Dark Fates (A Paranormal Anthology)(6)

Thank the goddess Bay and Lexi were there. Though Emeline was friends with all of the Jamensons, these two were closer to her than the others. Even closer than Reed. Reed, the artist of the family, had known her for the longest—other than his late parents of course. He had worked with her for years on persevering the Pack’s history in art form. He’d always treated her with reverence and extreme care, and that same reverence made it hard now for them to become as close as she was with Bay and Lexi.

She’d met Bay when the woman had found her locket, the locket Emeline had put in her jewelry case that morning knowing she wouldn’t be wearing it for the evening. Maybe not ever again. Jeffery had given it to her before he’d set off for war against a rival Pack, only to never come home to see her wear it. She’d thrown it into the fire when she found out Jeffery had died, her pain too much to bear. She and Bay had bonded over the shared memories and pain, becoming close ever since.

Lexi, of course, had become close to Emeline during the trials and research concerning North. Right then, though, none of that was on the table.

No, today was all about Emeline and Noah.

And their date.

“What am I supposed to do on a date with a wolf Cailin used to date?” She ran her hand through her hair, annoyed she’d even said that last part. She loved Cailin Jamenson Anderson. The lone daughter of the set of Jamensons she felt connected to, Cailin had been by her side in the final battle. That didn’t mean she necessarily wanted to think about her or any other woman with Noah.

Not that Emeline had any reason to be jealous.

She didn’t even want Noah.

Sure, keep telling yourself that.

“He’s more than Cailin’s ex, Emeline,” Bay said softly.

“Darn it. Don’t you think I know that? He’s a doctor. He saves people. He puts everyone before himself, and now I’m sure he’s stressed himself out enough that he’s asking me out on a pity date. That’s got to be it. He’s so exhausted from working at the clinic that he’s delirious.”

Lexi stood up and raised her brows. “Stop doing this to yourself. He’s a nice wolf who wants to date you. He’s taking you out for a hike and a picnic. It’s sweet. He’s not doing this out of pity. He’s doing this because he wants you.”

Emeline closed her eyes then pulled her shirt over her head before stomping to the closet. She pulled another one on, this one a nice tan cotton top that looked nice and would be good for a hike.

This was the fifth shirt she’d tried, and she’d been through four pairs of pants. She was over-thinking it. She knew that, but she couldn’t help herself. It was just a date. An outing with a younger man.

Crap.

“Why would he want me? He needs to be out looking for his mate, not wasting his time with a dried-up elder.”

Bay and Lexi gave each other a look that Emeline couldn’t decipher. That wasn’t uncommon though, considering Emeline had isolated herself for so long. She always seemed to be missing something or another.

“What?” she asked at their look.

Bay shook her head then kissed Emeline on the cheek before moving so Lexi could do the same. “You’re going to be fine, honey. Enjoy tonight and stop worrying about the what-ifs and everything else in that head of yours. That wolf on his way wants to enjoy the evening with you. Let it happen. You said yes, so enjoy the fact that you did. Okay?”

Slightly numb, Emeline nodded.

“Now we will get out of your hair since you look like you’re ready to go. Plus we don’t want to be in the house when Noah gets here. This way it’s all about you.”

Again, Emeline nodded before saying goodbye to her friends. That left her alone in her house with too many thoughts and worries. Just like the ones the girls had told her to forget.

Darn it.

Her wolf scented him before he knocked on the door.

That scent of forest and wolf that somehow calmed her own wolf. Emeline hadn’t been able to make sense of it considering nothing had done that for her wolf in years…if ever. She couldn’t exactly remember.

She opened the door and held back a gasp at her first sight of him. His tousled brown waves framed his face, brushing the collar of his shirt, making him look rugged and handsome. His blue eyes held laughter and a touch of something she couldn’t quite name, something unique she now associated with Noah.

The hiking clothes he wore formed to his body, making his already strong, toned muscles look even more dangerous.

From the way her wolf batted at her, she had a feeling her wolf liked this sense of danger.

Steeling herself with a deep breath, she smiled. “Noah.”

“Em,” he growled softly. See? There was that danger again. “You look amazing.”

She raised a brow, even as she relaxed inside at his compliment. “I’m good for hiking, right?”

He grinned then, that dimple deepening. That damn dimple. “You’re good for anything, Em. Just saying. Now let’s head to the spot I picked out.” He stepped back and allowed her to move forward, shutting the door behind her. When he held his hand out, she hesitated only a moment before putting her small hand in his much larger one.

The warmth of his palm sent sizzles down her arm, and the calluses on his fingertips sent zings to other parts of her body.

Apparently she hadn’t been taking care of her need for touch if a simple handhold was about to send her over the edge.