Without A Wolf
A Big Woods Pack Novel
Written by
Cara Roman
Copyright 2017 [Cara Roman] All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 1
Greeted by a dreary gray sky and spindly trees naked of leaves Emma left
work for the day. The weather had been unseasonably warm this week, or so she
was told by everyone who came into the clinic she worked at. Having just moved
to the northern Michigan town it sure felt plenty cold to her. Walking to her car
she pulled my coat closed tighter as the wind kicked up almost knocking her
down. Small piles of dirty slush from the melting snow coated the parking lot
sloshing up onto the tops of her shoes soaking through the hem of her pants.
Everyone always said how beautiful and perfect snow makes everything look, but
what they forget to mention is how downright ugly it is if the weather gets above
freezing for one day. The salt residue from the roads clingling to every available
surface, including her black hatchback, making it look like it was going a little
gray with age. She might have to look into a different car soon if she wanted to
get through the winter in one piece. That thing basically skated everywhere on
the slick roads, thankfully she only lived a few blocks away though. Being right in
town wasn't usually ideal for her, with people crowding around, but she figuredthe advantage of being able to make it to work no matter the weather skewed the
scales.
Tonight she was going to actually get out of the house. Emma was
actually getting sick of her own company. She had been in town for a month now,
and the only places that she has set foot in were the clinic, the grocery store, and
her rental house. Since it came fully furnished, including pots and pans, she
hadn't even had to venture the 20 minutes north in search of a big box store.
Heading home to change out of the scrubs and find somewhere to eat dinner that
was not at the kitchen counter watching reruns should be a big improvement.
Maybe then some of the other nurses would stop trying to set her up with this
available cousin, or that single neighbor. Thinking to herself that maybe she
should have made up a story about a heartless ex-fiance that left her at the alter
and then nobody would try to foist her off on every unclaimed guy in the town.
Lying came easily, but having the skill and wanting to use it are completely
different. Dad taught her long ago that just because you are able to do something
doesn't mean you have the right to.
The five minute drive home was just long enough to fit in one full song on
the radio, unless there is a commercial playing. She turned into the drive at the
small white house with chipped paint and the scrolled wraught iron front porch
just as the last notes of the country song faded. Thankfully being January meant
Christmas music wasn't clogging every single radio station anymore. The holiday
season lost alot of its magic when you are all alone. Shaking her head reminding
herself not to get negative funk again, since it was a whole year away. Grabbingthe mail from the box on the side of the house as she unlocked the door.
Ahhhhh, toasty warm, perks of that programable thermostat the landlord seemed
so proud of. Having the heat kick on 30 minutes before she walked in the door
was quite appreciated in this chilly climate though. All of the mail was addressed
to 'current resident', nothing new since there is nobody to mail letters she
chucked the small stack into the trash bin.
After swapping the blue scrubs for regular clothes, she heads back out.
The last streaks of sunset painting the sky in hues of pink and orange. Emma
headed to the bar just south of the town limit sign, since she was told the other
day from a coworker that the food was pretty good. The inside of Dusty's
Roadhouse was divided into three sections. A row of booths along the back wall
with a half dozen round tables situated in front of them. Along the side opposite
the door was a bar with beer taps and bottles of liquor sitting on the mirrored
shelves behind. The bar itself was one massive slab of wood polished until it
shone with stools in front of it a padded brown leather. The very front of the open
space held a small stage, and dance floor. Not surpsisingly that particular space
was empty of people since it was a weeknight, and only just now 6pm. A
swinging door opened from next to the bar and a small, slim waitress with short
dark hair rushed out carrying a tray full of food for the group of women seated at
one of the booths. The place was about half full, and since there didn't seem to
be any hostess stand she chose one of the small tables toward the corner. The
menu was already on the table, wedged in between the salt and pepper shakers,
so she grabbed it and looking it over had just decided what sounded good whenthe waitress came over.
"You're a new face! Don't think I have seen you in here before. My name is
Kayla!" The waitress said with a giant smile on fer face holding her hand out to
shake.
"Yep. Just moved here. I'm Emma." She replied shaking her warm hand. The
touch of the waitress' hand zinging up her arm.
Kayla tilted her head to the side, her gaze narrowing the slightest noticing the
sensation in her own arm. Clearly expecting her to elaborate further she said "Its,
ah, nice to meet you, what can I get for you?"
"I've heard everything here is pretty good, how about a burger with mushrooms
and swiss cheese, steak fries and some ranch to dip them, oh and just ice water
to drink please."
"Gotcha. I will go put that in, and be right back with your water." she said her
nostrils flaring a beat before she smiled, but it this time it wasn't quite reaching
her blue eyes.
While Kayla walked away her instincts were screaming. Oh, she knew
what Kayla the waitress was alright, but there was no way she could just walk out
now that she had placed
