Chasing Paradise

Chapter 6

Looking around her boxed-up hotel room, Gwen wasn’t sure what to feel. Her emotions swirled around her in a confusing mass. It was nice to be home, even if it was only her home for a few more days. Still…she missed her mate. Just thinking of him brought a sharp pain to her heart. But being surrounded by people she loved and who loved her in return felt like a warm blanket shielding her from reality. Love. The word mocked her as she thought about her future without that particular joy.

Stop it! Stop feeling sorry for yourself. She was being overly dramatic and she knew it. Things would be fine. Alyssa would be with her, having already agreed to move and help her open her business. Her exact words had been: “What, are you crazy? Be a waitress my whole life and be hundreds of miles from my best friend, who’s like a sister to me, or be part owner of a B&B with said best friend? Gee, tough choice.”

Alyssa would keep her sane. They would look out for each other. Because that’s what sisters did, even when they weren’t related by blood. And hopefully there would be children to love. Even though children were possible outside mating, for a shifter, it was easier with their “one and only.” She’d never dared dream of children before. But now…they hadn’t used a condom. For all she knew she could already be pregnant. She smiled thinking about the possibility.

Hopefully, one day, she’d be able to surround herself with pups and she wouldn’t even notice Ethan’s lack of love. Wolf, otter, or something in between, the species of her children wouldn’t matter. She would love them all exactly the same. She only hoped Ethan’s prejudices wouldn’t extend toward his offspring. While she could take the pain of his rejection, she’d put her foot down when it came to her children. Nothing would make her future children feel anything but special, not even their own father. Especially not their own father.

With a sigh, Gwen sat down and shifted gears toward planning her newest business endeavor. It was silly to worry about her children feeling special when she didn’t even have any yet. One hurdle at a time. First, she needed to get her business of the ground. Then she could worry about her relationship with Ethan.

At least she’d be too busy in the upcoming months to give any depressing thoughts time to fester. She would throw herself into preparation for the inn. She and Alyssa had already determined they wanted to be open by summer if possible. It was a long shot and it meant they had to find a location almost immediately, but they were ready for the challenge. And they wanted to be open in time for the tourist season.

Picking up the phone, Gwen dialed the number she had Googled the night before, waiting with bated breath as the phone rang.

“Good morning, Apex Software,” a deep male voice answered. It sounded a bit like Ethan’s, but it was deeper and didn’t send shivers through her body.

“Hi. I’m looking for your CEO? Or the head of the company.” Gwen cursed herself for not paying closer attention when Ethan told her about life in Alpine Woods. She remembered the software company he owned with his brothers, the oldest being the Premier of the pack, but she didn’t recall his name.

“What is this regarding?”

“Well…” how much did this man know? She couldn’t exactly say she was looking for the pack leader if he was just some full human who worked for them. That was a sure way to get on the Premier’s bad side. “I just need to speak to…the oldest brother. It’s a personal matter.”

There was a pause on the end of the line. For a moment, Gwen feared the man would hang up.

“That would be me.”

“Oh. Hello. My name is Gwen. I’m not sure how much Ethan has told you about me.” Gwen paused as a horrifying thought struck her. Oh God, what if Ethan hadn’t gotten around to telling them anything? She didn’t want to spring the news on him like this, or make Ethan angry if he hadn’t talked to his family yet.

“Ethan’s Gwen? Hey! Ethan has told us all about you, and I can’t wait to meet you. Let me get him for you.”

“Wait! I wanted to talk to you actually. You’re the Premier, right?”

There was another long pause on the phone, making Gwen wonder if he was still on the line.

“Yes, I’m the Premier. But if there are any problems, Ethan can handle them as well as I can. We work as a team.” Which was exactly what Ethan had told her. In their unusual leadership style, he admitted to having almost equal power as the Premier, but it was hard to believe. She’d thought he had been trying to impress her. Still, for this particular matter, it was probably best to go straight to the top.

“I want to open a shifter bed-and-breakfast in your town, and I need your approval to get the ball rolling. I have managed a resort for years now and have the experience and finances to make this a reality. I would also like to request approval for my friend to move with me to help me open and run the place. She’s a fellow otter shifter and would be a good addition to any town.” Gwen rushed through her requests. She was asking a lot, but hopefully, the man would understand the benefits he and his pack could gain from this endeavor. The business would bring revenue to the town and would be a good thing for the whole pack in the long run.

“Does Ethan know you’re planning this?”

Gwen stiffened, her hands tightening on the phone. Why would the Premier ask her a question like that? Would Ethan demand she be a stay-at-home wife, waiting on his commands hand and foot? As his brother, the Premier had the ability to enforce those wishes. Questions whirled in her head, but she was too afraid to voice them.

“Relax, Gwen. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled with the idea. I’m just not sure why you needed to talk to me. Ethan would’ve approved this for you. It’s a great idea. The pack will even be able to help you with start-up costs, as it will bring new business to the town. Why don’t we discuss it more once you get here?” It took a moment for his words to process. She’d expected a little resistance or at least a few questions. That had been so easy!

“And we’d be happy to have your friend here. Any friend of your is a friend of ours.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” Gwen hung up and danced in a circle. No matter what else the future brought, she was going to have her own business, and her best friend would be there every step of the way. Suddenly, things were looking up. She would make this work.

Jason stared at the phone. The dial tone sounding from the earpiece told him Gwen was no longer on the line, but she hadn’t even asked to speak to Ethan. Jason couldn’t understand any of it.

It had been a shock when Ethan came home mated, but without his mate. Usually, it was uncomfortable for a shape shifter to be separated from their mate, ranging from mildly irritating to downright painful. He remembered the one night he’d spent away from his mate, Samantha. They hadn’t even been joined yet, but neither of them slept a wink, too uncomfortable without the presence of the other. Since then, they hadn’t been separated for longer than the average workday, and even that felt too long.

Ethan was acting strange, too. Jason had attributed his anxiety to being apart from his mate, but now Jason wondered if there was something else going on, something deeper.

It couldn’t be easy for Gwen having to move away from her family and everything she knew. He was glad she had plans to open a business here and thrilled her friend would be joining her. It would make the transition easier and give her someone from her home to take comfort in. She was not just a part of his pack now, she was a part of his family. He’d have to make sure Samantha and his sisters did everything possible to make them feel welcome.