Chapter 2
Harlan
"You're coming home early? That's three days ahead of schedule," Mark's voice crackled through my phone, pulling me from my thoughts. He was my childhood friend and my most trusted associate, someone I knew as well as I knew myself.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white. "Something feels off. I need to check on the house. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"The Moon Goddess talking to you even in the city?" he chuckled, but I could sense an underlying respect in his tone, as if he understood the weight of the intuition I carried.
"Just a feeling," I replied, swallowing down the urge to share more. I didn't mention the dreams—the recurring nightmare that had haunted me for the past three years. Blue eyes, blood on snow, a broken promise. Those images loomed large in my mind, casting shadows on my thoughts.
"Well, your timing is interesting. I just dropped something off at your place that you might find… intriguing." His voice was casual, but something in his tone piqued my instincts.
"What did you do, Mark?" I asked, the apprehension lacing my voice.
"Nothing major. Just helped out a girl in trouble. Solved a little problem for the casino at the same time. Two birds, one stone," he said with a hint of pride.
I growled low in my throat, frustration mounting. "Don't bring casino business to my house. That's not your playground."
"Trust me, you're going to want to meet this one. She has…" He hesitated, and I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. "Extraordinary eyes."
Before I could press him for more details, the line went dead.
Rain hammered against my windshield as I accelerated toward my secluded property in the Seattle suburbs, which overlooked the bay.
I had bought this place three years ago, seeking refuge from the pressures of the pack—a sanctuary to grieve alone.
As I pulled into the driveway, an unsettling feeling washed over me. The house loomed in complete darkness. Too dark. My security system should have illuminated the exterior as I approached, but nothing happened when I pressed the remote.
I parked and stepped out into the rain, the cold droplets soaking my clothes almost instantly. An unfamiliar scent filled the air—something sweet mixed with fear and determination. Female. Human. My wolf stirred within me, suddenly alert after months of dormancy.
Following the scent around the side of the house, I caught sight of a slender figure scaling my perimeter wall. I activated the backup generator with my key card, flooding the yard with bright light, and approached silently, heart pounding against my chest.
"Who's there?" I called out, trying to keep my voice steady despite the tension hanging in the air.
She froze, swaying precariously on the stone wall.
When she looked down at me, time seemed to stop.
There they were—blue eyes, the exact same blue that had haunted my dreams for three long years.
The heart-shaped face, with high cheekbones and full lips, bore a striking resemblance to Elise.
A familiar ache pierced my chest, but this woman was not Elise.
Her scent was entirely different—wilder, more complex.
Brown hair framed her face, which was flushed from exertion and fear.
She was younger too, barely out of her teens by the look of her.
"Where are you going?" I asked, rubbing my thumb against my temple, trying to maintain control.
"I'm leaving," she said, her voice remarkably steady for someone caught mid-escape. "Your friend kidnapped me. I won't stay here."
"My friend?" I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. So this was Mark's "girl in trouble." "Why don't you come down before you hurt yourself, and we can discuss this like civilized people?"
"Civilized?" She let out a bitter laugh that echoed across the yard. "Is trafficking women to pay gambling debts civilized?"
Her accusation hit me like a physical blow, and I struggled to keep my voice steady even as anger ignited in my chest. "I don't traffic women. Whatever Mark told you—"
"He said I was supposed to be your 'live-in assistant,'" she made air quotes with one hand, nearly losing her balance on the wall. "I'm not stupid. I know what that means."
"I'm not… I'm not the casino owner," I felt myself lie, thrusting my chin up to meet her unwavering gaze. "I'm the boss's caretaker, Harlan. The boss won't be back for a while."
I wasn't sure why I was lying. Maybe it was the anger and fear in her eyes when she mentioned the "casino owner," or maybe it was how that face made me want to get closer, to understand her.
I shook my head, trying to maintain a neutral expression despite my growing fury at Mark. "This doesn't make sense. Please, just come down. It's pouring rain, and you look frozen."
She hesitated, clearly weighing her options. I could see her calculating—the high wall, the dark forest in the distance, the tall stranger below. Smart girl.
"Harlan." I deliberately stepped back, giving her space. "What's your name?"
"Nora." She glanced back at the darkness beyond the wall, then at me.
"If you're not involved in this, just let me go."
"Into the woods, in the rain, at night?" I gestured toward the dense forest surrounding my property. "There's nothing for miles. You'll have hypothermia by morning."
A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. Good. She had survival instincts.
"Come inside," I continued, softening my tone. "Get warm, get some food. I'll drive you wherever you want to go in the morning."
"Why should I trust you?" Her teeth had started chattering.
"Because if I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't be standing here talking. I could order the security system to electrify that wall you're sitting on."
Her eyes widened. "Can it really do that?"
I almost smiled. "No. But it got your attention."
She exhaled, and I caught what might have been suppressed laughter. "Fine. I'm coming down. But I'm not staying the night."
She climbed down awkwardly, and I stepped forward to help. When she slipped on the slick stone, instinct took over. I caught her, and the impact of her body colliding with mine was enough to knock a man off balance. But I wasn't human, and I stood firm as her hands clutched my shoulders tightly.
For a brief moment, we were pressed together, our faces only inches apart.
Her scent wrapped around me—soap, rain, and something distinctly hers that made my wolf pace restlessly within me.
Her pupils dilated, those striking blue eyes deepening as they locked onto mine with an intensity that left me momentarily speechless.
She pushed away from me almost immediately, but I could still feel her heart racing against my chest, and caught sight of a flush creeping up her cheeks.
"I can stand on my own," she muttered, adjusting her soaked jacket in an attempt to regain her composure.
"Of course," I replied, battling a sudden surge of protectiveness that surged through me. "Let's get out of this rain."
"You don't seem very surprised to find a stranger in your house," she said, leaning against the doorframe and creating a bit of distance between us.
I handed her a steaming mug of tea, the warmth radiating from the cup like a soothing comfort on this dreary day. "Mark called me on the drive home," I explained.
"He dumps a strange woman at your place and you're not angry?" she asked, skepticism lacing her tone.
"I'm furious at him, though it's not really my place to be," I said carefully. "This isn't my house, and sometimes the boss doesn't know what Mark does. Besides, you're the victim here."
Something flickered in her eyes—anger, pride, defiance. "I'm not a victim. I'm just someone trying to protect my sister."
"Sister?" That caught me off guard, my curiosity piqued.
"Lily. She's twelve. She's alone in our motel room right now, probably terrified.
" Her brow furrowed with worry at the thought.
"My mom tricked me into going to that casino.
She pretended to have a heart attack and said her medication was there.
When I arrived, they told me she'd put me up as collateral for her gambling debts. "
The ugly reality of the situation began to settle in my mind, forming a clearer picture. "Mark brought you here instead of helping you get back to your sister?"
"He said he'd send someone to check on her." She pushed her damp hair back from her face, a gesture that spoke of frustration and determination. "But I don't trust him. I need to get to Lily before my mom does."
"Your mother might hurt her?" My protective instincts flared stronger at her mention of danger.
"Not physically. But she'll use her, like she used me." Nora's voice hardened, each word carrying the weight of her experiences. "She's done it before. Lily believes our mother will change, but she never does."
I studied her over the rim of my mug, the steam rising between us creating a small barrier of warmth. Those blue eyes that had initially chilled me with memories now burned with fierce determination. This was a woman who fought tooth and nail to protect others, and the thought impressed me deeply.
"Stay here for now. I'll help you handle the casino situation," I offered, hoping to convey my sincerity.
She studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable as she weighed my words. "Why would you help me? What's in it for you?"
"Do I need an ulterior motive to help someone?" I asked, my tone steady despite the tension in the air.
"In my experience? Yes." There was no hesitation in her voice, just a matter-of-fact certainty that spoke volumes about how difficult her life had been.
I moved a step closer, drawn by something I couldn't quite name. As the distance between us decreased, her scent grew even stronger, like a forest after a storm, clean and wild. She didn't back away, though I could sense her pulse quickening.
"I'll help because it's the right thing to do," I said softly, my voice low. "Because no one should be treated like property."
Her expression shifted—not quite trust, but a willingness to consider my offer. She nodded, her chin lifting slightly in that defiant way I had come to admire.
"Then let's go. Lily's waiting," she declared, her determination evident as she stood and moved toward the door, her shoulder brushing against my arm in passing.
The brief contact sent a shock through me that had nothing to do with static electricity and everything to do with the wolf deep inside me suddenly lifting its head, alert and curious after years of slumber.
"The rain's too heavy. It's not safe to travel right now," I said firmly, knowing that her safety was paramount.
"But Lily needs me!" Her voice conveyed desperation, and those blue eyes glistened with unshed tears, stopping me dead in my tracks.
My phone buzzed to life suddenly. A message from Mark—a video of a woman in a "temporary babysitter" uniform playing with a little girl.
"Mark may be a bastard, but he did arrange everything properly," I said, handing her my phone as she reached for it.
"Lily!" she cried out, snatching the phone from my palm with an urgency that sent chills racing across my back. Her cold fingertips ignited heat in my hand, and I could feel an inexplicable connection forming.
My wolf rumbled with approval, urging me closer to her. What was happening to me? I hadn't reacted to anyone this way since Elise. Not even the women my father had paraded before me as potential mates had stirred this kind of response.
I settled back on the couch, stealing a glance at Nora's profile illuminated by the crystal chandelier's light. Beyond the surface resemblance, she was nothing like Elise. Where Elise had been gentle and compliant, this woman was all sharp edges and iron will. My wolf found that… intriguing.
Suppressing the urge to move closer, I spoke hoarsely, "So stay for now. I promise you'll be completely safe."
She stared at me for a moment, her shoulders relaxing as she considered my words.
I found myself captivated by the way her lips parted slightly, hoping desperately that her answer would be what I wanted to hear.