The sound of running feet drew our attention to the woods behind us as Maxwell loped out of the trees in wolf form, followed by Brendan and dozens of pack members. I’d never been so glad to see Maxwell because his presence meant the girls’ playtime was over for tonight. The pack run was about unity and being led by our Alpha. We’d run hard over pack land and return home tired but content.
I spotted my mother and grandmother and went to join them. I hadn’t been kidding when I told Grandma the girls were afraid of her because she was the Alpha’s mother. I wanted to run and enjoy myself without the hassle.
You hiding again? she asked when I drew near.
Yes.
She snorted softly. At least you’re honest about it. Okay, my boy. Let’s run.
Chapter 8
Emma
“What on earth is this?”
I slowed on my walk home from work on Wednesday afternoon when I saw a large white truck parked in front of my building. I wasn’t expecting a delivery, so they had to be there by mistake.
A young man in a blue polo shirt was carrying a handheld device and came around the corner of the building as if he’d just been to my door. He spotted me walking toward him and stopped to wait for me.
“Are you Emma Grey?”
“Yes.”
“Great. I have a delivery for you.” He held out the handheld and a stylus. “If you’ll sign here, I’ll get it off the truck for you.”
I didn’t take the device. “There must be some mistake. I haven’t ordered anything.”
He frowned and looked at the screen on his handheld. “Says here the order was placed by a Nikolas Danshov.”
“Oh! Then I guess it is for me.” I took the stylus and signed where he told me to. I’d forgotten all about the gift Nikolas had ordered for me. “What is it?” I asked eagerly.
The man smiled. “Come see for yourself.”
We walked to the back of the truck, and he opened the doors. A laugh burst from me when I saw what was inside.
“A motorcycle? He got me a motorcycle?” What on earth was Nikolas thinking? I had no idea how to ride one of these.
The man smiled. “Not a motorcycle. It’s a scooter.”
I walked to the side to get a better look at the silver scooter. Now that I saw it from a different angle, I felt silly for thinking it was a motorcycle.
“What kind is it?” I asked him as he swung up into the truck and started unhooking the cables keeping the scooter in place.
“It’s a Vespa GTV 300. Real nice one. Vintage look.”
“I’ve heard of Vespa, but I’m afraid I don’t know anything about scooters,” I said, wondering what I was going to do with it.
He rolled the scooter to the lift and lowered himself and the bike to the ground. Then he rolled it up to the steps and put down the stand.
“Hold on. I think there’s a helmet, too.” He ran back to the truck and returned, carrying a silver helmet and a larger silver dome-shaped object. He handed the helmet to me.
“This here is a topbox,” he explained, holding up the other object. “You can mount it on the back of the scooter and use it for carrying stuff. It’s handy if you don’t have a car and need to get groceries.”
“That’s perfect.” My chest warmed at Nikolas’s thoughtfulness.
I heard a car approaching, and I looked up as a blue Mustang came around the truck and pulled in beside the Vespa. Roland got out and joined us.
“A Vespa.” He walked around the scooter, looking it over. “This is a great scooter, but I thought you were thinking about buying a car.”
“I am. This is a gift from Nikolas.”
“Ah.” He nodded, smiling. “Yeah, this is exactly the kind of gift he’d give you.”
The delivery man stepped forward. “The keys, manuals, and paperwork are all in the storage compartment beneath the seat.” He pressed a button under the ignition, lifted the seat, and pulled out a set of keys, explaining the difference between the blue one and the brown one. I was still a bit overwhelmed by the Vespa, so I wasn’t sure how much I’d remember after he left.
“Thank you.” I reached into my bag for my wallet. I wasn’t sure how much you tipped someone delivering a scooter, but I had to give him something.
He put up a hand. “That’s already been taken care of by Mr. Danshov. Enjoy your Vespa.”
I gave Roland a helpless look as the truck pulled away. “I don’t suppose you know how to drive one of these things.”
He chuckled. “I’ve ridden motorcycles, so I’m sure I can figure it out.”
I handed him the keys, and he demonstrated how to start the scooter.
“It’s pretty easy to operate. You turn the key, then lightly hold the brake and press the starter.”
The Vespa purred to life. Roland put up the stand, and I pretended not to notice how his jeans stretched tight across his backside when he straddled the seat.
“Here, let me show you how easy this is to handle.” Waving off the helmet I offered him, he pulled out into the street and drove to the end of the row of buildings and back again. I had to admit he made it look easy, even though the scooter didn’t exactly suit him. Now that I knew him, I definitely saw him more as a classic muscle car kind of person.
He stopped beside me. “You want to give it a go?”
I hesitated. I wasn’t afraid of motorcycles, but I’d never driven one. The scooter was smaller and less powerful, but it was still a motorbike.
He hopped off the scooter and waved me over. I donned the helmet and took his place on the seat, bracing my feet on the pavement. The Vespa teetered a little because I wasn’t used to the weight, but I kept it upright. The scooter was small enough to fit me, and I felt comfortable reaching the handlebars. Nikolas had chosen well. Now, I just needed to learn to drive it.
“What do I do now?” I asked.
Roland showed me the gas and brakes and explained the basic operation. Once I thought I had it, I turned the throttle and the scooter shot forward a few feet, startling me.
“Start slow,” he said coming up to me. “Ease off the brake and very lightly give it some gas.”
“I’m afraid I’ll tip over.”
“Don’t worry about that. You can keep your feet down and go really slow to get a feel for it.”
“Okay.” I did as he said, and I managed to go ten feet without falling over. I pulled up one foot, but when I lifted the other, the scooter tipped and I panicked and hit the brake. How had he made this look so easy?
Roland caught up to me and put his hand on the front of the scooter to steady it. “You’re doing great.”
I made a face. “I’m terrible; admit it.”
“No, you’re just nervous. You’ll be a pro at this in no time.” He pursed his lips for a few seconds and moved behind me. “Scoot up a little.”
I stared at him over my shoulder. “Why?”
“I’m going to sit behind you and be your training wheels. You focus on driving, and I’ll catch the scooter if it starts to tip.”
“You’re too big. It won’t fit both of us.” My stomach did a little flip, and I didn’t know if it was the thought of being so close to a werewolf or the thought of being close to this one in particular.
He shook his head. “It might be a tight squeeze, but we’ll fit. And it’s not like we’re going that far.”
“But…”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You’re not afraid of being that close to me, are you?”
“No,” I blurted, feeling my ears grow warm. “I mean, not really.”
His smile faded. “Is it because of what I am? You don’t ever have to be afraid around me.”
“It’s not that,” I rushed to reassure him. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“Good. Then let’s do this.”
“Fine.”
I shifted forward a few inches, and he mounted the scooter behind me. There was no air between us, and the feel of his warm body pressed snugly against my back made my stomach do weird things. When he placed his hands on my hips, my mouth went dry and I forgot what I was supposed to do. He’d worried I was afraid of him, but it definitely wasn’t fear I was feeling now.