Page 1 of Wedding for My Werewolf (Fairhaven Falls #7)

CHAPTER 1

D on’t look back. Don’t look back.

Robin repeated the mantra to herself over and over but it was useless. The back of her neck prickled and she whipped around, scanning the highway behind her for the tenth time in the past hour. Was that the same black pickup truck she’d seen in Asheville when she boarded the bus?

Before she could decide, the pickup truck took the exit ramp, but her heart still wouldn’t slow its frantic pace. She pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the bus window, her breath fogging the pane in irregular patterns as she tried to bring it back under control.

An elderly woman three rows ahead laughed at something her husband whispered. The sound made her flinch, and she ducked lower in her seat, even though the couple hadn’t glanced her way once during the entire trip.

Taking a deep breath, she hugged her worn backpack closer to her chest. Everything she owned now fit in this one bag. A few changes of clothes. A toothbrush. Some cash. Her old life stripped down to the bare essentials.

The bus left the highway and lurched around a sharp bend, giving glimpses of the valley below through the snow-covered pines. Mist clung to the mountainsides like ghostly fingers. She pulled her worn jacket tighter, though the bus’s heating worked fine.

“Next stop, Fairhaven Falls,” the driver announced through crackling speakers. “Twenty-five minutes.”

She stuck her fingers in her pocket, checking once again that the printout for her appointment was still there. An appointment made through an anonymous email account for a job advertised online. Over the past six months she’d learned more about how to stay hidden.

Perhaps this time it would work. Perhaps Fairhaven Falls would be a chance to stop running, at least for a little while. If she’d been successful. If he didn’t find her this time.

A blast of music from across the aisle made her jump again. The teenage boy sitting there pulled his headphones back into place, giving her a sheepish smile. A perfectly normal teenager—except for his pale blue skin and the pointed ears beneath the headphones. An Other—one of the creatures of myth and legend who shared the world with humans. She knew about them, of course, but they tended to prefer rural areas and she’d always been a city girl. Until now anyway.

Fairhaven Falls was one of their towns, but she’d decided that a town full of monsters was better than monsters hidden in human form. And the elderly couple looked normal enough. Even the big man dozing at the front of the bus was probably human, despite his size.

It’s going to be fine , she told herself, but she still couldn’t prevent herself from taking another glance back over her shoulder.

The bus finally wheezed to a stop in front of a weathered wooden sign reading “Welcome to Fairhaven Falls.”

Keeping her backpack clutched to her chest, she waited for the other passengers to file out first. Through the grimy window, snow-covered mountains rose into a crystal blue sky, framing the town like protective giants.

Her boots threatened to slip on the icy slush as she stepped onto the sidewalk, but she caught her balance, casting a nervous look around.

“There you are, dear! I’ve been waiting ages.”

A tiny old woman wearing a hot pink tracksuit bustled towards her, and she backed away

“I think you have the wrong?—”

“Nonsense.” The old woman grinned up at her, revealing disturbingly sharp teeth. “I’m Flora, and you’re exactly who I’m looking for. Come along now, you must be exhausted.”

“But I didn’t?—”

“The inn’s just around the corner. Best beds in town, if I do say so myself.” Flora linked arms with her, her grip surprisingly strong for someone who barely reached Robin’s shoulder. “And don’t worry about a thing, dear. You’re safe here.”

If only that were true. Her throat tightened. “How did you?—”

“Know?” Flora patted her arm. “Let’s just say I have a knack for these things. Now, come along.”

Her instincts told her to run, but something in Flora’s sparkling black eyes made her pause. The old woman radiated warmth and understanding, and that elusive promise of safety. Unexpected tears pricked her eyes and she shook her head.

“I really shouldn’t?—”

“Nonsense.” Flora started steering her across a wide street lined with old-fashioned storefronts that led down to a frozen river. “In Fairhaven Falls, we take care of our own. And you’re one of ours now, whether you like it or not.”

The words should have sounded ominous, but instead they felt oddly comforting. She’d never had a place where she belonged.

They continued along a street lined with old houses and huge ancient trees. Flora chatted merrily about the inhabitants of each house but Robin barely heard her, still dazed by the sudden turn of events. It wasn’t until she realized they were walking up a long driveway towards a huge white house with a sign that said Fairhaven Falls Inn that she balked.

“I… I can’t afford to stay here.”

“Nonsense.” Flora didn’t release her arm, still guiding her inexorably towards the wide front porch. “I have a room set aside for special visitors.”

“But—”

“The only other option is the motel back down the highway. Three miles, with night coming on.” Flora peered up at her. “Is that what you want?”

A highway motel compared to this grand old house, the windows already glowing gold against the evening shadows?

She managed to shake her head and Flora grinned again then swept her through the heavy wooden doors into a warm lobby filled with overstuffed armchairs and the scent of cinnamon. Behind a polished counter, a pretty woman bounced a chubby baby on her hip. The baby’s skin was pale blue beneath a tiny, adorable tuft of bright green hair tied with a white bow.

“Alison, dear, our new guest is here.” Flora finally released her arm.

“Welcome!” Alison’s smile lit up her face. She adjusted the baby, who grabbed at her long dark blonde hair. “Will, honey, can you take Emma?”

A massive figure emerged from a back room—a huge troll with blue skin and a shock of green hair. He gave her a friendly grin as he gently gathered the baby in his enormous hands.

“Welcome to Fairhaven Falls.”

She managed to return the smile before casting a despairing glance around. Despite the warmth of her surroundings, the inn was far too luxurious for her limited budget.

“I’m really not sure?—”

“Don’t even think about arguing with Flora,” Alison interrupted. “None of us ever win that battle.”

“That’s because I’m always right,” Flora said complacently. “Now show our girl to the blue room. The one with the mountain view.”

“But—”

“Now, stop your fussing.” Sharp black eyes focused on her face. “We all need a little help sometimes. And besides, it’s only for one night, isn’t it? You’ll have another alternative tomorrow.”

“If I get the job—” Her mouth dropped open. “Wait a minute. How did you know?”

But Flora was already gone. Alison gave her a sympathetic look as she grabbed a key and came around the counter.

“Don’t worry about it. Flora is a law unto herself.”

“But she’s right. I have an interview for a live-in position tomorrow. How did she know?”

The other woman laughed as she began leading her upstairs.

“That is the million dollar question. All I can say is that she knows things. She also loves to meddle, but her heart is in the right place. She’s the reason Will and I are together.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes. She loves matchmaking.” Alison opened the door to a pretty room with a polished wood floor and an embroidered blue quilt on the bed. Tall windows looked out at the mountains, still visible against the evening sky. “I hope you like the room.”

“It’s beautiful.” A lump caught in her throat as she ran her hand over the silky fabric of the quilt, and she had to fight back tears again. “But are you sure I should be here? If she’s interested in matchmaking, I’m the last person she should pick. I’m not looking for a man.”

Alison laughed.

“Neither was I.” Something in her expression must have given her away because Alison put a sympathetic hand on her arm. “You’ll be fine.”

She managed to nod, and the other woman pressed the key into her palm.

“Bathroom’s through there, extra blankets in the chest. If you need anything, just dial one. Why don’t you get some rest? You look like you need it.”

Still stunned by the rapid turn of events, she sank onto the bed after Alison left and leaned back against the pillows. Both the pillows and the mattress were deliciously soft and comfortable, and exhaustion crashed over her like a wave. She meant to only close her eyes for a moment, but the soft ticking of an old clock and distant murmur of voices downstairs lulled her into the deepest sleep she’d had in weeks.