and displayed the unmarked skin over my heart, missing the X most other shifters wore. The proof I'd been born a bastard and left unclaimed—a fate considered worse than death to most shifters.
Dropping my hand from my cut, I winked and pointed to the sky. "Seems like someone upstairs is having fun with us, Raul. Dropping an alpha who wasn't into a pack who isn't… Pretty ironic. But you know what? Let me get the lay of the land, and maybe we can find a way to give me and every one of you the thing we've all been missing out on. First, though, how about a tour?"
Before he could respond, Ash clapped me on the shoulder. "Look at you, already finding your stride, and you haven't even set foot in the gate. I'm anticipating hearing good things from the Tehachapi pack as you start moving forward, Lucian. Now if y'all will excuse me, I'm late for a meeting with the Bakersfield alpha. Poor sucker is fighting the city about water rights again. Can't tell you more, but should be enough to let you know I'm not happy to hear it."
"Good luck, Ash. You go ahead now. I've got it from here. I appreciate you being here to greet me—nice of you." It really was, too. I was never afraid to shoulder my way into any situation, but Ash’s presence had allowed me to relax and be myself. Any time I didn't have to pull out a fake, political smile or bluster my way through a pile of bullshit was a win in my book. Plus, I had high hopes for Raul.
After Ash pulled away, I nodded toward my machine. "Should I leave my ride here while you show me around, or is there a better place I can park first?"
Raul thought, then nodded at my bike. "Let me show you where to leave it. Then you won't have to worry. We don't get a lot of crime out here, but we don't have cameras at the main entrance like some of the other vineyards."
Covering my surprise at their security lapse, I went for my bike. "Just show me where. I'll be right behind you."
As it worked out, I was glad to react to the city without anyone watching. The first thing I noticed was the orderly rows of grapes spread out on either side. The buildings we passed were solid gray stone and wood, painted white with dark green trim. Everything appeared clean, neat, and, well, rich. Then we went around a curve, and I came face to face with a house big enough to be called a mansion. Except it was trying to be lowkey and cool about it. Done in the same white wood over gray stone as the rest of the property, but with way more windows, the house was gorgeous.
Maybe it was the absence of some big-assed fountain with an angel pissing onto poor, innocent koi swarming below, or maybe it was the TV-ready front porch with its random assortment of unmatched wooden chairs and pots of flowers, or maybe it was simply the way it blended in against the mountain looming in the background. All I knew was it looked like a place where rich people might live but normal folks were welcome too.
Parking my beast and its attached sidecar in the garage Raul pointed out after we'd pulled around to the side was almost embarrassing. Not because I was shamed by my ride—never. Nah, I just sensed this place was meant for fancy cars, worth more than I’d make in my lifetime. But then it felt ordinary, too, when I saw an oil spill in the middle of the garage bay beside mine. Yep, rich but normal. I could definitely see myself living here.
I walked out of the garage, heading to the golf cart, when an older couple approached. Raul slumped over the steering wheel and rubbed a hand over his face before hopping off and coming to my side as they reached me.
Shaking his head, Raul shot them a chiding look. “Mamá, I told you I’d bring the Alpha to the manor when he was ready.”
“Hush, mi hijo. Introduce us, por favor.” A tall, angular woman, Raul’s mother’s narrow face was a contrast of sharp points, and a warm, welcoming smile with sparkly, shining eyes. “Ask your father. I was too excited to wait another second.” Her husband, a solid man standing a head shorter than his mate, simply shrugged and held