The Run (SAMPLE)

C h a p t e r F i v e

Following her into the back of the diner she can feel his eyes on her ass but doesn’t call him out on it. At this point she’s immune to him checking her out. She figures since he’s kind of the only friend she has these days she can cut him some slack. Besides it’s nice to know she can still turn a few heads.

Putting the dishes next to the sink she pats Trevor, the dishwasher on the back. He just started at the diner two days ago and she’s been training him since no one else really has the time. He’s a nice kid and reminds her of Hudson a little in his shy personality.

“This is the last of them.” She tells him with a smile. “You did good today.”

“Thanks, Rae. Is it always this busy?” He asks.

Rae nods as she reaches back to undo her apron. “Yeah, especially on the second Friday of the month. A lot of people on the edges on the county come into town around then.”

“Why?”

Knowing he’s human she lets a lie spill out. “County meetings and stuff. Don’t worry the rest of the time its more manageable. Do you need a ride home?”

Trevor shakes his shaggy blonde head. “Nope. My mom let me take the car into work today.”

“Very nice.” She nods appreciatively before tucking her hair behind her ear again. “I gotta head out but I don’t work again until Tuesday. Kent should be here for a bit longer so feel free to ask him any questions. Do you need anything else?”

“No, I think I got it. Thanks, Rae.”

“No problem. Drive safe, Trevor and have a good night.”

“You too.”

Heading into the back storage room Rae grabs her gray zip up hoodie and purse from her bin in the back. Graham doesn’t follow her into the back room so she takes her time to collect herself. Her stomach is filled with her nerves due to the fact that the pack meeting is most likely about the run, which is tomorrow night. She’s been avoiding thinking about it as much as she can but tonight she knows that the pack’s lands will be crawling with new people.

Taking a few steady breaths she tells herself a bevy of reassuring things. Most of them are lies and some of them are just hopes. She tells herself that her mate is most likely not here. She tells herself that no matter what she’ll come out of this perfectly fine and nothing will change. She tells herself these things but she doesn’t believe them. How can she when she knows that the odds are stacked against her?

Fifty new wolves are now in her pack’s territory. Some of them female but most of them male, looking for their mates. They come every year waiting to see if the next crop of newly legal pack member could be their other half. All members with wolf blood participate in the run, not just the ones that can shift and Rae is dreading the day Cleo has to start joining in.

Quickly moving away from that thought Rae runs a hand through her hair as she walks out of the storage room. Graham is chatting with Kent, one of the cooks who volunteered to close up tonight, when she emerges. A part of her wishes Graham was her mate. He already belongs to this pack and then she wouldn’t have to consider moving her family. That and its not like he’s hard on the eyes not to mention that he can make her laugh.

Still, fate didn’t give her that option so she shoots that idea down quickly.

“You ready?” Graham asks as she approaches the two men.

“Yup.” She nods before turning to the older gentlemen. “You sure you’re okay with closing up, Kent?”

He smiles kindly at her, “I’m a man of many talents. Closing this place down seems to be one of them. Enjoy your night. He seems like a nice guy.”