Winter Fairy Tale Page 3

  Everything was happening so fast. None of it made sense. “I don’t understand. You’ve brought me to a town called The Wolves, and you’re not explaining how this place got here, in the middle of a forest, without it being on any maps or anyone ever hearing about it?” Anyone, meaning her.

  “We’ll talk about it later.”

  “Why do I have a feeling we’ll never talk about it?”

  He sighed. “Why do you have to be a pain in my ass? Shouldn’t you be happy I’m bringing you to Elle?”

  She nibbled on her bottom lip.

  “Stop it,” he chided.

  “Stop what?” Why the hell was he being abnormally asshole-ish to her?

  “Trying to distract me with your mouth.” He stopped in front of a diner. “Elle’s inside. She’s waiting on you. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  She sat there for a minute, completely put off by the whole situation. Unfortunately, he knew her one weakness, her best friend. “Whatever.” She opened the truck door and sucked in a breath. The icy breeze blowing off the hills caught her by surprise. Tears blurred her vision. She didn’t take the time to debate whether they were because he upset her or because her eyeballs were frozen in their sockets.

  Instead, she hurried for the door. Fine. If he didn’t want to give her answers, she’d just get them elsewhere. From Elle. She stepped inside, and the idle chatter stopped. All eyes were on her. Curious glances bounced from one person to the next as she froze, like a deer caught in headlights.

  “Kizzy,” Elle called out, waving her hand.

  She shifted through the crowd and sat next to her friend. “What the hell is this place?”

  Elle embraced her with a hug. “It’s good to see you. I was surprised when Drew stopped by the house this morning and told us you were on the way.”

  Uh, what? “Who is Drew?”

  “He’s kind of is like a mayor of our town.” Her friend cleared her throat. “Did you enjoy your ride in?”

  “Define enjoy.” She could feel the stares of those who surrounded them. None of it was particularly bad, more surprised and a bit inquisitive.

  “Oh man. Bad?”

  She gave a humorless chuckle. “A root canal without Novocaine would have been more enjoyable.”

  Elle frowned. “I’m sorry.” She took Kizzy’s hand in hers and squeezed. “It’ll get better.”

  “Somehow I’m not so sure. All of my stuff is in Sayer’s truck. He said I had to bring it but told me I’m visiting you. I don’t get any of this.”

  “It’ll be okay.” Her friend smiled. “You must be starved.”

  Famished. Usually she had coffee, took a shower then ate breakfast. After last night’s little romp between the sheets, she was downright hangry. “Sure, I can eat.”

  “Hi.” A little girl about six or seven came to the table and stood in front of her. “I’m Jessie. What’s your name?”

  She smiled at the girl. “I’m Kizzy Rhapsody.”

  The girl’s eyes grew round with surprise and excitement. “I love your name. Mom! I want her name, it’s awesome.”

  A woman appeared a few seconds later, a pad in her hand. “Jessie, what have I told you about bothering the guests?”

  “Not to. But, Mom, she’s new and has a cool name.”

  “Go to the back.” She pointed toward where the child should be then smiled at them. “Hi, I’m Hannah. This is our place. What can I get you?”

  She hadn’t even glanced at a menu. So caught up in all the secrets and Sayer being a dick, she’d been more content to brood. “A royale with cheese and fries. Hold the mayo on the fries.”

  Elle groaned.

  Hannah gave her a confused look. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “She’s a Tarantino fan.” Elle grinned. “She wants a cheeseburger and fries.”

  “Oh.” Hannah nodded. “Gotcha.” She wrote the order down. “What would you like to drink?”

  “Cherry soda?”

  “Great. I’ll be right back.”

  After Hannah left, she resumed her conversation about where they were and what the heck was going on. “So, why didn’t you tell me about this place?”

  “This is my hometown.”

  “Really?”

  Elle nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Are you hiding something?” She narrowed her eyes. “I kind of think Sayer is hiding something.”

  “Why? What gave you the impression he’s hiding something?”

  She shrugged. “He wouldn’t…. He’s been standoffish.”

  “When isn’t he?”

  Okay, her friend had a point. “More so since yesterday.”

  “Well, he’s got a lot on his plate. Give him some time.” She leaned in. “So, would you like to meet the babies?”

  “Yes!” She shouldn’t be so excited to see the babies. Her friend was trying to distract her, but if it also meant getting to finally see Elle’s niece and nephews, she’d let it slide. For now. “We’ll revisit the other issue later.”

  “Deal.”

  After they finished lunch, Elle led her to a pickup truck and drove through the rest of town. Some of the buildings were trashed. Some were being fixed up, others were shells. However, there were several open, and refurbished, brightening the dank area. “Wow, this place, huh?”

  Elle shrugged. “It’s home. Kizzy, I….” She glanced at her. “Things are different here. People are different. It’s slower here, you know. Laid back. They take their time warming up to new visitors. So if someone is a little put off, it’s just how things go here. Okay?”

  “Sure. So be me but not me.” She pasted on a bright smile and wiggled her fingers. “Jazz hands.”

  Elle laughed. “Exactly. Don’t do that. People might think you’re weird or something.”

  Kizzy snorted, pushing her glasses up onto the bridge of her nose. “Because enough people don’t already know this.”

  “True enough.”

  “Not to sound rude, but are all the roads dirt?”

  She nodded. “Keeps people away.”

  “Huh.” She glanced out the window as they pulled up to a ranch. “A farm? Are you shitting me?”

  “Nope. This is where I live. Well, kind of. Graham and I are building a home on the property.” She stopped behind a darker king cab truck and put the pickup in park. “Come on. You can see it better from the outside.”

  When she stepped out of the truck, a man greeted them from the porch. “Took you two long enough.” A little older, with salt-and-pepper hair, the man could be the spitting image of Graham—sans freckles.

  “Way to go on the genetic pool.” She raised her hand for a high five, but Elle didn’t reciprocate. “You’re going to leave me hanging?”

  “You must be Kizzy.” The man ambled down the stairs and over to them. “I’m Kalum.”

  “Hi.” She held out her hand. “It’s good to meet you.”

  “Likewise.” He shook her hand. “Come on in. The gangs all here.” He stepped aside, and followed her up the stairs. “If Elle didn’t warn you, we’re kind of loud.” He pushed open the door to a living room filled with people gathered around two women. “Kizzy is here.”

  The group of people looked up. “Kizzy!” One of the women stood then crossed the room. “Welcome. I’m Lily.”

  She was a combination of Kalum and Graham only with long curly hair, and slate-blue eyes. “Hi.”

  Another woman with dark hair glanced up, the baby in her arms swaddled in pink. “I’m Fawn and this is Annmarie.” The sleeping bundle appeared quite content in her mother’s arms.

  “She’s beautiful.”

  “Would you like to hold her?” Fawn grinned.

  “Really?

  “Sure. Come sit. You must be exhausted with all the upheaval in your life.” She patted the couch next to her.

  “Yeah, it was crazy when I moved here. So unreal.” The other woman, Gabby—if she remembered correctly—held an
other baby while the man sitting beside her, appearing downright deadly, held a third.

  “Move here?” No. Sayer had brought her to visit Elle. “I’m not moving here.” She looked at her friend.

  “Um, I think you should talk to Sayer about it.” Elle glanced at Graham who frowned.

  “Okay?” What the hell is going on here?

  “Anyway”—Gabby drew her attention from her friend—“we’re glad you’re here.”

  Sayer definitely had some explaining to do.

  Chapter Three

  “Staying! I’m staying here? I can’t go home?” Kizzy slammed the door of the bedroom Sayer had given her when she arrived at his place. “I can’t believe you. You’re an asshole.”

  This won’t work. He stood in the living room, staring down the hall toward the room. He had no clue what to say to her. They connected through hot, dirty sex. He didn’t even know how to deal with the anger rolling off her right now, or the hint of her arousal coloring her rage. He supposed he should have explained better, but, damn it, she was too smart and too curious about everything. If he’d told her about staying, then he’d have had to tell her about being a mate, and if he’d told her about being a mate, he’d have had to trust her.

  He didn’t trust humans.

  Frustrated to the max, he ran his fingers through his hair and gave a tug. He had two hours to grab a shower and eat before his second shift. He didn’t need her pouting in her room the rest of the night. He took a step toward the hall then stopped himself. Nope, don’t even do it. He turned around and headed for his small kitchen instead. He had some deer steaks he meant to cook for them, but he wondered if she’d even eat now that she knew one of the truths he was supposed to impart to her.

  So, he made a sandwich with some leftover beef and ate it standing at the sink. The day had been pretty easy until he came home. The only real blip on the radar was a pair of humans who got as far as Van’s gas station and needed directions back to the highway.

  Faulty GPS. Some of the newer cars were sending people off into the woods. In the last week, four cars had ended up in the same location. Sure, they spent money, which helped the pack, but it put him on edge. Made him twitchy. He trailed two of the cars back to the interstate because the people had been too chummy. Asked too many questions. If they ever attempted to explain where they were to anyone else, they’d never find the road to Los Lobos, but it’d only take one person showing another, and bam, they’d be found out. He wouldn’t allow it.

  Tonight, he planned on checking out the turnoff. Make sure no one left markers. As he turned from the sink to grab a drink, a knock came at the front door. No one came to visit him. Well, until last night. Pulling his knife from the sheath, he inched toward the door. The scent of wayward bear and something else greeted him. He put his blade away. “Bear.”

  “Have you told her yet?” Since Gee wouldn’t come into his house, he went outside. The man had a pensiveness about him. Yes, he excelled at it, but this was different.

  “No. I’ve been working. Kind of hard to explain things while you’re making sure humans don’t get close to town.”

  “You drove her here.” He grunted.

  “I did.” Didn’t mean he’d tell her anything. “We’re not sure she’s my mate.”

  The man shook his head and muttered, “Stubborn wolves.”

  “All we have right now is hot sex. Could be lust. Could be mating, but I will not jeopardize our pack for some human.” He snarled and fisted his hands at his sides. Why did everyone think they knew what was best for him or what he should be doing?

  “Boy, you may not want to acknowledge who the girl is to you, but the wolf is confident. You smell like her. Your scent has changed since the moment you started leaving pack lands when you thought no one was paying attention. And, if you’re so sure she isn’t your mate, why did you take the blood oath?”

  Why? Why! “My alpha ordered me to take it and to bring her here.”

  He nodded, almost placating Sayer.

  “You were there. I was forced to do it.”

  Gee sighed. “Drew always gives you the chance to tell him everything. You chose to claim her in those moments. Whether it was you or your wolf doing so. You also could have asked for time to reconcile what you believe and what your wolf realizes.”

  Son of a bitch. He couldn’t win. “I am not comfortable telling her about us yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be.”

  “Whose fault is that?” The bear didn’t wait for his answer.

  For long moments, Sayer lingered on the porch, watching Gee stroll down the dirt lane and disappear into the night. Crazy damn bear. With less than an hour to get ready, he stepped back inside. On the way to his room, he stopped at Kizzy’s door. “We need to talk. I’ll be back when the sun comes up.”

  Not waiting for her answer, he continued on and closed the door.

  Clouds obscured the moon as he drove down the dirt road. No unknown scents hung in the air, letting him know the humans were gone. Good. One less human messing with their safety was a good thing. Since Gee had been to the house, he hadn’t stopped thinking about what he said. Had Drew tricked him into showing his hand? Did he really have a choice? Since Drew had come home, things were changing, and the pack appeared happy, but…how long would it last? Would their alpha go insane like Magnum had? If he did, what then? He didn’t think he’d survive another ten years with a brutal man dictating to him what he could and couldn’t do, or making examples of those he loved.

  “Humans are not our friends, whelp. They will destroy us from the inside out. They’re a disease. A plague. They kill their own for sport.”

  He didn’t say anything. What did a teen say to contradict their alpha? His mother and father were tied to posts across from him. His father was stalwart. His mother cried. If only his dad hadn’t helped those humans who came onto pack lands. If only he had followed pack directive and killed them, they’d be at home, planning their getaway and for the arrival of his sibling.

  “Their blood is on your hands, Magnum. You’re the one who is tearing this pack apart,” his mother screamed. “You’re the one who is killing us. We could live free, but you choose to keep us down. You’re the plague. You’re the rot of the pack.” She spat at him before taking a shaky breath. “The day will come when you are killed. Hell is waiting for you.”

  Greer came up behind him. With a hand on his shoulder, he placed the other on Sayer’s head, holding him in place. From out of the shadows stepped another of Magnum’s goons. He had a machete in his hands and wore a demented smile.

  “Make sure he watches. Make sure he sees what happens to those who break the rules.”

  Sayer howled.

  All these years later, he could still hear his mother’s screams as the thug cut her apart, limb from limb. That was why he didn’t want to tell Kizzy. He didn’t have the wherewithal to trust her to keep his secret. He didn’t want the responsibility of having to take his life or hers.

  Rather than run back for town, he headed into the hills. He needed to clear his head. He needed to shake this shit off and regain some perspective. Though he’d given the oath, he didn’t have to say a word. He knew eventually she’d figure everything out, but if someone else told her, it took the pressure off him. She’d become their responsibility. He curled his lip. The thought of anyone else touching her pissed his wolf off. Mate. No. He didn’t want one. He didn’t want her. He wanted it all to go away. He wanted to go back in time and refuse to help Miss Kathy out.

  Zigzagging through the foliage, he increased his speed, running away from everything. His past. His future. His heart ached. His mind raced. Why him? Why did this have to be about him? Why couldn’t he protect the pack and never deal with the other members? He’d have been so much better off. They’d be so much better off.

  When he came to the stream bisecting the forest, he stopped by the edge to drink. He stared at his murky reflection and didn’t recognize himse
lf. Who he’d become. Who he’d once been. He sat down. A whine of sorrow filled his throat. What am I going to do?

  The crunch of leaves drew him from his stupor. The wolf standing across from him posed no threat. Sarah. He took a step back, allowing her room.

  She eased to the stream for a drink and, after she had her fill, bounded back through the thicket. Soon, they wouldn’t be able to stretch their legs like they could now. The forecast called for a light dusting of snow within the next couple of days. Just the thought of snow pissed him off because, once the snow covered the ground, he’d be cooped up in his home with Kizzy.

  Fuck, he was an asshole. None of this had been her fault, yet he acted as if she caused all of it. The blame belonged solely with him. Nevertheless, he treated her like shit. So, how did he fix it? How did he make it better? He didn’t know. Should he even attempt to repair the damage? He trotted to the main trail and headed for town. The horizon had turned a light orange and pink, pushing back the starry blanket of night.

  Kizzy would be waiting for him. Maybe. A small part of him delighted in the fact she’d be in his space, anticipating his return.

  No, jerk-off. She’s not anticipating your return. She’s dreading it because you lied to her. Shit, he owed her an explanation—didn’t mean he liked it. He raced to where he’d parked his truck before shifting. The cold air mixed with his natural body heat, and steam rose from him. He shoved his arms into heavy material of his shirt then pulled it over his head. The scent of snow wafted in the air. Purple clouds were few and far between, but he bet, by the end of the day, snow would cover the ground, even if it was a dusting.

  On the ride home, he thought of all the things he could say to Kizzy—none of them friendly. He didn’t have the tools to explain their situation without coming off as a crazed maniac. Driving down the main street of town, determination filled him. This was his home. He had a duty to protect everyone within the borders of pack lands. Kizzy is within the borders, too. She didn’t count, though. Not yet anyway. She hadn’t proved herself in his eyes.