She seemed about the same age as Willow’s mother, and it was a maternal hug. She wore Kenny’s scent, not as a mate, but as her Alpha, and it made her safe.
June glanced at the back corner. “Misty and her little entourage aren’t evil, exactly, but insecure little girls who got stunted somewhere between puberty and adulthood can be especially cruel. They’ve been in four packs in two years, and they’re supposed to be on their best behavior.”
Ah, that explained why Boone went straight to nuclear, and why Misty acted so quickly to give a bitchy apology the men would think was acceptable, but every woman on the porch knew was bullshit.
“Thanks for that. Truly.”
The door opened, and Silas came out with two heaping plates of French toast and bacon. “The little hawk and I are having French toast, and I’m not in short-order cook mode this morning, so ya’ll are going to have to fend for yourselves.”
He put their plates down on the table Boone was sprawled at, and returned with glasses of milk and a bottle of maple syrup. Later, she learned that table is the equivalent of the captain’s table on a ship — reserved for Kenny and whoever he invites to sit with him.
Ten minutes later, while she ate with Silas, conversations resumed around her, talk of the weather, a new litter of pups, a roof repair someone had finished the day before. She caught more than one curious glance her way. Not hostile, just measuring.
Hawks don’t do this, don’t gather and gossip. Oh, sure, lots of gossip happens over text, but there are no full-moon flights, no reason for them to form a cohesive group. No alpha.
There’s a leadership structure, but it isn’t at all like the wolves. Birds and mammals aren’t even the same kind of shifter. Wolves can bite someone and turn them into a werewolf, or they can be born to it, in which case their firstchangehappens at puberty.
Birds are hatched from eggs, and their parents have tochangethem back and forth until they’re old enough to do it themselves. The only way to be a bird is to be born to it. There’s no way for her to make someone a hawk.
She ended up sitting in Boone’s lap when she finished eating. Not her choice. He’d lifted her, sat her on his legs, and settled her in, tucking her into his body like he was her own adjustable chair.
An hour later, she went into the house to use the restroom, and Kenny was leaning against the wall facing the door when she came out, his arms crossed.
His face showed irritation heading toward mild anger, and she froze. “What did I do, Sir?”
“JamesWinslow? You didn’t think that was information we needed?”
She could only stare at him. “You didn’t know? I figured at least one of the three of you would. The damned proposal went viral from three different fucking views, and then me running in heels while holding the damned dress up, escaping back to the hotel.” She sighed. “And then me leaving the Inn wearing jeans with my luggage, and later in the damned airport.Fuck.”
“You missed aSir, in there, little fucktoy.”
“I’m sorry, Sir. You’re right, and that was wrong of me. Our relationship requires I acknowledge your position, even when I’m emotional.”
He stepped to her and pulled her into a hug. “It does. You’re getting used to the requirement, and you’ve done well, mostly.”
She melted into his embrace. “I’m sorry you didn’t know, Sir. Sorry you had to find out from…” She sighed. “I’m assuming Misty is something of a problem child who should be an adult by now?”
“She was in a bad pack as a teen and young adult, stormed out of it when new leadership took over and wrestled it into a healthy structure. She’s been in several packs in the region, picking up her own little bitchy tribe on the way, and they’re here with strict rules.” He sighed. “June wasn’t wrong, but saying it aloud like that probably wasn’t helpful.”
“That’s the kind of thing an Alpha’s mate’s supposed to help with, right? Because her supposed apology was bullshit, and every woman on the porch knew. She designed it so it would sound fine to men — don’t underestimate her. She’s smart.”
“Yes, that’s exactly the reason an Alpha needs a mate, but plenty survive without one.”
“I can’t be your actual mate, right?”
“There are ways for wolves to magically bond to humans and other shifters, but I’ll have to do some research if you decide to stay. If weallwant to take that step.”
Would she want to magically bond to wolves? To be an official part of the pack? Goodandbad. June and Misty.
She didn’t have those answers yet, but the questions were certainly there.
* * * *
Willow watched Kenny and Boone back dirt bikes out of the truck bed a few hours later. They kicked them into life with a low rumble, and the morning air shook with promise.
But she eyed Boone with trepidation when he came at her with a helmet.
“Yeah, I know you’re hardheaded,” he teased as he settled it on her head and buckled the strap under her chin. “But humans wear helmets on these trails, and we have to pretend.”
