“And like your father and I were,” added my mother, a sheen of tears in her eyes. “You’re afraid your wolf will choose one of these females just because they’re available, but have faith in him. He knows your heart even if you aren’t sure of his.”
I wanted to believe that so much. “I’ve heard of guys imprinting on someone they didn’t even like. What about them?”
Grandma tutted. “I’ve only known of two couples who’ve imprinted and didn’t get along. It can happen, but rarely. Trust your wolf. You’re too young to be worrying so much.”
“I’ll try,” I said even though I knew it wasn’t going to be as easy as that.
“Good.” She looked at something behind me. “Who is that girl with Peter?”
I looked over my shoulder at Pete, who had managed to escape Julie and who now stood over by the house talking to a tall, dark-haired girl who looked to be our age. They were smiling and appeared to know each other.
“That’s Earl and Mary Waters’ daughter, Shannon,” my mother said. “From out in Buxton. Shannon’s going to USM in the fall to study education.”
Grandma nodded approvingly. “Good family. She’d make a fine match for Peter.”
I didn’t comment. I thought Pete was nuts for putting himself out there and possibly imprinting. But if that was what he wanted, I hoped he found someone he would be happy with.
I stayed with my grandmother when my mother went to help with the food, and she wanted to hear all about what I’d been up to since the winter. When I showed her pictures of the Mustang, she tried to get me to let her take it for a spin.
I laughed softly. “No offense, Grandma, but I’ve seen you drive.”
Instead of being insulted, she smiled. “Then you’ll have to take me for a ride.”
“Let’s go.”
She chuckled and shook her head. “Nice try, my boy. Why don’t you go talk to Peter and his friend? You don’t have to sit with me.”
“I like hanging with you.” I nudged her arm with mine. “And all the girls are too scared of the Alpha’s mother to come over here.”
Her eyebrow shot up before she let out a guffaw that drew the attention of half the people there. “You rascal. Go on with you before I call those girls over here and make you sit with them for the next hour.”
Laughing, I leaned over to kiss her cheek before I stood. “I’m glad you’re here, Grandma.”
Pete smiled when I joined him and his new friend. “You look like you’re in a better mood.”
“Grandma has that effect on me, but don’t expect it to last.”
He snickered and turned to Shannon. “Shannon, this is my cousin Roland. The one who abandoned me last Saturday night.”
She smiled and held out her hand to me. “It’s nice to finally meet you. My cousin has been talking nonstop about you since I arrived, and I was starting to wonder if you were real.”
“Your cousin?”
“Lexie Waters.”
A small groan slipped out. “You’re Lex’s cousin?”
“Yes, but please don’t hold that against me.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Don’t look now, but I think she’s about to come this way.”
The last thing I wanted was to have Lex groping me in front of half the pack. I turned to the house. “I could use a cold beer. How about you two?”
“Sounds good,” Shannon said, and I could hear the laughter in her voice.
We grabbed beers from the kitchen and hid out in the rec room for an hour. Shannon was nice and quick to smile, and I could see why Pete liked her. His expression whenever he looked at her told me he liked her very much. It was clear that she shared the sentiment. Even if they didn’t imprint, I had a feeling they’d be hooking up before the night was out.
It was dark when we went back upstairs, and we could hear the party going strong outside. It would go until ten, and then the adults would shift and take part in the pack run. When I was younger, I couldn’t wait to be old enough to go on the run. Now, I’d rather be anywhere else.
It was no secret that unmated wolves sometimes stole away from the main group to have sex, and more than one couple had imprinted that way. I fully expected Lex or one of the other females to try that with me, and I shuddered at the thought of being stuck with someone for life because of a moment of stupidity.
Instead of going out back where the main party was, we left by the front door. People had spilled out onto the front lawn, and I saw my cousin Lydia and her best friend Josie talking to a couple of men I didn’t know. Lydia was twenty and unmated, and from the set of her jaw, she wasn’t too happy about her current admirers.
One of the males shoved at the other. “I told you to stay away from her. Go find your own mate.”
Lydia glared at the aggressor. “I am not your mate, Gary. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
The blond male, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, ignored her outburst. “My wolf wants you. I know it’ll imprint on you at the run tonight.”
The red-haired man he’d shoved moved to stand between Gary and Lydia. “Stop this, Gary. You’re only upsetting her. She and I are dating, and my wolf has begun the imprint.”
I started toward them when I saw Gary’s fists clench in preparation of a fight. This happened every time there were too many unmated wolves in one place. Inevitably, two males would want the same female and tensions escalated until one of the males imprinted. Normally, the other would bow out then, but it looked like Gary wasn’t going to play by the rules. And my cousin would be caught in the crossfire.
“Everything okay here?” I asked Lydia, who looked more angry than distressed.
Gary sneered at me. “Stay out of this, pup.”
I ignored the insult. “You know how this works. If his wolf is already imprinting on my cousin, yours won’t.”
“He’s just saying he’s imprinting to get me to back off and let him have time with her,” Gary accused.
“I don’t care what you believe,” Lydia burst out angrily. “Seth’s my boyfriend, and he’s the one I want. There are lots of other girls here. Maybe one of them will be your mate.”
Gary gritted his teeth. “I don’t want them.”
Lydia huffed in frustration and anger. Her eyes met mine, and we shared a knowing look. As Brendan’s daughter and Maxwell’s niece, she was a very eligible mate, something I could commiserate with. This mating business was making everyone nuts.
“Lydia’s made her choice. You need to let it go, man,” Seth said to Gary in a conciliatory tone.
Gary’s response was a sucker punch to the other man’s face. I heard the cartilage in Seth’s nose crunch as he staggered backward under the force of the blow. Before he could recover, Gary lunged at him again, throwing another punch to his gut. Seth groaned, and Lydia tried to shove Gary away before he could do more damage.
I grabbed Gary from behind and dragged him back until he could no longer reach Seth or Lydia. He was a strong fighter, and he tried to break my hold, even head butting me in the chin once, but he was still no match for me. I might be a pup compared to him, but as everyone liked to point out, I had strong blood in my veins.
“Let me go,” Gary demanded when he realized he couldn’t free himself.
“I will if you promise to behave–”
I choked off the last word as someone tackled me from behind, a muscled arm wrapping tightly around my throat and cutting off my air. I released Gary to grip the arm of my attacker. Bending down, I pulled him over my shoulder and sent him crashing into the ground at my feet.
He rolled away and bounced to his feet to stand beside Gary. Somehow, it didn’t surprise me to see Trevor Gosse, the same man who’d bumped me in the meeting hall. That was when I recognized Gary as one of Trevor’s friends from the meeting.
I looked from one to the other. “Two against one. That doesn’t seem fair.”
Trevor barked a laugh. “If you want to hang with the big boys, pup, you need to learn that nothing is fair.”
I smiled as I studied them. They were both lean and muscled and had the look of seasoned fighters. But they were also hot-tempered and full of themselves.