SWORN TO THE WOLF

Rain smiled as she bustled from the kitchen to the dining room holding several plates. It had been a good morning at The Black Cat Café and Coffee House. When she added the tips she’d earned to what she’d made over the last week she’d be able to buy those sable brushes she’d been drooling over.

She dropped off her plates at their designated tables, topped off coffee and water where it needed it, and looked up to catch one of her regulars come in and take a seat. She waved as she approached his table.

“Morning, Shane. How are you today?”

“Hey, Rain. I’m good. And what’s up in your neighborhood?”

“Not much, the usual breakfast crowd.” Looking down at him, she cocked her head. “Hmm. Let’s see, two slices of whole grain, three egg scramble, latte with honey and soy bacon?” It wasn’t like she was performing a great feat of precognition or anything, he ate the same exact thing every time he came in.

He laughed. “Sounds good! Hey, I wanted to tell you that The Holt Gallery down in Pioneer Square is looking for up-and-comers for a series of shows they want to do to highlight new artists. You should take your portfolio down there.”

Hope burst through her. “Seriously? Oh wow, thanks for the heads-up.”

“You’re really good. I’d hate to see you lose a chance like this. You’re exactly the kind of artist they’re looking for. This could be a great opportunity for you and for The Holt.”

She squeezed his shoulder. “Thanks, it means a lot. It really does.” Before she got teary she took a deep breath and focused on her job. “Let me go and get this started.” She held up the ticket. “Although I’m sure Alex saw you when you came in and is making your breakfast as we speak.” Winking, she tossed her braid back and headed toward the kitchen where, yes, Alex, the cook and owner, was already scrambling the eggs and the bread was toasting. She loved the small café, it was warm and friendly and her customers felt more like friends and family than clientele.

Rain Foster had landed in Seattle the year before having walked—run—away from a life of restrictions. A life where she was destined to be one thing and one thing only, a pretty accessory on a man’s arm.

Her father had already made the choice for her, the son of a “business associate” who was also destined to be in the family business. Of course while some had family businesses where they repaired watches, she’d known most of her life that her father was a major boss in a crime syndicate.

There was no way she would have been allowed to be an artist. Her father only let her go to college because that’s what the daughters of all of his cronies did. Before they got married off to each others’ sons, that is. Then they’d sit at the club all day and drink, oh and occasionally play golf or tennis—wouldn’t pay to let yourself get out of shape. In between they’d have children to continue the cycle. The boys to take over for their fathers and the girls to marry and continue to have more children.

Thank god her mother cared about her wishes and dreams. Thank god her mother had helped her by squirreling away money over the course of the last few years Rain, who used to be Julia, lived there. That money got Rain as far away from her father and that life as possible and she had her own life for the first time. Her mother’s love bought her that freedom.

Though dangerous, her mother still waited for Rain’s call at a pay phone near her regular beauty salon back home every third Wednesday. Still, Rain hadn’t told her where she was for both their sakes. She did know from her mother that her father had been livid, still was as a matter of fact, but apparently felt she’d come back when she got poor.

Her father was wrong because she wasn’t going back at all. Not ever. Poor was one thing—it did suck—but she still had some money from her mother squirreled away and knowing she had something to fall back on in an emergency helped.

She was determined to make her painting a success. For now she shared a large warehouse space in Queen Anne with two other people and she had lots of free time to paint and enough money from her waitressing job to buy canvas and paint and to pay the bills.

Shaking herself out of her reverie with a sigh, she grabbed Shane’s order and his latte to take to his table. The lively chimes over the door sounded right as she turned. Smiling, she looked to see who’d come in.

Instead of one of her usual customers, she found herself looking at two of the largest men she’d ever seen and my goodness weren’t they just the alpha male specimens? Her mouth dried up and her heart leaped into her throat.

Her eyes slowly made the circuit up one and down the other. They were a visual feast. One of them had shoulder-length hair the color of wheat, sleepy, sexy amber eyes and was, for want of a more eloquent term, a muscle-bound hunk.

The other though was the kind of man to make any woman melt into a puddle. Dark and mysterious. Brooding even. His nearly waist-length black hair was tied at the nape of his neck. And her fingers itched to touch it. Eyes so brown they looked obsidian took in the room warily. His skin was hard and smooth with an olive tone much like Rain’s own. His nose was just a bit crooked, as if it had been broken more than once, and a small scar bisected his left eyebrow. But those small imperfections only seemed to heighten his wild, dangerous beauty. He was tall, although not quite as tall as the blond, but he was muscular and his blue jeans hugged those long legs and tight butt like they were painted on. She wanted to lean against one of the tables and fan herself as she had a nice, long, naughty and possibly-illegal-in-a-few-states fantasy about him. Whoo boy.

Instead she took a deep breath and approached them before the other servers saw and jumped in. “Good morning. How are you two today? Would you like to sit in here or on the deck?” Her heart skipped a beat when they both gave her their complete attention. But when the dark one smiled slowly at her the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and goose bumps rose along her arms. Holy cow she wanted to lick him.

“The deck please,” the blond one said, his voice low and rumbling.

Trying not to gulp like a cartoon character, she grabbed two menus and led them outside to the deck. She motioned to a table in her section. Electric heat sparked up her arm as the dark one brushed his fingers against her arm when he took the piece of paper from her. “Uh?” She blinked until she remembered what the hell she’d been doing. “Can I start you off with juice or coffee or espresso?”

“Two large orange juices, an Americano with room and a mocha please,” the dark one said, never taking his eyes from hers. She felt caught, like she was standing surrounded in warm honey and he was a very big spider. His voice was low and melodic.

“Great,” she squeaked out and cleared her throat. “Be right back with those.” Before she gave in to the absurd urge to lick him she tore herself away to go grab the drinks.

Laurent Cole stared at the retreating woman and a smile slowly erupted across his face. He watched her long legs, the sway of her ass, the glimpses of the band of flesh between her shirt and jeans. Her long hair reached her waist and was inky black. He wondered what it would feel like wrapped around his fist as he fucked her mouth. His cock hardened to the point of pain at the thought of her mouth, hot and wet, surrounding him, licking and sucking. He moaned softly.

“Laurent?” Andreas asked, amusement clear in his voice.

Laurent turned slowly and faced Andreas, his Alpha and best friend. “It’s her, Andreas. She’s the one.”

“Her? The one?” Andreas repeated, confused for a moment until realization dawned across his face. “You don’t mean... She’s your Mate?”

“I can feel it. When I first saw her it was as if every cell in my body sang out. Her scent...she just smells perfect. It’s like every other female in the world suddenly doesn’t count, hell, doesn’t even exist. The world just narrowed down to her.”

Andreas smiled slowly. “Ah. That’s how I felt the first time I saw Kari. It’s about time you found her. But you know human women are different.” He sighed and Laurent knew he was thinking of his own petite and very pesky wife.

Laurent laughed then and he and Andreas watched as the waitress froze in place and looked their way. “You deserve this. You’ve served me and the Pack for sixteen years. Kari is going to be as thrilled as I am. Hellie may not be that eager to share but I’m sure you can talk her around.”

Laurent smiled at the mention of Andreas’s daughter. “If this one is anything like Kari, I better take my vitamins,” Laurent said, never taking his eyes from the woman in question.

When she looked up and caught him staring, her answering expression was warm and a little shy as she brought the tray of juice and coffee drinks to them with effortless grace. “Here you go. Juices, fresh squeezed. An Americano with room—here’s cream for it, we also have soy milk, rice milk or nonfat milk if you’d prefer—and the mocha. Honey and sugar are right there.” She straightened. “Do you know what you want?”

“Yes,” Laurent said simply.

She waited but he didn’t say anything else. “Okay, care to share it with me? Hi, your waitress?” Pausing, she caught something out of the corner of her eye and scowled. “I’m sorry, I need to deal with this. I’ll be right back,” she said, stalking off to where a man lounged, lighting a cigarette dramatically. Laurent and Andreas watched her.

“Put it out now,” she said, hands on her hips.

The short, balding man took a deep drag on the cigarette and then blew the smoke in her face. Her eyebrows shot up in outrage. Wanting to kill the obnoxious man for daring to insult his woman, Laurent stood up, but Andreas put a staying hand on his shoulder. In any case, before he could do anything his woman was a blur of action. She grabbed the asshole, who tried to shove her off. Using the force of his movement, she twisted his arm, pushing it high up behind his back and heaving him out the door. She even managed to pull on his ear as she got him outside.

“You are a very maladjusted individual. Did your mother raise you that way? I bet she didn’t. Get out, Leon, and don’t come back. You’re barred. If I see you in here again I’ll kick your scrawny ass from here to Portland.” With a satisfied hmpf she closed the door in his face.

The whole place erupted in applause and she took a comical bow. “Back to your food now, nothing to see here, folks.” Laughing, she went back out to the deck where Laurent still stood, his admiration and the need to protect her warring inside him.

“Sorry about that. He’s been a problem for a few weeks. So do you know what you want?”

“Are you all right?” Laurent, still on his feet, asked, concerned and furious.

Confusion scattered over her face and then she got what he meant. “Leon, you mean? He’s an idiot.”

“You did look like you could handle yourself quite ably.” Andreas tugged on Laurent, pulling him back to his chair. “Give me the western omelet with two slices of sourdough.”

She looked to Laurent, who cleared his throat. Seeing her in action made him drunk with her. She was magnificent. “What do you recommend?”

“Well what do you like? Are you a vegetarian or vegan? Do you like eggs? Big meat eater?”

“Yes I like eggs and yes I eat meat.”

“The omelets are very good. Alex is a whiz. I had some of the smoked ham this morning before we opened and it was yummy. You can have the ham and eggs. Comes with two eggs done any style you like, toast and three pancakes. Or you can have the western omelet. The waffles are really good too. My personal favorite are the strawberry waffles with bacon—there’s just something heavenly about the way bacon tastes when it touches maple syrup or strawberries but I’m weird so don’t mind me.” Her eyes danced with amusement but there was a sadness there too, it touched him deeply.

“I’ll have the strawberry waffles with bacon then. Six slices though, I’m very hungry.”

She took the menus from them. “You got it.”

When she’d gone back inside Andreas began to laugh quietly.

“What?” Laurent growled, feeling a bit more like himself.

“You, my brother, are smitten.”

“Yes,” he said, smiling again. “I do believe I am.”

“It’s good to see. It’s time to have someone of your own, someone to love and cherish. You’ve spent four years protecting my Mate and my children. Sixteen years protecting me. I haven’t seen you interested in a woman like this. Not ever. It’s time to start your own family.”

Laurent simply nodded. He loved Andreas, Kari and their children very much. But Andreas was right, it was time to have it for himself.

* * *

“Rain, who are the hunks out on the deck? I’ll trade you tables,” one of the other servers offered.

Rain snorted. “Don’t think so! The blond one is wearing a wedding ring and the dark one is, well, mine. At least while they’re here.”

She checked back on her other tables, refilling coffee and juice. On a pass through his section, Shane had just stood to leave, tossing several bills down. “Don’t forget about The Holt. Call me if you need any help choosing pieces to put in your portfolio.”

“Oh really? I’d appreciate that a lot.”

Shane was just taking off in his career. He was a painter and also did large sculpture and multimedia works. He knew how hard it was to get a career off the ground and he’d been really supportive of Rain. They’d flirted a lot and up until tall, dark and sexy walked in she’d always been sad Shane had a girlfriend.

“It’s no problem. I mean it. You know my number. Call me if you need help.”

Rain hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you so much.”

He laughed and waved as he left and she headed to the kitchen to pick up the orders for her handsome men on the deck.

She brought out their food and placed it before them. “Can I get you anything else?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. Would it be possible for me to have your phone number?” Awkwardness was an uncomfortable thing for Laurent. He wasn’t used to this sort of thing. Women usually approached him. More than that, he couldn’t say he’d cared one way or another about any particular woman before. Until this one.

“How do I know you aren’t an ax murderer or something?” she asked, her mouth curved slightly.

“I give you my word that I am not an ax murderer.” Laurent made an “X” across his heart. “Anyway, I bet ax murderers don’t eat strawberry waffles.”

Rain hesitated as she thought it over. He willed her to agree. “Well. I don’t usually do this but since you did try the strawberry waffles on my recommendation you do show some taste.” She wrote her phone number down on a sheet in her order pad and tore it off, handing it to him. “I’m Rain Foster.”

Laurent stood, towering over her, and took her hand, kissing her knuckles softly. Her scent sang through his senses, tightening his gut, making him dizzy with need for her. “Rain? That’s a very pretty name. I’m Laurent, Laurent Cole. I’m pleased to meet you.”

She raised an eyebrow at that and he sat back down. Andreas cleared this throat. Without looking at his friend, Laurent just waved a hand in his direction. “Oh and this is Andreas Phinney. He’s married.” Andreas threw back his head and laughed at that.

“Nice to meet you both. I’ve got to get back to work. Enjoy your breakfast. I’ll be by in a bit to see if you need anything else.” With a small wave she headed back inside, the long rope of her dark hair swinging from side to side down her back.

Laurent grumbled but his bad mood was softened when he tasted the waffles. She’d been right, they were indeed quite delicious and the bacon with the sweetness of the waffles and fruit was perfect, as she’d promised.

“You’ll have to woo her now. You can’t have a situation like mine. It was hell to have Kari so angry at me when Michael bit her. Don’t rush her. Human women need time. It’s not like they meet werewolves every day,” Andreas told him.

He snorted. “I’ll use all your failings as lessons.”

Andreas punched his arm with a teasing growl. “At least you won’t be fawning over Kari anymore.”

Laurent snorted but his eyes never left Rain. “Your little mate is such a pleasure to look at. I can’t say I plan to stop. But while I will continue to enjoy her putting you through your paces, I’ve got my own bundle of feminine trouble now.”

Andreas grunted as he ate his breakfast. “I can’t wait to see her knock you down a few pegs.”

She came back out a few times to check in. When they were done Laurent left a twenty for a tip. “What kind of change back do you need for that?” she said, digging into the apron she wore tied at her waist.

“None, it was a wonderful meal and your service was exceptional.”

“Your bill was barely even twenty bucks.”

He shrugged. “Consider it a compliment on the service. I’ll be calling you soon, Rain.”

* * *

When Rain’s shift ended at noon she rode her bike back home and eagerly began to examine the photographs of her paintings. She needed to decide which ones she wanted to put in her portfolio to show to The Holt people. She knew how important the choices were and it made her nervous and excited at the same time. If this worked out she’d have her big break.

“Hey, Rain, what’s happening?”

Rain looked over at her roommate and pseudo big brother as he entered the room.

“Shane came in today and told me The Holt is looking for submissions for shows. I’m as nervous as a cat because I’m trying to decide which paintings to show them,” she said, looking back through the pictures.

Harrison moved to stand behind her, looking over her shoulder at the pictures arrayed on the table in front of her. “Hmm. Well, you’d be a fool not to submit Meteor Shower and Whirlpool. I think those two are exactly what the folks who buy from The Holt like to see.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he looked at the photographs on the table and then walked over to the wall where the canvases leaned. He looked through them for a while before turning back to her. “Add in Picasso’s Dream and Crazy Diamond and, for the last, King’s Men will add a nice variety of style. I’d say those five are your strongest pieces by far. Add in some of your other stuff, don’t overfill the portfolio though. Not more than ten photographs. Don’t overwhelm, let your work suck them in.”

Rain sighed with relief. “That’s what Shane said. I called him twenty minutes ago in a panic. He’s going to look over the portfolio before I submit it.”

Rain’s work was awash with color and texture. It was abstract but at the same time it gave a feel, an impression of what she was trying to convey. She liked big natural events and historical figures. She’d just finished Crazy Diamond two days prior. It was big, much bigger than her usual stuff, the colors were bold, reds and silvers and blues and blacks. She had a good feeling about it.

“Shane’s a good guy. He can be a lot of help to you, in the Northwest especially,” he said. “And if I’m not mistaken he’s got a bit of a crush on you.”

Harrison Watts was a photographer and a damned good one. He’d spent fifteen years freelancing for the AP wire doing work in war zones. His girlfriend of eight years had been shot and killed while on assignment in Bosnia and it had gutted him. It had taken him two years to pick up the camera again and now he chose to stick stateside. His work, though, was still compelling. He’d just finished a photo essay for the Seattle Times featuring the residents of a homeless encampment that ran along and underneath the 5 Freeway. He owned the space she and their other roommate Elton shared with him. Harrison didn’t need renters, he had money. He just liked sharing his space with other artists.

“Shane has a girlfriend. He’s a flirt, not a cad. Anyway, I met a guy today.”

“Yeah? What’s he like and how could he possibly be good enough for you?” he asked, kissing the top of her head and yanking on her braid.

“He’s dark and mysterious and has a voice like honey. Big, at least six-four, and muscled. Not my usual type at all. He’s got hair nearly as long as mine. He chatted me up at The Cat this morning. Asked for my number.” She shrugged, fighting a blush and feigning nonchalance. Laurent was way more man than she could possibly handle. And yet, she couldn’t quite bring herself to blow him off.

Harrison made a sound of disapproval. “You don’t know this guy from Adam and you gave him your number? Honey.”

She knew he was being protective, but she wasn’t that dumb. “I don’t usually. Really. But yeah I did. I don’t know, there’s just something about him. He probably won’t even call but if he does I’ll be careful. I’ll meet him in a public place with people around.”

“Be sure you do. There are loads of freaks in the world who prey on pretty, sweet women like you. I should meet him just to be sure.”

“I have a father and he’s an asshole, I don’t need another one. And I’m not naïve you know. I can handle myself.”

He laughed, putting his hands up in defense. “Okay, just please be careful.”

* * *

Back at the lodge, Laurent had told everyone about meeting his Mate. He and Andreas had discussed different strategies to bring Rain into the Pack carefully and in ways that wouldn’t scare her. He hoped she wanted to be part of his family. It would be hard enough on her life to have to move and make the conversion, the thought of it being scary for her made him want to take it at her pace, even when his natural instincts were to grab her and run.

“So tell me about her,” Kari demanded as they sat around the dinner table after a late lunch.

The entire family crammed around the table. Andreas’s brothers Sean and Devon were there with their wives Emma and Perri. Pack Fifth in command Skye smirked as Ryan, another member of the Inner Circle, smiled, looking pleased for his friend. The children had finished eating and Kari’s bodyguard Phillip busily chased them around the yard with their uncle Jack.

Laurent smiled as he thought about Rain. “Beautiful in a lush, delicious way.” Curves for miles. “Tall for a human woman, about five-nine or so. Long black hair, like mine, she wore it in a braid this morning. Great legs, heart-shaped ass.” He paused and thought about that braid swinging like a living thing, her bottom swaying as she walked.

Kari winked after snapping her fingers in front of his face a few times. “Earth to Laurent?”

“She’s very strong. We saw her kick a man out of the place.”

“What, you didn’t run over and try to save her?” Kari knew full well what male werewolves were like when their Mates were threatened.

“I wanted to. Andreas made me stand down. She’d taken care of it herself by that point.” He took a sip of his wine and continued. “Her eyes are more brown than green, with a gold ring around the iris. She has thick black lashes. Lovely mouth, carnal almost.” Her bottom lip had tempted him to lean in and take a taste. “Dimples. Gorgeous smile.”

“What about the rest of her?” Skye asked, wagging his brows suggestively.

“Ugh.” Kari rolled her eyes.

“Do tell though,” Ryan added.

“She’s curvy. One of those classic long-line backs. That slope right above her ass was exquisite. Nice hips, she’s got flesh there, her thighs were rounded. Plenty for a man to hold onto in bed. And her skin was soft as velvet when I took her hand to kiss it.”

“Keep going.” Skye made a motion with his hand.

“Enough about that. Her hands were beautiful. Long fingers. I noticed she had paint under her nails and I smelled turpentine, maybe she’s an artist.” Laurent leaned back and closed his eyes, thinking of her again.

“Oh my, you’re as bad as Andreas was when he came home that day after he’d seen Kari the first time,” Anna said.

“She’d better be good enough for you,” Kari told him. “I have to admit it’ll be nice to have another woman around here who was born human. Perhaps I can help ease her way as well.”

“Thank you, reine.” Packs were like big families, complex with the history that came along with it. Anyone coming into that from the outside could be totally overwhelmed so he appreciated knowing his friends would welcome Rain.

“I have to change gears now, so to speak. Approach her like a human. I’ll call her, ask her to dinner. Get to know her. Hopefully she’ll be amenable to coming up to visit the lodge soon. For the immediate future, Andreas, Skye said he’d trade with me so that he can be on duty whatever night I go out with her.”

Laurent was the Pack’s Lieutenant and Andreas’s personal bodyguard. He’d been so for sixteen years. He was the chief law enforcement for the Pack. It meant though that he had to be at Andreas’s side or at least in the same place at all times.

Andreas said, “We’ll need to talk about this more in-depth. Once you’re Mated you’ll still be Lieutenant but my bodyguard needs to be an unmated wolf. You are irreplaceable, but that’s what I need to do. What do you think of Alek as your replacement? He’s strong, loyal and young enough but not too young.”

Laurent shrugged. “Who’d have thought that Alex and his brother would turn out to be such strong Pack members?” For a time they’d been suspicious that Alek’s brother Alex was responsible for the attempts on Kari’s life, sadly it turned out to be their own cousin Michael. “I hate to leave you hanging.”

“It’s the way of things. Time for you to move on from a job you did so well your shoes will be impossible to fill, but I’m happy for you. Seeing you in love makes my heart glad.” Andreas reached over and clapped his shoulder.

Kari reached out and took Andreas’s hand and he kissed her fingers. “This makes me think about our first months together. Except for being charged in a murder attempt and all the other drama.” She laughed and he touched her face. Laurent used to ache when he saw their connection, wanting it for himself. And now he had it. His whole life opened before his eyes, so much waiting to be experienced.

“Go and call the woman! Don’t leave her waiting. What if another man is interested?” Skye grinned.

“There are no other men for her. She’ll know that now that she’s met me,” Laurent said, smug.

Andreas apparently found that hilarious enough to laugh heartily. “My little wolf taught me a great many things about human women. Don’t expect Rain to fall into your lap so easily.”

Laurent sniffed indignantly, waving it away. “Please. There is no other for her. I’m hers, she is mine. Of this there is no doubt.” He stood up. “I need to call the records office tomorrow to follow up. Her DNA was on the paper she wrote her number on, I saw her lick her finger to separate the page from the others. I couriered it over before we left Seattle. They’re running it to see who she is and what lines she has.”

Werewolves had a very sophisticated records registry. Because not all werewolf females could reproduce and even then, most of the children born were male, it became necessary over time to find human women who were compatible for mating. Usually this meant that the woman had another relative who had crossed over and mated with a shifter in the past. Kari, for instance, had three relatives in her past who were changed, one was even an Alpha so she’d had a natural wolf in her family too.

The records office used to search by name but now they had a DNA registry that made everything even easier. The humans had no idea such things were possible—werewolves or that there was data that tracked their genetic histories through human records. Technology had saved their species many times.

“If you’ll all excuse me, I’m off to call my woman.” With a low bow Laurent left to head to his room.