Page 94 of Wanted

“I never knew my grandparents,” I say out of the blue. “Ashley and I only had our birth parents and then our adoptive parents. And each other, of course,” I add.

Reese takes my hand. “Now you have all of us,” she says. “I always longed for a large family. Here I have one. We can’t wait to meet Ashley, either.”

Her acceptance of my sister without even meeting her yet makes me smile. “She’ll love it here. I just know it.” Something tells me Ashley was made for wolf pack life.

We both were.

“Tonight, you’ll get the chance to meet all of the others as well. The rest of the pack from out west comes to attend the Supermoon Ceremony,” Reese continues.

“Chance told me. I’m looking forward to it.”

Reese smiles but it drops soon after. “Not everyone will be here, though.”

I scrunch my eyebrows. “Why not?”

She shakes her head. “We’re missing a member.”

“Oh no,” I say. “Did someone go missing? What happened?” The sadness in Reese’s voice propels me to ask questions, despite how rude or nosy it may seem.

“Yeah, Sera. She was becoming a friend, but she didn’t think she belonged among the pack for some reason.”

“She left willingly?” I ask.

Reese gives me a half-smile. “Yes. But I’m sure she’ll return eventually. This place has a way of bringing people where they need to be.”

Her eyes light up as she looks at me.

“Look at the both of us.”

A grin splits my lips. I can’t help but agree with her. The commune hours outside of Santa Fe is nowhere near the plans I had for my future, but it feels like home. More home than any place else I’ve ever been.

“I think I hear the guys coming back,” Reese says.

A current of nervousness courses down my spine.

“What is it?” Reese asks when I hesitate by the door.

“What if Chance doesn’t like my hair?”

In retrospect,wondering if Chance would like my new hairstyle was probably a silly notion. It’s my natural instinct to question my looks since it’s been drilled into me from a young age that my natural existence is unacceptable.

Yet, as I round the corner behind Reese into the kitchen, my skin prickles with the sixth sense that Chance is nearby.

Reese’s mate and the alpha of the pack, Chael, grins widely upon seeing her, immediately taking her into his arms as he enters the door.

Behind him is Chance.

He starts to enter the door but then looks up and pauses.

He’s utterly and completely focused on me.

The glow of the sun outlines his massive frame. Yet, the shine of the sun is nothing compared to the glow in his eyes as he remains completely still, studying me.

My breath catches in my throat.

I’m cemented in place underneath the intensity of his gaze. I should be used to the way he looks at me by now. But this time is different.

Yes, his eyes are glowing but even more than usual. They literally rival the brightness of the sun as he looks me over. His gaze stops on my face and hair. Slowly, he assesses my new look.

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