one cage and cram you into another.” Oh, yeah. I struck a nerve last night. “If he had honored his word—” He bit down on his criticism. “This isn’t how I wanted us to meet.”

“To be fair, our meet-cute was kind of ruined by the bleeding-out-in-my-potting-shed thing.”

“Not my finest moment, but you…” He shook his head. “I still can’t believe you protected me.”

“Because I’m a Sartori or…?”

“I was a stranger. A wounded predator. And you helped me.”

“Yes, well, I’ve always had a soft spot for strays.” I gave up on our game, afraid I was enjoying myself too much, and set my plate on top of his, leaving him no choice but to eat. “That reminds me—” I sat back in my chair. “How’s Fayne?”

Reluctant to surrender the perfect bite on his fork, Rían gulped it down before answering.

I shrugged off the tingle of pride at his open enjoyment of my cooking.

“The bullet passed right through her, so she was able to heal the critical damage on her own. Our healer, Burdock, handled the rest. An inch to the right, and she wouldn’t be with us.

” He swallowed hard. “She was curled up with a book when I checked on her this morning, so she’ll be ready for visitors if you want to drop in. ”

“What was so important she risked her life to tell me?”

“You’ll have to ask her.” He stabbed his next bite with more force than necessary.

“I didn’t tell her to go. I wouldn’t have approved of her plan.

She’s too vital to our family, to our clan, to risk on a whim.

I planned to tell her that, and drag her home kicking and screaming if necessary, but then the potting shed happened. ”

Before I could muster up the courage to apologize on Mercer’s behalf, a knock on the door brought Rían to his feet. He growled softly as the aptly nicknamed Goldie let herself in.

“You told me to find you,” she grumbled at his scowl, “when I was done paying everyone back.”

“This isn’t our house.” He crossed to her and thumped her ear. “You have to wait to be invited in.”

“But Ana is family, so…” Goldie drifted her gaze over to me. “You are my sister, right?”

“Goldie.”

“Everyone knows you’re going to marry her.” She mimed gagging. “She’s all you ever talk about.”

“Oh, really?” I speared him with a curious look. “What does he say about me?”

“You don’t want to know,” she decided for me. “You might not want to marry him then.”

Thinking back on her morning’s efforts, I tossed out, “I’ll pay you five dollars.”

“Deal.” She passed me a card with a barcode. “Scan that on your phone to make your payment.”

A snort blasted out of Sloane’s nose while Rían exhaled through his teeth.

Impressed by her industriousness, I did as she asked and then sat back. “Well?”

A few seconds later, a ping sounded in her pocket, and she checked her phone to confirm receipt.

“Okay, I’ll tell you, but it’s bad. Super gross.

He told everyone that he would tear the world apart with his bare hands to find his mate.

He says he can feel you in here.” She pounded a small fist against her chest. “And he can tell you’re sad and lonely without us and that’s why I had to change elementary schools and lose the steady revenue stream from selling twenty-five sheets of wide ruled paper for a dollar?—”

Mate.

The word clanged through me like a bell, but I was quick to pinch the clapper.

With him being her older brother, I could see Rían selling her the fairy tale of fated mates to explain his drive to find me. A practical soul like her might not fully invest in the story, but she clearly believed the high points if she accepted me—a total stranger—as her sister at face value.

“Thank you for breakfast, Ana. I must go die of embarrassment now.” Rían caught Goldie around the middle and tossed her over his shoulder. “And I’m taking this with me.”

Careful not to bump his head on the ceiling fan, he ducked out the front door, leaving us alone.

“I want to be Goldie when I grow up.” I flipped the card between my fingers. “She’s got it all figured out.”

“Do you believe what she said about him?”

“Yeah.” I considered his quick exit. “I think I do.”

“Next question.”

“Hmm?”

Hand drifting to her stomach, she patted it. “If you and Rían don’t work out, will you marry me?”

Laughter spluttered out of me, and I rose to clear off the table, but she beat me to it.

“That wasn’t a no ,” she pointed out when I didn’t strike down her proposal, “but Rían does seem nice.” Her snicker sent me into a fit of giggles. “For a giraffe.”