Two Scents' Worth: A Wolf Rampant spinoff serial (Bloodling Serial Book 3) (4 page)

The sweet flavor of Terra filled my nostrils as I hid in plain view behind a display of pineapples. The pack princess was even more appealing than she'd appeared on first sighting, but I noticed now that her wolf was strangely silent. Otherwise, she surely would have smelled me as I tracked her through the supermarket aisles.

My initial urge had been to walk up to the young woman, introduce myself, and invite her to come back with me to our new clan home. Our pack could use more shifters of the female variety, and I could definitely use a heavier dose of Terra in my life.

But something kept my feet firmly planted on the ground.

Perhaps it was the way Chief Wilder's daughter had tensed and scanned her surroundings when my scent first wafted into her nostrils. I was pretty sure the other shifter's conscious mind hadn't understood what she was smelling, but her subconscious appeared to be terrified by the slightest hint of any wolf, including her own.

A potentially problematic situation considering the fact that I was more wolf than man.

Meanwhile, I kept reminding myself that my hands were already quite full without adding another complication to the mix. Wade and I had whipped Bob's site into order in just a few weeks, but the bank manager was so pleased with our efforts that he recommended us to three of his friends. As a result, our work load was now so high that I'd had to take a sick day to slip away on my current jaunt.

Before me, Terra plucked a plastic clamshell of cherry tomatoes then eyed the contents consideringly.
Take them or leave them?
I could almost see the words flitting through her mind. And as she brought the fruit to her nose, I had to clench my fists around the display counter to prevent myself from springing forward.

She should be taking
me
.

Ah, yes, jealousy of garden produce. A definite sign my duties weren't the only thing holding me back from making my move. Even my nonlinear wolf brain could see that I wasn't anywhere near ready to speak to this pack princess. Not when I suspected I'd only have one chance to screw things up before she fled the state without a backward glance.

The unfortunate truth was that Terra didn't appear ready to speak with me either. The squeal of a grocery cart's wheels caused the pack princess to flinch and she set the tomatoes back down abruptly, pushing her own cart toward the checkout line with hunched shoulders and a jerky stride.

The girl was scared of her own shadow, let alone a member of the opposite sex. Given the fact that I came with teeth and claws, I might have to accept the fact that Terra would never be ready for me.

I wanted to howl out my frustration at the mere thought, but I instead shook my human head briskly to bring myself back to the present moment. My thoughts derailed onto the additional puzzles waiting for me at home. Specifically, the Chief's grandson. Soon, my pack would have to find a way to insinuate ourselves into that family and win the father's trust.

And, eventually, there would be Chief Wilder himself to contend with.

In other words, I needed to keep my eye on the prize and forget this childish infatuation. Even if the bond between myself and Terra felt like so much more.

So I let the ties to my pack draw me away from the woman who I found so fascinating. Despite my urge to lunge forward, I hung back as the pack princess wheeled her cart out of the store and out of my life. The distant thud of a closing car door felt like the closing of my heart.

Maybe Terra will turn back up in my life someday when we're both a little older and wiser.

Maybe. But, if not, I was content with the territory my clan and I were building on the side of a Virginia mountain. I was content with brotherhood and hacking and long wild runs with the wind brushing out my lupine fur as my pack bumped their shoulders against my own.

So I walked to the nearest trees, shed my clothes, and turned wolf. It was time to grow into my over-size paws and start acting like an alpha.

I hope you enjoyed
Two Scents' Worth
! If so, I'd be eternally grateful if you'd consider writing a review (even of just a sentence or two) on Amazon or Goodreads. Your kind words help strangers decide to take a chance on a new author, and they urge me to keep on writing.

While you're on Amazon, don't miss the two final episodes in the Bloodling serial:
Feint of Heart
and
Hair Apparent
.
Then, why not check out the Wolf Rampant trilogy?
Shiftless
,
Pack Princess
, and
Alpha Ascendant
are novels told from the point of view of Wolfie's mate and they bring both shifters' stories full circle. All are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, or you can save a buck when you buy them in
bundle
form.

Next, the FREE anthology
Beyond Secret Worlds
contains a short story that begins Fen's further adventures. Fen's spinoff series is in the works and if you sign up for my email list at
http://forms.aweber.com/form/35/528967935.htm
, you'll be the first to hear about new releases and periods when my books are free or on sale.

Thank you so much for reading and for spreading the word. You are why I write.