Page 38 of Run Free

“Tell you what,” I said. “Next mission, you can pick where we go afterwards, but I can’t guarantee there won’t be more flights.”

He sighed. “Deal.”

Gage

Chapter 21

What the hell was I doing? Riding in that plane was one of the top five most terrifying things I’ve ever done, and Clara was already talking about the next time.

I had sworn I’d never enter pack territory again. How had she convinced me to come home with her to Collier Pack?

I was so confused in the head. This obsessive compulsion to protect her overpowered all my rational thoughts. It wasn’t just about her safety, though. I wanted to make her happy. She had been so upset, even angry, when I stubbornly refused to follow her home. I had kept my resolve as long as possible, but I think she knows now that there’s absolutely nothing in this world she couldn’t convince me to do. I felt like Clara’s personal puppet, and for the most part I didn’t even care.

My wolf wasn’t used to being around so many of our kind. I had left the moment he had surfaced, so in truth he’d never had more than a wolf or two at a time cross our paths and Clara was the first we’d ever spent any real time with. There had been other shifters in Oklahoma, but not our kind. Judging by the fact my wolf was on full alert, I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy visit, and I suddenly wished Dave would hurry up and call with our next job, even if it meant getting back in that damn tin can.

“You ready?” she asked as I reached for our bags.

No, I thought, but nodded my head instead.

Clara led the way and I followed with our stuff. We didn’t even make it off the tarmac before four women practically attacked us. If my wolf wasn’t already on alert, he was now. I stepped in front of Clara and snarled at them to back off. She laughed and whispered it was okay before walking around me and meeting them with open arms.

The incessant chatter that ensued as all five of them spoke at once and somehow managed to actually carry on several conversations amazed me. I’d never experienced anything like it before. When the excitement died down, she introduced me to each of them.

“Gage, these are my sisters: Ruby, Peyton, Shelby, and Lily. Girls, this is my mate, Gage,” she said. The pride in her voice instantly calmed me. I managed to smile and mumble a hello.

Lily shot me a look I couldn’t decipher—curiosity? Skeptical? Concerned? I wasn’t quite sure, but she forced a pleasant hello and told me they had the SUV waiting.

I sat in the back and remained quiet, not that anyone would have noticed. I only had brothers, and we had certainly never acted like this. I felt like I was in a foreign country and way out of my league.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a long drive before we pulled up in front of a huge house. I leaned over to Clara and lowered my voice. “This is where you live?”

She looked up like she hadn’t even noticed the vehicle stop and bit her lip, and then shook her head.

“Ruby, do you think you could take us to my house first? It’s been a really long month and we both just want to relax tonight and adjust to being here before throwing Gage to the wolves.”

Shelby giggled at her.

Peyton frowned.

Lily shot me that curious look again. This time she looked like she was struggling to say something but was holding back. I suspected that was not normal for her.

“Doesn’t he need to see Thomas first?” Ruby asked.

“No. Thomas approved him over the phone the other day. We’re fine.” Clara yawned, and I knew it was faked. “It’s just been a long day. We’ll catch up tomorrow. I promise.”

The girls were disappointed, but they consented. Lily jumped out and said goodbye before heading into the house. It dawned on me then that she was Lily Westin, the Alpha’s mate, and Kyle Westin’s little sister.

I knew Kyle. He was a couple years younger than me, but we’d attended summer camps together for years as kids. That explained Lily’s curious stares. She knew who I was, and I assumed she and Thomas had already reached out to my father to assess the situation and ensure no pack political concerns were brewing by me mating his sister.

What a mess I’d just walked into. Clara and I needed to sit down and talk. I didn’t want to explain myself. I didn’t want to tell her about my past, but I didn’t think I had much of a choice now. She may already know if they’d gotten to her first, but I didn’t think so. It wasn’t like I had anything to be ashamed of, and I’d already told her a little about my mother.

I had stubbornly not wanted to tell her before, but I could have probably avoided this entire situation if I had. I should have trusted her when we were in Oklahoma.

Ruby drove us through town then turned onto a dirt road that took us into a forested section. From what I had seen so far, this part of Wyoming had a mix of everything—densely forested areas, wide open fields, and a sizable river. If it wasn’t for the foreign smells and knowing I was in pack territory, I’d admit just how perfect the terrain was for our wolves.

It wasn’t long before we pulled up beside a much smaller, but still larger than I was expecting, white house with blue shutters and door. It was cute, sort of cozy, and best of all, the moment I stepped outside, it strongly smelled of coconut.

“Home sweet home,” Clara said.

---