Chapter 1
(Unexpected Visitor)
Tori walked her department making sure things were ready for yet another add. She checked her clip board and not seeing a couple dresses pictured in the flyer headed for the stock room. The blonde woman knew the dresses were there but wanted to know exactly where they were so she could quickly switch them out in the morning.
The girl was sore from five days of training in a row but it didn’t bother her as badly as it had in the beginning. She walked through the back door and quickly reached her area of the stock room. Carefully she looked her area over and walking around to the side found Sandy had hung all the dresses up on a roll rack for her.
“Thank you Sandy,” She said out loud; a wide smile on her face. Pleased she checked them off.
Satisfied everything was in order the blonde woman left the stock room and began going over her signs. Armed with the next days’ add, she returned to the sales floor. Section by section Tori checked to make sure she had enough signs for each sales rack.
The last thing Tori wanted to do before the store opened in the morning was rush to make more signs. Everyone always ended up coming up short on signs, causing a major backup at the copy machine. The green eyed girl would happily like to avoid that scenario.
She was just finishing in the junior’s department when she noticed a group of men, wearing suits, standing just inside the dress department. While it wasn’t unusual to see someone shopping there wearing a suit, it was odd to see four men standing together in the dress section.
The blonde woman stopped her count and jotting down a note to herself she walked over to where the four men were standing with their backs to her. One of the men wore an ivory colored suit and had curly dark brown hair in a low pony tail. Two other men stood on either side of him wearing black suits an additional man in a navy blue suit was off to the side but clearly with the other men.
“Can I help you find something?” Tori offered.While unusual to see men standing in the dress department it wasn’t farfetched. She’d helped several men find a dress for their wife or girlfriend in the past.
The blonde woman watched as the men turned to face her. As the man in the Ivory suit turned to face her, it was became obvious the man was of mixed Hispanic and Caucasian descent. The moment he and the men with him turned however, she knew they weren’t human. Tori had never paid attention to who was or wasn’t human in the past. Once she’d become a potential for River however, she began to pay attention.
“Looking for a dress for your wife or girlfriend?” The blonde woman inquired.
The man in the ivory suit gave an amused smile. “A dress is not what I’m looking for.”
“Is there something else I can help you find?”
“I believe you already have.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You really are a very pretty girl,” The man in the ivory suit commented. Tori watched him cautiously.
“Thank you,” Tori said. She didn’t know why but she felt uneasy about the man before her.
“Forgive me we haven’t been properly introduced. Although you did meet some of my men the other day.” Tori looked at him a moment and then understood. “Aw. I see you do pay attention.”
“Is there something I can help you with Lord Salazar?” Tori was calm but was not pleased to see her future father in law’s enemy at her work.
“It’s really not fair you’ve been brought into this,” He replied. “It would be best for you if you stayed away from Lord Gregory’s son.”
“That’s not really my decision. He chose me and a contract was made,” The green eyed woman replied flatly.
“You didn’t simply start dating River?” He inquired.
“No, until a Unity gathering was called I was never around the pack. I wasn’t looking to get married to anyone.”
“Interesting,” Lord Salazar replied. “Your father hid you. Not fair to you or the rest of us.” Tori looked at him questioningly. “I look forward to seeing you again, young lady.” Turning the dark haired man and his entourage walked calmly away.
Tori didn’t know a lot about packs or rules but she was pretty sure she’d missed something. “This can’t be good,” The green eyed woman commented as she watched the men walk away. “I better call my dad.” Without hesitation Tori headed for the nearest phone.
**
Lord Gregory was not pleased as his call ended. Slamming the phone down on the receiver he left his office.
“What’s wrong?” Trevor asked as his father walked outside.
“Lord Salazar has contacted Viscount Cain. He’s trying to have the contract between River and Tori dissolved!” He said angrily.
“What?!” River said shocked. “He can’t do that!”
“Normally no,” Gregory agreed. “However he’s doing it on the basis Tori was hidden and therefore not given proper time to be courted by others.”
“Courted by…tell me he’s not trying to do what I think he is,” Trevor said with open dread in his voice.
“What?” Nancy asked oblivious to the problem.
“If Cain agrees with him he could overrule the contract. He could allow Salazar and anyone else to send a representative to spend time with Tori,” Trevor explained. “He could ultimately give Tori to someone else.”
“No,” River said barely above a whisper as the seriousness of the situation sunk in. His heart rate increased at the realization not only could he lose the blonde woman but could potentially lose her to an enemy.
“Don’t panic yet,” Lord Gregory told his youngest son. “We can still argue the contract is valid and If need be we can contact Prince Adler. We’re not going to just give her up. We’ll fight to keep her.”
“So what do we do?” Lady Kendra inquired.
“We can’t do anything; not until we know if Cain will even hear Salazar’s objections,” Trevor replied.
River’s father looked at him. “I’ll do everything I can River. I’ll contact Prince Adler myself if need be. I want that young lady in this family as much as you do. We’ll fight to keep Tori.” River gave a single nod he understood.
**
Tori sat swinging on the backyard bench swing. She’d shrugged off Salazar’s visit after calling her dad and given no more thought to it.
When she’d arrived home however she’d been greeted by her father and informed Salazar had contacted a higher ranking wolf in an attempt to put an end to the contract binding her to River. It was also when she’d found out the Viscount could actually take her from River and place her in a marriage of his choosing instead.
“It’s not your fault.” Tori looked over to see her dad had entered the back yard. Warner walked over and joined her on the swing.
“Daddy what are we going to do?” Tori asked feeling helpless.
“We don’t even know if Cain will give any consideration to Salazar’s complaint. If he doesn’t it’s probably not a big deal.”
“What if he does?” The blonde woman asked.
Warner put an arm around his daughter and she curled up to him. “Whatever happens we’ll deal with it. Gregory won’t waste time; he’ll go to Adler. River will fight to keep you.”
“I don’t want someone taking me from him,” Tori said sadly.
Warner gently lifted her chin to look at him. “Are you starting to have feelings for River?”
“I…I think maybe I am,” She admitted. “He’s good to me and…”
“Tori you don’t need to justify anything to me,” The enforcer assured her. “I know he loves you; I have no doubt he’d do anything for you.”
“I heard you weren’t very Pro River in the past,” The enforcer’s daughter remarked.
“That was when he was a bit to lose with several ladies,” Warner replied. “He’s been a gentleman where you are concerned and even fought on your behalf during the contract. River used women in the past. He’s not using you. I think you changed him; you woke him up to what it’s like to be with a good woman.”
Tori smiled at her father. “Thanks daddy.” Without a second thought she crawled up into his lap like she had so many times as a child. “I love you daddy.”
“I love you to Angel.” Warner wrapped his muscular arms around his daughter comfortingly. “Steve is still sore from a few of those kicks you delivered him yesterday.”
Tori laughed. “He did say paybacks were a bitch.”
Warner chuckled at his daughter’s words. “We’ll train again tomorrow after you get off. Just you and me.” He felt her nod but she didn’t speak. Silence filed the air.
“Dad?”
“hmm.”
“Are you and mom okay now?”
“I don’t know yet. She’s still upset and now Salazar is causing more problems.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Tori offered.
“No honey this is between your mom and me. What is important right now is me walking you down the aisle to River.”
The blonde woman smiled for the first time at the idea of her marrying River. She sighed and Warner smiled behind her. His little girl might fall in love with River before the wedding yet. If Salazar didn’t manage to stop it that is.
Silently Warner rocked the swing as he held his daughter. Come hell or high water he’d make sure, come what may, his little girl was happy.