Her wolf preened, and Amy wanted to smack the beast. “I believe you.”
She believed him as well because she’d been watching him, closely. There was no scent on him more than what would have been caused by casual interactions.
And wasn’t that mucked up? That she didn’t know where this conversation was going, but she was fanatically happy to hear no other female had gotten a piece of him recently.
Evan remained on his knees in front of her, fixing her with a dark intense stare that drove straight into her soul. “I’m dying here, Amy.” He set her plate to the side so he could take her hands in his. “Tell me something. Give me hope we’ll get through this.”
She shook her head, hating to do it, but unwilling to lead him on with an untruth. “I can’t promise anything yet. There’s so much you don’t know. There’s so much you have to tell me.”
His face fell, but he nodded. Sat back in his chair and picked up his plate. His expression tightly controlled around the edges. “Your turn. What have you been doing? You own the computer shop. That’s cool.”
“When I finished high school, I headed into computer programming. By the end of the first year, I’d realized getting a degree wasn’t going to work. The classes were too easy.” Amy stared into her wine glass, swirling the liquid gently. “It was the other parts of going to school that intrigued me. Since I could solve the computer-programming assignments in my sleep, learning to deal with the people around me became far more fascinating.”
“You’ve spent years learning how to read people?”
“Shifters, humans, the usual set of misogynists involved in computer sciences,” she admitted. Amy took a deep breath and prepared to make her confession regarding her position in the Canyon pack.
He didn’t give her a chance. “When you join Takhini, that’s going to help you a lot.”
Amy guessed Evan was attempting to be reassuring, although it was hard to tell as her blood pressure spiked again.
“I have no concerns about being able to fit in just fine wherever I go.” She might have snapped the statement a little too hard.
Evan observed her carefully for a moment then stared over the view. The sun was beginning to set behind the western mountains, and golden-yellow rays streaked across the sky. “It seems at every turn I say things that upset you. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”
“That confession is a step in the right direction,” Amy commented. “Finish eating. I can hear your stomach rumbling from here, and I don’t need a testy wolf on top of everything else. We’ll talk once we’ve done dinner.”
The setting was far too idyllic considering the tension between them, but Amy took it. She ignored the pressures they still had to face and focused on the beauty of the world around her. Guiltily allowed her wolf to enjoy the presence of the strong, alpha male at her side.
The clouds were backlit with brilliant colours when the sentinels surrounding the cabin started to howl. Their wolf song was full of respect and appreciation. A shiver raced over her skin as she met Evan’s eyes.
His focus narrowed, his concentration tightening as the pack continued to serenade her. It wasn’t just because she was there and finally taking a rare night off, it was their way to show they cared.
The homage was humbling and strengthening all at the same time.
Evan stood and walked to the edge of the deck, staring into the trees as he listened intently. The position left his face in profile, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Admiring the sharp features of his jawline, a hint of silver beginning to show in the black hair at his temples. Her wolf nudged her and again confirmed its interest in taking this man as a mate.
He turned to her. “I’m an idiot.”
Amy’s lips twitched. “No argument from me.”
He leaned his elbows on the railing, his long muscular body stretched out facing her and highlighted by the fading colours of sunset glow. His eyes gleamed, a hint there of both his amusement and his continued caution. “So. When did you intend on letting me know that you’re the Alpha of the Miles Canyon pack?”
Busted.
He was pleased to see she didn’t look guilty at getting caught, but instead tilted her chin upward and for the first time offered him a grin.
“Well, I did try to tell you. More than once.”
Evan thought back, nodding slowly as he considered. “You did. Thus my admission I was an idiot.”
Amy lifted her feet into the chair and wrapped her arms around her shins. “I suppose this starts a new conversation.”
“I know we’re not done answering your concerns, but what the hell?” If Evan had thought his world had become twisted before, this only made it worse. What the fuck was going on? “First question—all the rumours I’ve heard said Sam runs Canyon. Your name is Amy. Which is right?”
She sighed. “Both. My name is Samantha Amy Ryba, but for many reasons it seemed better to go by Sam when I took over Canyon. A masculine-sounding name stops a lot of bother before it even starts. Unfortunately.”
“But you used Amy as your code name?”
“It’s the name I used in college, and it hid my identity from your pack when I made contact with Takhini.”
Hidden in plain sight. “Congrats, it worked. But why have you been sharing pack secrets when you’re the Alpha?”
When she didn’t answer him, instead staring at a spot over his shoulder, Evan’s respect for her went up and his sense of oh-shit grew exponentially.
“You were pulling a fast one,” he guessed.
“I was gathering intelligence,” Amy suggested. “I didn’t share anything about the Canyon pack that wasn’t common knowledge.”
Evan grinned as another thought occurred. “Oh man, I don’t believe it. Perfect, efficient Caroline made a mistake. You duped her into taking you under her wing! I’m going to razz her like crazy when she gets back.”
Her eyes darkened. “I thought she was moving away.”
Oops. He exercised a little more caution. “She’s not living full-time in Whitehorse, no, but she will be around every now and then. Her sister Shelley is part-time with the pack. But again, you have nothing to worry about. She’s just a good friend, and she’s thoroughly married. She’ll be thrilled to meet you in person.”
Amy shook her head, the motion somehow very wolf-like. “Don’t mind me, I feel as if I’m jacked up on Red Bull and caffeine tablets like during exams week at college. I have no beef with Caroline.”
Evan looked her over carefully. He understood her hesitation, but there was no reason they shouldn’t move to the next part of their relationship. To the part where they could trust each other and work together.
Not to mention all the lovely physical interactions he was longing to bring to the table.
“You realize my number-one goal for the past year has been to merge the Takhini and Canyon packs. There is no need for more than one pack in Whitehorse.”
“That’s what I believe as well,” Amy agreed. “I’m pretty sure I said that to Caroline, in fact.”
Hope flared brightly. “Then at least one fact is pretty simple. Now that we know we’re mates, we join the packs. Done. One united pack under Takhini.”
Her response wasn’t as enthusiastic as he’d hoped. In fact, she faced away, her body tightening. She paused for a moment before turning back.
“I told you before you’re making assumptions. Let’s see how smart you really are.” Amy lifted her eyes to meet his. “The packs should merge, but I’m ninety-nine percent sure that means Canyon pack takes over.”