The Reluctant Alpha (West Coast Wolves #1) - Susi Hawke Page 0,36

wouldn't mind answering. I could trust Matt with anything… even my special secret. It was probably good I felt as much because my talent revealed itself sooner than I ever would've expected.

We were taking a walk through town with the gammas and Jared, until they’d split off to have a look at the well while Matt and I peeked at one of the residential areas. They wanted to go over the repair list we'd been putting together and decide which areas took top priority after getting the electricity restored. Matt's biker friends were here somewhere too, poking around and seeing if they could do anything to pitch in.

While I was thinking about all this, we were passing a small park when Matt stopped. "Hold on, little wolf. Why don't you stay back? I don't want you to trip over anything. The weeds are too overgrown to spot any hidden dangers. I want to find out if any of the playground equipment is salvageable, but I doubt it."

Shielding my eyes with my hand, I squinted at the rusty metal structures. "I don't want to break your heart, but making anything on our playground kid-friendly will take a lot more than a coat of paint. I bet you'll find a complete overhaul is required when you check the structural integrity."

Matt hummed thoughtfully. "I'm right there with you. You can tell from here most of it is rusted clear through. Before I start ordering new equipment, I want to make sure I'm correct. I'm sure plenty would disagree, but I think it's important for the pack's pups to have a park. They need a safe place where they can run and let off some steam. Most of the houses have small yards, if you noticed."

My heart melted the same way it did every time Matt said something sweet and sensitive to the needs of others. I took a second look at the equipment but didn't have the heart to tell him he was wasting his time. I held back like he'd asked as he inspected everything from the play equipment to the worn-out benches and garbage containers.

While there wasn't anything I could do to help, a more important part of the park was right in my skill set: the grass and plants. I knelt and waved my hands over the weeds and dead husks, remnants of the small ornamental bushes lining the entryway once upon a time. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the burnt, sundried scent covering the natural smell of the dormant foliage.

Smiling as sunshine bathed my face, my eyes still closed, I felt around blindly for a shriveled blade of grass, hiding among the weeds. It took a few moments, but I discovered a good sample on the outside edge and pushed the force of my will toward the plant. Urging the few living cells remaining within the root pack to awaken and multiply, leaving a swath of new growth in their wake was easy as breathing.

Pinching either side of the blade with a gentle touch, I slowly stroked from bottom to top. It came to life between my fingers, smelling of fresh chlorophyll as the new plant cells winked awake. Yes… this would make the park green again. Especially if I worked slowly by sending fertilizer to town, charged and imbued with my special touch. Knowing I could give the children green grass to play on felt good. Hopefully by the time play equipment was installed, although doing too much at once might be risky.

Hmm… the bushes and flowers could come later. Since most people weren’t gardeners, they probably wouldn't question how fast fertilizer could take effect. My eyes remained shut as I yanked a clump of dead crabgrass and sent a pulse of energy to all remaining plant cells, telling them it was okay to release and return to the cycle of nature. While I appreciated its hardy nature, we had no need for crabgrass in this park.

When I’d just finished sending a similar message to the weeds and dandelions, Matt's shocked voice nearly had me jumping out of my skin. "Elisha? What in the world happened here?"

My eyes flew open, and I winced at the sight of a two-by-two square inch area of bright, healthy green grass. And even worse, a green stripe had appeared on the previously assumed dead bush, where my arm brushed against it while I’d been focused on the grass. Matt squatted down in front of me to get a better look, his