True Alpha (15 page)

Mandy grinned, pleased at the perfect excuse. “I know just the place.”

She’d only been to the donut shop once, years ago when she’d come to the Smokies on vacation, but she remembered it so vividly that her mouth watered at the thought. She led the way out of the parking garage and onto the sidewalk that bordered the long stretch of shopping centers, restaurants and attractions. “I think it’s this way.” The part of town it was situated in was memorable, and she knew she was in the right place when she caught a glimpse of a cute German-style building with a peaked roof and dark beams crisscrossing the creamy white store front. “Here we are,” she said, stepping into the village-like shopping center.

The dual-aroma of coffee and donuts drifted out to her like a dream, teasing as it enabled her to zero right in on the shop she remembered. Stepping inside, the air was so fragrant she could almost taste sweet icing and bold coffee. She ordered a cream-filled donut and a cup of decaf and waited for the others before stepping outside and settling down at one of several outdoor tables.

“God, this is amazing,” April said, wiping a tiny dot of cream from her upper lip with a napkin. “Do you come here often?”

Mandy shook her head and swallowed a sip of coffee. “Virtually never.” That was probably for the best – she could only imagine how much weight she’d gain if she allowed herself to indulge in the shop’s treats on a regular basis. “Jack would rather spend an afternoon watching paint dry than visit crowded tourist spots.”

“Yeah, it is kind of cramped,” Violet said. “We’re lucky we got a table.” The others had quickly filled. At the closest adjacent table was a couple with a toddler; seeing them caused Mandy to imagine how she, Jack and their child might look together about two years in the future, and the next was taken by a middle-aged man in hiking gear. The rest were occupied by all sorts of tourists, from those who looked as if they wanted nothing more than to shop ‘till they dropped to those who seemed more interested in outdoor pursuits.

They gave up their table to a family of four after finishing their donuts, and Mandy tossed her empty coffee cup into a trash can as she, Clarissa, Violet and April crossed the street, intent on making the most of their sugar-fueled shopping trip. Their first stop was a two-story store that boasted a window full of all sorts of wedding dresses – hopefully, their assortment included maternity gowns.

“We’ve got several maternity styles,” the sales girl said when Mandy asked, “and a few more regular dresses with loose waists that might fit as well, if you want to try them.”

The sales girl filled a rack next to a fitting room with suitable dresses in Mandy’s size, and all four women began to search through them.

“This one has really pretty embroidery,” April said, pulling out a skirt and exposing the fine stitching to the light.

“I’ll try it,” Mandy said, and carried it carefully into the fitting room.

Five minutes later, she cracked the door and poked her head out. “Could someone zip me up?”

Clarissa pulled the zipper up, and Mandy stepped out of the dressing room and onto a low platform in front of a three-way mirror. “Hmm.” She twirled slowly, checking out the dress’ fit from multiple angles. Unfortunately, any way she looked at it, the gown made her look as if she were full-term and carrying triplets. “Maybe something a little less bulky?” If she wore such a full skirt she’d look like a house standing beside Jack, who was guaranteed to look trim and perfect in a tuxedo.

“How about this?” Clarissa pulled a sheathe-like gown from the rack.

“Looks like a more flattering fit,” Mandy said, reaching for it.

It was flattering – too flattering. After Clarissa zipped her up and she stepped onto the platform, she almost felt embarrassed. The dress showed off her pregnant figure … all of it, including and especially her breasts. The plunging neckline left little to the imagination. “I think I’d prefer something a little more demure.”

The third dress was it –
the
dress. Mandy hadn’t counted on finding a dress so quickly, or one that she felt absolutely sure of within seconds of donning, but it was difficult to imagine a more ideal gown. “What do you think?”

She spun – carefully – on top of the platform. The white A-line skirt flared slightly around her ankles, and she could just imagine it fluttering in a mountain breeze. The neckline revealed a hint of cleavage but was reasonably conservative, and a combination of elegant beading and embroidery circled the high waist, which rested just above the upper swell of her belly. Overall, it was breezy, elegant and simple – perfect for a mountain wedding.

“It’s beautiful,” Violet said.

“I love it,” Clarissa declared, and April agreed.

Mandy stopped mid-spin, the skirt flaring as she faced the light pouring through the window – and locked gazes with a stranger.

A man stood on the sidewalk, still in the middle of an ever-flowing stream of tourists, several yards away from the wide display window. He stared directly between two dressed-up mannequins at Mandy. His blue eyes were bright, his gaze intense and his expression … thoughtful? Wistful, maybe? Whatever it was, she certainly hadn’t expected to find it on the face of a strange man watching her show off her new-found wedding gown.

“What is it?” April raised her brows and cast a glance over her shoulder, following Mandy’s gaze.

But the man had turned on his heel and was already disappearing into the crowd. With a last flash of the green hiking backpack he wore slung over his shoulder, he was gone.

“The man from the table across from ours at the donut shop,” Mandy said, her memory buzzing to life. “He was watching me through the window.”

Chapter 8

“Well, you do look beautiful,” Clarissa said.

“Thanks, but…” Mandy stepped down off the platform, feeling suddenly uneasy about being on display. The man’s gaze hadn’t seemed lavicious or sexually charged, just … strange. “I don’t think it was
that
sort of look.” Besides, there were dozens of women milling about in every direction – how many men would make it a point to spy on an obviously pregnant bride-to-be?

Violet was frowning as she stared out the window at the place where the man had stood. “What did he look like? We should keep an eye out for him on our way out of here, just in case he’s some sort of creep.”

“Middle-aged,” Mandy said. “Tall with an athletic sort of build. Brown hair, blue eyes. Green backpack.”

“How about a veil?” April suggested after a few silent moments passed.

Mandy kept the dress on so she could try different veil styles with it. In the end, she chose a classic style – a long veil made of fine mesh with a pretty lace trim.

Clarissa wisely suggested that Mandy select a wrap to match her dress, as it would doubtlessly be cool outside on the day of her autumn wedding. It didn’t take long for Mandy to select a simple one that complemented her dress and would guard her at least a little against the seasonal chill.

As for shoes, she selected a pair of white flats – after her last job interview, she wasn’t about to don heels. Her footwear would be hidden beneath her skirt anyway.

The last order of business was ordering Jack a tux; Mandy had taken his measurements at home and written them down on a scrap of paper. After selecting a classic style he’d look great in – he looked great in anything, even old jeans and faded flannel shirts – she placed the order and arranged to pick it up in a couple days.

“I can’t believe how quick that was,” April said when they breezed out of the shop about an hour and a half after they’d entered.

“Leaves more time for dinner,” Clarissa said as a light wind gusted by, sending their bags swinging.

Mandy clutched the bag that held her veil – the others had insisted on carrying everything else – as they emerged onto the sidewalk. Remembering that odd moment on the platform, she scanned the crowd for any sign of the man with the green backpack, but he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he’d been looking for someone else, or maybe he’d just been checking out the shops. If it hadn’t been for the moment they’d locked gazes, she wouldn’t have thought anything of it.

****

“Look at that!” Clarissa beamed as she leaned over Mandy’s belly, pointing to where a tiny foot was visible, pressing out from the inside as the baby wiggled and stretched.

Only it wasn’t a human foot with a heel and five little toes – it was a paw. “Wow.” Mandy carefully pressed a fingertip against the foot. She’d known that the babies of two werewolf parents sometimes shape-shifted briefly while in the womb, but she’d never witnessed it before. The phenomenon was yet another reason why she was so lucky to have Clarissa around – if an ordinary OBGYN had seen the paw straining her round belly, they would’ve freaked out.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Clarissa said, taking off her stethoscope. Mandy’s bed was serving as an examination table, and Clarissa’s bag of medical supplies rested on the floor beside it. “Just a couple more months and he – or she – won’t be able to do that anymore. At least, not for quite a while.”

“It’s weird to think that even full-blooded shifters have to go years without changing even once.” As Jack had once explained to her, shifters didn’t actually gain the ability to shift back and forth between their two forms until about the time they began puberty. Mandy silently thanked God that she, a half-blood, hadn’t discovered her ability until much later – that particular phase of life had been awkward enough without having to worry about sprouting a tail and paws.

“Weird, yeah, but it makes sense when you think about it; children are what keep packs in touch with their human sides. Without young ones to care for, shifters might live as wolves all the time – like animals – and lose touch with what sets us apart from truly wild creatures.”

“Huh.” Mandy leaned back against a stack of pillows as Clarissa measured her belly with a special tape. “I never thought of it that way before.”

“There have been shifters – lone wolves, usually – who’ve given up on their human sides entirely and taken to the wilderness to live as animals.”

A pang of sadness assailed Mandy’s heart as she imagined Jack living alone on the mountain, as he had before they’d met. What if he’d taken off into the wild and never looked back? She never would’ve met him. It was a good thing he hadn’t – she could scarcely even imagine what her life would be like without him; thinking of living out her existence in the city, eternally unfulfilled, was almost more than her mind could bear.

At least he’d had Ronnie to keep him company. Even now, as Clarissa wrapped up the routine examination, Jack was with Ronnie, working on the nursery. They’d made a lot of progress over the past few days, with Daniel and Noah’s help; the walls had been built, and now they were working on wiring for electricity.

“Okay.” Clarissa tucked the measuring tape back into her bag and grinned. “I now pronounce you fit to walk down the aisle.”

“Were you going to hold me hostage on bed rest if something was amiss?”

“You bet.” Clarissa extended a hand to help Mandy out of bed. “You’re my only patient, after all. If I let anything happen to you, my reputation will be shot.”

“Right. So are you considering taking on more patients, then?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” The teasing light went out of Clarissa’s eyes and she frowned as Mandy rose to her feet. “I was never officially released from my apprenticeship.”

“Maybe you could call the midwife you were apprenticed to in Alaska and see if she’ll give you her blessing?”

Clarissa chewed her lower lip. “Maybe. But… I guess I’m afraid of what she’ll say. Everything happened so fast with me and Daniel, we were in the car and on our way to Tennessee before I knew it. I didn’t get a chance to tell her goodbye, or even that I was leaving. And I haven’t been in contact with anyone from the Cold Snow Pack since we left.”

“Cold Snow? Is that what your brother’s pack is called?”

Clarissa nodded.

“Well, I think you’re a great midwife. And I don’t know about Alaska, but out here, shifter midwives are few and far between. I bet you could find some more patients if you were willing to do some traveling.”

“Thanks.” Clarissa hoisted her bag full of medical equipment onto her shoulder and pushed open the bedroom door, stepping out into the cabin’s main room.

It seemed as if the entire pack – with the exception of Noah and Daniel, who were on patrol – had gathered in the cabin. Ronnie stood by the fridge, sipping a glass of iced tea as he leaned against the semi-finished nursery’s doorframe. It was no surprise that Violet was nearby, her cheeks glowing with a blush that seemed to be half natural and half dusted-on, but April was at her side, speaking just as eagerly to Ronnie.

“Well, the schooling took a while and the training wasn’t easy,” he said, lowering his glass, “but it was worth it.”

April practically bounced on her toes, grinning. “Hey Mandy, Clarissa,” she said, turning. “Guess what?”

“What?” Mandy asked, almost in unison with Clarissa.

“I’ve been picking Ronnie’s brain about becoming a park ranger. I think I’m gonna go for it – go to school and get a degree, and maybe do some volunteer work for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park while I’m at it.” Her grin spread even wider. “Ronnie says he could put in a good word for me.”