There was an impressive hunting lodge in the near distance; while the base of the lodge was constructed of large stone, the upper levels had timber frames. The place was illuminated by fairy lights that decorated the trees surrounding it, making it seem cozy and almost magical.
Derren pulled to a stop in the center of a row of all-terrain vehicles, a Winnebago, and a Mercedes. Well, someone had varied tastes. Returning her iPod and earbuds to her pocket, Ally was out of the SUV before Derren could open her door, which seemed to aggravate him for some reason. Her wolf was enjoying the scents of sun-warmed earth, moss, and pine; basking in the peaceful yet untamed atmosphere.
Carrying her suitcase, Derren tipped his chin toward Eli, indicating for her to follow him into the lodge. Inside the living area, three wolves waited on the luxurious sofas, while an adorable pup was playing with some toys on an oval rug. There was a real rustic tone to the homey, spacious lodge, which was complemented by the stone fireplace.
Two of the wolves got to their feet. Mates, Ally sensed.
The ethereally beautiful redhead was, to Ally’s total surprise, smiling in welcome. The imposing blond male at her side, however, was making his suspiciousness of Ally perfectly open in his piercing eyes—it was a look she’d seen many times before. Yep, prejudice against Seers existed in this pack all right. Great.
“Ally,” began Derren, “these are my Alphas, Nick and Shaya.”
Ally knew that although it was important that she was respectful, despite being there under sufferance, it was also important that she didn’t appear weak. That meant not cowering under the force of the Alpha male’s disapproval and vexation, even though it felt like hundreds of wasps were stinging her body. Head held high, voice steady and strong, she said, “Ally Marshall. I appreciate you giving me sanctuary.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Ally,” said Shaya. Both Ally and her wolf could sense that, although the Alpha female was submissive, she was strong in her own way.
When Nick didn’t greet Ally, Shaya rolled her eyes. “Don’t take it personally. He’s one of the most antisocial people you’ll ever meet. Over there is Nick’s mom, Kathy.”
The small brunette just stared, her dislike of Ally evident in both her expression and the distaste that was like the slash of a razor on Ally’s flesh.
“And this . . .” Shaya picked up the infant. “This is my baby girl, Willow.”
Ally smiled at the pup. “Good Lord, aren’t you just adorable.”
For a short moment, Willow looked at Ally . . . almost as if assessing her. Then she flashed her a wide smile, reaching out to touch her cheek.
“And obviously you’ve met Derren and Eli, our Beta and Head Enforcer.” Shaya cocked her head. “Should I call you Alyssa or Ally?”
“Ally’s fine.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Well, if you get a little hungry, there’s some food in the guest lodge you’ll be using.”
They were putting her in a guest lodge? Ally had been expecting them to order her to stay with Derren, given how unwelcome she was here. This was a huge relief. Ally liked space and privacy, and she certainly didn’t want to constantly be in close proximity to him all the time.
“You can meet the rest of the pack in the morning when you come here for breakfast. After that, I’ll give you a tour, since it’s a little too late for that now.” Shaya turned to Derren. “We’ve put Ally in the guest lodge nearest to yours. Can you escort her there?”
He gave Shaya a nod before signaling for Ally to follow. Giving the Mercury wolves a brief good night, she followed him through an archway that led to a dining area and kitchen, liking that it was all one open space. Outside, a Labrador was wagging his tail excitedly.
“That’s Bruce,” said Derren, watching as the dog rubbed his body all over Ally’s legs and butted her hand for a stroke. His wolf was jealous, wanted the same attention, which was just plain pathetic. “Let’s go.” Bruce stayed at her side as Derren escorted her to the guest lodge, irritating his wolf and pricking at his jealousy. Pitiful.
Feeling his negative emotions slap at her as they walked in silence, Ally wondered how she could possibly be attracted to someone who not only disliked her so much but caused her such physical discomfort. Yet, the hunger was there all the same, taunting her and making her feel edgy. Her wolf’s fascination with him wasn’t helping matters at all. Nor were his flashes of raw need that were like fingers teasingly trailing down the length of her spine.
Oh, help.
As the lodge came into view, Ally halted with a gasp. She hadn’t envisioned this at all. It was just . . . beautiful. The timber L-shaped lodge had a wraparound porch, which would no doubt overlook the lake she could see just beyond the building. The front of the lodge was glazed glass, allowing plenty of natural light to fill the space. Situated on a rise, it was perfectly positioned for her to spot anyone approaching. “It’s . . . Wow. Just wow.”