“She still has a bunch to unpack, but she got most of the kitchen unboxed, and the bathroom. She and Dad set up her bed. She has her interview with the Sheriff’s Department tomorrow.”
She’d begun to draw shapes on his chest as they talked. He identified a heart, a spiral and a diamond. “Are you worried about figuring out your own work situation? I don’t want you to feel like you have to help everyone get settled, to the detriment of yourself.”
“Nah, I like it. It’s nice to get a chance to spend some time with everyone early on while we’re all getting used to being here, being together. I don’t need to do anything, really, I just like to keep active. So as long as this is keeping me busy, and entertained, it’s all good.”
He heard a shout from the living room and sighed. “I guess we should go out there.”
“You’re the one who invited everyone,” she reminded him.
“I didn’t think I was up to the challenge of eating all your practice food myself.” He pinched her butt lightly. “And you totally knew I would, there’s no way that whole spread was just practice. I was happy to invite them, until I had you in my arms.”
“Sweet talker.” She kissed him hard and fast and rolled away.
Chapter Six
Cindy shooed Jen and Robert out after the game, assuring Robert he needed to get home to his wife, and telling Jen she had plenty to do at her own place, and didn’t need to get stuck with cleanup here.
Joe, who had shown up at halftime, handed Jen the bag of leftovers he’d put together for her, setting his own bag on the table by the door. Cindy liked their new second. He was young, but strong. He’d been third at his previous pack, and she’d been curious to see where he’d land, since their pack had only Jen in the hierarchy when he’d arrived. Myra told her they’d all—Myra, Adam, Jen and Joe— had dinner together, and by the end of it, had no trouble setting the ranks.
“Food’s all sorted,” he told her. “Do you want me to pull down the decorations?”
“That would be great, thanks.” She folded up the burlap she’d used on the console. “How are you finding things at the high school?”
“It’s so different, but I’m enjoying that. I think the whole school is smaller than the freshman class at my last school. So there are different challenges, but definitely some fun opportunities, as well.”
“And then there’s the weather,” she said.
He laughed. “Yeah, I’m trying to get used to that. It’s bizarre, I was talking to my mom last night and had to seriously resist teasing her about the differences in our weather.”
“Are your parents going to come out and visit?”
“Probably in the summer. Hey, I hear we’re having another meet-the-potential-pack party soon. Do we have that many more people interested in joining?”
“There’s only going to be about ten this time.”
“I’m hoping there will be someone we like as first or fourth. I don’t like having only four of us for a hierarchy.”
She had gathered all the decorations into a tub and now he snapped the lid on it. “There, that wasn’t so bad.” She rubbed the small of her back. She’d been on her feet most of the day. “Even with the small number of us, you feel a gap?” she asked as Jonas, Myra and Adam joined them from the kitchen. Jonas tugged her hand until she fell onto the sofa beside him.
“It’s not bad,” Myra answered for him. “But I’ll feel better when we have at least one more. Whether that’s a new first or fourth, or even a mate for our lovely second or third, doesn’t matter.” She sat in Adam’s lap, on the cozy club chair that Jonas had added to the living room when he’d moved in.
“Speaking of potential new people coming to the party,” Myra continued with a serious look that caught Cindy’s attention. “Someone you know called to feel me out about coming for an exploratory visit.” She paused a beat. “Brenda.”
She must have stiffened, because Jonas hands started to rub up and down her arms. She leaned back into him, relaxing. “I’m surprised. I thought she was pretty happy in Texas. Mom’s never mentioned anything about her looking to move elsewhere.”
“Who is this person?” Adam asked.
“Lots of wolves who’ve never really thought about moving started thinking about it when we began this,” Myra reminded her. She turned to look at her mate, over her shoulder. “Brenda is fourth in the pack Cindy grew up in”
“I just realized how strange it is that she never moved up in all these years,” Cindy mused.
“You don’t like her,” Adam said.
Cindy squirmed. That wasn’t something she would have stated out loud. “I don’t dislike her, exactly. I’ve hardly even thought about her in years. I just didn’t particularly like her, and I didn’t really respect her.”
“Ouch,” Joe said. “Not a good thing for a young pack member to feel about their fourth.”
“We don’t need her,” Adam said.
