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There was so much to think about, it overwhelmed me. Styles, fabric, the shade of white—if indeed I wanted to wear white. The sheer number of dresses left me feeling giddy and exhilarated, but the awe faded quickly. Though the dresses I looked at were stunning, none of them seemed quite right to me.
Fiona chatted away, explaining the various designs and fabrics as she pulled out dress after dress. Still, none of them were quite right. She must have sensed my disappointment because she rushed to reassure me. “Don’t worry, we get new dresses in all the time. Plus, there are plenty of other options. You could always search online, or even go into the city and check out the bigger boutiques.When James and I were planning our wedding, I thought I’d never find the perfect dress. I tried on what felt like hundreds of different styles. Nothingseemed right. I was certain I’d have to get married in jeans and a T-shirt.” Fiona multitasked effortlessly, neatly storing the dresses while engaging me in constant conversation. “Then the owner called to tell me new stock had arrived. I came over not expecting much, but there it was. As soon as I held it against me, before I even put it on, I knew it was the one.”
She finished tidying up the store and then turned to give me her full attention. Before speaking, she appeared to choose her words carefully. I prepared myself, curious to hear what this kind-hearted woman was going to say.
“Tori, this is your special day, so make sure to do whatever you want. Your wedding day should be a perfect celebration for you and Mayor Blackwood. If you want to wear a clown costume, go ahead. What you wear won’t change the reflection of your love for each other.”
I blinked quickly to fight back tears as the wisdom and truth of Fiona’s words echoed in my mind. She was right. Stressing over such a trivial matter seemed insignificant compared to the bright future I would share with Ridge.
“Thank you, Fiona.” On impulse, I reached over and gave the slightly older woman a quick hug. Surprised at first, she soon returned the embrace.
She stood back, her face serious again, “You could always have a dress designed.” She giggled. “Or if youdofancy wearing clown costumes, I have some phone numbers of local dressmakers who would be more than happy to work with you.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at her enthusiasm. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind.” A custom gown sounded far too lavish. I’d find something perfect. Definitely not clowns, though. I shuddered. Creepy fuckers.
After a final glance around, I left the boutique, my thoughts filled with dreams of a magical wedding with all the wonderfulpeople I had come to know in this small town. It was home now, and I was eager to start this new chapter of my life with Ridge.
As soon as I reached my tattoo studio—mytattoo studio!—I stepped inside and immediately lost myself in planning the layout and décor for the space. I was buzzing with excitement about starting my own business and couldn’t wait to get everything set up and open my doors for business.
Ridge had already taken care of the basics. The building was clean and had a fresh coat of pain in neutral colors, so I had a blank canvas. All that was left for me were the finishing touches, and I was considering painting a mural along the back wall. Ridge had told me to get what I wanted, but I wouldn’t take advantage of his generosity. If I bought a couple of decent tattoo guns and a selection of colored inks, I’d be able to add more as I needed them. The one thing I couldn’t cut corners on was health and safety. I’d have to have an autoclave to sterilize all the equipment, and I needed to check with the town what their licensing laws were for running a tattoo studio, though being engaged to the mayor had to come with some perks, right?
I’d also need to get an ergonomic chair for my clients that I could adjust so they could sit comfortably to be inked. And a stool on rollers so I could work my way around them, rather than making them move constantly.
It would be great if I could find some kitschy secondhand furniture for a waiting area that would provide a great backdrop to showcase artwork by local artists. I stood in the middle of the room with my hands on my hips, imagining all the amazing art I’d create in the space.
I owed Ridge more than words could express for being so thoughtful. Perhaps I’d cook a special dinner for him. One of his rabbit food meals, maybe? Leading up to me as dessert.
Even through all the excitement and anticipation, I kept circling back to the revelation that my real father, Jaxon Hyde,was alive and in town. I couldn’t focus. My mind was in a constant state of confusion, trying to make sense of everything I knew—or thought I knew—about the situation.
My mom had been married to William Summers. They were both hunters—humans whose ancestors worked with dark witches, making them faster and stronger with heightened senses—trained and equipped to kill shifters. Together, they’d had my brother Kyle. Then Jaxon Hyde, an alpha wolf, had crossed paths with my mom and they ended up having an affair. Talk about star-crossed lovers. Their relationship had ended before my mom told him she was pregnant with me.
I was seventeen when my mom was murdered. After bringing us into the hunter fold, William Summers told us our mom had been murdered by the alpha of the Everwood Pack—Jaxon. The pack was gone now, decimated by hunters.
When I’d accused Jaxon of killing my mom, he swore to me that she’d been alive the last time he saw her, and that no one in his pack had killed her. He’d appeared so genuine when he spoke of the feelings he’d had for her, and he’d given me his word he was not responsible for her death in any way. It all went round and round in my head until I wasn’t even sure which way was up anymore.
Did I truly want another father? The first one hadn’t exactly been sunshine and daisies. William Summers had always been emotionally distant. In my early years, before I knew anything of hunters and shifters, he’d been an okay father, mostly busy working. After Mom was killed, any goodness within him seemed to have been buried with her.
After he’d indoctrinated Kyle and me into the hunters, he became a harsh and unforgiving taskmaster as he sought to forge us into formidable hunters. While my brother had thrived in our new environment, I’d struggled to keep up. Thankfully, with Kyle’s help and encouragement, I was able to navigatethe grueling training sessions. Whenever Summers’s constant scrutiny had threatened to overwhelm me, my brother had stepped in to intervene whenever possible.
I could only assume William was unaware of my mother’s affair until the day I’d shifted. From that moment, he wanted me dead. My existence served as undeniable proof of her treachery, an affair with their sworn enemy.
Now, faced with the prospect of Jaxon Hyde, I couldn’t help but question his intentions. William’s faction of hunters may have been instrumental in the annihilation of the Everwood Pack. Did Jaxon blame me by association?
So far, he’d seemed fine, excited even, at finding out he was the father of a bouncing twenty-two-year-old daughter. But what about after the novelty wore off? Would he still feel the same excitement and responsibility and be willing to put in the effort and commitment to get to know each other and maintain a meaningful relationship? Or would he be just as disappointed with me as William Summers had been and reject me, too?
Who’s to say I wouldn’t become an embarrassment to Jaxon Hyde? Despite having found out about me before he came to Blackwood, he hadn’t exactly been forthcoming in his introduction, which made me uneasy. I didn’t know who to trust. What would he expect of me as his daughter? Cozy afternoon tea every other Sunday? Because I wasn’t sure I was up for that. Definitely not yet, anyway.
I wished he hadn’t told everyone about his paternity and my supposed alpha status without asking me first. My life wasn’t an episode of Jerry Springer. Telling just about every shifter in town—and let’s face it, anyone who hadn’t been there would know pretty quickly with the way gossip flowed through town—just added more pressure. There were still shifters who, thanks to Audrey’s parents, didn’t trust me, and this revelation just added more fuel to the fire.
And what exactly had Jaxon meant when he said I was an alpha? I didn’t feel any different, and how the hell did he know what I was, anyway? It all just meant more pressure I wasn’t sure I wanted to deal with.
I hadn’t seen Jaxon since the cleanup last night at the jail—all thanks to the power-hungry machinations of Martin and Christie Greenthorne causing a damn near mini riot pitting shifter against shifter, when we should be coming together to fight our common enemy, the hunters—not picking petty fucking dick-measuring contests among ourselves. That was when he’d introduced everyone present to his daughter—me—and announced that I was an alpha wolf. It was a lot to take in.
There was nothing I could do about anything Jaxon had thrown into the mix right now, so I returned to my list. I hadn’t even chosen a name for the business. Flipping to a fresh page in my notepad, I began brainstorming ideas. Ink Oasis, Moonlit Tattoos, Howling Ink. Each name held potential, but none seemed to be the right fit.
“Argh!” I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “Why is this so fucking difficult?”
“Talking to yourself already?” a familiar voice teased from the doorway. I looked up to see Kyle leaning against the doorframe, a grin spread across his face.
