Page 4 of Holiday Surprise

Luke

Chapter 3

Waking up to a freshly fallen snow was the best. I loved the cold. It made me want to shift into my wolf and stay in that form all day long. Of course, that had never been an option before because Larken wolves didn’t have land of our own to run on.

My pack turned to drugs, alcohol, sex, and fast motorcycles to help take the edge off not being able to shift. I had never really gotten into those things. When my wolf first surfaced, I would trespass on Collier land. I only got caught a few times and always discouraged others from doing it, even though I was.

I also battled anger issues a lot, probably because my wolf was strong enough to be an Alpha and I wasn’t able to shift as much as I needed to bring balance. I’ve learned to control that for the most part. There are still moments where it becomes a true test of self-discipline not to lose it, especially when someone is beating down my door every second with a perceived crisis.

I walked into the kitchen prepared to have cold cereal for breakfast, but something about that snow just called to me on a primal level.

Oliver and Peyton had some acreage they allowed Larken wolves to run on. Since he kept his allegiance to us and she retained hers to Collier, neither pack could claim their land making it neutral territory. Today felt like a good day for a run.

With a plan in place, I grabbed my coat and headed out the door. I stopped short on my tiny front porch and looked out across the trailer park that comprised my pack. The greatest thing about snow is that it made everything look fresh and new, even a rundown old place like this.

I took a deep breath letting the cold burn my lungs and awaken my body. We had had a few light dustings, but this was the first true snowfall of the season.

I had a bounce in my step as I climbed into the cab of my pickup and drove to Kate’s Diner.

Kate’s Diner sat in Collier territory. In the past I wouldn’t have dared to go there, but with the truce Thomas and I had made, it was becoming a regular stop for me.

“Morning Luke. Grab a seat anywhere,” Kate said when I entered the restaurant. She was always friendly and never looked at me like I was an outsider. I’d gotten that a few times from her patrons when I first started eating there, but that hadn’t happened in a while either.

“Thanks,” I said. “Coffee?”

“I’m already on it,” she said as she waltzed around filling up others before she reached me. She had an empty cup in one hand and a full hot pot of coffee in the other.

When she poured me a cup, I quickly took a big sip, savoring the heat.

“Ah, better,” I told her with a smile.

“You want the usual?” she asked

“I have a usual?”

“Two eggs, sunny side up, six slices of bacon, extra crispy, hash browns, also extra crispy, and toast, no butter. Ketchup is on the table.”

“Um, yeah. I have a usual,” I laughed. I supposed I had been ordering the exact same thing every time I came in for breakfast.

She winked at me and left with a smirk on her face. I suspected very little got passed Kate.

“Luke? Hey man. Didn’t expect to see you here today,” Oliver said as he came out from the kitchen.

“Peyton working this morning?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said sheepishly.

It always amazed me how even the toughest wolves I knew got that mushy look the second you mentioned their mate.

“Hey, thanks for your help the other day. I really appreciate it,” Oliver said.

“No problem. All in a day’s work.” I chuckled at the memory. “You get some good pictures?”

Oliver grinned. “You know I did.”

“He’s a good kid, Ollie. Don’t go too hard on him.”

“I know. I just hate seeing him stray down the same path Brady and I had taken.”

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