Who's Your Alpha? (2 page)

“Would you believe somewhere in South America—Brazil last I heard. Dad is doing a study on the mythology of some unpronounceable indigenous tribe and Mom’s studying their forms of arts and crafts.”

“South America? That sounds like your folks. We never knew where they were going to drag you off to next.”

“Yeah, I did get to see a lot of places—mostly jungles and deep forests. Probably why I did so well in World Culture’s class. So what do you do here?”

“I’m a vet. I have a small clinic across the river.”

“A vet? Just like you always wanted.” Good for him. At least one of them was living their dream. She loved her job, loved helping people with their problems, but it didn’t fill the empty place in her heart reserved for someone special. A spot so far left untouched.

A beautiful blush covered his face. She studied his eyes. She’d always loved them—palest blue ringed with a darker hue. So different from her own. She’d worn contacts as long as she could remember to cover the odd bi-coloring. Who had one green and one brown eye?

“Are you ready to order?” Darla was back.

“Cheese steak sandwich with onions and mushrooms, fries, and a Coke,” Sunny said.

“I’ll have the same,” David said.

Darla left them and Sunny grinned. “The same? How do you keep in shape?”

“I run a lot. Besides, people don’t come here for the salads.”

Sunny laughed, drawing stares from the surrounding tables. She hadn’t felt this good in a long time. It had been forever since she and David had exchanged confidences over Oreos and milk in his mom’s kitchen. She’d missed talking with him. Looking at him. Drooling over him. Tamping down her runaway hormones, she returned to their discussion.

“I still don’t know what you do. Or where you live?” David said.

“Pittsburgh. I’m a psychologist at a small clinic there.”

“A psychologist! I’d never have guessed that. I thought you were going to go into business.”

Sunny stared out the window at the mountain. The town had been built at its base, between the slope and the river. “Things change.”

Darla returned and set four plates down—two with foot-long toasted rolls cut in half and overflowing with chopped meat, cheese, mushrooms, onions, and sauce. The other plates were mounded with fries still sizzling from their oil bath. Next to the plates, two glasses sat filled with ice and soda.

“Will there be anything else?”

Yeah, David in my bed.
“Um, no, I think we’re good,” Sunny said. She studied her sandwich and the mound of fries and sighed, her mouth watering from the aroma alone. She tucked the filling into the roll, picked up half and bit into it. Her eyes closed as the blend of flavors exploded in her mouth. “Oh, God, that is so good.”

“You don’t have steak sandwiches in Pittsburgh?”

She opened her eyes to find him grinning at her. “Not like this.”

“I’m beginning to think you didn’t come back for the reunion so much as you did for this sandwich.”

She noted he was making short work of his food too. “You got that right.”

He put down his sandwich and stared at her until heat suffused her face. “So why did you come back, Sun? When you left, you swore that was it.”

This time her sigh wasn’t one of ecstasy. “As I said, things change. I’ve changed. I’m not the same cowed little dork I used to be. I guess I needed to come back to prove something to myself.” She dug into her fries, avoiding his knowing look.

“That Ruby and her gang don’t rule you.” His statement was dead on. He knew her so well.

“That, and more. And I missed the mountain. Pittsburgh is close, but it’s just not the same.”

“This place is in your blood. Those of us who are part of the mountain may try to leave—and do for a while—but we always come back.”

“Why? What is it about this place? There’s nothing special about here. It’s just a mountain. A pile of dirt and rocks covered with trees. Why does this one draw me so? And why does it play in all my nightmares?”

He stared at her, a thoughtful frown on his face. “Nightmares? You have them a lot?”

“Ever since I left here. It’s weird. I’ve worked on trying to understand them and think it has something to do with this place.” It was odd talking so easily to him again, sliding back into their old, comfortable pattern. Like the years hadn’t passed.

“You really don’t know?”

“Know what?”

He shook his head. “Not here. Not now.” His voice dropped so she had to strain to hear him, and even then she wasn’t sure she did. “I can’t believe your folks never told you.”

“What?”

“Finish your dinner. Then we’ll go for a walk.”

The rest of their dinner talk ran to inconsequential things, like who was coming back, who married whom, who had kids, divorces. All the mundane subjects you touch on when you meet an old acquaintance from your teen years.

“Would you like dessert?” David asked as Darla arrived with their check.

“Not me. I’m stuffed.” She reached for the bill but he was faster.

“My treat.”

“I can pay.”

“I’m sure you can, but I owe you.”

“Huh? For what?”

He grinned at her and she melted into a puddle at his feet. Well, almost.

“Remember graduation night?”

“Ye-ah.” Sunny did remember—barely. She had a fuzzy recollection of too much beer—if you could call one beer too much—and a long drive through the mountains.

“You don’t remember.” He laughed as he handed Darla a twenty. “We were so wound up, but nothing around here was open…”

The memory returned, along with her snort of laughter. “So a whole bunch of us jumped in the back of your truck and you drove to State College to the truck stop. You didn’t have enough money to cover your food and the gas…”

“…So you treated me. I’m finally getting the chance to return the favor.”

Sunny led the way outside. The sun had set, but soft globes lit the main street. David was close enough for her to feel the heat coming off him as they strolled the familiar streets. “What happened to the Five and Dime?” she asked as they crossed the square.

“It closed when Wal-Mart opened out by the highway.”

“But not the hardware store.”

“That’s because they supply things you can’t get anywhere else. The stores that were unique continue to thrive, the others…” He shrugged.

She noted they were strolling away from the center of town, toward the mountain. “So what do you want to talk to me about?” She jumped as his cell phone howled. She quickly hid her hands in her pockets, willing the claws to turn back into fingers and fingernails while David answered his phone. All she heard was “I’ll be right there.”

“You have to go?”

“An emergency. I’m sorry. Where are you staying?”

“The hotel, room 401. Call me later?”

“If it’s not too late. Come on, I’ll walk you back.”

“Go. I’m a big girl now, David. I’ll be fine.”

He sighed and shook his head. “You really have changed. The Sunny I knew didn’t like being out at night.”

“The Sunny you knew grew up. Go on. Call me tomorrow.” She watched as he took off at a quick jog. By the time he’d disappeared around a corner, she turned away and faced the mountain. Very few streetlights lit this part of town. Ten years ago, she’d never have ventured here alone. But like she’d told David, she’d changed.

She strolled on, reaching the end of paved streets and houses about thirty minutes later. A narrow path led from the end of the road into the forest. This was the night of the new moon, so no light broke up the deep darkness under the trees. She picked a large hemlock with a double trunk next to a rounded boulder as a memorable spot and stripped out of her clothes. Finally, she removed her contacts. She tucked everything into her oversized handbag and buried it in branches at the base of the tree. Then she shifted.

Hands and feet turned to paws, hair turned to silver-tipped fur. As her body changed, she sniffed the air, searching for other animals in the area—especially humans. There was a smell—familiar and yet not—in front of her. Not close enough to be a danger, though. When the transformation was complete, she shook all over, settling her fur into place. Where a woman had previously been, a beautiful, Siberian husky now stood. Sunny took off on the path, stretching her muscles, enjoying the night air and the freedom of running.

Chapter 2

David drove as fast as he could to the vet clinic. One part of his mind was on the emergency, but the rest was on Sunny. The girl he’d had a crush on forever. She’d been cute as a kid, pretty as a teen, but now was drop-dead gorgeous with curves a man could get lost in. He’d thought about asking her out in high school but had worried he might lose her friendship. Plus, there were the other shifters.
I should have ignored them and asked her out back then. After all, being the alpha male should come with some privileges. Just because she came into her power later than the rest of us was no excuse to shun her.
All the excuses of the past seemed silly now. Now, there was no excuse for them not to be together. Maybe fate really had intervened. Whatever the reason, he wouldn’t let his Sunny get away again.

He sighed and forced his mind to the clinic and the job ahead. Once there, he went in through the back entrance. His assistant stood there waiting for him, lab coat in hand. He shed his jacket and put on the lab coat. “What do we have?”

“Donny Miller. He got into another fight with Trace. It’s bad this time.”

David pushed through the doors to his private surgery. A German shepherd lay panting on the table. A set of x-rays hung on the light boxes behind the table. He studied them, and then leaned over the dog. “Donny? Can you shift?”

“I don’t think he can, Doctor.”

“Okay, put him under this way. We’ll just have to pray he doesn’t shift mid-surgery.”

With the help of his assistant, he did what he could to help the pup. “What is it with these young ones? Won’t they ever learn?”

“Were we any different?” his assistant asked. “I seem to remember Doc Martin putting a few stitches in you now and then.”

David chuckled as his deft fingers probed and stitched. Finally finished, he stepped back and stretched a cramp out of his back. “Bandage him and put him to bed. Who’s on tonight?”

“Actually, I am. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Good. I’ll crash in my room. Call me if you need me.”

“Yes, Doctor. Good night.”

David stripped off his surgery gown and stuffed it in the laundry bin. After scrubbing up, he went to his office and made notes on what he’d done. A quick glance at the clock told him it was much too late to call Sunny. He opened the door behind his chair and entered the room behind. When he’d designed the clinic, he’d had the extra room added on for the sake of convenience, but it seemed lately he’d spent more time there than at his cabin. More like an efficiency apartment than a room, it had a full bathroom, small kitchenette, sitting area, and sleeping area. He headed straight for the bed, tired beyond reason. But sleep eluded him as he kept picturing Sunny as he’d seen her at the diner.

He’d told her the truth when he said she was beautiful. Unlike women who were nothing but skin and bones, she had curves in all the right places. She was soft and womanly, with short curls that enhanced her good looks. He wondered what form she’d take if and when she shifted. She’d come into her gift late and had never joined the rest of them in the woods. Had she learned to accept what she was? Did she know about the rest of them? As he drifted off to sleep, he imagined running with her through the trees, free to be whatever they wanted.

* * * *

Close to midnight, Sunny strolled back to the hotel and her room. A long, hot shower washed off the last of the dirt and leaves from her impromptu roll on the forest floor. She was sure she wouldn’t sleep much—she never slept well in strange beds—but the next morning she woke after sleeping better than she had in years. And without any nightmares.

At the diner the next morning, she was enjoying a second cup of tea when David entered. Like Robin Hood’s arrow to a target, he bulls-eyed her and headed straight for her, not even looking for another seat.

“Good morning!” He slid into the bench opposite her. “You look incredible this morning.”

“You’re not so bad yourself. How’d your emergency turn out last night?” She figured he’d faked the importance so he didn’t have to stay with her. After all, he was David, as perfect as the statue carved by Michelangelo. And she was…Sunny. Slightly overweight nerd and weirdo.

“A German shepherd got into a fight with another dog. Gashes and some internal injuries, but he’ll pull through. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you, but by the time I was out of surgery, it was pretty late.”

“You mean it really was an emergency?” His eyes widened and she choked on her tea. “Damn. I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Yep. I take it you’ve been the victim of the fake emergency call a time or two.”

“Or more. I even had an accountant once tell me he had an accounting emergency he had to fix. Didn’t even get past the appetizer on that one.”

“Ouch. Were those guys all blind?”

“No. That’s the problem. They saw all too well.”

“Sunny! You were a cute teen, but you’ve matured into a gorgeous woman. Any man would be proud to have you at his side. I know I would be.”

“Excuse me? You? You can have any woman you want. There were enough of them drooling after you all through school.”

“But none of them were my friend. Not like you. I’ve never been as comfortable with anyone as I was with you.”

Her hopes sank like a breached sub. A friend. That’s all she was. She stiffened when he reached for her hands.

“I’ve missed you more than you can possibly know. And I am so glad you’re back. But before I say anything else, we need to really talk—finish what we started last night. Are you done?”

“Yes. But what about you?”

“I ate earlier. Come on.”

She paid her tab and followed him out. A cold breeze blew leaves around. They’d had a hard frost during the night and the sun hadn’t yet warmed the air. Her breath puffed white in the cold and she pulled up the collar of her heavy jacket. “Where to?”