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“Looks like you had some descendant blood to start. The drums and the drink shouldn’t have been more than a regular party for you. It brought you into heat like an unmated descendant.”
“Can we stop talking about my…heat?” she croaked out.
He looked confused.
“It’s embarrassing!” she hissed. “How wouldyoulike everyone to know every time you feel…you know.”
“Violet,” he said, absolutely deadpan. “I have a cock; everyone with eyes knows.”
It wasn’t even that funny,but it was Mikel, stoic, serious Mikel. Violet was worried she’d split the half-healed bite on her neck when she threw her head back and cackled at him.
MIKEL WAS PUFFEDup when he helped her down from the truck in town. It took Violet a long moment of glancing around at the people watching them to realize it was with pride. He led her by the hand through the door of the bookstore, and she marveled thatthiswas his errand.
Shelves lined the walls, a mismatch of different woods and stains, but they were clean of dust, and the books they held were stacked neatly. The smell of paper and must clung to the air. He stopped in front of the counter and cleared his throat. The woman behind it continued to rock in her chair, a blanket tucked tight around her legs, focused on the book in her hands.
“Ma’am,” Mikel said. Nothing. “Mrs. Bard,” he tried louder. Finally, she looked up, and a smile lit her face.
“Mikel Davis, the day after the moon zenith.”
“Yes ma’am,” he agreed, always the gentleman.
The woman’s murky hazel eyes found her, and Violet offered her a smile while she squinted at her face then the new mark on her. “And you brought your young lady. Moon and stars, boy, she’s lovely.”
Mikel grew three inches beside her, and Violet squirmed under the attention. “Thank you.”
“Well, yes, dear,” Mrs. Bard said and sniffed. “Old blood, not just Davis blood.” A gnarled finger came up to rub her dry lips while she studied Violet. “Yes,” she finally decided, “absolutely perfect.” She looked back up at Mikel. “Your daddy would be proud.”
He shuffled his feet, clearly downcast at the remark, but Mrs. Bard wasn’t done.
“The change won’t take long with your blood. I can fix some stinging nettle tea. Breed her again under the moon tonight, small chance we’ll have the alpha heir before Samhain.”
Violet choked on the breath she’d been taking.
“Thought we agreed we weren’t talking like that anymore,’’ Mikel reminded her gently. “Kane’s the alpha. Don’t want anyone overhearing, and you gettin’ yourself into trouble.”
Defiance sparkled in her old eyes. “I thought you were finally ready to look the truth in the face, boy.” She gestured to Violet. “Finally taking a mate, and a good one at that, getting ready to take your place.” Challenge hung thick in the air. “You look just like your daddy when you’re mad.”
Mikel sucked in a breath.
“About that tea? Only took one cup, and Jenny’s girl took next breeding,” Mrs. Bard turned to her and offered sweetly. Violet looked to Mikel, overwhelmed.
“No tea. Brought you this.” He stepped in and procured a palm-sized flat stone from his pocket. Then, he set it on the counter. She seized it in her sun-mottled hands and crowed her delight.
“Moon charged?” She pressed it to her cheek. “Yes, yes,” she answered before he could. “You’re a good boy, Mikel. Think about what I’ve said, won’t you?”
It was a sweet request with an ocean unsaid beneath. It dawned on Violet then that this womanknewsomething about Mikel’s father, and probably about the accident/massacre.
“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed, ever polite. “What did you mean by old blood for Violet? She was an outsider.”
“Well then, somebody’s been very naughty because the blood of the Davis pack isn’t all that runs in her veins. She should have grown up in the community and been initiated at her first monthly blood.”
Being there with them was feeling more and more like a dream. Violet knew she wasn’t a descendant before; she was just Violet, the town fuck-up with the dead mom and the rich dad. Now, she had werewolf blood, and she was Mikel’s mate. The thought still made her feel light and fizzy inside.
“Moon water brought her into heat before we mated,” Mikel explained. She shot him a death glare becauseagainwith the heat thing. He shrugged and quirked an eyebrow.
“As expected,” Mrs. Bard said, like this was just par for the course. Her hazel eyes watched Violet, old but sharp. “Thank you for the rock. You were late, and I thought today might be the first time in all these years you’d forgotten me. Turns out you were just bringing an extra gift.”
Mikel’s hand settled at the small of Violet’s back, and he smiled down at her then back across the counter.
