Her assurances meant a lot. “Thanks.”
Gem stroked a hand down Shaun’s cheek. “And you, my darling, are being a problem child. Do I need to remind you to watch your manners?”
“I will be an absolute prince from now on,” Shaun promised.
Gem laughed. “I will believe it when I see it.” She turned to Evan. “I invited a few others from the pack to join us after dessert. I hope that’s okay.”
She was brilliant. Post-dinner they would have had enough quality time as a small group for the first day. “That should distract Shaun so he doesn’t do anything stupid. Any objections he’s got to my mate need to get buried and lost, and soon.”
“He’s feeling a little threatened,” Gem offered. “I’m sure he’ll get over it soon.”
“Still needs to behave, or I’ll sit on him,” Evan warned.
Shaun glared. “Hey, I’m right here. Don’t talk about me in front of my face.”
“Were we talking about you?” Gem draped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. “Oh, and here’s motivation. If you do act like an ass? I get to pick all the movies we watch for the next month.”
Evan whistled softly. “Man, I’d watch your p’s and q’s.”
“You know it.” Gem smiled as she backed away, waving farewell over her shoulder. “I’ve been saving every weepy chick flick I could find.”
Shaun crossed his arms over his chest and frowned as Gem closed the door behind her. “A guy could get a complex around here. You’d think I was an asshole or something.”
“If the boot fits…” Evan sniffed, swearing as he realized what the strange hissing sound was. “Dammit, Shaun, did you turn the heat up?”
His Beta scrambled for the tongs, but it was too late. He held a sadly shriveled jet-black steak in the air. “You like yours well done, or well done?”
Evan rolled his eyes. Some things never changed.
The meal passed without too many troubles, the emergency “back-up” roast Gem pulled from the oven going down easily. Shaun pretty much refused to talk directly to Amy, but the rest of them found enough to discuss that didn’t involve major pack decisions. Just an open, welcoming time to get their feet wet and start new relationships.
Supper was barely done when there was a knock on the door. Amy paused in the middle of helping Gem clear the table.
“Oops.” The beautiful dark-skinned woman straightened, turning to lay a hand on Amy’s arm. “I forgot to mention. Some of the pack said they would be dropping in. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not. It’s your home.”
“I don’t want you to feel…rushed, or anything.”
Gem bit her lower lip, and suddenly it was Amy offering a soothing reassurance the other direction. “I’ll be fine, but could you warn Sarah?”
Amy needed to touch base with Evan to see how he wanted to approach the evening.
That morning, people had been curious but reserved because she’d only been visible for a short while. Plus they’d been in the pack house, where all sorts of people could be expected to drop in.
Tonight’s gathering? Questions would be asked, and if she’d done her homework correctly, she needed to be ready to make a show of power.
Takhini respected strength.
Her Canyon members needed quiet. They needed plenty of space and freedom, allowing them to choose to come to their Alpha. They needed guidance, but many of them were damaged in some way, skittish and ready to bolt. The right Alpha met those hungers by being a deep, calm lake where they could refresh themselves.
Takhini were more like kayakers on a violent set of rapids in the moments before the river burst over the edge of the cliff, flinging them into free fall over a wild torrent. She had to be ready to throw herself off the precipice and prove she could guide their energy.
She pulled Evan to the side of the room. “What’s the plan?”
He slipped his arms around her, tugging her against his body. “Plan?”
God. How was she supposed to concentrate when her senses were filled with him? The heat of his body, his scent in her head? The lingering taste of the meal vanished until all she wanted for dessert was more of him.
The kiss earlier in the day hadn’t been nearly enough.
She struggled back to her question as new voices rang out from the front door. “What are we telling your pack? Do I need to make a challenge?”
“Oh, no.” He shook his head, skimming his knuckles over her cheek before tucking her hair behind her ear. “This is a social night with a few of the pack. There’s no need for any formal announcements.”
Unease settled in hard. Amy glanced over her shoulder in time to spot Sarah disappearing, the elderly librarian vanishing into the night before any of the newcomers could even ask her name. “This looks like more than just a few. They’re going to wonder who I am.”
“They’d be pretty stupid not to be able to sniff out who you are to me. But you need to go with the flow.” He leaned over and snapped his teeth beside her ear, sending a shiver racing over her skin as he lowered his voice to a whisper. “Trust me, and chill for a bit. Stop worrying about the details, and enjoy yourself for once without a computer in your hand.”
“Smart-ass.” This didn’t seem right, not with what she’d researched.
But then…she’d made her take-over plans based on having removed Evan from the picture before fighting her way in to prove she could care for Takhini.
Maybe with the unexpected mating on her side, things had changed.
Evan was staring at her, one hand cupped around her hip, his thumb teasing under her shirt along the waistline of her jeans. “So?”
Amy nodded slowly. “Okay. We’ll do it your way.”
He pressed his lips to her cheek. “Good girl. Now come, and say hello.”
Evan brought her with him to the middle of the room, dropping onto the arm of the couch and tugging her onto his lap. She leaned against him for balance, loving how his body heat wrapped around her. Hating how sitting with him felt so natural. It had only been a day. How could she change her life in a flash like this?
Her wolf sighed contentedly, answering the question in the most basic of ways.
“Evaaaaan!”
The shout sounded from across the room a second before they were surrounded by half a dozen oversized male wolves, all over six feet tall and all loudly demanding Evan intervene in their dispute.
“Knock it off,” he ordered, and the squabbling hushed in a surprisingly short time. “Lance, you first. What happened to your truck?”
While the man answered, Lance checked her out, his head swiveling between her and Evan. The entire group took turns poking their heads around Lance to stare at her with curiosity. Evan lifted his hand to her neck, stroking her hair to the side. His touch was driving her mad, and her physical reaction to the caress had to be obvious to everyone in the room.
Damn wolf senses.
Lance’s complaints stuttered to a halt. “What the fuck is up with you two?” he demanded.
Evan’s tone dropped. “Is that really what you want to say?”
The man stiffened, glanced again at Amy as he cleared his throat and spoke more civilly. “I mean, hi.” He held out his hand.
She accepted it. “Hi, Lance. I’m Amy.”
He squeezed her fingers a touch tighter than was polite.
Amy was good. So very good, which meant she resisted jabbing with her free hand and blacking his eye. Any other time, faced with his attitude, she would have reacted in an instant—attacking felt like the right thing to do.
But Evan had asked her to chill. So she was chillin’.