Good evening, morning, or whatever time it is where my readers live. I did want to say thank you to everyone for their patients as I finished this chapter and had it reviewed by Pocketbook Lover. I do hope you like the twists and turns in this chapter as you read it.
I would also like to say thank you to all my readers for the urgings I kept getting to keep my writing up. As I told my therapist today it helps keep me sane. Beyond that I will plead a fifth... Of rootbeer... All the feedback and comments have helped me adjust the story to an extent so that my current readers keep enjoying it. It is also so that new readers will also enjoy it as well.
I am working on chapter 3 of Ranicke and hope to have it done this evening or tomorrow. For all the screams and groans I got from the Sholan Alliance I am working on bk 2 c1 right now. I will admit I am having some urges to add some drama and excitement to that chapter. I enjoyed doing a story that the drama was mostly personal and not from external sources for the most part. I really enjoyed working both Billy's and Satasha's relationship into from friends to something more.
Though it really doesn't matter in this chapter any and all sexual relations are 18+.
*****
The week seemed to crawl and the closer Friday got the more nervous he became. Pam had invited him over for dinner and to be totally honest he was tied in knots over it. It had been close to a year since he'd lost his mate. Much of the grieving had been done but some would never go away. Losing a part of your soul was the sort of wound that never really healed, though as time passed it did become easier though it would never become easy.
What Sheliae had done many months ago helped a great deal but they both knew the agony would never really go away. That was one reason he was nervous since it felt like he was cheating on his mate. The other reason was simply the fact that he hadn't dated anyone for years and he didn't want to come across as awkward.
Eventually he went upstairs and stared into his closet and sighed. He really had no idea what he should wear for the dinner. As he was fretting over it Angie walked in and snorted. "Dan, take a chill pill and relax. She simply asked you over to pay you back for the meals you purchased for her. This should work." She picked out some clothes and pointed towards the shower. "Go, trim your beard, brush your teeth, and I'll take care of your hair when you're done."
Dan grumbled as she sort of pushed him around. "Aiden is likely to frown at you for spending time with me like this." He knew better but she was taking advantage of his stress and was making decisions for him. He knew she was trying to help him but he was really stressed and it was bothering him.
She snorted at him. "Aiden knows why I'm here and isn't worried. He knows you better than that." She turned and gave him a good hug. "Dan, go and relax and enjoy the evening. You have done so much and you deserve an evening to relax." That was a whisper. "Go and relax my Alpha."
Dan returned the hug. "I'm scared Angie." He closed his eyes. "I... I... I feel like I'm cheating on my mate. Yes, she has gone before but... Damn it, I miss her." Since Angie was one of the junior wolves in the pack and he simply held on for a few moments before he let go and stalked off to the bathroom. He took care to make sure his beard was tidy and brushed his teeth till they were almost polished. The shower took a bit longer than normal but soon enough he was done and toweled off and walked out.
"Hush Dan. I can feel how scared you are but I think she would be pleased with you starting to move forward with your life." She comforted him before giving him a knowing smile. "Besides you already have several pups on the way and I know for a fact you haven't been totally celibate in the last few months." That got her growled at before he stalked into the bathroom and she smiled.
Angie smiled and started working on his hair to make a very neat and tidy braid and at the end added a silver wolf charm. She took her time and then helped him dress. "Your hair will be damp for a while but your shirt should dry by the time you arrive." Her hand stroked his cheek. "Please my Alpha go and take some time for yourself. You've done so much for the Pack and even in a way the Silver Kitsune Clan."
Dan sighed since he knew what she meant. She had lost a mate and was doing her best to both comfort and urge him to start living again. It was the living again that scared him so much. Burying his grief in saving the pack, helping it become better, and even a few liaisons had helped but the idea of actually seeing someone this way really scared him.
"Go Dan, Pam is waiting and I have a good feeling about this evening." She gave him a light kiss and urged him towards the doors of his suite. He had on the mating bracelet as well as his Alpha necklace which he rarely wore. She made sure he looked his best and even if his date with Pam ended up lasting only a few weeks or a month or two she knew it would be good for him.
**
Dan climbed into the truck and had to consider getting a car. For some reason going on a date in a truck bothered him. If he'd been back home he would've been in one of his sports cars but what they called a sports car here was pathetic. All of this was helping to distract him from what he was trying to avoid thinking about.
For some reason his wolf was curled up, half asleep in his mind and was feeling content. That bothered him since his wolf got this way when he knew something Dan didn't and he was concerned about what it was. He sent a thought to him and was given a sort of 'enjoy the evening' from him and he went back to sleep which really frustrated Dan since he was used to a much more active wolf. "I am so going to pluck your mental tail wolf." That got him a grumble.
Eventually, he made it to Pam's and paused in the truck before finally climbing out and walking to the door. His heart was beating in overtime which was bothering him since he wasn't sure why. He finally knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. When she did he was pleased to see seemed to be dressed similar to him. "I really wasn't sure what to wear but one of my Pack helped me."