I stopped when the terrace came into view and I saw Harper standing with his face inches from the phone screen. Sara’s voice didn’t carry to me over here, but whatever she was saying had the crow captivated.
He cawed and backed away when I walked toward him. Moving around the terrace, I dumped the contents of my container into his dish. That got his attention, and as soon as I walked away, he strutted over to see what I’d brought him. I left him to his meal and went to pick up the phone again.
“That should keep him happy for a while,” I said. “How often should I feed him?”
Sara still wore a big smile. “I usually left him a treat every other day. He eats on his own, so you don’t have to feed him a lot or he’ll get lazy.”
“Okay, I’ll do that.” I settled back in my chair. “You look good. Still liking Russia?”
“I love it, but these walls take some getting used to. The people are great here, though, and I’m already learning some Russian words. And Irina is going to show me how to make some of Nikolas’s favorite meals.”
I felt a pang of envy, which immediately filled me with guilt. I loved seeing my best friend so happy; she’d earned every second of it. Was it wrong to want that for me, to feel like I belonged somewhere and to not feel so alone all the time?
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
I smiled at her. “Nothing. Just jealous of your globe-trotting.”
“That’s not it.” Her brows drew together. “Something’s upset you. Is it the wolves? Roland told me what happened last weekend. I was going to call you, but he said he’d talk to you.”
“He came by that night to see if I was okay, and he promised me it wouldn’t happen again.”
She relaxed visibly. “Oh, I’m glad, and I hope you see now that he’s a really great guy.”
“Yes,” I admitted. “He even went next door for lattes.”
Her eyebrow shot up. “Roland drank a latte?”
“Actually, I think he had iced coffee.”
“Ah.” A little smile played around the corners of her mouth, and I wondered what she found amusing about coffee.
“Did he stay long?” she asked.
“About an hour. I can see why you like him. He’s easy to talk to.”
Her smile grew. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear you guys are hitting it off. Not that I’m surprised. And now you know you have nothing to fear from the werewolves.”
“Not the local wolves anyway.” I thought about the black wolf. “The big one who came to my rescue takes his job seriously. It feels like he’s watching over me.”
“You saw him again?”
I told her about my visit to the old mine and my encounter with the huge wolf. “I asked him if he knew you, and he said yes. Can you tell me his name?”
She shook her head slowly, looking pensive. “I know everyone in the Knolls, so it could be any of them. Are you sure it was the same wolf you saw at the cove?”
I laughed. “I’ve never seen a wolf that big. He’s kind of hard to forget.”
“And you weren’t afraid of him?”
Considering my past and my reluctance to go near her friends, I could understand her surprise. I couldn’t explain what it was about the wolf, but he no longer frightened me. I didn’t know if I’d feel safe around other werewolves, but I did with him.
“At first, I was nervous, but he seemed nice. He even ate one of my sandwiches.”
That pulled another chuckle from her. “Werewolves are always hungry. You keep feeding him and you’ll have a friend for life. Like Harper, only way bigger.”
“A bird I can manage.” I glanced at the crow, who had finished eating and sat on the ledge, preening his feathers. “I doubt I’ll see much of the wolf anyway. It’s not as if he can hang out on the waterfront, and I’m done with the woods for a while.”
“And what about Roland?”
I rolled my eyes at her because she didn’t bother to hide how much she wanted Roland and me to be friends.
“He offered to take me to Portland for art supplies and to look at cars when I’m ready to buy one.”
Her face lit up. “That’s great! When are you going?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t taken him up on his offer yet.”
“Why not?”
I shrugged. “I’m still getting to know him.”
She smiled as if it was only a matter of time. “Fair enough. As long as you’re making friends and you’re happy, that’s all I care about.”
“I have made another friend. Someone you know but aren’t exactly friends with.”
She leaned closer to the phone. “Who?”
“Scott Foley.”
“Scott?” Her mouth went slack. “How did that happen?”
“I told you I got a job at Gail’s. Scott’s working there for the summer.” I rubbed my chin. “He told me how you two fell out and that he was a jerk to you.”
“He told you that?”
“Yes. He feels pretty awful about it. He said he always liked you and he didn’t know why he treated you badly.”
Sara’s eyes filled with regret. “I always thought he hated me because of the fight we had when we were little. Now, I’m pretty sure it was my Fae side that made him act that way. If anyone should feel bad, it’s me. After I left, he was like a different person, according to Roland.”
“He’s nice. He showed me around town, and he asked about you. I told him you were happy, and he said he was glad.”
Her smile returned. “I’m glad he’s happy now, too. But you and Scott. Wow. Small world.”
“Small town.”
“True.” She tilted her head to one side. “So, are you two more than friends, maybe?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think I’m ready for any kind of relationship yet.”
“Or he’s just not the one.” Her eyes grew dreamy. “When you meet the right one, you’ll know.”
“You mean like how you knew Nikolas was the one and you fell in love at first sight?”
She laughed. “Point taken. Oh, and speaking of my wonderful mate, he bought you something.”
I stared at her. “Like a housewarming gift?”
“Definitely not a housewarming gift, but it’s really nice.”
I made a face. “I don’t know if I’m ready to handle a sword.”
“Not a weapon either, I promise.” Her eyes sparkled with laughter. “And he picked it out himself.”
I tried to think of what I didn’t have that Nikolas would buy me. “It’s not a car, is it? Because that’s too much.”
“Nope. And that’s all I’m saying except that it should arrive next week.”
“Fine,” I conceded, although I was dying of curiosity. Nikolas had been kind to me at Westhorne, but I never got to know him as well as Sara and Jordan. It touched me to know he’d thought to buy me a gift.
Sara and I talked for another thirty minutes about all the things she’d seen and done so far in Russia. Then Nikolas came in, and she said she had to go, promising to call again in a few days.
I laid the phone on my lap and stared out at the bay. I always felt better after I talked to Sara. Smiling, I closed my eyes and relished the warm rays soaking into my skin. I never slept well at night so it was easy for the sun to lull me into a pleasant doze. I fell asleep thinking about a huge black wolf with watchful amber eyes. And for once, the nightmares stayed away.
Chapter 7
Roland
“I didn’t expect this many,” Pete whispered to me as we stood at the back of the meeting hall Tuesday evening and watched Brendan call out the names of the Beta candidates.
“Me either.”
The building was packed for the meeting to officially start the gathering, and now I could see why. I’d counted twenty-four men and five women standing at the front of the room, and Brendan didn’t appear to be finished with the introductions.
“Peter Kelly,” Brendan said over the murmurings of the crowd. “And Roland Greene.”