The Alpha's Siren Song

Chapter 27

When I interviewed for the position as a groom, I knew it was a stretch. The morning of I stood in front of the mirror, staring at myself. Since when were jeans appropriate interview wear? But I couldn't show up in dress pants or a skirt because that would just be absurd. I was going to be scooping horse poop, not working as an insurance broker. 

The little farm was close enough to Easton's packlands and I got there well before my scheduled interview. I climbed out of my SUV and padded into the barn, knowing enough horse sense to wear closed toed shoes and boots with a heel. But, as I stepped into the barn, all of the horses immediately tossed their heads over their stall doors. Large brown and occasionally blue eyes focused on me. Not a single creature made a sound at my arrival. 

My mother was right. It was like they knew.

"Well, they've never done that before," a woman murmured, staring at the horses as she ambled out of the arena.

She had short hair tucked under a cap with a horse on it. But that wasn't the only sign of horse on her. She had a green stain on her shoulder, like a horse had drooled on her shirt, and the shirt had some saying about riding across its chest. Her jeans were worn and faded, falling over boots that looked older than me.

I just laughed nervously, hating my thrifted top all of the sudden. Why had I thought soft lace was a good idea?

"You must be Kaia," the woman continued when I said nothing.

"Uh, yes. That's me."

"Easton told me that you might be willing to help out around here. I'm Deb, I own this farm and run it."

"Nice to meet you Deb. He said that you run a kid's camp and that you might need an extra set of hands to keep things running smooth," I said, finally finding a little bit of confidence. 

"You've never worked with horses before?"

"No, but I have worked with cattle plenty and know my way around a barn and some equipment."

Deb ran her eyes over me and despite the goodnatured crow's feet that surrounded her eyes, I could see that she was skeptical that I could even lift a rope. She like Easton had done, as if I were too pretty for a place like this, but it wasn't flattering, more insulting. "Did you work on a farm around here?"

"Yes, I actually lived on the farm. It was called Sky Rise Cattle. It's just a little east of here."

"You worked on Eddy's farm?"

"Uh yes," I replied, wondering how this woman knew Eddy. As long as I had known him, he had only ever kept to himself. No visits from children or grandchildren, no friends over to play cards. It was always just me and Eddy. But maybe this would work in my favor.

I was asked about a half a dozen more questions. An eyebrow quirked when I told her I used to teach swimming lessons. Then I was led around the barn, introduced to one of her quietest horses and showed how to approach and move around the beast. After a while she shook my hand and told me to come back on the weekend, when she had her camps running and would need the help. She would teach me what I really needed to know then: how to operate a pitch fork.

Easton had told me that I could stop over as soon as my interview was over so I hopped into my car, gave myself a quick sniff to make sure I wouldn't taint his house with the smell of manure, and was on my way. 

Easton's Tacoma was in his driveway, presumably having gone to the mechanic's shop and gotten a proper fix since our last outing. I half expected Easton to burst from the front door, always so delighted to see me on his property. But he didn't. Regardless, I swung out of my car with a smile, the relief of being able to support myself so immense. True, I wouldn't making a lot of money, but it would be enough to feed myself and to buy new clothes as the need came while still saving a little bit each week.

"Easton!" I crooned, dawdling up the porch steps. "Are you ready for hours upon hours of musicals?"

The front door still didn't open in greeting and I paused, wondering if I should knock. I never had to before and it felt strange. 

But I heard something soft behind me, like a little huff. 

I spun around and there was a brown wolf, staring at me with green eyes. 

I knew that I had seen this wolf before. I knew that Easton had claimed it was him when we talked about my experience at the river. I knew that Easton, wolf or not, would never hurt me. 

But that didn't stop my heart from leaping in my throat. Fear didn't listen to logic. And this fear had been ingrained in me since I was a child. Werewolves were beasts, killers. They were selfish, too animalistic to be controlled like the softer willed humans. 

Behind my back, my hand reached for the door hand. My gaze remained locked on the wolf before me as I found the thumb latch and slowly pressed down. The door didn't give. Locked.

I swallowed a shaky breath and told myself that I could handle this. I could handle one wolf. 

"Easton," I choked out, feeling so close to tears. 

The brown wolf watched me with a cocked head. Ever so slowly, the animal rolled its haunches and sat down. A pink tongue lolled out of his mouth and he watched me, but refused to move.

"Easton, is that you?"

I received  a tail wag in response, but nothing else. 

My fear might not have cared that I knew the man behind the wolf. My anxiety might have forced my rational brain to abandon ship, but I cared and I couldn't live like this forever. Fear couldn't walk into my life as if it held a key to all I stored near my heart. 

I closed my eyes, briefly praying to Poseidon to watch over me, and I descended the steps.

Easton stayed still.

I sat on the last step and gave him a nervous smile, fully aware that I could reach out and touch him just as he could lunge at me and bite my face. Or something more fatal like go for my jugular. 

"I'm scared shitless right now," I admitted. 

I watched Easton's paws twitch and lift, almost like he was trying to comfort me the same way he always did. But I never ended up with a pile of fur and claws in my lap before. It was always a human hand. How was it possible that this creature was the same as that person?

"To be honest, I forgot that you were a werewolf, you know. I was just so focused on our dates it didn't really matter," I confessed.

Large radar ears swiveled, capturing every sound. 

"Can I touch you?" I whispered.

Easton scooted forward, moving until he could hover his big, wide head over one of my knees. It took everything for me not to swivel around, leap to my feet and yank on the door until it gave way. But Easton had opened his home to me, fed me, kept me warm and safe. Hell, the guy had also helped me find a new job. 

I slowly laid my shaking hand into his fur.

Green eyes just stared up at me with adoration.

~~~Distraction Section~~~

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