Moon Shine (Takhini Wolves) (13 page)

It wasn’t forever, but it had been pretty spectacular just the same.

Chapter Thirteen

Around three a.m. Amy woke, her heart pounding madly. The room was pitch black, silence surrounding her.

The warm body at her side was unexpected, but perfect. Evan had refused to give her any space in the enormous bed, and even now was plastered against her back. He had one arm curled around her stomach, his hand casually pressed against her breast. Between the two of them the temperature was hotter than a volcano, and they’d tossed the quilts to the foot of the bed sometime in the last couple hours.

She stared into the darkness and tried to rearrange her plans. She wasn’t about to complain regarding the sex—she was no idiot—but how did this all fit in to her familiar reality?

People left. Whether they died or disappeared, it made no difference. The end result was the same, and there was no way she wanted to have to rebuild her life again. Once was enough.

His first focus might be her saving grace. Keeping their focus on the packs was the only way she could survive. Pack would never abandon her, because she would never abandon them. Concern for their well-being was always there. Her first thought, and her last, every single day.

Evan’s nose rubbed the side of her neck, and she fought the urge to roll to face him. He was dangerous, far more now than she had ever expected.

Still, she couldn’t resist laying her hand over his, gently stroking his fingers and up his forearm as he breathed at a steady pace behind her.

He seemed mighty content. The two sides of her psyche battled—between the part that was pleased she had such a profound effect on him, and the part that still wanted to kick out his knees.

She might have lain there for an hour thinking before his breathing sped up. Otherwise he didn’t move, but his heart rate increased, and small twitches shivered his skin. Another low rumble started in his chest, but not like when they’d been playing, or when he was sexually aroused. This seemed more frantic. As if an edge of fear had crept over him.

This time she did roll, examining his face. His eyes were closed, but his eyelids moved rapidly.

He was having a bad dream. Something horrible enough to cause him to shake, and his arms to tighten around her. Still gentle enough he wasn’t hurting her, but Amy placed a warning hand against his chest.

Beneath her palm his heart fluttered wildly.

And then as quickly as it had begun, everything went back to normal. Except he moved them slightly, tangling his legs between hers and pinning her to the mattress. His groin tight to her hip, an arm across her chest and his face buried in her neck.

So much for sneaking out of bed.

Amy matched her breathing to his. She cautiously stroked his hair off his face. There was just enough light for her wolf-enhanced eyes to admire his strong jawline and his long lashes where they rested against his cheeks.

She didn’t want to feel for this man, but it seemed nearly impossible to hold back her longing for their mating to be real. Forever. The only thing she knew for sure was to enjoy the sexual side and guard her heart as much she could.

Even while falling asleep, she sensed her wolf’s agitation at her decision.

Morning light brought no new changes. Other than Evan had finally rolled away, giving her enough room to sneak off the bed and into the bathroom. It was only five thirty, but she rarely needed that much sleep. She washed and dressed.

The entire time Evan slept, sprawled across her mattress. One arm flung over his eyes in a position of absolute relaxation and trust.

She left the television and computer off for once, grabbing a quick bite before leaving the note on the counter for him along with her spare key.

She hoped he didn’t read anything too big into that gesture.

Stopping in the park was as natural as breathing, but she wasn’t sure if today’s pause was for her sake, or for the others. And when Matthias turned up again, Amy soaked in his comfort.

Preparing her old friend for the coming storm.

“I found my mate,” she announced, testing the words.

They felt strange.

Matthias sat with his haunches on the grass, his head resting peacefully on her thigh.

“We’re still dealing with a few things. It’s not as simple as I hoped. But trust me, I’ll take care of your pack, no matter what.”

The old Alpha butted his head against her hand.

“You’re right. My pack.” She nodded. “Remember I told you I planned to join Canyon and Takhini? It’s going to start soon. Not sure how—all my plans are kind of up in the air, but it’ll work out,” she promised.

And somewhere in that promise to him, she found hope. She could do this. No matter how much effort it took, she would make a way for her people to stay safe and have a home.

Matthias put his paws on the bench on either side of her legs, lifting his grey head until their eyes were level. He tilted his chin to one side, examining her for the longest time before nodding.

She waited until he’d returned to the trees before she left the bench.

Things were pretty chaotic at the shop considering she’d only been gone for a day. She didn’t blame her staff for panicking when Evan had surprised them, but there was no reason they shouldn’t have been able to pull it together and stock the shelves like they usually did on Sundays.

Amy spent two hours on the floor before the shop doors opened, stocking shelves and cleaning up. The work soothed her. Simple enough she didn’t need to make any decisions, but detailed enough she had to concentrate.

“Sam? What are you doing here?” Tom stepped from behind the counter. “It’s okay. I can take over,” he offered.

She planted her fists on her hips. “Did you get anything done yesterday?” she demanded.

His sheepish expression answered her.

“Oh, Tom.” She shook her head. “It’s okay to get scared and react, but once you’ve had a chance to think, you need to make the right decision.”

“Are you closing the shop?” Worry creased his face.

What?
“Of course not. Why would you ask that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t think the Takhini Alpha likes computers very much.”

“What would that have to do with Bytes Unlimited?” Amy narrowed her eyes as she examined her pack member. Oh dear, she knew what was up. She didn’t even wait for his response. “No. I am not closing the shop, and it doesn’t matter whether or not Takhini likes computers. Trust me, everything is going to be fine.”

The tension drained from his shoulders. “It was just with you taking off, and then you and Sarah heading over to…” He smiled, hesitantly, but with growing confidence. “I was just being silly.”

“It’s okay, I get it. But, really, Canyon is fine. And even though there are changes coming, I promise I’ll take care of you.”

The other half of her Tweedledee and Tweedledum popped out from behind the counter, Caden’s smile shining like a beacon. “That’s good enough for me.”

Amy remained patient. “So. Is there a reason why you didn’t get the stock put out yesterday? Decided to take Sunday off instead of your usual Tuesday Wednesday?”

The two guys eyed each other before Tom spoke for them both. “Well, there was this
bear
. He didn’t do anything, but he sniffed around the entire store. When he left, I kind of might have locked the door and forgotten to open it again.”

“And what with us hiding in the back,” Caden confessed, “we got a little behind on our duties.”

Amy laughed, letting her amusement wash over them and soothe them. “I’m not mad at you, but I need to get some work done and I want you to promise you’ll get your work done today as well. Deal?”

They assured her loudly everything was better than fine, and Amy headed upstairs to dive into her regular morning routine.

Only everything was different. She’d been gone for a day and a half, but she couldn’t get comfortable behind her desk. It was as if her skin was one size too tight.

And opening the computer just reminded her of her plans and all the changes that had to be made in the next weeks to join the past into some sort of cohesive future.

By the time she gave up and slipped back to the shop, there was one final box to be put away. She sent the guys for coffee and got to work, her back to the door as she bent over and lined up the small components where they belonged.

A pair of strong hands slipped over her hips, and she jerked upright, smacking the back of her head into the shelf above her. The metal pulled away from the supports and tilted toward the floor, packages and boxes falling around them like techno rain.

“Do you mind not sneaking up on me?” Amy took a deep breath to continue to scold Evan, when she realized it wasn’t his scent. It wasn’t his touch on her body.

She twirled, looking up into Colin’s bright green eyes.

Oh, damn.

She opened her mouth to warn him off, but it was too late. He’d already curled himself around her, his lips warm and passionate over hers. She didn’t want to freak out and blast him, but
holy moly,
this was not what she wanted.

Complications? With a capital C.

It took a moment’s effort, but she got her hands on his chest and gently peeled him off.

His expression was one of complete confusion. “Did I read your signs wrong the other day? Because I don’t usually go around kissing women who have no interest in kissing me back.”

Where to start? “It’s not you—”

“—but it’s me?” Colin chuckled, dropping his hands to her hips. “Come on, now, you can do better than that.”

Amy caught his wrists and gently pulled them away. “That’s not what I was going to say. No, you didn’t read me wrong, but things have changed.”

“In two days? That seems odd.” He inched back, his smile tugging the corners of his mouth upward. “Oh. You’ve been with someone else. I guess I shouldn’t have been so patient.”

Amy hesitated. She didn’t want to blurt out what had happened, but there wasn’t much else that was logical. She wouldn’t have made a date with Colin for Monday, then taken another lover. She was trapped with the truth. “I might have run into my mate.”

Colin’s eyes widened. He looked around the shop, before leaning forward and taking a long slow sniff. He shook his head. “Still not buying it. You met your mate and yet you’re here, working, at ten a.m. the day after it happens? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

He shook his blond head in denial, and dammit all if he didn’t inch forward again. “If I had discovered someone like you was my mate, there is no way she would be back at work as if nothing had happened the day after we met. So don’t try that one on me. If you aren’t interested anymore, that’s more than fine.” He moved in even closer and lowered his voice. “But if something is wrong, I’m here for you.”

Oh,
brother
. Just what she needed. “Honest, I’m not looking for protection. There are some things I’m working through, but it’ll be fine.”

“That’s not a denial,” he informed her. “
Things I’m working through
and
I met my mate
are not phrases that are supposed to be put in the same conversation.”

Amy checked her watch. It was nowhere near the drinking hour. “Drop it, Colin,” she warned.

He crossed his arms over his chest.

Amy tossed him a single bone. “Fine. If there’s anything I need you to do, I promise I will let you know. But in the meantime, I apologize. I forgot to call and cancel our date.”

A dangerous rumble sounded from the front of the store. Amy and Colin both twirled.

“Oh, shit.” Colin put himself between Amy and Evan, who was wearing his angry face. “Is
this
what you’re working through?”

“Get away from my mate,” Evan snarled. He stomped closer.

Amy grabbed Colin’s jacket, jerking him toward the back of the shop as she slipped around him to form a barrier between the two men.

“She’s the one who makes that decision,” Colin asserted firmly. “Sam, you can step aside.”

There was terror in his voice even as he insisted on standing up for her. Cute, and yet as close to a suicide note as he could write.

“Testosterone is making this entire place stink,” Amy muttered. She raised a hand toward Evan. “Stop right there. Colin was just leaving.”

Evan’s eyes were wolf wild, and his body trembled as he tensed for attack.

“Are you sure—?” Colin began again.

This time Amy snapped. “Get your ass outside, or I’ll let him eat you.”

Colin darted along the farthest aisle and headed for the door. Evan turned on the spot as the other wolf ran, a roar of possession echoing off the walls of the shop.

Amy closed the distance between the two of them and swatted him on the arm. “Don’t you
ever
do that again.”

Only when he turned to face her, she wasn’t talking to the human. Evan’s wolf was at the foreground, and there was nothing she could do to pull him back until he was ready.

Evan caught her against him, lifting her feet off the ground as he clutched her tight. He took her lips with a ferocious kiss, one of ownership, and damn if Amy didn’t like it.

And hate it at the same time.

She gripped the back of Evan’s head and attempted to jerk him away, but all he did in response was bite her lower lip. The resulting flash of desire pissed her off as much as it heated her blood.

She was furious with him, and she’d never wanted to fuck anyone so badly in her life.

From deep in the haze of his madness, Evan struggled to focus on the here and now. Finding some other wolf hanging off his mate was the last thing he’d expected when he walked through the door.

It was bad enough to wake in an empty bed and discover a casual note telling him nothing more than she’d see him later.

Things to decide or not, no one was touching Amy.

And now with her taste roaring through his system, he knew he needed to calm down, but damn if he wanted to.

Pain exploded along his spine as she fisted handfuls of his hair and pulled violently. Of course, with the way he was feeling that was just a lovely bit of foreplay.

She did manage to break the seal between their lips. “Damn you, Evan, there was nothing going on, and now you’ve freaked out one of my pack.”