Chapter 1 

Mari 

 

 

“I heard more and more wolves are engaging in roguish behavior.” 

I lifted my brows with my sandwich raised to my mouth and waited for my best friend since childhood to finish that statement. It seemed so random. Then again, that was Ashley most of the time. Her brain was constantly churning, thinking of anything and everything. Then her mouth opened, and I never knew what would come out of it. 

“What does that mean, exactly?” I took a bite out of my sandwich and almost sighed out loud at how yummy it was.  

She waved her hand before picking up her sub. “You know. Summer is only a couple of days away, and the tension in the valley is high. Brody says there is more activity at our pack boards. So don’t be surprised if Lor tells you to stay on pack land as soon as Chaos hits.” 

Yeah, I wouldn’t expect anything less from the Blackclaw Alpha. If–and I stress the word—Chaos came this year, it would be, well, chaotic.  

When I arrived in Chaos Valley three years ago, I thought Lor put me under his protection because Ash and I were like sisters. So it made sense that he’d accept a family member of a packmate even though that family was human. That fact I was hiding out from my crazy ex-husband sealed the deal. 

Ashley was the only family I had left, and that was the cherry on top of being secluded from the rest of the world. 

“These sandwiches are so good,” Ashley said around the bite she just took. 

They were the best in the Valley, as far as I knew. We were sitting on a bench across from Dobson’s grocer, where we’d picked our lunch up from. A breeze kicked up, blowing my ponytail off the back of my neck. Despite the heat, it was much nicer out here than in the clinic, whose A/C had gone out sometime in the night. Luckily for my furry patients, the local repair shop had someone available that afternoon to come work on it, so we went to lunch and got out of his way. 

Ashley wasn’t just my best friend; she was also my vet assistant. We’d grown up together and had always been close because our parents were close. When mine died during my junior year in high school, hers took me in. Without them and Ashley, I wasn’t sure I would have made it.  

We were inseparable until she met her mate, Brody, nine years ago and moved to Chaos Valley. Not long after Ashley left, I met Ben and fell head of heels in love. Or so I thought. I was in my early twenties at the time and still too young to know what love was. Hell, even at thirty-two, I wasn’t sure what love was outside of the unconditional feeling you have for family. 

I’d followed Ashely into the Valley three years ago, under entirely different and traumatizing circumstances. With Ashley’s help, I came under the protection of the Blackclaw wolf pack and opened up my clinic in one of the towns—Ivywood. The pack’s territory butted up to the town’s board. So did a few other packs. 

A silver car on the street caught my eye as it rolled by slowly. My muscles tensed, sandwich halfway to my mouth. Unfiltered panic flooded my system. I couldn’t help my reaction. It was of habit that I’d yet broke every time I thought I saw him or heard him.  

I relaxed when Ashley waved to the driver as he drove past and, after a moment, I set the food down, appetite suddenly a mile away. I fought off the urge to run inside my clinic and lock all the doors. The poor repairman would have to witness my pathetic, crazy behavior. 

She glanced at me sympathetically and covered my hand. “Oh, honey, that wasn’t him. He’s gone. He can’t hurt you here.” 

I nodded and squeezed her hand and held it for a few. The contact helped ground me. Why the hell did I still react like a frightened rabbit being hunted by the big bad wolf? I trained with Brody and Ashley, working out a few times a week to build my strength and confidence that I could kick Ben’s ass if he came at me again. 

Still, I was the rabbit about to be eaten. I was pathetic and weak. 

Ashley was even more protective over me since she turned into a wolf nine years ago, which was why she’d taken—or rather, insisted she take—the job as my assistance. I hadn’t seen or heard from Ben in over a year. Ash said the bastard had been informed in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t welcome here. There was no reason to think, after all this time, he’d just show up again. I’d hoped that he had moved on and forgot all about me. I told myself the latter every morning so I could go to work without jumping at every noise. 

“He probably doesn’t even drive a silver car anymore,” I laughed, trying to convince myself that I was being paranoid. It sounded weak even to my ears. Ben was cheap, and he wouldn’t spend his money on a new car when he could buy beer. 

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he wrecked it somewhere being a drunken asshole,” Ashley growled, then took another bite of her sandwich. 

I fell quiet, nibbling at the food I wasn’t sure I could finish anymore. Ben had been an abusive man, and I’d tried on many occasions to end things with him over the years, but he wouldn’t hear it. Finally, the courts ruled in my favor, and the second the divorce went through, I ran. Ben had said on more than one occasion that if I ever left, he’d kill me. Ashley and Brody met me outside the courthouse the day of the ruling and had taken me in until I got my own place. 

Then Ben had started stalking me, driving all the way out to Chaos Valley to talk me into coming home. He showed up at my home, at my clinic, sometimes even at stores or restaurants. He refused to understand that I was home, that Chaos Valley had become that for me.  

When Ben refused to listen, Lor, the Blackclaw Pack Alpha, had moved me from Ivywood to pack land and suggested that I hire a pack member to work with me for backup. Ashley had leaped at the chance. I was sure he meant one of his enforcers, but I argued that they would scare my patients and their human parents. 

With Ashley and Brody being a mated pair, they could sense each other through their bond. Brody would know instantly if something was wrong. 

“Speaking of your lack of a love life,” Ashley began, wadding her wrapper up, “Lor was asking about you again. When are you gonna woman up and give that man a chance at what he’s obviously craving?” 

“Wow, just tell me how you really feel.” I rolled my eyes as I stood and threw our trash away. I knew she was trying to lighten the mood. It worked a little. “I’m not getting involved with anyone right now, especially since Chaos may or may not be right around the corner. My luck, I’ll get attached, and he’ll run off and find his true mate in a frenzy.” 

Ashley held up an index finger as she rose from her seat. “First of all, it’s not a frenzy. It is amazing. Plus, Chaos is a blessing from the moon goddess. Blessing every wolf with the promise of love, family, and future of happiness.” 

“But it hasn’t happened in nine years. That has to affect the wolves negatively, right?” 

Ashley nodded, dropping her shoulders. “The longer unmated wolves go without finding their mate, the more desperate they get.” She perked up a bit and added, “It’s coming this year. I have to believe it will.” 

For my bestie’s sake, I hoped so. She and Brody had been trying for a pup for nine years. Without Chaos, it was harder to get pregnant. It was one of the things I asked the Universe for. That and to keep me safe from Ben. Maybe I should ask for the strange to kill the son of a bitch. 

That thought was proof that I’d lived with wolves for the last three years. 

And if Chaos came this year, dating the Alpha wolf wasn’t a risk I was willing to take, no matter how hot he was. My heart couldn’t take the disappointment again. If it shattered this time, I wasn’t sure I could bear to pick up the pieces a second time. 

A rumbling truck pulled up to the curb in front of us, and Joe stuck his head out the window. “You ladies should be all set,” he said with a grin. “Just needed a filter changed, is all. Your system was clogged and overheated.” 

Joe was from our pack and helped everyone in need. His mate had a beautiful soul and ran the nursery in the pack. Which, without Chaos, was down to only one pup under the age of three. 

“Thank you so much, Joe. What do I owe you?” 

“Aw, Mari, a filter ain’t nothing. Don’t even worry about it.” He waved his hand at me. 

I blinked at him in surprise. “Okay, if you insist. Thanks, Joe!” 

“Oh, I went ahead and shut your back door,” he added. I’d left it open with a fan in front of it so my patients wouldn’t overheat while Ash and I were at lunch. “The place should be cooling down for them now.” 

“Thanks again.” 

He waved as he pulled away and warmth filled my chest. The people in the town had been friendly from the first day I’d arrived, whether they were human residents or the wolves that passed through for shopping or on business. At least the ones that I came in contact with. I willing to bet that Lor had something to do with it, but I left it alone. I was under his protection as well as the whole Blackclaw Pack.  

As we set off down the sidewalk, Ashley squinted at me from the corner of her eye, a smirk on her lips. 

“I’ll let Lor know you’re into the handyman type. Maybe I can talk him into coveralls and a hat.” 

I burst out laughing at the image she’d painted, Lor with his silky black hair tucked under a trucker hat, dirt and grease smudged on his clothes, tan skin glistening with sweat. The latter put an image in my head that didn’t need to be there at all. 

We stepped into the clinic and all joviality crashed to a halt. On top of the reception desk was a plain white envelope. Without even opening the letter, I knew exactly what it was. 

They’d started coming a few months ago. At first, they were nice enough, secret admirer type of stuff. Then they turned rude. When they started getting threatening, I stopped looking at them. There was never a signature or anything that hinted at who the author of the letters was. 

 Even Ashley didn’t know who was leaving them or how they were getting into the clinic undetected. 

“Please, let me get Lor involved now,” she begged, hand squeezing my shoulder. 

I shook my head. “Letters aren’t hurting me. All they’re doing now is proving how cowardly they are.” 

The letter went into the trash, unread.