Chapter 3 - Austin

I’ve spent the last five years getting my life together. Unless it’s required for all pack members, I have distanced myself from the pack.  

Not in a sense that I want to turn rogue or something stupid like that. I don’t want to leave the pack.  

But early in my recovery, if I trained in either human or wolf form around others, I got unsettling looks and heard their whispers. Which shows they wanted me to listen to them bad-mouthing me.  

We’re werewolves, so they know I could hear them, and if they didn’t want me to listen to it, they’d have used a direct link to who they were gossiping to. So it was done with intent.  

I get it. I was an asshole for… well, my whole life. So to avoid such situations, I trained at human gyms and would let Jax out in areas where I wouldn’t run into packmates.  

Random pack members weren’t the only people I spent less time around. Grandpa has written me off and for the stupidest of reasons. He’s pissed that I decided I wanted to be known as Austin from now on. 

I put Austin on all my university paperwork, and even the Alpha knows I’ve decided to go by my middle name. If my grandpa can’t deal with it, he can shove it. 

I’m done with his shit. And the moment I decided I was done, dad seemed to determine the same thing. 

I feel bad that my dad only put up with my grandpa because of me. Too bad there is no way for grandma to get away from him.  

I still visit her, though. Grandpa always grumbles and growls, eventually leaving when he realizes I’m going to ignore his ass and visit my grandma whether he likes it or not.  

I’d been out running near what is still considered the make-out spot for the young pack members. I would usually avoid the place, but it’s winter. Only idiots try to come up here this time of year. 

Yes, I’m up here, but I’m here for strength training for Jax. He’s gotten good at being able to run with three legs. So we like to push his limits and run in different terrains. So the snow-covered area had perfect conditions. 

Or it was perfect until Jax heard the squealing of tires and shrieks of fear. Jax surged forward as fast as three paws could carry him. We got there to see a truck roll down the steep incline and hear the crash. 

Looking down the side, I could pick up six scents. They were all packmates. ‘We need to help them.’ Jax insisted as he was already starting to slide down the incline carefully. 

‘PATROL! Anyone on patrol near make-out point! We have a single-vehicle accident. Count six sents. All pack. Three shifted and three non.’ I called out through the link to alert someone to help. 

I didn’t know what I was expecting but finding Suzie Walterson pinned under the truck wasn’t at the top of the list. I had to use my powers to jack the truck off her by raising the ground around her.  

She, of course, wasn’t worried about herself. She kept telling me to find her friends. Once I knew she was safe, I did find the other idiots.  

The two males in the cab were out cold and wouldn’t be of any help. I managed to get them and the other female out of the cab. Then I found an unshifted male and a shifted female. 

The girl seemed surprised to see me as she shifted and was trying to keep the boy warm. ‘Bring him over with the others.’ I instructed through the pack link as I returned to where I’d left the others. 

I laid down by Suzie and the other non-shifted female so they’d be kept warm by Jax’s fur. The males may be unconscious, but they’ll stay warm naturally as they have wolves. The she-wolf kept the boy warm until a patrol unit arrived. 

Once I knew the dumbasses were safe and would be sent to the pack hospital, I headed home. I didn’t expect to get a call from Maxton Walterson the following day. He wouldn’t stop thanking me for saving his daughter.  

And if Maxton calling to thank me wasn’t enough of a surprise, getting a referral from Doctor Bryant for Suzie to come to see me for physical therapy certainly was the cherry on top. 

Ha cherry. It was fitting as the Walterson family runs a cherry farm. A fact grandpa has always looked down on them for.  

Insert heavy eye roll here. Grandpa looks down on everyone. All because his father was Alpha Alexander Kinsley’s Beta.  

Big fucking deal. It doesn’t make us Beta blood. The only rank in Bloodmoon that is blood-based is Alpha. The rest are selected by the Alpha when they prove their worth.  

So grandpa should shut his trap. He didn’t prove his worth to Alpha John Sr. He picked Thomas James over grandpa because Thomas James probably wasn’t a stuck-up prick.  

When Suzie arrived for her first appointment, she didn’t know I had changed my name. I think she was even a little miffed about the supposed deception.  

But we made it through the first session with only a bit of friction. I could tell Suzie had a lot she wanted to say but held back because we were in a public setting.  

‘Probably helps you didn’t prod her.’ Jax scoffed. 

‘I can be a professional.’ I rolled my eyes at him. 

Suzie has been coming here for three months now. She’s been doing well. She’s not progressing as fast as someone with a wolf would. But she’s doing better than a human would.  

Today would be her last session. While I was between appointments, I took a seat in the break room, taking my prosthetic off to give myself a break.  

“You’ve been busy recently. You have a full schedule.” Denise smiled at me, leaning on the counter. 

I nodded, rolling my shoulders. “But that’s a good thing. More clients mean more practice. More practice means more pay to continue my education.” I sighed. 

“Yes, but, Austin, you have to remember to make time for yourself.” She smiled, walking closer. 

It’s a good thing no one else is in here because Denise is certainly crossing that work-appropriate line. 

“To have fun. If you know what I mean.” Denise batted her eyes, stroking a delicate finger along my cheek.  

I don’t have much reason to turn her down beyond not wanting to get involved with anyone at work. But I have to admit a little fun does sound good right about now. 

I went to open my mouth to respond when I heard an annoyed sound and the door to the break room slamming. I jolted in my seat, turning to see what had happened.  

A pie tin was on the ground, and an innocent cherry pie was smashed into the tile floor. Cherry pie? Cherry pie! 

“Crap.” I groaned, hurrying to get my leg on jumping over the stupid pie.  

“Hey Austin, your client Suzie was just here looking for you. Did she find you?” Jordan asked, glancing up from where he was spotting his client. 

“Oh yeah, she found me all right.” I assured. 

I hurried in enough time to catch her arm as she was trying to duck out of the building.  

“Suzie? What the hell?” I demanded.  

Because this doesn’t make a lick of sense. Suzie’s fifteen minutes early. And why the hell did she bring a pie, let alone drop it and rush off in a huff. 

“Oh fuck off… Clement.” Suzie snorted using my given name.  

Oh, she did that on purpose. That was a dig on me. It took a lot of control to not growl and out myself to my place of business as a werewolf. 

“What your mouth, little girl. I don’t know your problem, but don’t take your shit out on me.” I fired back. 

I blinked at how those green eyes darkened with anger as she narrowed at me. If she was sixteen, I swear I’d say her wolf was starting to wake up.  

“You’re not even worth explaining it to. Who wants to explain simple shit to someone with rocks for brains. Today was going to be my last session anyways. I think I’ll skip it. Have a good life, Clement.” Suzie snorted, yanking her arm out of my grip. 

She exited the building with a toss of her long honey brown hair and the soft curls slapping me in the face. I furrowed my brow watching her leave. She wasn’t even dressed for physical therapy.  

A mid-thigh black skirt, white blouse, jean jacket, and brown suede three-inch heel ankle boots. Nothing about what Suzie was wearing would be appropriate for a physical therapy session. 

“Who shows up for physical therapy in a skirt?” I shook my head, turning back around. 

Piper, our receptionist, was just shaking her head. “Men are so dense.” She muttered as I went back inside. 

I shook my head and went back to the break room to clean up the mess Suzie had made. I walked in to find Denise on her knees cleaning up. 

I cocked my head cause not a bad view. “Sorry about that. Not sure what got into that girl.” I shook my head and got down to help. 

Denise snickered. 

“What?” I asked since I was missing something. 

“This pie was for you, Austin. It seems like your client has a crush. I can’t blame her. You are cute.” Denise laughed softly.  

I blinked, falling on my ass.  

“A crush? On me? Suzie Walterson?” I shook my head. 

“You’re crazy.” I scoffed. 

“Suzie does not like me.” I rationalized. 

“If anything, she might have brought it to be polite because it would be her last session.” I concluded. 

“Whatever you say, Austin. But getting back to what I said earlier. What do you think? Dinner with me tonight?” Denise smiled as she threw the trash and remnants of the pie away. 

“Don’t generally mix business with pleasure.” I pointed out. 

“Generally doesn’t mean never. So?” Denise gave me a hopeful smile. 

‘Jax? Speak now, or I’m going for it.’ I warned. 

 ‘Suit yourself. But this messing with humans ends the second we find our mate.’ He reluctantly conceded  

This is the same conversation we have any time I hook up. 

“Alright. Dinner tonight.” I agreed with a smile.  

Under the surface, I was still wrapping my head around Suzie’s behavior and what Denise said about the girl having a crush. There is no way that she has a crush on me.