Lone Wolf (First in Lone Wolf Series)

Chapter Six

It had been two days since Dawn had learned what Grange was. Two days since she had seen him, other than catching glimpses of him coming and going from the sawmill.

He had been true to his word and kept his distance, giving her space and waiting for her to come to him. The same could not be said for Trig who had been spending every minute of every day hanging around the bakery and had even been sleeping downstairs. When Dawn questioned why, he had simply said that the pack had to look out for one another. Which Dawn figured translated to ‘Grange wants me to keep a constant eye on you just in case the boogie man jumps out of your closet.’

Dawn opened her apartment door and started down the stairs only to find herself tripping over a body sprawled across them. She let out a scream as she found herself tumbling through the air. She tried to prepare herself for the pain and she squeezed her eyes tight only to find herself suddenly being snatched from the air and pulled against a warm body.

“Thank God you were there, Nickolai.” Dawn heard Trig’s voice behind her. If Trig was what she had tripped over and he was now behind her then who the hell was holding her in their arms?!

Dawn opened her eyes and nearly screamed. It was the man from outside her window two nights ago. He was pale, with dull blue eyes, a cleft chin and small scars littering his face. He was scary and emotionless as he looked down at her.

“Put me down!” Dawn ordered, though she had no idea where her brave words were coming from. The man, Nickolai, gave a barely perceptible nod and then walked backward down the remaining stairs before setting her on her feet on the floor below.

“Are you okay!?” Trig exclaimed as he ran around her, checking her for injuries. Dawn smoothed out her hair which was pulled away from her face by pins and hanging down her back and then ran her hand over her brown wool skirt.

“I’m fine, Trig. I would be better if you would stop sleeping on my stairs.”

“That really is an unwise place to sleep. She is weak and easily injured.”

“And who exactly are you?” Dawn demanded as she once again looked up at Nickolai. He wasn’t tall, a few inches under six feet, and he was lean but she had felt his strength when he had caught her in his arms.

“That’s Nickolai.” Trig replied with a grin. “He’s our newest pack brother.” Dawn covered her face and shook her head.

“It’s not our pack!” she exclaimed. “I haven’t decided that I want to be a part of your particular brand of crazy.” She pushed past the two men and walked into the kitchen to get her ovens fired up.

“She is feisty. She will make a good female for the Alpha.” Nickolai observed aloud. Dawn struck a match and lit her first oven.

“Can we please call each other by our first names instead of alpha and pack brother? I don’t want a customer walking in and hearing that!”

“When are you going to talk to Grange?” Trig asked as Dawn went about lighting the other three ovens. She sighed as she stood straight and looked at the two men standing in her kitchen.

“I don’t know.” Dawn replied honestly. She wanted to see him. She wanted to hear his gruff voice talking to her. His soft lips caressing her cheek again…. But could she accept him? And all of this mate talk, she was smart enough to understand that she was supposed to become what he was. Could she do that? Could she allow herself to be turned into something that wasn’t human?

“If it’s fleas you’re still worried about, we really don’t have them.” Trig assured her and as if on cue, Nickolai scratched at his dark brown hair.