On the Edge (Adirondack Pack Book 3) Read online

  “I just meant that you are alpha and what you say goes. No one is going to argue when you pull out the charm and tell them that you think they would be good at something.” She dropped her sunglasses back onto her nose.

  Owen grasped her hand and wound their fingers together. ”Have I told you how beautiful you look today, Rabbit?”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “But not since you got back from lunch.”

  He lifted her hand to kiss her fingers. “Well, you are a vision over there with your sunglasses on and hair whipping all over the place. I have half a mind to pull over and…”

  Her hand landed over his mouth. “Don’t finish that sentence or we will never get there and Sadie will be mad and Tyson will probably freak out even more than he already is.”

  He nipped her hand with his teeth. “I hate it when you’re right.”

  “Men always do.”

  “And women?”

  She grinned. Mira was bisexual and Owen might have been a bit satisfied by the fact that he beat out men and women in winning her heart.

  “Was Lee at the Wick?”

  “Yes,” he grumbled. “She acted as though I was invisible. That woman is going to have an intervention soon if she keeps this up.”

  “Why don’t you just corner her and tell her that all is forgiven?”

  Why? Because she was a sneaky little wolf who knew all the exits. She was skittish and was always ready to bolt at the first sign of Owen. “Sadie tried that already.”

  “She confuses the crap out of me. Like, why wouldn’t you be thrilled if your best friends want to make up after an argument?”

  Mira didn’t hold much love for Lee but he knew it was because they never really talked beyond the snarky volley of insults. They’d like each other once they gave it a chance. Lee just had to give the rest of them a chance first.

  “It wasn’t an argument, that’s why. She screwed up and that was that. Lee is beating herself up right now for everything. She doesn’t think she deserves forgiveness so she will avoid us until she does, but I know her and she will never think she will deserve it again.”

  Mira slid her feet out of the window as they turned onto Sadie’s driveway. “That’s sad. I wouldn’t have pegged her as someone with such little self-confidence and worth.”

  “It’s all an act,” he said in complete agreement. Ever since her accident, she has never seen herself as anything more than a burden to those around her.

  “Can’t you use your Alpha powers and make her listen?” Her brow furrowed. “Wait, can’t you tell what she is feeling and all that through the bond?”

  Mira was still learning about how the pack functioned. He loved her even more for trying but how could he explain this? “Yes and no. I can feel the pack as a whole and when needed I can zero in on one wolf. Lee is different, though. She knows all the tricks to hide herself because I’m the one who taught her them. When we dated she asked for privacy. Well, that’s easier said than done.” Owen scratched his scruffy chin. “In theory, I should be able to block someone but it’s hard with how large the pack is. So I taught her how to block me. It wasn’t anything strong, the equivalent to earplugs but for emotions. I should be able to work around it but it seems Lee had learned some more techniques since then and has blocked me completely. It’s radio silence from her.”

  Mira was still absorbing what he said when they stopped outside Sadie’s house. “Looks like your mother got here early.”

  Sadie was helping Ann get her bag out of the trunk of her car. They had barely stopped before Mira was jumping from the truck and hugging her mother. As far as reunions went, this one was pretty typical. Lots of hugging and a few “you look great” thrown around. There was one thing missing from it all and that was Tyson.

  Owen grabbed the bag from Sadie as they headed inside. “Where is he?” he asked for only her to hear.

  “I don’t know. She came early so I’m not sure if he is just getting himself together or is avoiding things altogether.” Sadie was more worried than upset. This was a big step for a man who only months before was more comfortable in his wolf skin than human form. He worried about control more than any other wolf Owen knew. It wasn’t that he didn’t have a handle on it; it was that Tyson didn’t have any confidence in himself.

  “Want me to go track him down?”

  Sadie’s shoulders sunk in relief. “Yes, please.”

  He lifted the bag up onto the porch and then kissed the side of her head. “Don’t worry. I’ll find him and bring him home. Make my apologies to Ann.” Owen left her there and jogged into the woods. Tracking wasn’t difficult for his kind, however, all these trails smelled like Tyson and Sadie. He just had to find the freshest one.

  Turned out Owen didn’t have to go far. Tyson was pacing a few hundred yards inside the tree line. He had his hands clasped together and resting on the back of his neck. Soft grumbles came from his direction as he completely ignored Owen and continued his path back and forth between trees. It looked like the pep talk wasn’t going well.

  “Sadie’s getting worried,” Owen said casually. Tyson stopped for a moment and then lifted his head.

  “I’ve got twenty more minutes before Ann shows up.”

  “You’ve got zero. She got here early.”

  Tyson cursed and rubbed a hand over his scalp. “I don’t think…I’m not…fuck.”

  “You are ready Tyson. I wouldn’t be allowing this if I didn’t think you and Sadie weren’t ready to handle a human in your den. Besides it’s not like you have to be with her twenty-four seven. Go for a run in the mornings to take the edge off. If you need some breathing room, make an excuse to come to my place and run there, nap there for all I care. Just make sure that you go back to help Sadie. Remember she is new to this. She’s going to need your support.”

  “Jesus, you’re right.” It’s like the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. “She hasn’t had to deal with her other nature and humans for longer than a few hours at a time.”

  “And it’s her mother so you know she will see shit other people don’t.” Owen put a hand on Tyson’s shoulder. “She needs you buddy and you’ve got this. Don’t psych yourself out.”

  They headed to the house. Tyson didn’t resist at all now that he had a purpose to fulfill. He felt Sadie’s relief through the pack bond when she heard them coming up the porch stairs. It was Mira who opened the door for them. “And they return!” She said with a smile and amusement in her eyes.

  “Rabbit,” he said dropping a kiss onto her cheek.

  “Tyson, there you are.” Ann stood and went to hug him. Owen had to put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from stepping back. She wrapped him in a hug and at her touch he relaxed. All of them took a soft breath. He’d be fine. Even if he didn’t believe it, Tyson would never do anything to hurt or endanger Ann or their pack.

  “Come sit and tell me everything since I saw you last.” She pulled him over to the sofa and made him sit beside her. Owen noticed something then; Ann was more in tune with the situation than anyone gave her credit for. She kept a hand on his and fussed over him more than even her own daughters. She knew he was hesitant around her and she was trying to over saturate his senses with her so he would get used to her presence faster. Ann was trying to put him at ease and it was working.

  The sisters shared a silent moment. They saw what their mother was doing too, probably had expected it. To relive Tyson, Sadie sat down beside him and kissed his cheek. “You should shower and change before we leave for dinner.”

  Tyson took his escape as it was given and rushed from the room. Sadie followed after him, probably to check and make sure he was ok. Ann’s eyes followed the two and smiled in a knowing way. Her heart was open and happy on her sleeve.

  “Thank you for that,” Owen stated. “He’s been a nervous wreck.”

  “Pfft,” she waved away his words. “He has nothing to be nervous about. He’s my son now and I’ll smother him with love if that’s what he needs. My girls don’t
let me smother anymore so it’s nice to be needed in that way again.”

  “I need you, mom,” Mira said with a frown. When her mom looked at her Mira’s cheeks flamed up. “I just don’t like the smothering part.”

  “I know, Sweetie.” She held out a hand for Mira who walked over and took it. “But the smothering is my favorite part. When do I get to see your place?”

  Mira looked over at Owen. Tonight was a pack run and Mira offered to babysit Ann while they did their “wolf thing,” as she put it. Mira and Ann would head back to her apartment after their dinner and catch up while Owen and Sadie went for a run with the pack. Tyson world either tag along with the pack or do his own thing. They never knew where he would end up on these nights. The lone wolf in him was dying and more often he was attending pack events. Soon Owen would convince him to come back into the fold officially.

  “Tonight. I convinced everyone that I needed you all to myself.” Mira wrapped her arms around her mom’s shoulders. There was something about sitting in a mother’s arms that made a person look like a child again. The last shreds of innocence we hold in our hearts shine through when in the protection of a mother.

  “I thought we could do a movie night.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Ann patted Mira’s shoulder and kissed her head.

  *****

  “Hey, Lee?”

  She kept emptying the dishwasher but glanced over her shoulder at Chuck. “Yeah?”

  Her boss and owner of The Wick was a submissive wolf and couldn’t change form but Lee had only made the mistake once to assume he was submissive in personality too. Chuck was a protector, a mother hen. He cared for those who were his and his loyalty was stronger than anyone she knew. He was one of the only people who never put her inability to have children at the forefront of their relationship. He also didn’t choose sides in her fight with Owen and Sadie. Chuck treated her no differently and Lee knew that he never would.

  “What do ya need?”

  “Can you take over one of Zach’s tables?”

  “Sure. Is he ok?” Zach was Chuck’s nephew and lived in a room above the restaurant. Chuck took him in after he left home at eighteen because of his submissive nature. His family was all dominant and Zach had suffered in the environment. He had been a common sight in the summers growing up, opting to spend it with his uncle rather than his family. Chuck didn’t have any kids of his own but Lee knew that he considered Zach his.

  “Eh, he’ll live,” he shrugged. “Got a table that just walked in. Front window.”

  Lee wiped her hands on her apron. “Got it.” She walked out of the kitchen and stopped at the sight of who she would be serving. Lee backed up one step right into Chuck. Fuming she turned and poked him. “You!”

  He only smiled. “Your table is waiting.”

  “I can’t serve them!”

  He crossed his arms, an unmovable figure. “Did you forget how to in the last few minutes?”

  “Chuck,” she huffed out exasperated. “You know what I mean.”

  “No, I don’t think I do. Either you serve that table with a smile or you can leave.”

  Her mouth dropped. “You’d fire me?” Suddenly none of the warm happy thoughts she had of him earlier could be found inside of her. Chuck was family. Maybe not by blood but in all the ways that mattered. How could he do this to her?

  “I would. Go serve your table, Lee. The world will still be standing when you’re done.”

  No, he was wrong. Her world crumbled a long time ago. Lee turned and found Owen had been watching the entire altercation. His face was unreadable in the way only an alpha’s can be. She hated that look and had seen it many times since he stopped speaking to her. It was like a kick to her already trampled chest.

  “I hate you,” she told Chuck with more anguish than anger.

  “I know, but you’ll get over. Just like Owen got over his anger at you.” His hand patted her shoulder and gave her a squeeze of encouragement.

  “You don’t know anything Chuck.” That look Owen had locked on her was not one of love and friendship, it was calculating indifference.

  “Go on Lee. He doesn’t bite.”

  She snorted at that. She knew for a fact that he did. Pulling what courage she could from the depths inside of her, she walked across the bar to her table. Owen, Mira, Tyson and Sadie all sat together with another woman. Just because she wasn’t in the cool kids group anymore didn’t mean she hadn’t heard that Sadie and Mira’s mother was coming to town for a visit.

  “Good evening. Can I get you all some drinks?” Lee brushed her eyes over everyone but mostly kept her eyes trained on the older woman, the one who didn’t have any prejudices against her.

  “Lee,” Owen said with enough command that she was compelled to turn her head. It was hard to keep a neutral face when she was burning alive inside, turning to ash with every passing day. What he saw in her eyes must have been enough to tell him that here and now was not the time. The right time to talk had passed a long time ago.

  “Ah, god Lee. Don’t look at me like that. We are not here to gut you.”

  He was mistaken. There was nothing left for them to gut. “Drinks?” she said again, her voice shaking.

  “Waters all around,” Mira said from beside him. She held onto Owen’s hand and patted it gently. Lee avoided looking at Mira’s face altogether. She hadn’t been able to look her in the eye since she came back.

  “I’ll be right back with your drinks.” Lee turned and made it back to where Chuck was waiting behind the bar having watched the whole embarrassing thing. She untied her apron and put it on top of the bar. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t serve them. Lee always knew it in her heart but this proved just how much of a coward she really was.

  “Lee, don’t do this,” Chuck warned.

  She shook her head. The tingle of tears warned her that she had seconds to get out of there or risk falling apart in a room full of people who were waiting for her to do just that.

  “Go,” Chuck said and pushed her apron at her. “But come back tomorrow as scheduled. I was just trying to help, Lee.”

  There was no helping her.

  Chapter Three

  The moon was high when the first howls started, they echoed through the valley, each new wolf adding their own voice to the music. Vince closed his eyes and lifted his nose to the stars. He loved pack runs, especially ones that weren’t in the rain like the last one they had. That had been miserable. They had cut it short and all piled inside the pack house. A movie was put on for the younger crowd but the rest of them just sat around and talked. It had been nice but not as nice as a run. There was something about being out in the night, in fur form, hunting a deer that brought a group together. That was the main reason for the run. Owen liked to take the chance to check in with everyone under the guise of something fun, but it was more than just that. Running together with your pack made you closer. It gave everyone a sense of comfort and home, belonging.

  There was one song that stood out above the rest. He could hear it through all the other howls, always could. It was haunting and sorrowful, beautiful in a way that broke his heart. He had wondered if Lee would join them on the run tonight after what happened earlier at the Wick. News traveled fast and he had heard that the woman had quit after having to serve Owen. Chuck was putting a stop to the rumors by telling people that they only had a difference of opinion and she would be back to work the next day. When he had heard it earlier, Vince thought that was more of a threat than a fact.

  The pups behind him tested out their own howls, none of which were anywhere near the depth or reach they would be one day. Vince wagged his tail. The small group of newly turned pups was excited to get going. Sadie was the only one not jumping all over the others in a tumble of fur. She watched on with entertainment and care. The instinctive mother in her quickly adopted each and every one of the pups as her own when they were in these training sessions. Her presence was a technicality, she was new and needed the training
but she also had Tyson to help her. Vince welcomed the extra help, though. They looked to her for comfort just as much as they looked to him for guidance.

  As he watched her, he realized that they could have worked. Months earlier Owen made her choose a mate. She didn’t exactly choose Vince but he volunteered. In the small amount of time they knew each other, their personalities had complemented the other. She might not have been the love of his life but he could have loved her and he believed she could have loved him back. The whole ordeal was just a rouse to get Tyson out of hiding. So instead of mated, Sadie and Vince were just good friends.

  Owen had led the rest of the pack off earlier and Vince would meet up with him after a little instruction. Tonight’s lesson was all about tracking. Soon they’d join the pack for the hunt but they still needed a little more work.

  He barked once to get their attention and then headed off into the trees. With Vince in front, Sadie took up the rear to make sure no one got left behind at any point. He veered them off from the trail Owen had taken. When they were a mile away from the pack he stopped them all and shifted so he could address them.

  “Alright, tonight I want you all to figure out how to get back to the pack. Now, they are moving around so don’t think that you can do it by retracing our trail out here. Use your all your senses not just your eyes. Take a minute to sniff around.”

  The pups separated and began to try to find the direction they should head. A yapping bark brought Vince’s head around to where Cobie was. His back was low, tail straight, ears pushed back. A small growl emitted from his chest. “Easy,” he told the pup coming up to his side.

  “Whoever is lurking needs to come out.”

  The wind blew the scent right before the moonlight lit her up. Lee stepped into their little clearing looking slightly abashed. Her wolf was mostly a marble of light grays and whites but with tan highlights on her face and chest. Her eyes matched the tan of her coat perfectly. “Lee,” he said with a surprised smile.

  The pup who found her bumped her head with his in apology. She wasn’t mad at him, more embarrassed than anything. He doubted that she had planned to see anyone in her run. Lee bumped him back and then pushed him with her shoulder till he stumbled. It was the equivalent of an older sibling pushing a younger one. Cobie yipped playfully.