Pack Daughter

Becca Nelson blew her bangs from her eyes and surveyed the mess that the old community center had turned into. The fire had been extremely hot and had burned quickly. The community center was the latest casualty in a line of local buildings that had been targeted for arson. She raised her camera and started to click. In less than thirty seconds, she had dozens of photos—the building, still smoldering in the cool night air, the exhausted firefighters who had fought to save it, and the residents who looked on in horror and unease.

She’d already taken photos of the fire itself when it had still burned brightly. It was her job—she had to remain professional, even if the sight made her stomach hurt. The reality of what was happening right in front of her was devastating. Sighing, she lowered the camera again. “Damn it,” she mumbled, unable to understand why anyone would torch the building that had been the centerpiece for so many wonderful memories.

Becca had attended her senior prom there, watched several of her friends perform mating ceremonies, and had even planned one for herself. Her ceremony had never taken place, but the memories associated with it still made her smile. Now, her heart ached with the loss.

The fourth building burned to the ground. What would be next? Who might be hurt or killed? Those questions haunted her and every resident of Riverwood. For over a month, the city where she’d lived her entire life had slowly been taken from her. The first fire, a small one compared to tonight’s, had been on the edge of town—an old farmhouse that had been converted into the town’s museum. When tourists wished to learn more about the first known wolf shifter community, they could stop by and pick up brochures and information.

With the help of the Alpha Council, the city of Riverwood, once on the brink of extinction, was now a hot, must-see tourist site.

Riverwood, with a population of over three thousand residents, had barely been surviving before the shifter world had gone public. Now, three months after the announcement, visitors flocked to the once-forgotten town. Businesses that had been boarded up and abandoned had been remodeled and now thrived. Families who had believed they would have to leave their homes to find work were now proud and happy in their hometown.

The changes had come quickly, but had breathed new life into the Pack.

Then the fires had started. First the museum, then the school house, followed by the bank and now the community center.

Becca turned and walked back to her Tahoe, still feeling the weight of the scene heavy on her shoulders. She packed away her things and turned to look one last time at the building. She’d need to get the photos printed for both the police and the newspaper. It would be a long night and she didn’t look forward to seeing what she had captured—a memory that would forever be imprinted on the community.

As she stared back at the building, two bodies broke away from the small group of firefighters and made their way over to her. She offered a small smile to her two best friends when they reached her.

Kenny Moore and Todd Wilkins looked exhausted. Sweat soaked their T-shirts, their eyes were dark and serious, and they appeared almost dead on their feet.

Kenny shook his head. “I can’t believe this,” he said. “Again.”

She would have hugged him, but she didn’t think she could offer much comfort right then without breaking down herself. Todd clasped a hand on Kenny’s shoulder and squeezed. Kenny visibly relaxed. They loved one another, had committed themselves, although they had never taken the last step. She was a little jealous of them but had always supported them. The two of them had gotten her through the roughest patches of her life. Up until now, the future had always been bright. The recent destruction had taken its toll on all of them, though.

“Anything?” she asked, nodding toward the building. It was good having friends working with the fire department and police. Becca normally tried to remain objective with the photos she took. Things were changing, though. Her town didn’t feel safe any longer.

Todd dropped his hand and turned to look at the community center that was now no more than rubble on the ground. “Same as before. It was too late by the time we got here. All we could do was stop the fire from spreading. It’s a complete loss.”

“They keep getting closer to downtown,” Becca admitted her fear. “And I can’t help but wonder, then what? The entire town or Alpha property could be next.”

Todd shook his head. “I don’t want to find out. We have to stop this. So far, no one’s been hurt but…”

Neither she nor Kenny wanted to be the one to finish the thought. They were all thinking it, but to say it out loud? No one wanted to be the one to go there.

“Yeah,” she said instead.

“We gotta head back. You staying in town or at your dad’s?” Todd asked.

Becca thought it over. Her apartment was closer, but she needed her Pack. To see her father and know he was okay. Plus, having the other shifters close by helped calm her wolf. “I’ll stay at the cottage.”

Todd released a breath. “Good. We’ll be over when our shift is finished.”

She exchanged one-armed hugs with both men as they tried to keep her from getting dirty. They all needed the contact—a brush of a hand or a light caress could still the anxiety inside. She watched them walk back to the fire engine, jump up and disappear inside. Then she glanced around the crowd that was slowly drifting away.

Someone had to have seen something. There was no way whoever did this could keep from standing out in town. There were so many questions but no answers. That wasn’t her job, though. She had to rely on the police to figure it out. Or at least wait until she spoke to her father. The Pack Alpha had the authority to stick his nose into the town’s business.

She slammed the rear hatch closed and dragged her tired body to the driver’s side. She wanted to get home. Becca started the engine then, without looking back, drove down the street.

It was quiet now. Without the sirens of the emergency vehicles, the silence seemed odd. A bustling street turned into a dead zone.

They’d rebuild. It was what a community did, but things wouldn’t be the same.

Even with the money that flowed in from the tourists, this financial hit would hurt the Pack. Becca knew she should be grateful about no one getting hurt. The emotional damage that they all felt was as upsetting, though. A strong town being torn down brick by brick wasn’t fair.

Anger began to replace the despair. Yes, she wanted the fury to fill her.

Becca was the Alpha’s daughter—it was time she took care of her family. The Pack was that, her family, extended aunts, uncles, and cousins. If there was a monster out there ready to bring them down, she would fight. This was going to end.

Mike Jackson strolled into the sheriff’s office of Lawton, New Mexico, with a smile. It hadn’t been that long ago that he’d arrived in town to help his best friend RJ Cross as RJ’s brother, Dylan, was accepting the position of Pack Alpha.

Now, Lawton was like a second home to him. Actually, if he was being honest, he felt more comfortable there than with his own family. Here, Mike was accepted and understood. He’d never found that feeling until he’d joined the military where he had met the people he would love for the rest of his life.

He waved to the pretty receptionist and tilted his head toward Brandon Stratton’s office. “Is he in?”

The receptionist smiled back at him. They’d flirted back and forth, but the petite woman didn’t do it for him. Mike enjoyed the chase, but it wasn’t very often that he followed through with bedding the female who’d caught his attention. The last time he’d been with anyone had been right after RJ’s mating ceremony. Now, that had been a good night. The woman he’d hooked up still had his imagination going wild when he was alone with his hand.

“He’s waiting for you. Go on back.” The receptionist sat forward, giving Mike a good view down her low top.

Mike inclined his head and made his way to the back office. He’d been summoned, so he’d have to return later and finish flirting.

Brandon Stratton, the sheriff deputy and second in command of the Pack, reclined back in his chair with his eyes closed. Mike grinned evilly. Oh, perfect.

Mike knocked loudly and stifled a laugh as the other man jerked in his chair.

“Damn it, man!” Brandon groused.

Mike continued to chuckle. “If I knew you were lazing around, I would have gotten here sooner. Did crime take a vacation? Or is this what the sheriff does all day?”

“Screw you, Jackson,” Brandon said. “I’ve been working double shifts and I’m tired.”

“Oh, poor baby.” Mike clucked his tongue. “Maybe you need to hire a few more deputies.”

“You won’t take the job,” Brandon complained.

Yeah, Mike wasn’t quite ready to commit to anything at the moment.

“But I’m not going to badger you about it. Not today, anyway.” When Brandon stood and offered a hand, Mike shook it readily. He hadn’t expected to become such good friends with Brandon. Not after all the drama that had taken place several months ago. But Brandon had proven himself to be a great asset to the Pack.

When Mike had first arrived in town, Brandon was considering challenging for the Pack Alpha position. He didn’t want the job, but other members of the Pack had been putting a lot of pressure on him to not let a stranger take over. Luckily, Brandon’s sister had stepped in and, with help from RJ, they had brought both men together and had avoided a challenge between the two of them.

“Good to see you, man. Thanks for coming,” Brandon told him.

He took a seat in front of the desk while Brandon walked around and closed the office door. He waited until Brandon had settled back into his chair before he spoke. “Sounded important.”

Mike had been traveling back from Texas, where he had been visiting Casey, another member of his old military unit. He’d planned on stopping in and seeing RJ even before he got Brandon’s call.

“It is.” Brandon pulled a file from his bottom drawer. “You’ve heard about the threats to the Packs that went public?”

Mike nodded. It was one of the reasons he’d been in Coyote Bluff. His old unit commander and his mate, the feline Prince, were concerned about the new threat to the shifters. For the first few weeks since the announcement, the excitement about there being shifters had been top news. But as time passed, more and more people—humans—started to see shifters as a threat.

Shifter communities that had chosen to be open now had to deal with some heavy backlash in the form of threats.

“Riverwood, California. Last night was the fourth fire in less than a month. Before each fire, a letter is sent to the Alpha. ‘Surrender the Pack and land or the town will burn,’” Brandon informed him.

Mike opened the file. The Pack was located in northern California, not far from his own Pack. Population over three thousand. The first known organized community of shifters.

It had become common for shifter species to live and work together, depending on one another to survive. But that wasn’t how it had always been. Long ago, the shifters had lived by the rule that only the strongest survived. The Pack Alpha in Riverwood had known the shifters would never last if they kept killing each other. He’d started the first community that welcomed shifters to live in harmony.

Because of the success of his idea, shifter communities now thrived all over the world. As years passed, the Alpha position had been passed down to the next generation, but the honor that came with being the first community never faded.

The current Pack Alpha, Jim Nelson, had decided to go public because, over the years, the pack had fallen on hard times. He’d approached the Alpha Council and received approval to brand the title of the first known shifter community. It had sounded like a good plan to Mike. And it had seemed to work. The entire town had grown. Mike had always supported the decision to go public and had agreed that own Alpha should take that step.

He flipped through the pages and read the report that looked like a copy of the police investigation. The photos of the fires showed him more. Someone was out to ruin the town.

“The fires are always at places that the town depends on. And they are getting closer to the downtown district and homes,” Brandon said.

“Anyone hurt?”

“No, luckily all buildings have been empty at the time. But the concern is that if they don’t get what they want, that’ll change.”

“Do we know who they are?”

“No. And no instructions on how they want the Alpha to ‘surrender’ his Pack,” Brandon said. “The demand is bullshit. They want to hurt people. But without knowing who’s involved, they don’t know whether to look at locals or tourists. That’s where you come in.”

Mike lifted an eyebrow. He knew what was coming. “And what do you want with me?”

Brandon sighed. “Alpha Nelson has reached out to the council and asked for help. Dylan was approached to see if he had any ideas.”

“And?”

“Dylan and RJ thought you’d be a good man for the job.”

Now they were getting somewhere. “What kind of job?”

Brandon grinned. “Recon. Like what you did with the unit.”

“And how do you know what I did with the unit?” Mike questioned, grinning in turn.

The unit he’d belonged to had been made up of all shifters. Several different shifter species. He and RJ were both wolves, but they also had felines and bird shifters as part of the team. “And how is this even remotely the same?”

“Hey.” Bandon held up his hands. “Blame the Cross brothers. I’m the contact to Alpha Nelson, but sending you was their idea. Something about you drifting around lately and unable to settle?”

He nodded. He’d been a little lost since he’d left the military and he had always enjoyed helping others.

“Also you should know that our family has been close to the Nelson Pack for years. Nikki and the Alpha’s daughter are real close. If you don’t do it, she might not be happy and you know what that means.”

Mike grinned. “If Nikki’s not happy, then RJ’s not happy.”

“None of us want to deal with him when he gets all pouty and irritated. He’s like a four year old.”

That statement was too true. RJ Cross might appear to be the big bad biker to the outside world, but he was a big baby. He was also completely in love with his mate. It was both sweet and sickening to witness. “I don’t mind helping out,” Mike offered. “And I don’t want anything to happen to this Pack. I’ll go.”

Brandon clapped his hands together. “That’s great! I was hoping to be able to tell Alpha Nelson something today. This is a big load off my shoulders.”

Mike shrugged. “It’s not like I had any big plans, anyway.”

He’d been headed home, even though he knew he wouldn’t be there for long. Mike couldn’t seem to stay in one place. So much had happened in the last year. It had started with the kidnapping of the feline Prince, then the long mission of getting him back, before they left the military. Casey and RJ finding their mates. Then the shifters going public…

His whole life, he had moved from one purpose to another.

The last few months seemed like he was cruising. And he didn’t like it all. Yeah, RJ was right, Mike was drifting. He’d even thought about going back to the military. He hadn’t shared that thought with anyone else, though. Now that he wasn’t tied down every day, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do.

Maybe this assignment would help him decide. It would be nice to have a purpose once again, anyway.

He stood and offered his hand to Brandon. “I’d like to see RJ while I’m in town, but I can leave tonight.”

Brandon came around the desk and threw an arm over his shoulder. “Nah, man, we’re having a cookout for the family at the Alpha house tonight. Come along with RJ and Nikki and leave in the morning. I’ll let Alpha Nelson know to expect you tomorrow.”

Good food, cold beer and his friends. He wasn’t going to pass up a night with like that. “Sounds good to me,” Mike agreed.

He left Brandon at the office door, stepped out into the warm early evening air and looked around the main street of the small town. There weren’t many people walking around, which only added to the small-town feel.

The community was friendly and anyone who did pass waved to him. He glanced down the street and saw that RJ’s tattoo shop still had the open sign lit up. It had taken time, but from what RJ had told him, people were finally coming around to his shop. He was even getting quite a few out-of-town appointments once word got out that he did custom mate tattoos.

Mike was happy for his friend. RJ had an amazing talent. He had done every one of Mike’s tattoos. He started in the direction of RJ’s shop, taking his time. He still had the file for the California Pack under his arm and he wanted to talk it over with RJ. He would do whatever he could to help the wolves in need.

He pulled open the door of the tattoo parlor and was not surprised to see RJ sitting in a chair with his mate Nikki Stratton straddling his lap.

Luckily, they still had their clothes on. The two new mates seemed to spend a lot of time in the process of undressing each other.

RJ glanced up when Mike walked in and grinned at him. “Hey, man! We were talking about you.”

Mike smirked. “I hope it was before Nikki had her hand under your shirt or it might get a little awkward.”

RJ laughed and Nikki blushed, removing said hand from under RJ’s black T-shirt. She started to slide off RJ’s lap, but he caught her easily.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

She pinched RJ and was able to escape. “I told you I had things to do. You’ve gotta stop distracting me.”

RJ pouted. Actually pouted and Mike couldn’t hold back his roll of laughter.

Nikki shook her head and grabbed her messenger bag from the counter. She stopped close to him and kissed his cheek. “It’s good to see you, Mike.”

He looked over to the woman he now felt was like a sister to him. “You, too, honey.”

“You staying for a little while?”

He shook his head. “Just tonight. I have to head out in the morning to help another Pack that’s having issues.”

She sighed. “I thought we were doing the right thing going public. I never thought it would scare so many people.”

“Hey!” RJ came up behind her. “It is a good thing. People fear what they don’t know. It’ll get better.”

“I hope so,” she stated.

Mike hoped so, too.

“But I do have to run. I need to finish the potato salad and cobbler for tonight. I’ll get your room ready, too, Mike.”

They took good care of him, always welcomed him whenever he was in town, even opening their house to let him use the spare bedroom. “Don’t go to any trouble, I’ll be here one night,” he told her.

She waved him off. “It’s no trouble for family.” She kissed RJ one more time then sidestepped out of his reach when he grabbed her for another. “Stay out of trouble, boys,” she called then left them alone.

RJ threw his arm around Mike and walked him farther into the shop. “So you’re heading out to California then? I thought you’d be perfect for it.”

Mike elbowed his friend. “Really? I hadn’t caught that by what you told Brandon about me.”

RJ motioned to one of the big chairs and Mike sat while his friend grabbed two beers from the mini fridge. “I’m worried about you, man,” RJ confessed.

Mike glanced up, shocked. “Why? There’s nothing wrong with me!”

RJ held a hand up. “You’re not happy. Do you think I can’t tell when something is going on with my best friend?”

Mike sighed. “It’s fine, man. I’m trying to find my niche.”

“Yeah,” RJ agreed. “I understand. You’re thinking about joining again, aren’t you?”

Mike took a sip of his beer and relaxed into the chair. He wasn’t surprised RJ had picked up on how he was feeling, even if he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. But he knew his best friend, and RJ wouldn’t leave him alone until they did talk.

“Yes,” he admitted.

RJ nodded. “Thought so. I hate to think about you going back in without my being there to watch your back. I’ll support you no matter what you decide, but I want you to do this first.”

“Well, I’ll do what I can. You know that.”

“Yeah, plus…the Alpha’s daughter…?” RJ’s gaze twinkled with mischief.

“Daughter?”

“Yeah, you’ve met her,” RJ said.

“When?” He tried to place what the Alpha’s daughter looked like, but he couldn’t think of anyone. He was from around that area but didn’t have a clue who this chick was.

“When you were getting drunk with her at my mating ceremony,” RJ quipped.

“Becca?”

“That would be her,” RJ confirmed.

Holy shit, Becca had been hot and they had gotten drunk. It was been fun. He’d even followed her back to her room where they’d spent the entire night learning each other’s bodies.

“Oh, yeah, you remember her,” RJ teased. His best friend didn’t know that he’d had sex with her. Mike was going to keep it that way. But now more than before he was going to fix things in California.

“Nikki wants to go down there herself and it’s all I can do to keep my mate away from the danger. So I suggested you.”

“What, you wanted me to look out for Nikki’s friend?” Mike asked, amused. “Meaning you can keep Nikki here.”

RJ huffed then smiled. “I can’t have an unhappy mate. I almost had to lock her up to keep her from going up after the second fire. She was ready to jump on a plane.”

Mike could imagine that fight. Nikki was one of the most stubborn, hard-headed females he’d ever met. He really did like her.

“Stop smirking,” RJ grumbled. “You wait until you find your mate. You’ll see then.”

Mike smacked the finger RJ waved at him. “I don’t know that I will be so—”

“Don’t say it,” RJ threatened.

“Whipped,” Mike responded.

RJ flipped him off, but had a huge grin on his face.

* * * *

Becca tried not to roll her eyes at her dad, but as the lecture went on and on, it was getting harder. If her father’s Beta, Eric, the Pack Enforcer, Adrian, and the head of security for the Pack, her best friend, Kenny, hadn’t been in the room, she was sure she would have already. But even she knew that now was no time to push her dad. She could admit that the threats made to the Pack put them in danger. Her own knowledge of the fires broke her heart, but she was more than capable of taking care of herself.

“Are you listening to me, Becca?” her father yelled.

Becca snapped back to attention. She’d drifted off in the middle of his latest rant. “Yes, Dad, but I don’t need protection. I do not need some wolf from another Pack to come up here and keep an eye on me,” she argued for what felt like the millionth time in the last few days. “There’s no reason to think anyone will come after me.”

Her father shook his head. “He’s already on his way. And I want you to listen to him. He had better not report back to me that you are not cooperating. He’s not here to keep an eye on you, as you said. He’ll also try to help us figure out what is going on. To catch the people responsible once and for all. We need the help.”

Becca sighed. “Fine.” She met her dad’s gaze. She had never deliberately defied him. And he knew it. They were close. As close as any daughter and dad could be.

It had been the two of them after her mom had been killed by a hunter one night when she’d shifted and gone for a run. Her dad never got over losing his mate but had always been there for Becca. Had been her everything—father, mother and Alpha.

When the council had sent a representative to talk to him about the shifter world going public, her father didn’t have to even think about it. After the way he’d lost his mate, he supported the council one hundred percent. Plus it had been horrible seeing his Pack struggle to survive. There wasn’t much the Pack could offer being so far away from civilization. It had been a great idea to bring the tourists in. Now that might be what would destroy them.

“We’ll let him keep an eye on things while we try to figure out what is going on,” her father reiterated.

“Do you really think someone from our Pack is involved with the fires?” she asked. Becca couldn’t believe that someone from the Pack she’d been born into would ever do something so…disgusting. They’d known from the start that the Alpha would go public. They had been there when his mate had been killed.

Becca couldn’t fathom one of the Pack members being involved.

Her dad shook his head sadly. “I don’t want to believe it. But we do have to be prepared for it.”

“What about you?” she questioned, leaning forward on the couch. “You have to be the biggest target. Take down the Alpha and the Pack will shortly follow.”

Her dad pressed his lips together, but she still saw the flash of amusement in his eyes before he could hide it. “I have increased my security, as well as the security around the property. I’ve also sent word out that anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable staying in their own homes is welcome. I opened the guest houses.”

Becca smiled in pride. Her father might stick to his guns, but he would also make sure that his Pack was taken care of. She was so proud of him. The Pack wasn’t the easiest to run, but he did it with love and strength.

A knock on the door interrupted any further discussion. Eric stood and glanced at his watch.

“That should be the guy the council and Brandon Stratton sent.”

Becca leaned forward so she could see the door while Eric opened it.

And almost fell right off the couch.

The man who entered was that breathtaking. Dark hair, wide shoulders, a tan, pleasant face with a goatee—and she knew him. Oh, shit, did she know him. He screamed military and she could see why the council would have thought he’d be a good fit with the Pack. The man glanced around, taking everything in while scanning the room.

She flushed, remembering how much of a pain she’d been when her dad had told her about him. Because looking at him now, she could think of several activities they might have fun at. Ever since meeting Mike at Nikki’s mating ceremony, she hadn’t forgotten about him.

Her father stood and she followed suit.

The man shook Eric’s hand before moving to the Alpha.

“Alpha Nelson, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances, though.”

Her father nodded. “Yes, but I am glad to finally meet you. I have heard wonderful things about you and the work you did for the military.”

Her dad cleared his throat and she realized she was practically undressing with her eyes the man in front of her in a room with her dad and his two top men.

She blushed but held out her hand. “Good to see you again, Mike,” she said, relieved when her voice came out normally. She wanted to purr for him. To rub up against him. She felt her wolf part ripple with excitement on the inside.

“Hello, Becca. You, too. Nikki sends her love,” he greeted.

“You two know each other?” her father asked. Becca did not miss the laughter in his voice.

“He’s best friends with Nikki’s mate. We were both part of the ceremony.”

Her dad put an arm around her shoulder and steered her back toward the couch. She also caught Eric’s and Kenny’s amused expressions. “How convenient.”

She snorted. Okay, she might have been pretty obvious about her attraction to Mike, but she didn’t need to be teased. She hadn’t expected to ever see the man again. They hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers.

“Let’s have a seat and we’ll get you settled into a room, Mike,” her dad stated. “I’m sure you’d like to get settled after traveling all day.”

Mike sat in one of the chairs across from her dad’s desk, so Kenny sat next to her on the couch.

“Real smooth there,” Kenny teased.

She elbowed him, already embarrassed. “I was surprised.”

“And horny.”

“I hate you,” she muttered.

He covered up his chuckle with a cough when her dad glanced over at them.

Becca shrugged before pointing at Kenny. Kenny smacked her hand away. Her father turned back to Mike, but he was smiling.

She listened in as her dad caught Mike up on everything that had happened in the last several weeks. Mike listened intently to her father, so she enjoyed looking at him. It wasn’t that she was desperate for male company or anything, but it had been a long time since she had felt a connection like she’d had with him.

Plus, the way he’d made love to her had rocked her world. He’d been dominant but gentle. Becca still thought about the one time they’d had, often.

“Want to tell me how well you know him?” Kenny whispered.

“It’s him,” she admitted. “The guy I told you I met.”

“I figured that out on my own.”

“I can’t believe he’s here,” she said.

“Well, he was as excited to see you as you were him,” Kenny whispered.

“What do you mean?”

“How’d you miss his erection as soon as he touched you? The pheromones in the room almost choked me,” Kenny said.

“I’m going to choke you if you don’t shut up,” she warned.

“Nah, Todd tries but my gag—”

Becca pinched his thigh as hard as she could. This was not the time for him to bring up his and Todd’s sex life. Especially when the man she’d been fantasizing about was a few feet away.

Mike Jackson was in her childhood home.

How had the tragic events of the past few weeks led to this?

He sat stiffly, listening to her father. It was obvious that Mike cared. His arrival in her territory showed that he was a good man. If she hadn’t been attracted to him before, his willingness to come help would have pushed her over the edge.

Becca licked her lips, planning how to get him alone, very soon.