Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
august
Kicking my boots against the side of the wooden steps, clumps of dirt break off and fall into the flower bed.
That’s what I get for offering to help Ridge and Lyon.
I’m not cut out for ranch shit. I’m a city boy who writes smut.
What do I know about flood irrigation or whatever the fuck?
These uncalloused hands are meant for typing out threesomes, not checking pumps and soil moisture.
Once enough of the mostly dried mud has been shaken off, I undo the laces and pull off one boot at a time, setting them onto the porch to deal with later.
That’s when a small brown package catches my eye.
My gut sinks as I straighten, nervously looking around to see if anyone is nearby.
It’s unlike me to be so paranoid, but this is the second package in a week, and that’s definitely an escalation since the last time.
I approach the box warily, lifting it like it’s a bomb about ready to go off, and peek at the shipping label.
“Whatcha got there?” Ridge calls out, startling me as he walks around from the corner of the house.
I didn’t even hear the Betas pull up.
“Jesus Christ, bro. You damn near gave me a heart attack.”
When he sees what I’m holding, his face gets serious. “Is that another package?”
The label is addressed to Eden and August—just the two names, the address, and nothing else. Suddenly, I feel like my lunch might make a reappearance.
Lyon shakes his head. “Not good.”
“Let’s get this inside. I feel like there are eyes everywhere right now.”
They follow me through the front door and over to the kitchen counter where I grab a pair of scissors and cut the tape. Hesitantly, I lift the lid, finding brown kraft paper and a handwritten note with unsteady penmanship. That’s a first.
You inspire me.
L
“It’s a little serial killer-esque.” Ridge’s hands grip the top of his head. “We need to call the authorities.”
“You think the sheriff will have any idea how to handle this? It takes an act of God to get that man to respond to anything. He’ll take one look at this, and the whole town will know some kinky bastard is sending me naughty gifts.”
“You’re right. But still…”
With a sigh, I turn back to the package and pull out the paper.
Nestled inside is a pair of fuzzy handcuffs and a black lace negligee set.
The exact scene flashes in my head. When I pull out the small doll at the bottom, it’s a crocheted version of a woman wearing a nighty.
In one hand, she holds a chocolate-covered strawberry, and mini cuffs dangle from her other wrist.
“Aug. Seriously. I need to read these books,” Ridge murmurs, lifting the handcuffs and holding them up to show Lyon.
“Here’s the thing. From the outside, there’s nothing inherently evil about what she sends.
But the fact of the matter is that she’s taken fiction, pulled it into real life, and knows personal details she shouldn’t have access to.
” I set the box down, planting my hands on the counter and letting my head drop.
“It was bad enough when I was on my own, but now… Just the thought of Shay getting caught up in this mess is enough to make me sick.”
A steady hand lands on my shoulder, its size telling me it’s Lyon standing behind me.
“You’re not alone.”
Those simple words settle something that was rioting inside me. He’s right. I’ve got my pack behind me now, and my team is working around the clock to try to unravel this mystery.
“I’ve reached out to some of my contacts in the security sector. I’ve had them on standby, but it might be time to explore those options more seriously. Cameras for the house and maybe extra patrols around the ranch.”
“Are the packages or contents escalating? Getting darker?” Ridge asks. “Do you still have any of the others?”
I shake my head. “Other than the time between them, nothing. My team kept all of the others in case we ever needed to use them as evidence. None of them are dark or morbid. They’re all literally just items pulled from book scenes.
There have been maybe twelve in total, including these latest two I received here, which leaves over a dozen books left to go.
They’re even in chronological order, using the most popular scene from each book.
So they’re either a reader themselves or in my reader group and following along with the chatter. ”
“Should we text Memphis?” Lyon asks.
I shake my head. “No, he should be picking Shay up from work right now, and I don’t want to ruin their night. He deserves a chance to spend some time with her. This can wait until tomorrow.”
Piling everything back inside the box, I walk over and shove it in the drawer with the other one. I’ll need to find somewhere to hide them, but for now, that’s as good a place as any. Shay doesn’t venture into the lounge solo.
“I think I need to clear my head. I’ll be back in later,” I say, walking back toward the front door.
“Where are you going?” Ridge asks.
“Not sure. I’ll text when I get wherever I end up.”
The door slams shut behind me. My boots are laced up in record time, and I’m climbing onto the back of my motorcycle where the wind on my face will hopefully ease the tightness in my chest. As I hit the main road, I have no destination in mind. My only plan is to ride.
Ever since I was a kid, I loved the silence and speed of hurtling down a long stretch of road.
Papa Young used to take me out on his Harley any time I traveled up to Darling for a visit.
Those moments were some of the most fond memories I have of Darling, aside from time spent running wild with Memphis, because I got to experience a sense of freedom that I’ve only ever been able to recapture here.
The sun begins to drop behind the mountain, and the temperature cools off just enough to feel amazing when it brushes against my face.
It’s still hitting the mid-eighties, but up here in the high elevations, it can get chilly at night.
Doesn’t bother me any. Right now, the brisk air makes me feel something other than a lingering sense of impending doom. Lyon’s calm was apparently short-lived.
Without even realizing it, I find myself making my way down Aunt Ronnie’s drive and pulling up to her pack’s two-story cabin that sits on twenty acres.
It has a wraparound porch, with two rocking chairs and a porch swing.
Retirement has been good to them. They’re close enough to be a part of our lives, but far enough out that they finally get a little of the privacy residing in town doesn’t afford.
I shouldn’t be shocked that I ended up here.
When I was back in the Valley, Mom was always the first person I went to when I was troubled.
Aunt Ronnie is my mother’s twin. They met and fell in love with brothers and their respective packs, so now it’s one big family reunion any time we all get together.
Pulling to a stop, I throw the kickstand down just as Aunt Ronnie walks out the front door and out onto the porch with her phone up to her ear. I kill the engine, throw my leg over the seat, and head toward her.
“Guess who just pulled up on that death trap of his?” she says, a smile brightening her face. “Yup. Your boy is here, and he looks troubled.”
I roll my eyes. “Why ya gotta tattle on me like that?”
“Boy, you should know we don’t keep shit from each other.”
With a sigh, I walk up the steps and practically drop into one of the rocking chairs.
“Who’s that?” Zachary calls out from somewhere in the house.
“Your nephew, and he needs his aunt Ronnie, so you and Nathaniel occupy yourselves for a bit.” She looks me over, a hint of concern flashing in those blue eyes that are a perfect match to my mother’s.
“Ash, I’m gonna let you go. This looks serious.
” She continues to stare at me, nodding her head.
“Yeah, maybe you should come up for a visit. Then you can meet their lovely Omega.”
I groan, letting my head fall back. “Please, for the love of God, don’t scare her off. Together, you two are like a freight train of motherhood, asking about bites and when you can expect grandbabies. You’ll send her running, for sure.”
She laughs. “Yeah. I’ll tell him. Love you too.” She hangs up. “Mama says she misses you, but she’ll see you soon.”
“Shay doesn’t stand a chance, does she?”
“That poor girl needs a mother figure in her life, and honestly a little estrogen too considering she’s shacked herself up with the lot of you.”
“She’s got Jules and Iris.”
“But they don’t know you all like we do.”
I nod. “Facts.”
She sits down beside me, leaning forward and placing her hand on my knee. “What’s wrong, Auggie? Is it Shay?”
I swallow down a new rush of anxiety. When I turn to face her, I see no judgment. Just true concern. The fact that she’s the spitting image of my mother makes it easier to open up.
I was raised by a pack with strong Alpha fathers, but my mom was always my safe space.
My dads taught me how a true Alpha should behave and tried to instill a sense of responsibility younger me struggled with, but it was my mom who saw my inner drive and pointed it in a direction I’m not sure either of us could’ve anticipated.
She’s been my biggest fan, and my dads, while regularly poking at me for my choice of career, have supported me and stood by my side in the times that mattered the most.
“Mama told you the details about the packages, right?” I ask quietly.
She sits back, grabbing her glass from the small table between us. “She did. Said they could never figure out who was responsible.”
“I was never really afraid. I just needed to get away so I could hopefully recenter and focus. I thought that by removing myself from the situation, it might go away, and for a while, it did. I’ve been here over nine months, and it’s been crickets…until a few days ago.”
Aunt Ronnie takes a sip of her drink. No telling whether it’s sweet tea or whiskey, honestly. She sips them both from straws. “You got another one? Where was it delivered?”
“Two, actually—addressed to Eden at the house. They’re coming closer together now. My guess is that they’ve had nine months to build up a supply of them.”
I stare out across the quiet land, letting its peace and tranquility settle into my bones.
“Do they worry you?”
I have to think about that question. The content itself doesn’t. Like I told the guys, there have never been any threats or items that would cause me concern.
I shake my head. “It’s more just the invasion of privacy that I’m struggling with.
And now with Shay living there, I’m worried this might throw off the precarious balance we’ve established and send her running.
” Running both hands down my face, I heave out an exhausted breath.
“Aside from my choice of career being outside the norm for an Alpha, what Omega would willingly put herself into a situation where there’s potential fallout from a stalker? ”
“You haven’t told her?”
“Should I?”
“Shay’s a strong woman, Auggie. She’s not some simpering idiot who’s going to fly into hysterics. If what I hear is true, and she’s openly agreed to let y’all court her, that earns her the right to be privy to important details about your lives.”
“And what if she leaves us, all because of something I dragged here with me?” My eyes close, and my hands grip the wooden armrests until my knuckles are white. “If they lost out on the woman most of them have wanted for years, because of me, I’d never forgive myself.”
She tsks. “You mean to tell me that you think the woman who handed those old bastards their asses is going to run just because of some kinky packages?”
She meets my surprised stare. “You heard about that?”
She chuckles, the sound making my heart ache a little. I miss my mama. “Boy, this is Darling.”
“You’re right. I need to tell her.”
“You do. And then you all need to discuss the bonding because your mama and I aren’t getting any younger. We’d like some grandbabies before we’re in diapers ourselves.”
My laugh bursts free. “You’re both insufferable. We don’t even know if she wants kids.”
“I’ll ask the next time I see her.”
My eyes whip to hers. “Next time?”
Shay never mentioned running into Aunt Ronnie, and I feel like that definitely would’ve come up in normal conversation considering the tenacity of my mother and aunt.
She waves her hand through the air, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Slip of the tongue. Just meant I’ll have to ask her myself.”
My eyes narrow. There’s something she isn’t telling me, but maybe Memphis knows. I make a mental note to ask him later. The only person more of a mama’s boy than me is my cousin. What can I say? The women in our families truly wear the pants despite any arguments to the contrary.
My mind veers to the conversation I need to have with the woman I’m falling for.
I know the guys have already tripped right over that ledge ages ago, and it’s easy to see why.
She’s amazing. I just have to hope she’s as forgiving as Aunt Ronnie seems to believe, so I don’t send everything we worked for crumbling down into dust.