I followed her taillights and switched on the radio, singing along to an oldie by U2. A fragile smile touched my face as the song reminded me of a time in my life when strangers had given me a meal or a ride to a new destination. It would have been a dangerous proposition for a single girl, but I’d had Jericho at my side to protect me.
I had been adrift for so long that coming back into the Shifter community felt like home. While I’d worked Breed bars in recent years, they were in small towns, and their clubs served other Breeds, including humans. The calling to be near my people had become stronger in the last year or two. I’m sure it had to do with my ovaries putting pressure on me to mate. Those two bitches needed to mind their own business.
When Ivy turned up a private road, it led to a magnificent house with a large stretch of land around it.
“Wowzer,” I muttered, gaping at what looked like an old-fashioned mansion. It was lit by a pale moon, and I could make out white flowers around the property and upper balcony. One of the trees in front had an old-fashioned rope swing tethered to a lower branch, and several cars were parked on the left side of the house. Ivy waited for me by the steps of the wooden porch while I parked my car.
“Everyone’s asleep,” she whispered as I walked up the steps. “Sometimes they get up in the middle of the night and raid the kitchen, so if you’re hungry—”
“I’m fine,” I promised her. “I just need some shut-eye and I’ll stay out of everyone’s way. I don’t want to be a nuisance.”
We approached the door, and she held out her key. I noticed a sign nailed to the siding that said Weston. Something about that name sounded familiar.
“You’re no trouble compared to some of these boys,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll take you up to your room. Do you have any bags?”
I shrugged. “Most of my stuff is still at the house. I did pack a few things, but I’ll grab them when I wake up. Is it okay if I take a shower before I leave for work?”
She nodded and opened the door. “Our house is yours, Izzy. Please, come in.”
The floor creaked when I stepped inside. She hung her keys on a nail over the letter T. “You can put your keys on my nail,” she said in a soft voice. “I don’t have a car, but they wanted to include me in the lineup.”
On the right was a row of keys hanging on the wall. I found the letter I and looped my keychain over the rusty nail that was above it.
Ivy kicked off her shoes in the corner, and I followed her lead, putting my flip-flops beside her flats to the right of the door. We entered an open living room with another adjacent room on the right. Straight ahead was a fireplace, and to the right of it, a hall that led to the back of the house.
Ivy tiptoed toward the stairs on our left and turned around, lowering her voice to a whisper. “We have a little girl in the house, so please don’t shift. She’s human and doesn’t know you.”
I nodded with a bemused look as we reached the top of the stairs. It wasn’t common for humans to live in the same house as Shifters, but Austin seemed like a progressive city. On the second floor, I stared at two separate hallways shaped like an L. One led to the back and had doors on either side, while the other ran along the front of the house. Ivy led me toward the back until we approached a room on the left. She switched on a small lamp beside the bed and turned around.
It was a quaint little room with a bed on the right, a window straight ahead, and no other furniture. I’d heard most bedrooms in Shifter homes were small to accommodate more people in a growing pack. This room didn’t appear to be inhabited by anyone.
She turned down the bed and closed the drapes.
“If you need anything, let me know. My Packmaster is already aware you’re here, but he hasn’t told everyone else yet since they’re either asleep or not home.”
“Thanks again, Ivy. I’ll find a way to return the favor,” I said in a quiet voice.
She touched the end of her lovely braid and her dark lashes fanned across her cheeks. “Good night.”
After she closed the door, I collapsed on the bed and got a whiff of the clean sheets. “Oh my God,” I groaned, feeling a dull ache in my bones. I barely pulled my legs beneath the covers before my eyes slammed shut. After wiggling out of my jeans and sweatshirt, I tossed them on the floor. It felt wonderful to know I wouldn’t be sleeping in my car, but I needed to think about my plans for tomorrow. That meant getting up early and finding a place before my shift started.
Random thoughts tumbled in my head as I switched off the lamp and scooted to the left side of the bed. Hopefully I’d be able to figure everything out in the morning. I nestled my face against the cool pillow, grateful for Ivy showing up when she did and for her generosity.
***
The bed lightly shook, and I covered my head with the pillow. Hawk loved startling me awake, and the curtains did little to block out the morning light. I felt a tug at my hair, and my wolf began to stir.