Page 2 of To Challenge a Wolf

“Thanks.”

“Welcome to Harmony Ridge.”

Vivian gave a laugh. “I’ve been here for about an hour, but it’s lovely so far.”

She took her drink to a corner of the café and claimed a small table. Then she pretended not to overhear everything they said while straining to do exactly that.

“Anybody stepping outside the box today?” Willow said.

All three of them shook their heads as if on cue, and Willow laughed.

“Okay, I’m on it. Macchiato for Cassius, peppermint mocha for Aaron, iced hazelnut latte for my husband.”

The blond man gave a quiet laugh. “You’re not tired of saying that yet?”

“Not yet.”

Willow rang them up and started on their drinks. Meanwhile a young woman joined her through a swinging door behind the counter. Vivian sipped her delicious espresso and waited for the caffeine to hit her system. Any amount of it was enough to send her body surging with energy. While she sipped, she kept listening. Wolf senses guaranteed they hadn’t forgotten her presence in the corner, but she didn’t seem to bother them. Maybe this was a hospitable small town. Over the years she’d visited a few that were…less so.

“How’s Ember feeling?” Willow said as she handed over a frothy concoction topped with whipped cream and peppermint chips.

The wavy-haired man—must be Aaron—picked it up and took a long sip. He gave a happy sigh. “Delicious every time, Willow.”

“Why, thank you.”

“And Ember’s…well, you know.” He shrugged. “Ready.”

“It could be any day, right? I mean, once she’s this close to the due date?”

“That’s what the midwife says. Any day now.”

An elderly couple entered the café with a quiet tinkle of the bell, and while the other barista rang them up, Willow started on their drinks without waiting to hear what they wanted. Apparently everyone in this town chose a favorite order and stuck to it.

The three men drifted to a corner. Willow’s husband, whose name hadn’t been used so far, was mostly quiet while Aaron and Cassius chatted, now too low for Vivian to catch most of the words. But one sentence caught her ear, maybe because Aaron shook his head and lifted his voice half a notch with conviction.

“You know Malachi won’t do that.”

Malachi. The name was too unique to be a coincidence. She’d never get a better chance than this. Asking human residents required all the finesse she had cultivated over the years—gaining information without giving any, prompting strangers to talk without putting their guard up. Asking wolves, as long as they were decent people, was about ten times safer for Rhett. They would keep her questions to themselves. They would protect one of their own. Their presence in the café felt like…well, like fate.

She crossed the café, and immediately their attention shifted to her, more curious than suspicious. In a public place, of course they must be shielding. Still the combined force of three wolves studying her sent a shiver down her spine.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” Aaron said with a smile that of course did not show his teeth. The other two men nodded.

“I’m Vivian Rossi, and I’m looking for a wolf named Rhett Helvering. I have reason to think he’s a member of your pack.”

As one, they stared at her. Aaron even gaped.

“Rhett…Helvering?” he said at last.

“Yes.” She hiked her purse higher onto her shoulder and crossed her arms. “Is he here?”

“How do you know we’re…?” Cassius’s voice trailed away.

Their caution was beyond understandable, but she couldn’t back off. Wouldn’t. Rhettwashere. Her very bones knew it now. Well, if they needed reassurance, maybe some truth would help.

“I’ve known wolves since I was in grade school, and I’ve met members from over a dozen packs in the last ten years. Three of you all built like steroid-pushing athletes, all towering over us mere humans? You’re wolves, no question.”

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