I ignored their mutterings in several languages and started doing whatever my mom and Gammy McCallister needed to get settled. I would have loved to start setting up the kitchenette assigned to us as well, but I knew better than to do that without Felicia.
Thankfully, she showed up ten minutes later, parking in the closest spot left in the area specifically marked off for contestants. I was a jumble of nerves as I walked toward her. Felicia shot me a relaxed smile, then threw her arms around my neck in a hug.
God, I needed that. The soft, coolness of her body was such a balm to the storm brewing inside of me, soothing the more jagged pieces of my mood.
“Good morning,” she said in a sing-song voice. “Did you sleep well?”
“Not really, did you?”
“Better than expected, actually. All the crazy running around I did this week helped.”
Guilt prickled at me again. Yes, I knew Felicia was the ace in my pocket, but I felt guilty that I had added more to her already loaded plate. At least I could take solace in the fact that she’d had fun in planning things with our team. I’d been worried I’d ruined it all when I’d told her about the fairies and the heavier consequences of the event, but she’d taken it all in stride.
I was beginning to think that she was just like that. Unflappable in a way I strove to be. It wasn’t exactly surprising, given her background, but it was no less admirable.
“Anything I can help with?”
“Yeah, actually. I have a buttload of supplies I need your help with. Just leave the small red box in there, that’s for a client later in the week. I forgot to take it inside, so I don’t want it getting mixed up in this stuff.”
“No touching the red box,” I repeated with a nod. “Got it.”
She stood up on her tippy toes and pressed a kiss to my cheek, gripping my forearm for stability. “Thank you, babe.”
As usual, my entire body responded to her, but I left it at that. If we won, then we could explore that feeling and celebrate all we wanted to. For now, it was all business.
I was so focused that I hadn’t realized an entire hour had passed until more people started to filter into the event. I didn’t notice at first because I was loading up the kitchenette with everything Felicia told me to, but when I took a break to go to the bathroom, I realized the fold-out bleachers they’d set up in the activity area were nearly full.
Huh. Maybe the event was a bigger deal than I thought.
Or maybe our packs were way more competitive than the usual contestants at the bake-off. It really was too bad that we couldn’t interact with human events more often. I felt like it caused such an artificial and unnecessary rift between us Wild Folk and humans. While I understood there needed to be at least some distance to protect ourselves from being discovered, but did that really mean total social isolation from each other?
That was something I’d worry about when I had less cataclysmic things hanging over my head. Like, say, a certain bake-off.
“I’m sorry, mija, where did you say the water was?”
The loud, rather boisterous voice drew my attention, and I saw an elderly, tiny woman dressed in nearly all the colors of the rainbow half-shouting at one of the staff members. It didn’t come across as aggressive, but rather like she was somewhat deaf, not unlike Gammy McCallister.
“Uh, ma’am, there are fountains right in front of the bathroom.”
“Fountains?
Those foul-tasting things? I could have sworn I was told there would be actual… Hmm, did I get confused?”
It didn’t take a detective to guess that the woman was from the Ramirez pack-I could smell her ancient wolf. Concern instantly lanced through me. Was she on her own in human territory? Not that I thought she was incapable, but it could be an awfully overwhelming assault on the senses for a shifter, even if those senses were worn from age.
“I know what you’re talking about,” I said, cutting over to them. The bathroom could wait. “I’m also thirsty. If you don’t mind, I’ll take you over to the water.”
She turned to me, and her eyebrows nearly rose to her hairline when she spotted me. “You know what I’m talking about, young man?” she murmured, and I was glad she didn’t go for my throat on sight and make a scene. Perhaps I shouldn’t have interfered, but how could I leave her on her own with a staff member who already seemed far too overwhelmed by the festivities of the day?
“I do.” I offered her my arm. “I’m happy to show you.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she took my arm. “By all means, lead the way.”
In truth, I had no clue where the water stations were, but Chris had brought a cooler full of ice, water, and electrolyte drinks in case the spring warmth turned into early summer heat. Loading her up with a couple of portable ways to refresh herself was better than making her stand in line for lukewarm water.
“I know who you are,” the woman said as we walked back over to the kitchenette area. That didn’t surprise me. I was the alpha of their rival pack, after all.
“I figured as much,” I answered simply. I figured it didn’t matter one way or the other.
“I have to say, you’re less of a bumpkin than I expected.”
“Uh, thank you?”
She tilted her head back and laughed as we approached the cooler. I grabbed her a few bottles to tide her over for at least a couple of hours. Downside of having an insane metabolism was that it required a little extra attention when it came to hydration, especially for the elderly.
“That lovely lady you’re dating is something special,” she said out of nowhere as I walked her back toward the bleachers. And while I couldn’t help but agree, I was kind of surprised to hear her say that.
“You met her?”
“Yes, at my great-niece’s quinceañera. It was a beautiful event. You should have seen it. Except, I’m sure some of los jovenes would have torn you limb from limb for daring to appear on our lands.”
That sounded about right. “But you wouldn’t mind that I was there?” I countered with a wink. I didn’t know where I got the gall. The Ramirez pack took elder respect very seriously, but maybe it was the over-the-top, ostentatious yet also poised comportment of the granny on my arm.
“Now I never said that. Your people have put an awful taste in my mouth, I’ll have you know. Your daddy did a lot to calm things down, there isn’t any denying that, but the way I see it, none of ya have ever repaid the debt you’ve incurred.”
She had a point, the same one that I’d already thought to myself. “How do you think we should pay that back?”
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply