motioned to the other two at the table. “Margery, meet Brianne, our mate and the alpha female of the pack. Zeb, my beta and brother.”
Zeb nodded.
Brianne held out her hand to shake. “I’m so glad to meet you. Don’t be worried—I’m a nice alpha fem.”
Shay smiled. “You two will probably understand each other better than most. Bree was raised from birth among humans.”
Margery’s mouth dropped open. “Oh Gods, and I thought I had a learning curve.”
“I know, right?” Bree grinned.
Margery studied the pack males. Over the years, she’d gotten better at picking out which males were cruel in nature. These two seemed extremely dangerous yet without seeming vicious. And they weren’t in uniform or carrying badges or weapons.
She returned her focus to the alpha female. “Is there anything I need to know?”
“You bet. How about you come up to the Wildwood Lodge tomorrow after your breakfast shift?” Bree said. “I can give you the deets on meetings and pack runs and all that.”
She could totally do that. Bree seemed really nice. “Sure.”
“In addition, I’ll assign you a mentor,” Shay said.
Margery went stiff. Her mentor in the Rainier pack had been…not so nice. “The wolves in the Rainier pack said I was doing okay and didn’t need a teacher any—”
Zeb snorted. “Like they’d know anything.”
“Really?” Tynan cut in. “Have you had some run-ins with the Rainier pack?”
Shay smiled slightly. “We fought hellhounds in Rainier for several years. The pack’s cohesiveness and morale were already sliding then. Older, skilled wolves were withdrawing. If that trend hasn’t changed, the wolves overseeing the new members would be—”
“Worthless. The alpha and betas are as energetic as slugs in winter.” Zeb eyed Margery. “You don’t look lazy.”
“The opposite if what Angie said is true.” Bree leaned forward. “I’d love to mentor you, but I’m still learning myself. I do know that the North Cascades—and different seasons—might have dangers you haven’t encountered yet.”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought about that.” Different seasons. Different location. And having a weak leg already put her at a disadvantage—although that was part of why the last mentor had disliked her. Ridiculed her. She sighed.
Shay eyed her. He had a jaw as stubborn as Tynan’s. “I’ll find you a good mentor.”
No choice. What the alpha said was what would happen. She bowed her head slightly to Shay and tried not to sound as if she was lying. “I’m pleased for your care, Alpha.”
A minute later, the little female left to take her groceries home—and Tynan stayed. As Shay and Zeb resumed their seats, he looked at Shay. “Alpha, a minute of your time?”
“Of course. Get comfortable, Deputy.” Shay pointed to a chair.
Tynan hesitated. “I can’t stay; I have duties.”
“Duties to the pack, as well,” Shay said evenly. “I’d like to talk about that now.”
Fuck. Good thing the sheriff was also a shifter. Alec knew about multiple obligations.
As Tynan took a chair, Angie dropped off a full cup of coffee without even slowing down.
Tynan took a sip and frowned at Shay. “Were you after needing me for something?”
“Aye, but first, what can I help you with?”
That question right there was one of the reasons Tynan respected the alpha so highly. He took his responsibilities very seriously.
“Right.” It helped that Shay and Zeb knew—and disliked—the Rainier alpha, Roger. “You know the Dogwood females had it rough.”
As Zeb’s face darkened, Shay said in a tight voice, “We know.”
“I get the impression the little wolf didn’t have an easy time in Ailill Ridge either.” Tynan shook his head. “Roger, the alpha, was just here. He was about to drag her back there when I intervened.”
“He what?” When Zeb growled and started to stand, every customer in the diner tensed.
“I sent him and his beta home,” Tynan said quickly. “Still, today might not be the end of it. Roger seemed to think that since Rainier doesn’t have a healer, they could keep Margery.”
Shay frowned. “Why would they consider a waitress as a substitute for a healer?”
“He said she was their banfasa,” Tynan answered.
“What’s a banfasa?” Bree asked.
“One of the wise women.” Shay stopped at her look of confusion “That’s not a human occupation, is it?”
“For humans,” Tynan told her, “a banfasa would fit somewhere between a medic and a nurse practitioner. Not God-called like a healer, but with the talent and training to care for the wounded and sick. And with an emphasis on health.”
Shay half smiled at his mate. “Daonain don’t get as many diseases as humans, but we excel at being injured and getting old.”