Another man stood from the table when they entered. Like Ezra, his hair was dark blond, but he wore it longer on top, styled in easy spikes that pointed every which way, no doubt with the help of some expensive product. He lacked Ezra’s breadth but was still overly muscular in the way of all wolves. His eyes were arrestingly blue.
Ezra said, “Willow, meet Trevor, the brother who couldn’t help throwing pillows at me while I was building delicate works of art.”
Trevor’s chest rumbled with a low chuckle that somehow resembled a vibrating motor. Unlike her intuition for Ezra, interpreting Trevor’s mood required more data than his vocalizing alone. She had to include the mirth in his eyes, the ease of his body language, to know his deep growl held amusement. Maybe she needed time to get to know him, or maybe her instinctive knowledge of Ezra was the knowledge…of a wolf’s mate.
“Hi, Trevor,” she said.
“Good to meet you, Willow.”
She looked from him to Ezra and back again. Though her brain first catalogued their differences, studying Trevor for an extra second highlighted their similarities as well as Trevor’s to his dad. He had said a total of five words to her, yet Willow found her heart already tender toward this man who so resembled Ezra, who had once been a little pup trying so hard to keep up with his big brother.
“I’ve seen you in town, so I knew this already, but wow, y’all really look alike.”
“He’s got that fussy-mussy hair,” Ezra said, a low growl beneath the words.
Trevor chuckled again, and this sound too held a rumble. Robert took a seat at the table across from him, and Willow had to catch her breath. Being around more than one wolf at a time was a whole different experience than her dates with Ezra. When they moved through the room, when they vocalized to each other, the sense ofmore thanwhispered at the edge of her awareness. More than human. More than they were letting her see.
Oh.
“I have to be acclimated to you,” she said to Robert. “So you won’t have to keep shielding your gaze. Ezra told me it’s tiring to a wolf, to shield someone in proximity for hours at a time.”
Robert tilted his head. “Did he also tell you acclimation is an unpleasant process?”
“He did, but I’m ready. I don’t want to put you out, Mr. Sterling—I mean, not any more than I already am.”
Oh, she hated the way she always floundered with new people. She ducked her head, but there was no hiding humiliation from three wolves who could smell it on her. A cool hand settled on her shoulder, and she looked up.
“We’re not put out,” Ann said. “We’re glad you came to us. Wouldn’t want you off somewhere unsafe and trying to solve this on your own. And it’s not the best situation by a long shot, but it’ll help us get to know each other too.”
How she wanted that. But in this moment she wanted only to be left alone in a quiet space.
As if sensing Willow’s upheaval, Ann patted her arm and said, “Not tonight though. Tonight let me show you to your room.”
Two tears fell to the floor, and more tried to follow, but she swallowed hard. She had to be forthcoming in the face of hospitality like this. “My folks are hateful people. They were hateful to Ezra. And—and I’m their daughter, and I can’t change that.”
“You’re Willow,” Ann said. “You’re your own self, capable of your own choices, and you care for my son. Don’t you?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“All that matters to this mama.” She nodded to her husband. “And, I know, to this daddy.”
Robert nodded back.
“Thank you,” Willow said. She poured the last of her effort into holding back a storm of tears.
With a low rumble Robert said, “Acclimation can wait till tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Come on now.” Ann wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You can unwind in peace and quiet before you go to sleep.”
Willow tried not to lean into the support, but she couldn’t help it. Her legs felt wooden. Behind her, someone dragged her carry-on, which she’d dropped just inside the front door. Her purse and the messenger bag with its precious contents still hung on her arms. So heavy, now that she thought of it. Exhaustion was like a cement wall she’d walked smack into. The muscles of her face had gone slack. She couldn’t smile at the moment if she had to.
Ann gave her a final quick hug. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” She sounded like a looping album track, but she couldn’t say the words enough.
Ann retreated down the hallway behind her. Willow stared around the room. Bigger than her bedroom, furnished in gleaming dark wood, the décor both dated and welcoming. She sank down on the bed and ran her palm along the hunter-green comforter. She looked up knowing her wolf filled the doorway. He set her luggage to one side.
