at family gatherings, even talked a few times, but after my first shift…” His eyes went soft for a moment. “I followed her around like a lovelorn pup, slept rough in wolf form outside the front gate of the family property until her dad would talk to me. He approached the senior men, asked them what they thought and… The first time I saw her, when we started our courtship, she smelled like roses and sun warmed grass and fresh baked biscuits all at once. I wanted to bury my nose in her, lick her all over and… Well, you know.”
I did, which made this super awkward. Jai’s lips twitched at that, but his fingers closed around mine when I went to pull away.
“After that, I was around every moment I could, and the family closed ranks around her. Fellas from all over the district suddenly realised Beth Cleary existed, and her scent tugged them closer. Pretty sure Pa Cleary sat on his veranda with a rifle across his knee until we were formally mated. We got to know each other, talk about what we wanted, how many kids…”
I watched his face fall at that. It was one of life’s injustices that Beth couldn’t have kids. She was a natural born mother.
“But at any point in time someone else could have swept in and sealed the deal. We know who our mates are, but women, they choose.”
“Thanks, Rob,” Jai said with downcast eyes, “for covering for me. I’m gonna have to front up to the pack and explain.”
“You are.”
“And I need to take you to Mum’s.” Jai watched my expression, then smiled weakly. “She’s not that scary.”
“Greta Heller is insanely scary,” I said. “I swear to god, Jai, if you turn around and jerk me about, I’m gonna kill you.”
“That’s not how it works, love. You’ll see.”
Which is how I ended up on the doorstep of the Heller home. Jaz came strolling out the front door, a sly smile on her face.
“You took off in a hurry last night, brother,” she said. “And here’s Shannon, to face the music.”
“I’ve got to go over to the McElroy’s to give them my notice. Can you look after Shan until I get back?” Jai asked.
“Leaving her to walk into the wolf den alone? Not smart, brother, not smart at all.”
“Who’s that outside, Jasmine?” their mother called from inside the house.
“C’mon,” Jai said, opening the screen door and gesturing for me to go through. “We better face the she-wolf together.”
Chapter 18
“Hi, Mrs Heller,” I said with a little wave.
She sat in a wingback chair in her very nice lounge room, knitting something—probably for the pack kids—at a rapid rate. I’d been in this room plenty of times, with its floral wallpaper and the green velvet couch and footstools with their flouncy skirting.
“Shannon.” She looked up and gave me that tight smile teachers and mothers seemed to master quickly. “So nice to see you again. You took off before we could talk last night.”
“Ah, yeah…” I looked frantically at Jai for help. “We got some bad news.”
“I heard what the alphas said. Cunning old foxes, using young love as a way to get what they otherwise couldn’t. Are you going to go back to that place?”
Greta didn’t resemble Jai, since he got his colouring from his dad. Instead, I was pinned by two pale blue eyes that seemed to see everything.
“Well, I…”
“Good. I wouldn’t either. What kind of pack is this that we’d use young women to do our dirty work? Makes them look weak, though I’d be willing to bet it was just as much an attempt to see if you’d run.” I swallowed hard and shifted on my feet. “Yet, here you are. So you need to get to the McElroy’s then, Jai?”
“Ah, yeah, Mum. Just…go easy, OK?”
“Why, my darling boy,” Greta said with a slow smile, “what do you think I’m going to do to your prospective mate?”
“Everything she’s been told makes her want to run. Don’t give her an excuse.” I could feel the bite of his voice on my skin, making me shiver involuntarily. He turned to me. “I’ll be back soon. Just jump behind Jaz if she gets out of hand. She’s used to holding the old lady off.”
“Jai Angus Heller…” his mother growled.
“Fine, I’m going.”
“Jasmine, stop lurking in the kitchen. Make some tea and then come into the lounge room. If I’m to prepare the two of you, I may as well do it all at once.”