[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Thirteen
HAVEN wasn t what Sarah Anne had expected. She was
used to the rigid community structure of werewolves, with
the houses set out by hierarchy, but Haven was actually
charming. There were capes mixed in with Victorians and
bungalows. Some of the houses were in a state of
disrepair, but the majority of them were in the process of
being rebuilt.
 How big does Wyatt expect his pack to be? she asked as
the SUV they d picked up three hours ago left the town
behind.
Garrett cut her a glance.  I didn t get the impression that he
thought in terms of limits.
She thought of all the weres who had been displaced for a
variety of reasons.  He can t expect to take them all in.
 Where would you suggest he draw the line?
Donovan s low drawl from the front seat made her blush.
The most likely place would be with half bloods. Like her
and her children, who were not even that.
 I don t know.
 Yeah, neither does Wyatt.
 So he s just taking in whomever?
The seat creaked as Donovan turned. His hard gaze raked
her face, leaving her feeling like less than nothing for asking
a perfectly valid question. Garrett s arm came around her
shoulder. He was always doing that. Touching her when she
needed it most. Whether she wanted it or not.
 The pack is always protected.
 Meaning?
 Meaning we investigate anyone who applies.
 You investigated me?
There were a whole lot of things she didn t want them to
know about her.
The half smile on Donovan s mouth raised the hairs on the
back of her neck.  We left that to Garrett.
The sick feeling in her stomach grew. The hairs at her
temple stirred. There was the softness of a
 Relax couched inside an exhale.  There was nothing
unexpected in your background.
Then he hadn t discovered everything. She let out her
breath. His lips brushed her temple again in what almost
seemed like . . . approval?
 Of course, Donovan continued.  In light of what we now
know, those findings could be suspect.
Garrett cursed.
Donovan laughed.  Relax, cub.
 Fu  He glanced at Megan, who was leaning against his
other side.  Screw 
Sarah gasped. Donovan laughed as the car pulled into a
driveway that wound through the trees, and said,  You might
just want to let that trail off.
He did, thank the Lord. The wolf in Sarah went on alert as
the SUV wound down the driveway. Her nostrils flared,
seeking the scent of danger. All she could smell was a hint
of leather, the underlying scent of Donovan wolf, but
wrong. The fragrance of her daughter and the overwhelming
perfection of Garrett s scent. Which was slightly stronger in
response to the tension.
She bit her lip. If she was worried, how much more so must
he be? Not only was his own talent putting him in jeopardy,
but as he truly believed she was his mate, he had to worry
for Megan. Even if he wanted to escape, she and Megan
tied his hands. And who knew what Kelon and Daire were
saying to Wyatt? They had a twenty-minute jump on her
arrival, as Donovan had stopped for supplies. She glanced
up at the flat set of Garrett s mouth.
He definitely knew they were in trouble. But he wasn t
running. She shouldn t be surprised. He was a Protector
and had claimed her as mate. The one thing a wolf woman
never was was alone or vulnerable. Living among the
humans, she d forgotten how good that could make a
woman feel.
When Garrett looked down, she offered him a smile. The
one he offered in return didn t shake. It was full of the
confidence with which a Protector was born, and it settled
over her uncertainty with that uncanny yet so welcome calm.
She lay her head against his shoulder. Whatever was going
to happen, he was the one who could best handle it.
Beneath her ear, she heard his rumble of satisfaction. Her
conscience pinged her sense of guilt, but she was tired,
worried and, as they pulled in front of the house, more
terrified than she d ever been. The car stopped. The front
door of the big Victorian cracked open. Fear chased hope.
Suddenly, coming here didn t seem like such a good idea.
A big man stepped through the door. Right behind him
came a medium-height woman with brown hair.
Garrett opened the door and stepped out before reaching
back to give Sarah Anne a hand.  Too late to change your
mind.
 You re supposed to support me in whatever I do. Even if I
choose not to swear fealty.
His hand on hers sent that scintillating rush of pleasure
down her spine. When he brought the back of her hand to
the heat of his lips, the sensation doubled.  So I did.
She pulled her hand from Garrett s. A big werewolf who had
an expectation of obedience that exuded from his very
being caught her eye. That had to be Wyatt. Only the true
Alpha had that. He was watching them no, Garrett very
closely.
Her lip curled up. A snarl rumbled in her throat. Garrett s
hand on her arm held her back when she would have
stepped in front of him. Wyatt s left eyebrow went up.
 So it s true. You re mated?
She tossed her head, not wanting her options closed off so
early.  I don t wear his mark.
Wyatt s lips twitched as he glanced over her shoulder.  I
see.
A glance showed why. Garrett stood, head up, shoulders
back, glaring at his Alpha. Sarah Anne elbowed him in the
gut. He didn t even grunt.
Wyatt s lips twitched again.  But I m thinking that s just a
matter of time.
The woman behind Wyatt cuffed his shoulder.  Wyatt,
remember when we had the discussion about rude
assumptions?
 Not at the moment. He reached back and drew a woman
with long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail forward.  This
is my mate, Heather.
Heather was of medium height with a svelte build, gray blue
eyes and a restless energy. Sarah Anne took a breath,
confirming what she already knew.  You re human.
Heather smiled brightly at her.  To the core.
 And you re Alpha. Wyatt s warning skittered down her
spine. She immediately remembered protocol and lowered
her eyes.  Nice to meet you.
Garrett s fingers brushed her back. Heather frowned at
Wyatt and then at Sarah Anne.  What?
Wyatt folded his arms across his chest.
 This is one of those wolf things, isn t it? Heather asked.
 Yes, Wyatt replied.
A blush burned Sarah Anne s cheeks. So much rode on
this introduction going well and she d already insulted the
Alpha s wife.  I m sorry, Sarah Anne said.
Heather threw up her hands.  For what?
Sarah opened her mouth. Heather cut her off with a slash of
her hand.  Whatever it was, forget about it.
 It was disrespect, Wyatt drawled, displeasure still in his
tone.
Heather snorted.  More like shock, I expect.
That jerked Sarah s eyes up.
Heather s smile made her look so much more
approachable.  Wyatt s not nearly as uptight as he
appears.
 I m not?
Heather patted Wyatt s hand.  Nope, and as I told you
before, if we re going to have a community
 
 Pack, Wyatt corrected.
 Community, Heather reemphasized.  Of humans and
werewolves, then you re going to have to allow for cultural
differences.
 Sarah Anne is a werewolf 
 Who has been living among humans for eight years.
Heather walked down the four steps, her smile never
faltering.  And I, being human, prefer to be treated as one.
She held out her hand.
 Welcome.
Sarah Anne took her hand, slowly letting out her breath as
the relief flowed through her. She hadn t offended her Alpha
female.
Heather included Garrett and Megan in the welcome before
coming back to Sarah Anne.  I thought you had a son?
 Cur s bringing him, Garrett cut in.
He didn t know that. Cur hadn t had time to call in. The
familiar despair clawed at Sarah s stomach.
Heather squeezed her hand.
 There s no one better than Cur.
Words were beyond her, so she just nodded and stepped
back.
Wyatt stepped down beside her and put his arm around [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]