The Sea Wolf's Mate (Hideaway Cove 2)

She’d been so close to having, not everything she’d ever dreamed off, but things she’d never dreamed of at all.

Being with Arlo would have been… She didn’t have the words to describe it. Magical wasn’t enough, because magic made her think of flighty, floaty things, and Arlo was so real it took her breath away. If they stayed together, she could have seen the Weaver kids settle in Hideaway Cove and watched them grow up—making sure they had time to be kids, first.

Instead…

She groaned. “There you go,” she murmured to herself. “Moping again. Shouldn’t have stopped to think about it…”

She was about to step away from the door when someone knocked on the other side.

18

Arlo

He knew before the car even came into view that Jacqueline wasn’t in it.

The Sweets had left soon after Jacqueline and Harrison. Lainie had muttered something about them not having any reason to stay now they’d done their dirty work, and Arlo…

Arlo shook his head. There was some sort of misunderstanding. There had to be. Ma and Pa were the way they were because they wanted the best for Hideaway Cove. Because they wanted the best for shifters.

Didn’t they?

He stood in front of Harrison and Lainie’s house and watched the Land Rover crest the far hill and wind down the road towards town.

It was mid-afternoon and the streets were busy, at least, busy for Hideaway. People turned towards the car as it drove past. Arlo was too far away to see their faces, but their interest was obvious. A newcomer in Hideaway was always exciting news.

Arlo frowned. Eric. No last name. Who is he? Some irresponsible oaf who left the kids to fend for themselves when they needed him most. And now he’s going to get a hero’s welcome in Hideaway, and Jacqueline…

His heart ached. Jacqueline was gone, fleeing Hideaway as fast as she could, and he had no idea what had gone wrong or how to get her back.

“Arlo?” Kenna poked her head around the door. “What’s going on? Where did Jacqueline go? Ms. Eaves wouldn’t—”

Her eyes widened and excitement and relief rolled off her in waves. “Eric! That’s Eric! Dylan, Tally, Eric’s back!”

Arlo bit back a growl of frustration.

Dylan cannonballed out the front door, skidding on the path as he raced over to Arlo.

Lainie was right on his heels, Tally crowing in her arms. “Kenna, I told you not to bother Arlo right now,” she began, but broke off when Tally abruptly shifted. “Oh, bother,” she gasped, fumbling to keep from dropping the seal pup.

Arlo braced himself. Tally’s psychic voice was louder when she was in seal form, and this close, any strong emotion would feel like he’d taken an anvil to the back of his head.

But Tally’s joy didn’t hit him like a ton of bricks. Instead, he felt buoyant, as though her happiness was lifting him up. Her human and seal emotions swirled together with a single thought at the center:

Pack!

He shut his eyes briefly. Of course Eric was the kids’ pack.

He hung back as the Land Rover wove its way up Lighthouse hill. The air was thick with the Weaver kids’ joy, and if he stayed too close to them, he thought he might choke on it. They deserved better than that. He wouldn’t ruin their alpha’s homecoming with his own bitterness. Eric might be a pathetic pack leader, but there would be others to make sure the kids had everything they wanted here in Hideaway without breaking those pack bonds.

Unless this Eric, whoever he was, wanted to start anything. Arlo’s wolf bristled. If Eric wanted to have words about how Arlo had stepped into his place these last few days…

The Land Rover growled to a halt in front of the gathered kids. The passenger door burst open, and any thoughts Arlo had had about telling Eric exactly what he thought of a shifter who left his pack alone evaporated.

He’s just a kid!

Eric half-stumbled getting out of the car. He was better at keeping his emotions private than the Weaver kids, but Arlo still caught the edge of his bone-crushing relief as they all screamed and leaped on him.

“Eric! Where have you been!”