Right now, all he wanted was a cup of coffee and some food. He didn’t care what it was as long as it was filling and he could get it to go. He had no plans to linger any longer than necessary. Alex was out there somewhere and so were the werewolves who were hunting for her. He knew Joshua would protect her with his life, but it wasn’t the same as being able to see her with his own two eyes. He wouldn’t relax until she was safe within the confines of the Wolf Creek pack and properly mated.
He tried not to think about how Alex was feeling right now. He knew she was coping and doing what she had to do. After all, she was his daughter. He had faith in her ability to do what needed to be done.
But that didn’t ease his worries. It had been a huge shock for Alex to find out about her heritage, especially in the way she had. He’d waited too long to tell her the truth about himself and about her. That was his mistake, and one he wished he could rectify. If he could turn back the clock he would. But that was impossible. The only thing any of them could do at the moment was to move forward and deal with whatever came next.
Climbing out of his car, he kept his sunglasses on as he scanned the area, letting his heightened senses flare outward. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as he strode across the gravel parking lot. The sun was high in the sky and the heat felt good against his face. He could see and smell the surrounding forest and for the first time in years felt as if he could truly breathe. He was going home.
He yanked open the door and his nostrils were assaulted by the smell of burnt toast, bacon, eggs, coffee and unwashed bodies. Barely resisting the urge to curl his lip in disgust, he went to the counter, ignoring the stares directed his way. An older woman with a stained uniform and a worn look on her face scowled at him from behind the counter. “What will it be?”
James scanned the printed menu posted behind her. “I’ll have the number two special and a large coffee to go.” He figured the breakfast special couldn’t be too bad.
She yelled his order through the open window that led to the kitchen. Turning back to him, she rang up his order. “That’s six seventy-five.”
“That’s fine.” He pulled a couple bills out of his pocket and paid for his order.
“Where you headed?” The woman squinted at him, her eyes missing nothing as she sized him up from head to toe. She poured his large coffee, plunking it down on the counter in front of him.
James knew her type. She liked to gossip and would remember him. He cursed himself for stopping. “Chicago,” he lied easily. She’d had no way of knowing which direction he’d come from.
“Business or pleasure?”
He ground his teeth together. Why did he have to stop at the diner with the nosey waitress and why didn’t anyone in this joint need another cup of coffee? As if hearing his unspoken plea, a man shouted from near the back of the room. “Hey, how about some more coffee back here, Gladys?”
“Hold on to your britches, Hank, I’m coming.” She scowled at James as if this was somehow his fault before she grabbed the coffeepot and left her spot behind the counter.
James breathed a sigh of relief when the cook, a big, burly man with tattoos running up and down his arms, brought his order out from the kitchen. “Anything else?”
“No.” Grabbing his coffee and his meal, he left the diner behind him. James could feel the woman’s eyes burning into his back as he strode back to his car. Opening the door, he stashed his meal on the floor on the passenger side. He’d eat somewhere less visible.
Starting the engine, he grinned as lady luck smiled at him. A large transport truck slowed and began to pull into the parking lot. James used the bulk of the vehicle to shield him as he put his car in drive and turned out of the lot. Even if someone had been watching, they’d have no way of knowing which direction he’d taken.
Whistling under his breath, James drove down the road searching for a place to pull off so he could eat his breakfast before continuing on to Wolf Creek. It wouldn’t be long until he was with Alex again. His fingers flexed hard around the steering wheel as he wondered where she was.
Chapter Fifteen
Alex was enthralled by the countryside as it passed by her window. The truck cruised along, Joshua pushing way above the speed limit whenever he could. She knew he was in a hurry to get home.
They’d been on the road all day, stopping only long enough to relieve themselves at a gas station and even once in the bushes before moving on once again. She knew they were on a deadline and they were being chased by bounty hunters and other werewolves, but right now she was doing her best just to enjoy the moment. The countryside seemed so vast and empty compared to the cramped quarters of the city. They’d driven through parts of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee already today, and had passed a sign that had announced they were now in North Carolina.
The paper bag beside her crinkled as she groped for it. One thing about traveling, there wasn’t much else to do but watch the scenery and eat. Thankfully, Joshua had bought sandwiches, chips, drinks and chocolate bars at the diner early today.
“I think it’s empty.” He glanced at her as she opened the bag and peered inside, finding only wrappers.
Unfortunately, Joshua was right. She folded the bag down and shoved it away from her.
“Are you hungry?” She could hear the concern in his voice and it warmed her. Only her father had ever worried about her.
“No, I’m not hungry.” She ran her finger over the material of her jeans, tracing the outer seam. “Just anxious, I guess. I mean I don’t really know what to expect when we get wherever it is we’re going to. Yes, I know we’re going to Wolf Creek, but I really don’t know where that is, what it looks like, what will happen, who I’ll meet…” She trailed off when she realized she was babbling. Great, that was sure to make her appear strong and self-assured.
Joshua took one hand off the steering wheel and held it out to her. She gripped it like a lifeline, holding it harder than she wanted to. The further from the city they went, the more nervous she became. Her world was far behind her. This was his world now and she didn’t know if she’d find a place within it.
“We’re almost there. The hills of North Carolina are home to Wolf Creek and some of the most spectacular countryside around. It’s wild and untamed and incredibly beautiful.” He glanced over at her and the look in his dark eyes had her squirming on her seat. “Much like you,” he whispered as he turned his attention back to the road. His low tones stroked over her skin, making her burn with sudden desire.
She swallowed hard. “Tell me more about it.”
“The Wolf Creek pack land covers literally thousands of acres of land. Much of what we don’t own in the area is parkland. We’ve had to adapt to the changing world just like everyone else has. Our people are artisans and farmers.”
“I’m sure they’re all as meek as lambs,” she snorted. The men who’d broken into the garage had been more like thugs then farmers.
Joshua shot her a quick grin. “We’re all werewolves underneath our skin, Alex. We cannot change our nature. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t be more than that.”
He stroked his thumb across the top of her hand, reminding her that she was still clutching his hand a tad too tightly. She loosened her grip, but she didn’t let go. She liked the feel of their hands joined together. He shifted his grip and threaded their fingers together so that their palms were touching. “Artisans and farmers,” she prompted.