Not that he had any plans on leaving any time soon. He still had work to do to keep his people safe and provided for long into the future. He’d long ago resigned himself to do that work. To stay here, on this plane of existence. Only when his work was done would he go and be reunited with the love of his life, his dear, departed mate.
Enid landed the plane, though only the Goddess she served knew how. The crosswinds tried to sweep her off the runway three separate times, but somehow, the little plane held together, and Enid managed to correct enough so that she was finally able to touch the landing gear down to the tarmac in a crab-like maneuver.
She saw one of the hangars on the relatively small airfield lit up in welcome and aimed her little plane for the blurry outline of the doors. Rain was coming down in sheets, with the occasional straight-line winds forcing it sideways. It tried to get up under her wings and flip her over at least once on her way, but she managed to make it to the hangar without further incident. Once she was in the lee of the buildings, she was a little more protected from the winds, which came from behind the large structures.
She pulled up to the doorway, unsure of where they wanted her to park. Her engine was sputtering, and it wouldn’t take her much farther. In fact, while waiting for someone to give her some direction, the engine choked out, dying. Likewise, all the electrical systems were kaput. No radio. No lights. No nothing.
She had landed just in time.
“Well, I hope they don’t mind my parking here,” she said to herself. “Looks like this is where you’ll stay until we can fix you,” she told the little Cessna, as if it were alive. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back to make sure that happens, but I have to go save a life first, if I can.”
She patted the unlit dashboard of the old plane fondly then released the harness that kept her in her seat. She had work to do and a kidney still to deliver, Goddess willing.
Enid left the cockpit and headed for the small inner compartment of the mid-sized civilian aircraft. She’d flown both larger and smaller planes during her time in the Air Force, but she didn’t miss it. Not much, anyway. She’d retired from the military while still young enough to enjoy life and found her second calling, as it were, among the magical folk who needed her help.
Born human, but with a special sensitivity to magic and a deep and abiding respect for the Goddess, Enid had followed in her mother’s footsteps, after leaving the military, to become a holy woman. A priestess of the Lady. Her mother still ministered to a small coyote Pack in New York state, but they’d all known Enid’s place was elsewhere. The small Pack didn’t need two wise women, and Enid had to find a place where she was needed. It was as simple, and as complicated, as that.
So, she’d kicked around North America for the past several years, looking for the right spot. She’d spent time in various locations along the way, helping where she could, but she hadn’t yet found the right place, and the right people, who needed her.
Enid slung the overnight bag across her body, letting the bag rest at her back, the strap bisecting her torso in a diagonal line like some kind of bandolier. She unstrapped the cooler that held her precious cargo from where it had been secured against the bulkhead and hefted it in one hand. The winds hadn’t died down yet, and she could feel them buffeting her little plane, even as she worked the controls to open the door and lower the stairs.
Luckily, the engine had died with the door facing the hangar. She wouldn’t have far to sprint through the rain to make it inside. She opened the door and waited at the top for the stairs to lower as lightning made itself known in the heavens.
The flash lit the world for a split second, but it was long enough for her to make out two figures waiting just inside the hangar door. She didn’t know anything about this airport, but aviation people were usually pretty accommodating. It was a small world of pilots and those who ran the network of regional airports. She’d never heard anything bad about this one, though she hadn’t been in the area for long.
Enid dashed down the ramp and didn’t stop moving until she was inside the open door of the hangar. The rain had pelted her hard, wetting her hair and clothing, but the overnight bag was somewhat waterproof and the cooler was hard plastic. The important stuff would be okay.
Wiping water and wet hair out of her eyes with one hand, she looked up…and up…to meet the most dazzling pair of blue eyes she’d ever seen in her life.
“Are you all right?” His voice was deep and a little rough with the hint of a growl. She knew the sound—and the aura—right off.
Wolves. She’d flown into a Pack of wolves. And this was their Alpha, she had little doubt. He had that kind of power about him. So much strength, it was almost overwhelming, but Enid was made of tough stuff, herself.
“Fine,” she replied, straightening. She wasn’t very tall but liked to think she made up for her lack of height in other ways. “I’m sorry to barge in on you like this…Alpha.”
The man’s eyebrows shot up in surprise then lowered in suspicion. She’d done it now.
Chapter Two
Joe could barely believe his ears. The strange woman had just called him Alpha. She didn’t scent of shifter. No way should this human know who and what he was. Just what was going on here?
The fact that she was the most delectable little morsel of womanhood he’d seen in a long time tried to distract him, but he wouldn’t let it. Not much, anyway. He sent Kevin a silent hand signal to be on alert, but Kevin was a sharp cookie, and he had heard the woman’s words. He knew to be wary.
“Wait. I should explain. I’m a priestess,” the woman went on, one hand raised palm outward toward Joe.
Her words stopped him. If she was telling the truth, then that was a different story, but he needed to know more before he made any decisions.
“Go on,” he prompted.
“My mother ministers to a small Pack of coyotes in New York state, but I’ve met the Midtown Alpha a couple of times. You share the same kind of powerful aura, so I assumed you were the local Alpha. Am I wrong?”
“Coyotes?” Kevin said, unable to hide his disgust for the canines who were often found on the wrong side of the fight of good versus evil.
“They’re finding their way,” the woman said, looking at Kevin for the first time. “Not all of them are willing to sell their souls for the promise of power.”
“What’s the Midtown Pack Alpha’s name?” Joe asked, regaining the woman’s attention. He had his cellphone out, ready to make the call to verify her story.
He wasn’t going to let her take off again, until he was certain she was telling the truth. Too many people were starting to know about Big Wolf and his Pack. Keeping them safe was his number one priority.
“Nigel,” she answered just as rapidly, “though I’ve only ever called him Mr. Enfield. I was pretty young when we first met.”
“And what is your name, ma’am?” Joe asked the pilot, a little relieved to have gotten the right answer from her, though he wouldn’t relax until he was certain.
“Enid,” she told him. “Enid Meriwether. My mother is Penelope, and my father’s name is Tom.”
Joe made the call.
“Hey, Joe,” the other Alpha answered on the third ring. “What can I do for you?”