Ember laughed. “He’s gone full-on nurturer since I got pregnant. The elder generation tells me every good wolf is like this when his mate is expecting, but I think Aaron’s inner helper has completely taken over his brain.”
“That’s sweet.”
“Well, when he gets a little smothering and I tell him to chill, he listens. So yes, it’s sweet. I give as much ground as I can before telling him to chill.” Despite her matter-of-fact tone, Ember’s eyes were soft as she spoke of her wolf. “But anyway, Aaron is Malachi’s beta. They talked through more of the details, and…” She shrugged. “I’m Aaron’s mate. He talked to me.”
Ember said it without apology, and for a moment April bristled. Then a sigh poured out of her, deep enough to cave her shoulders. Was this relief? She had been sure she wanted no one to know, but it turned out keeping details to herself was its own stressor. Slowly she sank into one of the wolf-sized Adirondack chairs.
“I’m sorry,” Ember said. “For what was done to you. I…um, now that we’re talking about it, I don’t even have words except…I’m sorry.”
April nodded. She didn’t need more words than that. Anything else seemed hollow anyway.
But Ember added, “You must be a major fighter.”
“Pretty sure I’m the opposite.” April wrapped her arms around herself.
For a long moment Ember studied her. Then she said, “What if I bring coffee back here?”
April’s agreement surprised them both. Ember was gone less than half an hour. She brought back April’s favorite, a caramel latte with almond milk, hot—yes, even in June. For herself she had a mint crème freeze.
“This pup doesnotappreciate caffeine,” she said with a rub of her belly.
April accepted her drink and sipped. “Mmm. The Harmony Ridge café knows how to make a latte.”
“Willow made these,” Ember said. “I know she has greater aspirations, but her barista skills are something special.”
Curiosity nibbled. April vaguely knew who Willow was: curly black hair, pretty and curvy, extremely quiet, mate of Trevor’s brother Ezra. But she had no idea who Willowreallywas, what she aspired to in life. She didn’t ask though. She continued to sip until she expected Ember to become bored with the silence and take her leave. But Ember didn’t.
“Tell me exactly how much you know,” April said at last. They had to start here. “You and Aaron.”
Ember nodded as though she had been waiting for this very question. “The alpha of that rotten pack dated you like a normal person for a few weeks, claiming to be your true mate. Then he went psycho and kidnapped you. You escaped the day before you showed up here. Oh, and because that guy is psycho, Mal’s prepared for him to try to kidnap you again.”
That was…well, reassuringly basic. Malachi had managed to inform his beta of the situation without revealing April’s personal aftermath. Another deep, cleansing sigh left her. “I can live with that.”
“In fairness, there’s one other thing I should mention. Only because I know you already know about it, and—well, all the wolves know about it.”
For a moment April couldn’t figure out what this thing could be. All the wolves knew…? Then her face grew hot. “You mean, that he thinks I’m his mate.”
Ember nodded.
“He didn’t have to telleveryone.”
“Oh, he couldn’t have hidden it from the wolves.”
Which could mean only one thing. “There’s a scent wolves recognize for finding one’s mate?”
“Yep. Aaron said Mal’s is the strongest bonding-essence he’s ever smelled in his life. Which I guess makes sense, given Malachi’s essence before was also…well, the strongest ever, according to my wolf.”
Time to process. If Malachi’s scent had changed… Well, that went beyond a verbal claim. That was an objective fact. Did fate truly have a role in a wolf’s finding his life mate? Malachi had promised she got to choose him or not. But if he didn’t choose her, instead found her, were the stakes fair?
April sat quietly, drank another fourth of her latte, and finally looked up to find Ember studying her. “Did anybody ever tell you how patient you are?”
Ember laughed. “Absolutely not. I’m claiming this moment as proof of personal growth.”
“Claim away. I just…I actually do want to talk. But figuring out where to start is…”
“I’ve got nowhere to be but here, so take your time.”
What a gift that was. She ducked her head, faked a sip of her drink to hide a few tears. Ember let her. At last April looked up.
