Delilah’s entire hand came down on his lips again as her cheeks turned a rosy pink. “No more, Blake, you’re embarrassing me in front of our guests.”
Justin stood on wobbly legs, noticing his knee hurt, as was the case when he healed someone. He took on their injury and he would heal in record time, his pain would last a half hour maximum.
He reached over collecting the wedding knife and cake slicer, passing it to Delilah. “I’ll get the photographer.”
As he limped past Dee he sneezed as he heard Blake reprimand her again. “I told you, no more of that hideous scent.”
Justin threw a dirty look at his brother, wondering why he was so hard on Dee. Hopefully, there weren’t any hard feelings between her and his brother, because he really wanted to find the person whose scent lingered on Carter and smelled so good. Secretly, he wished it was Carter’s smokin’ hot mama. He loved her protective nature, and take-no-crap attitude. Plus, her lips were plump and ready to be kissed. If only she didn’t smell so bad.
After hours of dancing, eating and more dancing, Justin removed his dress shoes and sighed. His knee had healed, but he had danced with the entire population of Alaska that was over seventy and several times he found he couldn’t help healing their arthritis, or in one woman’s case her gout. Yikes, that had hurt like crazy. Whoever said getting old was great…lied. The golden years my butt.
His flight out of Alaska was booked for the next morning and he was hesitant at even the thought of boarding the plane. What if he never found the person behind that scent? He was pretty sure that was his mate’s scent all over the kid. He’d tried all night at the wedding to locate its source, but ended up with nothing. That scent would haunt his dreams. He hoped the owner hadn’t already left, because he planned on staying up all night in wolf form hunting for her.
He was embarrassed to admit he’d asked Trevor if he’d seen his mate in a vision, but Trevor looked at his scowling mother as she shook her head. Why Shana wouldn’t want him to find his mate was beyond him before Trevor’s small voice said, hesitantly, “I’m sorry, Mister Justin, it’s not time; but soon.”
After that cryptic remark Justin changed into his wolf form and began tracking his prey.
Chapter 1
Things happened for a reason. Justin had to keep telling himself that over and over in his head. After Blake and Delilah’s wedding, where he’d scented his mate, he’d had no choice but to board the plane back home and leave the possibility of his fated behind in Alaska.
Since then, he couldn’t help but be cranky, even though he’d kept very busy. Paul and Bailey welcomed the new additions to their family shortly after, twin girls. He helped to ease Bailey’s pain while attempting to manage Paul’s anxiety. His parents were ecstatic over the birth of their first grandchildren. And so proud of how well Blake was doing with his new alpha status.
As always, Justin felt like there was a gaping hole in his life just waiting to be filled.
This is why he jumped when Blake called him to come back to Alaska. The alpha needed his help with a few things. And of course, the old biddies would love to see him again. He was ever the popular one for what he could provide-arthritis relief.
Not dwelling on those bitter thoughts he loaded himself onto the crowded plane, hating that he’d be trapped in this metallic, scent filled nightmare for a while. Instead he focused on the renewed hope of finding his mate.
“Mama, why can’t I go to the moon run? I want to go; I never been afor.”
“It’s before Carter, not afore. I’ve already told you why you can’t go. I can’t watch you. So, please, stop asking.”
Dee enjoyed having her son back in town, but he didn’t like to hear the word no. Her parents had indulged him while he was living with them. The constant struggle to establish and enforce rules was weighing her down. Not to mention that, in addition to having her son back, the alpha’s cat had decided it was going to live with her-uninvited of course. One day she came home from work, opened the door, and Mr. Boo, according to his pet tag, just sauntered in. She’d tried taking him back to the alpha, but he always found his way back. So she was forced to buy it food, and then a cat bed. Then, according to Carter, he needed toys and a litter box too.
“But, Mama, Alpha Blake can watch me. He’s my alpha, and he says I could go.”
She could feel the ache begin in her jaw from grinding her teeth. “I’m your mother, and I say no. Enough is enough. Time to shower.”
“But-“
“No, Carter, not tonight. Please, let it go for tonight.”