I push the door and it creaks open. It's the size of a small one-bedroom apartment and cozier than I expected. It opens to a kitchenette with a small wood-carved dining table off to the side. A bed rests in the far corner with a half-wall hiding it. An old T.V. is on the dresser, facing a cozy-looking loveseat.

  There’s no doubt that this space belongs to a man. There aren’t any decorations or fluff. Darby said it’s a town project, but I can’t understand why they would have a random cabin in the middle of the woods. It doesn’t make sense.

  I can’t say it bothers me. I’d rather be alone. Less noise, less distraction.

  The fridge isn’t stocked, but it's clean, so that’s a plus. I don’t have time to go back to town for sheets, so I head to my car and grab my sleeping bag. I’ll sleep on top until I can get those washed or find new ones.

  Making my way around the cabin, I sniff for signs that anything is off about the place. There are no hints of shifters or trouble, so I head inside and lock-up before closing all the windows. I run hot with my metabolism, but I don’t want to take a chance. I never get to take those kinds of chances.

  The bathroom is well taken care of, and I sigh at the idea of a good shower. The towels don’t smell dusty, so I don’t hesitate to hop in and clean up. I don’t take too long since I need a good night's sleep before tomorrow’s work. Still, the warm water brings a small smile to my face and I imagine for just a moment that I’m free. But I’ll never be free.

  I’m so early to work that I’m actually locked out. I could probably follow Earl’s scent to know if he’s inside, but Darby doesn’t have one, unless it's very faint. I didn’t pick up on that when I first rolled in because I was so focused on getting the job. Standing here now, it doesn’t seem right. For as big as the town is, there aren’t as many scents as there should be.

  Darby unlocks the door with a smile before welcoming me inside. She leads me to the back of the diner to put on a matching apron and black t-shirt.

  “I figured you weren’t the type to wear tight shirts,” Darby says as I pull the loose tee over my tank top.

  “Yeah, I’m not.” Darby pulls the look off much better than I do. I try to force a kind smile, but the feeling is so foreign that I’m not sure it works. “Uh, thanks for telling me about the cabin. It’s nicer than I imagined.”

  “Sure thing.” She looks like she wants to say something more for a second before turning away. “Anyway, today I’ll mostly have you shadow me. You’ll take extra plates I can't carry, watch how I shorthand the orders, and run tabs. I can have you doing that the rest of the week if you want.”

  She turns, and I follow her out of the room as she gets the coffee made. I hustle to wipe down the tables before the first customer hits the door.

  It very quickly becomes apparent that everyone and their mom heard about the new girl and wanted to come in to see me. Small town.

  “Darby, honey, can I get a latte?” An older woman with a floral blouse asks.

  Darby smirks. “Now, Ms. Betty, you ask for one of those coffees every time you come in, but you know we don’t have any fancy machine. I can give you a coffee with a splash of milk. That’s about as close as I can get.” Darby turns, and I follow her to put the paper order on the clip near Earl. “She went to one of those chain coffee shops when she went out of town and hasn’t stopped asking since,” Darby says with an eye-roll.

  I spend the rest of the day running around filling drinks, bussing tables, and trying to wrap my mind around their secret menu language that makes my head hurt. Darby tries her hardest to make small talk. She doesn’t pry, but she doesn’t take no for an answer either, and I don’t know if I like that about her or hate it.

  “Where’d you blow in from anyway?” Darby asks as we take a short lunch break.

  “A couple of towns over,” I say vaguely. I take a massive bite of my seasoned fries so I don’t have to pretend to think about answers. Carbing up before the dinner rush hits is also a plus.

  “Oh, that’s cool. I haven’t ever left here. Did you grow up in that town?” She asks. She sets her food aside as she fixes her dark hair while chatting with me.

  I shake my head with my mouth still full, hoping that will be the end of all the questions.

  “Do you have family there?”

  “Not really,” I say, digging around in my bowl for another big bite. I know it would be polite to ask Darby questions, but I’m not going to change my rules about making friends, even though I like her.

  “I only have my jerkwad brother that you met last night,” Darby says, smiling at me. “He wasn’t always so…rude. Once he became al…older, he had to take on more responsibilities which led to the attitude you saw out there,” She says, pointing her thumb behind her.

  “Oh, it’s not a problem,” I look away, unsure of what to say.

  “I’m getting shy vibes from you, but don’t worry. We’ll be friends soon enough,” She says confidently as she straightens her shoulders.

  I smile softly, but don’t respond as I shovel more food into my mouth. What can I really say? “Sorry, Darby. We can’t be friends because I’m on the run from my psycho dad and I won’t be here very long.” I sigh as I finish up my lunch before running the dishes to the sink. On the way back, I get another nod from Earl, which seems to be the most praise he hands out, so I take it and move on with the day feeling a little lighter.

  CHAPTER 4

  Hunter

  I find myself heading to the diner earlier than normal. I know I have an hour to sit there and wait, but I want to keep an eye on the nomad. I could’ve been a bit more discreet in how I approached her before, but the fact she’s so nonchalant about being in my territory sets me off. Darby will think I’m just being nosey and protective, I’m getting a feel for who the girl is.

  I walk in and plop myself down at the counter before looking around. A couple of the guys from the pack are eating dinner, while the rest of the customers are humans that live in town. Us supernaturals keep to ourselves mostly, but we’re able to blend in without issue. It’s obvious that the humans know we’re different, but we’ve lived here forever, coexisting, and no one seems to mind. I’ve heard that they just call us hippies that live off the land. I’m fine with that.

  Darby rolls her eyes when she turns to see me sitting here. She mumbles something through the window to Earl before sauntering over.

  “You’re early.” She’s scowling, and I’m half tempted to tease her, but I hold back.

  “I thought I’d have some dinner.” I shrug, glancing around. It wouldn’t be the first time I came early for a meal.

  “Sure, so why are you looking for her?” Darby asks pointedly. “You better not be here to tell her to leave again.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, fidgeting before straightening up. Am I that obvious?

  “Yeah…okay. I put in your usual order. You’re welcome.” Darby walks off to clear dishes from the end of the counter, just as I see Janie walk over to the table full of my pack members. I sit up straighter, and I can’t help but let my eyes roam over her. I can tell from here that the guys are flirting with Janie. Jax is the showoff and loudmouth as he takes the lead, teasing her before she smiles at him with a blush on her cheeks.

  My chest tightens when I see Janie touch Jax’s arm as she laughs at his joke. I can’t be jealous. It only bothers me because I don’t want her near my pack. Right? The moment she turns from the table to put in their order, I feel like I can breathe again, which only pisses me off. I mentally slap myself to cut it out.

  I know Janie sees me sitting here, but she won’t even acknowledge me, not with a slight glance or anything else. While she’s holding the coffee pot and walking past the counter, I tap my cup, thinking she will walk over to fill it. Instead, she puts the pot back before heading toward some tables and clearing them. Janie saunters past me with a pile of dirty dishes and disappears into the kitchen. My wolf growls in my head. We don’t take too kindly to being ignored. Why do I even care?

  I grit my teeth and focus on one of the TVs up in the corner of the room, hoping that I can get control over whatever has me itching to get her attention.

  Darby brings over my burger, plate piled high with fries and a side of ranch. She doesn’t say a word, but a deep scowl sits on her face, letting me know she’s unhappy with me being here. So, she’s mad too. Great. I guess I will be enjoying my meal in silence then.

  I dig into my hamburger, half saluting Earl while I enjoy the greasy monstrosity that is his cheesy double. I’d survive on these if I could. I force my eyes to stay on the football game on the television instead of searching Janie out every few moments, until I hear Jax and the other three laughing again. I glance over my shoulder to see Janie putting food in front of the guys as they easily banter back and forth.

  Janie walks by again with a new blush, and this time I can’t stop myself.

  “I need a refill on my coffee,” I grunt out. Janie turns to look at me. The smile playing on her lips falls away as she shoves her hands into her apron pocket.

  “I’m not your server. Darby is. Ask her,” She bites out, giving me a facetious smile.

  Damn, she’s got an attitude.

  Janie leans on the counter, watching all of the tables, waiting until she’s needed. Instead of Darby flitting around as the only waitress, she’s taking her time with her tables with a genuine smile. At least someone’s happy with this nomad’s appearance.

  Sitting at Jax’s table, the shorter guy, Pete, flags Janie over with a flirty grin, but I've seen about enough. The moment the smile comes to her face, something in me snaps.

  I glare back at the men. “Go,” I mentally growl towards them. As their alpha, I can tell my pack short commands without even opening my mouth to speak. I can’t seem to control the urge to get them away from her, and my wolf seems to agree with me.

  The four men don’t hesitate. Their wide eyes turn to me momentarily before their conversation comes to a screeching halt. They throw money for the food on the table and hustle out of the diner, giving me slight nods on the way out.

  Janie stands there with her hands on her hips, watching the guys acknowledge me. She quickly scoops up the money and stomps towards the register. It means she has to walk past me to deposit their cash, but she stops abruptly, glaring at me.

  “I don’t know what you just did,” she says. “But whatever it was, you just cost me a good tip.”

  I sit there smugly, knowing she can’t prove I had anything to do with that table suddenly leaving, but coursing under that cockiness is confusion. I’m not jealous…right?

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, just as I had when Darby accused me of being a stalker. I smile back at Janie.

  She just rolls her eyes and flips her hair before returning to the cash register. The scent of wildflowers and vanilla fills my nose, and I stop smiling. Not jealous. Janie’s a nomad that could be dangerous to my pack. Just a nomad.

  Every thought about the girl, I follow up with her being a nomad. I need to keep my wits about me when she’s around. I have no idea why she’s here, but I intended to find out.

  CHAPTER 5

  Janie

  Walking into the small store, I grab a basket and set out to get some groceries. It’s an old-timey store with barrels of fruit and vegetables, sort of like a farmer's market. The smells are nice. I start to browse the deli when I feel like there are eyes on my back.

  I look up, searching for whoever is giving me the strange feeling, but I find no one there. I can see the young cashier reading a celebrity magazine, but there are no other people around. I let my eyes scan the area one more time before grabbing a couple of sandwiches and moving on to the drinks. I could really use some coffee and something with carbonation.

  I keep getting that feeling on the back of my neck. Like a flame close enough to my skin to cause a warmth across my back. Since I’ve been on the run—sort of—I can’t take a chance on those feelings leading to a situation that could put me in danger.

  “You’re a disgusting half-breed with no business living in my pack. Come morning; your blood will taint my land, and your memory will forever be erased from my history.” My father’s words ring in my head.

  When I shifted for the first time three years ago, it was obvious I wasn’t like everyone else in the pack. My father realized at that moment that my mother had taken a horrible secret to her grave. As the alpha, it was a weak move for my father to never notice his daughter was different, and especially to come to terms with the fact that his mate had cheated on him. I got shoved into a shed that night, where they locked me away until they could execute me in front of the entire pack.

  I snap back to reality when someone clears their throat. I blush as I realize the cashier is staring at me strangely. I mumble my apology and pay for the groceries before rushing out to my car.

  I can't believe that I let one feeling get me so off-kilter. I don’t want to be bothered by a man who would willingly kill me for his bruised ego. That man raised me and would wipe me out of existence without a second thought. All because packs don’t accept outsiders, and being a half-breed is even more frowned upon. Screw him.

  I hate thinking about it and the ache that comes to my chest. Just don’t trust people, and you won't have to get hurt again. That day, I didn’t just lose my father. I lost all of my friends, cousins…everyone.

  Driving towards the cabin, I’m barely going the speed limit. Something has my nerves tingling like a live wire. Whether it’s the memories, or the moments of feeling someone following me, I can't shake it. I doubt just anyone would follow me down this deserted road. I creep down the road, gravel crunching under my tires, but I still don’t see another car behind me. Maybe I’m being paranoid.

  I sit in my car for a moment outside the cabin, just taking a breath as I calm myself. I’m now in the middle of nowhere. There’s no way anyone can even guess where I am. I’ve traveled in random directions to towns no one has heard about. I cut my hair off and dyed it, so even if they did find me, they wouldn’t know what name I’m going by, or what I look like anymore. I’ve taken just about every step I can to hide.

  The moment I step out of the car, though, I feel it again. Eyes are on me, but it feels different than it did at the store. My heart speeds up, and I stand by the car, staring into the dense forest. Whoever is there has to know by my reaction that I know they’re watching.

  “Who’s there?” I call out. I’d rather provoke them than turn my back and be caught off guard.

  The sounds of branches crunching under boots hit my ears until two men start toward me. “Becker is not happy with you, Juno.” The first man ‘tsks’ as he crosses his hairy arms over his thick chest.

  It's Gary, my father’s right-hand man. I’m not sure who the other guy is, but judging by the nasty scar across his dark face, I don’t care to find out. Gary is my father’s muscle, who tends to do any of his dirty work. Of course he would send him after me. The coward can’t come looking for me himself,

  “What? Are you surprised we found you?” Mr. Scarface asks. “You’re far too sloppy to get lost.”

  “Why are you here?” I ask, standing my ground. I’m not going to let them smell or see my fear. I swallow down a surge of panic as I crack my neck from side to side. I’d rather die fighting than go back to Becker just for him to kill me.

  “Becker has plans for you.” Gary steps forward as his friend slinks to the side, holding out his arms like he’s about to trap a scared animal.

  “The hell he does,” I growl out. I wonder if I’ll be fast enough to hop into my car. I can’t outrun both of them, as thick as the forest is, but they’re so close to the car now that it’s out of the question.

  “We’ll see about that, Juno,” Gary says, rushing me.

  The thing about growing up in a compound I used to call my father’s pack, everyone knows how to fight. I wasn’t raised to be soft or meek, and I’m not about to run scared now.

  I kick out as Gary lunges for me, knocking him back a step. Mr. Scarface rushes me, but I spin, slamming my fist into the side of his face. I can see the shock as he registers that I’m fighting back, but it quickly morphs into anger. Both men charge at me simultaneously, and even though I thrash, Gary gets a hold of my leg. Scarface shoves my neck into the crook of his arm.

  “I’ll take you back to him dead if you don’t knock it off, Juno.” Gary’s breath is rancid against my face as he leans into me. I kick out and my sneaker connects with Gary’s groin, but the guy at my throat starts to cut off my air supply. White spots dance around in my vision as I claw at the guy's large arm.

  I know that I will have a better chance if I shift, but I’ve been putting it off since that night. I don’t even know my wolf anymore. I’m an abomination. I don’t belong anywhere. Maybe I should just drift off and accept my fate.

  CHAPTER 6

  Hunter

  I follow Janie to the cabin, wondering what she’ll do once she gets there. My sister had nothing else to say about her except that she’s a hard worker. Darby swears she asked her all kinds of questions, but Janie kept shutting the conversation down. Something about her feels off, smells off. Not that off if I keep thinking about her. I shake my head to focus. I try to reason with my thoughts. I’m only thinking about Janie for the safety of the town.

  I creep down the road, parking on the edge of a stretch of Aspen trees. I hurry to shut off my truck before Janie can hear me. I’ll walk the rest of the way. I know she felt me watching her back in town. She’s observant, but why? I guess, as a nomad, she would need to be, but even the nomads I’m in touch with have never heard of her.