Chapter One
9th November
Gabe North tapped his foot. He cradled the phone between his head and his shoulder and started writing a shopping list. Looking out the kitchen window he noticed his lawn was covered in leaves. He really ought to rake those.
“Don’t you agree?”
Gabe snapped back to attention. “Huh?”
“That it’s a wonderful opportunity for me.” Said Milly placidly, apparently not a bit put out that he wasn’t listening.
“Yes definitely.” He answered quickly whilst half-heartedly wondering what he was agreeing to.
Milly was his sort of girlfriend. They met a year ago whilst Gabe was running an errand to Alexandria. It wasn’t often he visited the city, preferring to stay at home in the small town of Rose.
Gabe was a wolf shifter and a member of the Grey wolf pack that resided in Rose, Virginia. Being a wolf he favored the quietness of the small town as well as the dense, wooded area surrounding the town where the majority of his pack chose to build homes. Cities were smoky, claustrophobic and unkind to wildlife. Gabe couldn’t fathom how any shifter could choose to live in a city, but visiting once in a while did spice things up.
Milly’s voice rose in excitement. “They offered me a twenty percent raise, plus a company car and also shares in the business.”
“Sounds wonderful.” Murmured Gabe.
Gabe was also a Sheriff’s Deputy. A year ago the Sheriff, and pack beta, Alec Hart asked Gabe to escort a prisoner to the cops in Alexandria. Well not really a prisoner, he was a teenage boy who had been spray painting penises on cars. He was also a deputy police commissioner’s son.
The trip to Alexandria had been mind numbing. When the kid wasn’t complaining he was kicking the seat and making lewd gestures at other drivers. Gabe thankfully handed the kid over to his father and said good riddance. The kid was a walking advertisement for sterilization.
“They offered me a Toyota but I held out and got a BMW.” Milly giggled triumphantly.
“Mmm hmmm sounds good.”
Needing to relax Gabe had gone for a drink at a bar. He had balked at the ridiculous prices. A beer cost double it did back in Rose! What was he paying for? The lack of clean air? To listen to the prattle of the obnoxious, loudmouth yuppies? He said as much to the bartender. Who in turn invited Gabe to kiss a less than inviting part of his anatomy.
The exchange was heard by a pretty coyote shifter who thought that Gabe was hilarious. Milly. They talked and exchanged phone numbers. She was fun and nice to be around. Before long they were travelling to see each other on alternate weekends.
“And I managed to beat them up to a thirty percent raise!” Milly yelped in delight.
“Yep that’s my girl.”
Milly worked for a PR company. She put in a lot of extra hours and was very career driven, and wasn’t particularly in tune with her animal. They’d never had much time together, but for a year they’d persevered with a relationship.
In August Milly had temporarily moved to Florida to help set up a new branch of the company. Tentatively she had suggested he come with her but he was adamant he couldn’t leave the pack. They’d tried phone sex a couple of times after she arrived but Milly just giggled so much they gave up. So instead they had settled into a weekly phone call to talk about their lives.
Gabe liked Milly, he really did. But of late he had come to dread her phone calls. Any feelings he may have had for her were now obsolete. His wolf in particular became increasingly distressed when it came to Milly. He just didn’t really want to break up with her over the phone. What would he say? Stop calling me I’m bored of listening to you?
Milly was due back in Alexandria in a couple of weeks. He would steel himself and wait until then to tell her things weren’t working out. He had been restless about Milly for some time and he knew it was better to end things sooner rather than later.
“So my sister’s going to put my house on the market.”
He’d missed something. “What? Why?”
Gabe could almost hear Milly rolling her eyes. “Haven’t you been listening? I’m staying in Florida, my boss asked me to run the Florida office permanently. God Gabe we’ve been talking about this for the last ten minutes!” She huffed in frustration.
“So you’re not coming home?” Asked Gabe quietly.
“No.” She answered softly. “I’m sorry Gabe.”
Gabe inwardly sighed in relief. “It’s okay, I’m just glad you’re happy.” He meant it too.
Milly snorted. “You don’t sound too cut up about it.”
Gabe blew out of breath. “Would you rather I screamed and shouted at you?”