Chapter One
“Hey, brat.”
A warm body slid onto the hard, wooden pew next to Brenna Alten. She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the sharp smell of autumn leaves and the spicy musk of warm man. Caleb Mahingan . She’d recognize that voice and scent anywhere, and they still sent desire fluttering through her middle. So much for outgrowing that particular reaction. She hadn’t seen him in nearly three years, but apparently, the sound of his deep, gravelly voice and masculine rumble still caused a screaming case of insta-lust. In church, no less.
He pulled her into his embrace, tugging her firmly against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him, returning his hug.
“Hey,” she said, pulling back slightly. Not the brightest of replies, but really, it was all she could come up with when she looked at him. She wasn’t sure it was possible, but he was even more gorgeous than she’d remembered. Keeping up with him via email and phone calls hadn’t prepared her at all to see him in person again.
He stared at her, curiosity and surprise clear on his face.
“What?” she asked.
He studied her for a moment more then shook his head as if dismissing a stray thought. “I was hoping you’d make an appearance,” he murmured, his voice carrying slightly over the sound of the arriving guests.
She had the feeling there was more to it than that, but she shrugged. “How could I miss Roxy’s wedding?”
He arched a brow and glanced pointedly toward where her father sat several rows ahead of them. “Well, you’ve managed to miss just about everything else around here in the last few years. Email’s just not the same as actually seeing you and having you nearby.”
She shifted in her seat and faced forward. “Let’s not go there, okay?”
He opened his mouth, but before he had a chance to answer, Caleb’s younger brother, Ethan, slid into the spot on the other side of her, and strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Jake—the youngest of the Mahingan boys.
“The prodigal daughter returns,” Jake whispered, his lips skimming her ear.
“Hey, guys.”
Her gaze shifted and she glanced quickly at Ethan then turned to peek at Jake. The sharp jolt of lust she’d felt when she’d seen Caleb, increased exponentially. Hell, all the Mahingan men were too damn gorgeous for her own good—tall, broad shouldered, tightly muscled with black hair and copper skin, their Native American heritage evident in their high cheekbones and dark eyes. Their gazes were bright with amusement and something else she wasn’t sure she wanted to examine too closely. They all watched her.
She quickly faced the front of the church again. This wedding couldn’t be over soon enough. She needed to get out of here, preferably before she made a fool of herself with these guys.
“You’re trying to figure out how soon you can take off, aren’t you?” Caleb murmured in her ear.
Color rose to her cheeks. Was she still that easy to read? Thankfully, the soft strains of the piano began, quieting everyone as the bridal party made its way into the small church. Was it too much to hope that the wedding would distract everyone long enough for her to hug her cousin, meet her new husband and make her escape?
Brenna’s father glanced over his shoulder, his expression growing cold when he saw her. He turned away, dismissing her as if she were a stranger. She tried to ignore the sharp stab of pain, and her eyes burned with tears she’d swore she’d never cry again. She’d thought he’d lost the power to hurt her with nothing more than a glance. Apparently not.
She didn’t know why she’d expected, no matter how briefly, anything else. He’d lost interest years ago when it had become apparent that she’d never be what he wanted. From the corners of her eyes, she glanced at the men on either side of her. They were what he wanted—wolves—shape-shifters. From the time they’d come into their power,
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