ChangingPaths by Marilu Mann Page A

school.
    She clutched at the door handle, pulling herself upright. As
she tried to regain her equilibrium she caught the Alpha’s scent. Her entire
body reacted. Her Alpha. Her Pack. The sight of him hurrying toward her sent
relief shimmering through her body.
    “Hey there, Harmony.” Micah’s velvety voice seemed to wrap
her up in a warm robe. She breathed him in, wishing it were a pine scent but
grateful nonetheless for his presence. “What is wrong? Who has hurt you?”
    “No. No. No one. I just…” She gave a shaky laugh. “I just
thought I saw someone I knew.”
    Micah wrapped her up in his arms. She felt him shake his
head over hers. “No, nishime , you promised not to lie to your Packmates.”
    When she trembled again, he gave her a very slight shake
that felt more comforting than frightening. “Harmony, you know I will not hurt
you. I cannot. You are my Pack now. Did you think you saw him? Your ex?”
    She twisted in his embrace to face him. He moved back a bit
but didn’t let go of her. She found herself glad. When she caught Olivia’s
scent she was just as glad when Olivia joined her husband to circle her. “We
have you, Harmony. Tell us.”
    It was Olivia’s soft statement that broke her. “I thought I
smelled Tom. I can scent us, you know. Aunt Willow swears I’m not truly Denied
because I’ve got such a good nose.”
    Her voice trailed off. Her aunt’s own aroma had been wrong
somehow. She’d known her Alpha and Olivia by scent alone. Then she tucked that
away. Now wasn’t the time for olfactory exploration. As her breathing returned
to normal she willed her pulse to move from the runaway-horse speed to a more
sedate marathon-runner’s throbbing beat.
    “I’m sorry. Thank you. I guess it just startled me. I mean
it couldn’t have been him. I just made a mistake.”
    “Harmony, are you sure?” Olivia squeezed her tight as Micah
stepped back. “We are here for you. We will protect you. Ga—”
    “Gather up what you need,” Micah cut his wife off smoothly. “We
will follow you back to your place.”
    “I have to go pick up Rain. Rain. “Her hands covered her
mouth for a moment but she steeled herself into removing them. “I guess I was
worried it was Tom and that he was going to hurt Rain.”
    Olivia murmured soothing words as she stroked Harmony’s
hair. “It’s okay, Sister. I know that fear. I’d kill before I let anyone hurt
either of my children.”
    Micah lightened their moods considerably when he gave a
credible scoff asking, “Hey, what about me?”
    Olivia shot him a look as she hugged Harmony. “You? I’d wait
until you shifted then shoot you and use your pelt for a rug.”
    At Micah’s short laugh she had to smile. She let them take
her into the coffee shop for a hot cup along with a pastry. When she left them
she felt as if it had all been a bad dream—nothing more. Rain waited for her at
the school’s gate, texting on her phone. When she saw her mother she waved
goodbye to the kids she’d been standing with. Harmony saw Keme, who gave a
respectful nod. He moved off with the boy and girl, who also smiled at Rain.
    “So tell me about school.” Rain filled the silence with
tales of the teacher she already knew hated her but also gave detailed insight
into the kids she’d been hanging with. She heard the telltale signs that her
daughter was already making friends. Rain had always adapted well.
    She toyed with the idea of telling Rain that she thought her
father might be in the area but decided against it. That stress wasn’t
something she needed to add to her daughter’s life right now. Let her get
adjusted to the school. As they pulled into the driveway for the cabin, she
cursed.
    “Damn!” She blurted the word out when she remembered she’d
wanted to call Gareth again about the furnace. It seemed to work when it wanted
to and not really when they needed it most. Rain cocked her head at her mother.
She looked so wolfish in that moment that Harmony had to