New Alpha-New Rules (11 page)

Harper decided
that past was past and to let it go. If they hated her, there was nothing that
she could do about it and she had a new pack to concentrate on. If she wanted
to be a part of this pack, she must adapt to their ways, she told herself. That
meant letting them know where she was, eating her meals even when she wasn’t
hungry and getting up before the chickens to cook breakfast. Maybe when she got
the hang of things, she could negotiate with Cindy to take lunch and
alternating dinners if Cindy would handle breakfast. Harper did not like early,
not one little bit.

“You okay?” Cindy
asked pulling up to the house. “You’re extra quiet.”

“I’m fine. I saw
someone that I used to know and my mind wandered. That’s all. Let’s get
cooking, we have a lot to do.”

“Lunch first, we
are behind schedule.” Cindy climbed out of the truck and the front door opened.
Eric and Evan, the twins came outside to grab bags. Between the two of them,
they nearly emptied the back of the truck. Silently, they carried the bags
inside then disappeared.

Harper wondered
where they’d gone to because the bags crowded the counters and table but she
didn’t pass them on the way inside. Cindy must’ve noticed her looking for them.
“Back door.” Cindy said and started unloading her items from the bags. “Those
two are like ghosts. They only appear once in a while and then they’re gone
like that.” She snapped her fingers and smiled. “Grab stuff and put it where
you think it should go. This is your kitchen after all as soon as you mate with
Ryder but close enough. Besides, we haven’t really organized yet.”

“I can do that for
you.” Harper volunteered.

“Like I said it’s
your kitchen. You’re part of this now, do what you like. You don’t have to ask
permission.” Harper considered that for a moment then nodded. She started opening
cabinets and looking at what was in them then adding items they’d bought. “I
think sandwiches again. Harper found the onions they bought, tomatoes, and
lettuce. “Cheese too.” Cindy said and Harper got it from the place in the
fridge where she’d stowed it.

“Do you have
sandwiches every day?” Harper asked slicing an onion. Cindy put the last of the
groceries away.

“No, but we have
since we got here. We used to slow cook beans or make soup but I haven’t
settled in yet. I’m still unpacking and they’re busy fixing. We’ll get there.”
Harper nodded.

“Extra onion on
mine.” Ryder wrapped his arms around her then, startling her. “Easy.” He
soothed then kissed her neck. Harper leaned into him. Would she ever get used
to this man being this close? Would she ever stop being so jumpy? She loved his
hugs and kisses but she wasn’t used to it. It wasn’t something Bronson would
ever do. She scolded herself, stop thinking about him, Ryder isn’t Bronson,
he’s gone, get him out of your head. The truth was though that she’d spent the
last ten years with him and there was no switch to turn it off or to shut him
out.  She needed a mental file drawer to lock him up in. “Got the freezer on
the way Cindy, we need to clean out the laundry room and move it all to the
basement. I’ll get the electrical installed after lunch. No washing today,
okay?” Cindy gave him a whoop and Harper laughed.

“I think she’s
disappointed.” Harper grinned and they both laughed.

“I’m going to open
up that dumbwaiter we found and get it working for you too.”

“Don’t worry about
that being a priority, they can walk down and get the clothes. You need to get
the attic finished.” She gave him a knowing look. He nodded. “Twenty till
lunch, tell the boys.” She said to his retreating back. Harper missed his heat
that had wrapped around her a moment ago but spread out the bread slices on
paper plates trying to ignore the bereft feeling. “We’ll get you mated in no
time.” Cindy said brightly.

“I…um…” Harper
took a breath.

“You do want to
mate him right?” Harper nodded and grinned. “Good.” Cindy let out a pent up
breath. “It will do both of you a lot of good and the pack will settle too. A
pack is always more at ease and stronger if the Alpha is mated.

Harper had almost
confided in her about this morning. How she’d offered herself and how he’d shut
her down but thought better of it. That wasn’t her concern and Harper wasn’t
sure that she wanted everyone to know that perhaps he wasn’t as interested as
everyone thought he was. She wasn’t sure. His actions said differently during
the day with everyone watching but when they were alone…not so much. She
squirted mustard across the sandwiches then grabbed the mayo to do the same.
The men started piling into the kitchen soon after and waited anxiously around
the table.

“What are they
doing?” She asked Cindy.

“Waiting for us of
course.” She took a plate with a small sandwich in one hand and a normal
looking one in the other. “Get yours and Ryder’s.” Cindy pointed with her chin
at the food. Harper took them then went to the table. When she turned she
gasped. They were crowded around the counter like ants after a piece of candy. She
giggled and arms came around her silencing her.

“They are hungry.”
He murmured against her ear. “They should be, they are almost finished with our
room. The floor is in, the walls and ceilings are done except paint and the
bathroom is roughed in. We should probably thank them.” She nodded. “Eat.”
Harper sat and he sat beside her.

The crowd around
her ate and joked with each other. She wondered where Nicole and her pups were
but was glad at the same time she wasn’t here. She was one nasty piece of work.
Nicole breezed in then like a queen. The queen of lazy, Cindy called her. She
watched Nicole survey the lunch offerings. Justin, Jasper, and Kelly wandered
in as well. They all looked as if they’d just woken up. Each of them grabbed a
plate and a soda then sat at the counter. Nicole was still looking. She stuck a
chip in her mouth and scowled. Harper felt Ryder tense beside her. Nicole wasn’t
eating and it was making him anxious. She felt him growl low in his belly and
glanced around at the others. No one heard it but her.

“Ryder?” She said
quietly and he gazed down at her. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to say to him
but she needed to distract him from Nicole. It was clear to her what the
manipulative wolf was doing because she’d looked over at him twice now
purposely not eating. “After lunch, can we take a walk?” His brow dipped for a
second then nodded. He looked back over at Nicole. Lucy squirmed around next to
her on the bench then tugged on Harpers sleeve. “What’s wrong Lucy?” Harper
asked looking down into her angelic face that was smeared on one side with
mustard.

“She’s doing that
on purpose.” Lucy murmured.

“I know. It’s rude
don’t you think?”

“I think she
should go to her room since she’s only making Ryder mad.” Harper pressed her
lips together into a hard white line. Ryder was watching them when she turned
back around. Harper shifted closer to him so her leg touched his from hip to
knee. Another growl rumbled through him, this one much different from the last.
Nicole turned and left the kitchen without food.

“Good thing she
has their room stockpiled with groceries. She’s eating better than the rest of
us.” Cindy said to no one in particular.

“What do you
mean?” Ryder asked.

“The kids told me.
She sneaks in here at night and steals from the pack.” Harper’s mouth gaped
open with disbelief.

“True that Ry.”
Jasper turned his stool around. “She’s probably having an all you can eat
buffet right now.”

“Yeah, she only
comes out here to see what we’re eating. She never had any intention of eating
lunch with the pack.” Kelly said. Ryder nodded and finished his sandwich and
his soda then carried his trash to the bin.

 “She thinks she’s
better than the pack. She says the pack is dirt under her feet.” Justin
finished quietly. “Don’t hold it against us,” he pointed at himself and his
siblings. Ryder clamped a big hand on the young wolf’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry. You
guys are pack as long as you want. Right?” Ryder looked over his shoulder at
everyone eating at the massive table and got the confirmation from the group.
“Meantime, you all should incorporate yourselves into the pack and what it is
trying to accomplish instead of holing up in your room with that game. Come
out, have some fresh air, get some exercise, and help with the house. You might
have fun and you may learn something.” They all nodded and smiled up at him.
Harper wondered what he would do about Nicole.

Will and Matt came
in from the field through the back door. Cindy sat up and watched him. He
quirked an eyebrow at her then grinned but went to wash his hands in the
kitchen sink. Will grabbed his sandwich and stood at the counter beside his
pups. “Where’s mom?”

“Eating in the
room.” Kelly offered without looking at him. He took his plate and left the
kitchen.

“Put your trash
away and let’s take that walk.” Ryder murmured in her ear sending delicious
shivers across her skin. Harper hurried to the trash, she felt him behind her.
When she turned he was there taking her hand. He led her out through the living
room and onto the front porch. “Where shall we walk?” He asked. She shrugged.

“I’ve explored the
yard, what’s out there?” She pointed at the tree line.

“There’s a small
pond full of turtles and there are trees, want to see?” She nibbled her lip and
nodded. “I suspect you only asked me out here to distract me from Nicole but
I’m going to walk with you anyway. I’m hoping that once we are away from the house
I can steal a kiss.” He grinned down at her and she felt her skin flush.

“She’s
manipulating you, even Lucy knows it, and she’s what five? Don’t let Nicole do
that to you. I don’t want to speak out of turn because I’m new here but that
woman is…” She huffed, disgusted.

“I know.” He grinned
down at her. “But we all love the kids and we all love Will. He’s a good man so
we tolerate her to keep him around.”

“Okay. Maybe
someone should speak to her about her behavior.”

“As soon as there
is an Alpha female, someone will.” He steered her around a fallen tree branch.
They were nearing the trees.

“Me?” She
squeaked. “You want me to talk to her? I…no. I’m no Alpha and that woman is
more than a little intimidating.”

“It’s a show. She
thinks she’s beautiful and that it entitles her to something. She needs brought
down a peg or five. The Alpha female disciplines, you need to let her know that
you are not pleased with her behavior and that you expect more out of her and
her pups.” She scented water and other animals. They stepped between two small
cedars and she spotted the pond. The water was green with algae and turtles
poked their heads up through it while others lounged on the bank.

“What are they
doing? Why are there so many?” He shrugged. “How do you feel about turtle
soup?” He shrugged again. “I’ll call Uncle Bobby and get the recipe. He used to
make it when I was a child but we may have to give up some turtles in the
process.

“No
problem, we have plenty.” He pointed and she followed his finger. Moving so
slowly that it looked like a statue; a heron was on the other side of the pond.
It stepped so slowly and carefully that the water didn’t ripple when it moved.
It was staring down into the water watching something. Its long beak was a
pointer at its prey, and his neck a piston when he finally decided to strike.
His head bobbed down through the water and he came up with a silver fish that
wriggled in its mouth. Two gulps and the fish disappeared down its long
graceful throat.

Harper watched,
fascinated, and then felt Ryder watching her. She looked up and suddenly felt
like the fish, like prey. He moved slowly, like the heron, like a predator
stalking her. His hands trailed up her arms until they landed on her face. His
large hands gripped her head gently and tilted her face up to his. He had such
beautiful deep dark eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. They glittered, the
toffee flecks around his pupils, almost like gold.

He stepped closer
then dipped his head to press his mouth to hers. Harper opened when his tongue
sought entrance. She wanted this, needed it. All of the muscles deep in her
belly clenched sweetly sending dark desire through her. His tongue darted in to
taste her and she relaxed against him. Her arms found their way around his
waist and her fingers explored the muscles of his back. He was so strong, like
chiseled granite under her fingertips. “Soon.” He murmured against her mouth
and she leaned against him letting him hold her. His kiss ended too soon but
she’d felt him harden against her. He wanted her. There was no doubt that he
wanted her. By the way her body throbbed, clenched and moistened she wanted him
too.

They walked in
easy silence back to the house. He had her hand gripped firmly but gently. She
felt comfortable with him and safe. That was a foreign feeling. She’d not felt
safe since she was a small girl and didn’t realize it until now. She scowled.
Her only hope was that Bronson’s hell was as horrific as her life had been for
the past ten years. Maybe it was her who died and this was heaven. She stole a
glance up at Ryder. He moved with such easy grace that she felt clumsy next to
him. Harper stumbled then over an uneven clod. Ryder caught her as she cussed
and kept her from falling.

“You okay?” He
looked concerned.

“Nothing more than
my pride hurt.” She muttered. He looked at the ground, squatting beside what
she’d tripped over once he made sure that she was steady. He grunted then
grinned. “What?”

“Moles.”

“Eww.” Harper
cringed. He smirked up at her. “They’re so ugly. Have you ever seen one? They
don’t have eyes and they’re weird.” He smirked again.

“They’re fun
though.” Her brows climbed. “The boys love a good scavenger hunt and it gives
me an idea. Come on.” He took her hand again and tugged her along faster than
they’d been walking but she didn’t mind. If there were moles out here, eww, she
thought again, then she didn’t want to be out here. He went straight up the
stairs and she headed for the kitchen. She needed to get busy on that turkey.

“You’re back.”
Cindy said looking up from the mixing bowl. “Good. The turkey is waiting for
you.” She poured the cake batter into the pan and smoothed it out then popped
it in the oven. “We’ll get this baked first so it can cool while the turkey
bakes.” She smiled then picked up the bowl and mixing beaters and put them in
the sink. “How was your walk?” Harper flushed and looked away. “That good huh?
Wait until you’re mated.” She waggled her eyebrows. “I think Ryder will
be…interesting.”

“How will Ryder be
interesting?” Ryder asked, coming into the kitchen. Harper hid her face in her
hands.

“In the bedroom.”
Cindy said matter of fact. “I was telling Harper that when you’re mated you
will be interesting in the bedroom.” Ryder pulled Harper into his arms and
gently pulled her hands from her face.

“I will be
interesting, she’s right.” He winked at her. “In fact, good news. The bedroom
is nearly finished. The boys are heading into town to get a tub, sink, and
toilet. Is white okay?” She nodded. “I don’t know if they will finish the
bathroom today, it’s possible but the floor is in, the drywall finished
throughout and the sanding is done. I’m having them wait until tomorrow to
paint though. I don’t to smell that all night. They’ve worked hard and I’m
proud of them. I have some things in the barn to see to, I’ll see you at
dinner.” Ryder pulled her closer and kissed her again. It wasn’t as romantic or
as long as the kiss by the pond but it still melted her. “Soon.” He whispered
for only her to hear and she felt her face go puce. She was behaving like a virgin.
She scolded herself. When she looked up Cindy was fanning herself.

“Mathew needs to
find a job closer to home.” Harper laughed. “A week ago, I was running him out
of my kitchen and today…” She sighed. “Interesting.”

“I never felt this
way before.” Harper admitted. “These feelings are all so new.”

“You were mated
before.” Cindy scoffed.

“But it wasn’t
like this. He wasn’t like him. He was cruel and I was only his possession to
abuse.” Cindy gave her a pitying look. “Don’t.” She said. “It’s why I blush
like a girl and why I’m so skittish. I want to please him.”

“Oh, I’d say you
have that down. I’ve never seen him more pleased.” Cindy laughed. “Seriously
though Harper, you are going to have a blessed life if you mate him. I mean it.
Ryder is the best. He is the best Alpha that I’ve ever met.” Harper smiled.

“I know.” Harper
went to get a large pan and some foil from the cabinet. She loaded the bird
into the pan then mixed herbs and butter that she stuffed under the skin. It
was something her mother did. This bird didn’t come with a pop up timer button
in his thigh so she pushed the thermometer that she’d bought at the grocer into
his flesh. Once she’d trussed him with butcher’s string, she turned the bird
breast down in the pan. She turned to find Cindy staring at her with one
eyebrow raised. “What?”

“He’s upside down
hun.” Harper laughed.

“I know. Half way
through I will turn him over but this way the breast won’t dry out.” Cindy
shook her head. “Really, it’s how my mother did it. You’ll see. It’s awesome, I
promise.”

“I hope you’re
right because Ryder is a turkey fanatic.” Harper smiled brightly knowing they
were meant to be if that was true because it was her favorite too.

“Earlier we saw
evidence of moles out in the field and he got excited, what was that about?”

“Crap.” Cindy
said. “I hate doing that.”

“What?” Harper
asked.

“Mole hunts. Are
they not the nastiest things? If there’s one there’s more and he loves to sick
the pack on them. Well, the boys like it. Maybe I will get a headache.” Cindy
chuckled.

Harper seasoned
her bird with salt and pepper then stuffed a halved lemon and an onion inside
him. Cindy watched. “No stuffing?” Harper shook her head.

“Not in there.”
She scrunched her nose and Cindy made a face at her. “You’ll see.”

“So is there going
to be stuffing?” Cindy’s brows raised with hope. Harper laughed.

“You like
stuffing.” Cindy nodded. “Okay then I will make stuffing but it wasn’t on his
list.”

“It was implied
under ‘all the trimmings’.”

“Did they save the
insides?”

“Yep, in a ceramic
bowl in the fridge.” Harper went to find it then put its contents in a saucepan.
She simmered the items from the bowl while she heated chicken broth.

“I’m ready to
taste that frosting now.” Lucy said climbing up on a stool.

“We haven’t
started that yet Lucy. Your jobs won’t come until later.” Lucy pouted.

“How about you go
brush your hair like I asked you to before breakfast.” She climbed down and
left. “She’s not going to do it.” Cindy said. “That kid is the devil wrapped in
an angel suit.” Harper giggled.

***

Harper was mashing
potatoes when Alan, Jack, and Curtis wandered into the kitchen. They’d cleaned
up and were waiting patiently at the table while Lucy set the places. Jasper,
Justin, and Kelly came in next and sat down. Harper knew they were there but
didn’t notice their eyes until she was almost finished. She glanced up and
froze. Eric, Evan, and Lee sat at the bar in front of her. Every pack member in
the kitchen watched her.