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My thoughts drifted toward Tori. Maybe I’d catch her at her tattoo studio. I smiled as I recalled the events of last night. Despite my nerves, the proposal had gone better than I could have ever hoped, and now the woman I loved had agreed to be my mate. It was important to me that Tori have the perfect wedding, and if she wanted more time to plan, I’d gladly give itto her. But our claiming ceremony couldn’t be too far off. The thought of the incoming shifters, Brett Longtail in particular, walking around town while she was still unmarked, unclaimed, gnawed at me.
But I had to push those thoughts aside for now. After last night’s attempted coup at the jail, I had to work even harder at getting the individual packs working together. It was difficult, with so many personalities clashing and everything so uncertain. It also made it difficult to ignore the influence of people like the Greenthornes, who were only out for their own petty power plays. We had to come together and work as a collective to protect our way of life. The safety of our people had to be our first priority.
As I left the construction site, I caught sight of Dean Aldrin, the seemingly friendly vampire, helping the Ashworths carry groceries out of the small market near the town square.
“Hey, Ridge.” James Ashworth caught sight of me and waved me over. “Come meet our nephew, Dean.”
“James, you’re looking well,” I said. Up close, I noticed the effortless way the Ashworths interacted with the vampire, joking with each other as they stowed their purchases in the trunk of the family car. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the fact that Dean had hypnotized the human family into believing he was their long-lost nephew, but his fondness for them seemed to be genuine.
“Dean and I have met, actually. Nice to see you all getting along,” I said, nodding toward the vampire.
“He’s been such a great help. He’s so good with Beck.” Smiling warmly at the vampire, Fiona bent to pick up the lively four-year-old and put him in his car seat. “It’s been so nice having family around.”
“Family is important,” I said, my gaze lingering on Dean. “Do you mind if I have a quick word with your nephew? Just for a moment.”
“Of course.” Fiona motioned for James to join her in the car. “We’ll give you two some privacy.”
Once they were out of earshot, I turned to Dean, my tone firm but fair. “I haven’t met other vampires before, but I know you need blood to survive. So tell me, Dean, how have you been feeding since you arrived in town? I need to know if you’ve been using the Ashworths for anything more than bed and board.”
“Ah,” Dean said, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “Honestly, I haven’t fed on a human in decades. I’ve been hunting deer and other small animals in the woods…and I supplement with a few blood bags I took from Blackwood General.”
“Blood bags?” My brow furrowed as I considered the potential consequences. Although it was better than him biting innocent humans in town, there were still moral implications of him stealing from the hospital, not to mention the risk of him exposing himself.
He must have sensed my worry because he raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, I swear I’m not putting patients in danger or anything. I only take the bags that are about to expire or be destroyed. I’m good with computers, and I’m careful to cover my tracks.”
“Good.” I relaxed slightly. “What about shifters?”
“Definitely not.” Dean shook his head. “Shifters don’t taste particularly good, and the saliva of vampires contains a compound that causes shifters to feel ill and can trigger feral behavior. Trust me, it’s no fun for anyone involved.”
I studied him for a moment, searching for any sign of deceit, but found none. It seemed he was telling the truth. I wouldremain wary, but I was willing to trust him for the time being. “Just don’t let your hunger jeopardize our people.”
“Understood,” Dean acknowledged solemnly.
My curiosity got the better of me, and I finally asked something that had been on my mind since we’d discovered Dean’s true nature. “Do you know of other vampires? Are there many of you out there?”
“Fewer of us compared to shifters,” Dean said. “We’re definitely out there. I keep track of where some of them go, just in case. We tend to be nomadic and travel in small groups. We have to hide the fact we aren’t aging, or humans would get suspicious. Moving around in this way has the added benefit of helping us evade being tracked down by the vampire-hunting faction.”
I nodded, allowing that information to sink in. There were so many groups of supernatural creatures out there, and we all shared a common threat—the hunters. If we could connect with these groups and bring all supernatural beings together, we’d find strength in numbers and stand a better chance against the hunters.
“How’s the construction going?” he asked, scanning the surroundings with curiosity.
“Getting there, thanks to you and everyone else pitching in,” I said.Then, I voiced something that had been nagging at me. “Why stay? You were here to check Tori out for Hyde, and you connected them now. Why stay?”
“Curiosity.” Dean flashed a grin. “I’ve never seen a community come together like this before. It’s quite something.”
“It is,” I said, pride for my pack and the town swelling within me. “We’re doing everything we can to make this a safe place for everyone who calls it home—shifter, human, or otherwise.” I glanced at the Ashworths, who were playing with their son in the car. “You’re doing a good job keeping up appearances.”
“I like them. They’re good people, and I’d like to help where I can. I don’t want to stand back and see innocent people hurt.” Dean spoke with an easygoing warmth. I was fairly certain he was sincere about helping. It was hard not to like the guy. “Speaking of helping out, I need to get going. I promised I’d help with my cousin.” He opened the car door to Beck’s excited chatter and got in beside the boy.
I waved to the Ashworths and Dean as they drove off, my thoughts churning with the possibility of joining forces with other supernatural beings in our fight against the hunters. The idea held promise, but I’d need to establish contact with them. It would require trust and cooperation between creatures who were fundamentally different from one another and had historically remained separate. As I strode through the town square, I wondered if we could overcome our differences for the sake of survival.
The sound of familiar voices drew my attention to a small gathering near the town hall. Clawson, Margo, and Jaxon Hyde stood together, deep in conversation. Clawson was a good man. He was always there for me, even during the toughest times. I was glad to see him out and about with his new mate. I’d planned to check on him today after the riot in the jail last night. He’d gotten pretty banged up.
“Hey, Clawson.” I smiled as I approached the trio. “How’re you holding up?”
“Ridge.” Clawson gave me a strong clap on the back. “I’m doing just fine, thanks. Margo’s been taking good care of me.”
I glanced at Margo, who was fussing over Clawson’s arm, adjusting the bandage that had slipped when he greeted me. He stilled her, his eyes full of love. “I’m okay, love,” he said gently. “I’ve healed.”
