Many people said that made her seem stupid and thick and dumb. People had called her many names over the years.
Amelia pushed them to the back of her mind and focused on the now. Like the fact a hot biker guy, the one she fantasized about, was currently stepping into her personal space. Well, not her space yet. They had to go up a flight of stairs to get to her room.
The bottom floor of the building used to be an old shop, she wasn’t sure if it was an old grocery store or a clothing one. It was empty, and she had cleaned it up nicely.
She didn’t have much of a social life, so when she wasn’t working or in need, she was often making sure her home was clean.
Bob had given her the keys to the whole building. The apartment upstairs was the only one. He wanted nothing to do with the property and had said that now she was attached to it, there was no chance of selling or renting it.
It did kind of hurt how often the pack attempted to dismiss her. Not that she could do anything about it. They had their fucked-up reasons.
Going to her door, she flicked the lock and then stepped inside. The scent of lavender greeted her, and it always made her smile when it did. This was success. The heavenly smell helped to make her calm.
Buster and Rascal were curled up on her sofa. They lifted their heads and immediately jumped off when they saw she had company.
Low growls emitted from the two of them.
“Oh, shit, I’m so sorry,” Amelia said.
Wolfe stepped in front of her and released a growl of his own. The two dogs stared at him.
She didn’t want him to hurt her dogs, but Buster and Rascal sniffed the air and then flopped onto their backs, showing him their bellies.
Amelia laughed. “Well, that certainly taught them.”
“They’re good boys,” Wolfe said.
She hung up her bag and keys, then stepped past him, going to the kitchen.
Their food bowls were empty. After reaching for the packages of food, she poured them some and replaced the water with fresh as they had gotten strands of fur and other … stuff that she wasn’t sure of in their water bowl.
The moment it was down, they came rushing in. She washed her hands and grabbed two mugs. After picking up the kettle, she filled it with water and placed it on the stove, turning it on to start heating.
Wolfe had joined her in her small kitchen. “Who helped you with the place?” he asked.
“Huh?” She turned toward him.
“I know this place was a piece of shit. How did you do it?”
“Oh, I did it,” Amelia said. “You like it?”
“You did all of this yourself?”
She nodded. “With the internet’s help, of course. I couldn’t have done it without lots of resources.”
Amelia buzzed. She couldn’t help it.
Wolfe liked her place, and he looked … impressed.
“I only have instant coffee. I hope that is okay,” she said.
“Sure, it’s fine.”
Amelia spooned out some coffee into each cup. She always put her creamer in last, and she turned toward him. “Hunters, huh?” she asked.
She wasn’t looking at his thick neck, or the expanse of ink that seemed to peek out, giving a hint at what the rest of his chest might look like.
Stay focused.
Chapter Three
Amelia Stokes was a constant thorn in Alpha’s side. In the MC’s side. Alpha was constantly having to deal with pack disagreements. He remembered Boyan had come to the clubhouse, to church, and informed them all that he had to deal with Bob, who was trying to force one of them out.
It pissed them all off.
Actually, it angered Wolfe. Not that he’d say anything. Ever since she was eighteen and went through her first transition into wolf, life had seemed to be difficult for her. She had been kicked out by her parents. Bounced from job to job, and this was just crazy because she wasn’t lazy.
No one could complain about her work ethic. It rivaled that of the club at times. She was always there when someone needed her.
But because she was a little different, they all wanted her gone. He didn’t mind that she was a vegan or that she loved animals. Buster and Rascal were fucking adorable.
Wolves and animals shouldn’t mix. Wolves mixed with wolves. That was it. Amelia defied that by taking in those two dogs and loving them. Then, of course, her aversion to hunting. Another sticking point within the pack.
They all signed the fucking petition. He knew Alpha had ended up giving them all a reality check. They should have listened to her and known what they were signing rather than just shutting her up.
Wolfe didn’t mind it. Amelia was … sexy, adorable, and damn it, he couldn’t stop this need when he was around her.
The only other problem the pack had was that she refused to use violence. This had started in school from what he knew, and extended as she became a full-grown adult.
Alpha had to step between her and some of the newly turned wolves as they had ganged up on her. They didn’t like different and felt she should go.
Wolfe stared at her now.
The pack had made her life miserable. Truly fucking miserable, and yet, she stood before him with a smile.
The apartment she’d been given was a fucking pit. The structure had all been sound and was a real place for investment, but they’d given it to her, hoping to drive her away. Amelia had turned it into a palace.
Even downstairs, the main shop, he saw she’d cleaned it as well. There were no more rats or bugs. The place was a dream. Everything she had done, she had done for herself.
Was this why Alpha didn’t force her to leave? Did he see something that others didn’t? Wolfe made a note to talk to his president. Not that he was questioning him. He only had to wonder why Amelia stuck around.
She wasn’t liked or welcomed. Most of the time, people merely put up with her. She still stuck around.
Why?
Wolfe forced himself to concentrate. “Yeah, hunters.”
“Damn. I know Buster and Rascal like to walk in the forest.” She winced. “I’ll find some other places to walk them. It’ll be fine.”
“Why not take them into town?”
“Er, the town, kind of, er, yeah, I don’t think that would be good. They’re good dogs, but sometimes, it is not so great to walk with them, you know, around the pack.”
“Amelia, you will be safe.”
“I know. I know I’m safe, but I don’t always think that my dogs are.” She shrugged. “It’s fine. I don’t mind finding somewhere else to go. I’m the one who rescued the dogs. I’ll deal with it.”
The kettle whistled, and he watched her going to the stove, turning off the heat, and then moving to their cups. She poured them each a mug before going to her fridge.
He saw that there wasn’t a lot of food inside.
“Did I eat all of your food?” he asked.
“Not all of it. I can still feed myself. I’m waiting for a delivery I ordered earlier in the week. It should arrive tomorrow.”
“Don’t you go to the store?”
“Yeah, I do, but they don’t stock what I need. I get what I can from there.”
Wolfe frowned as she handed him a mug.
“Stop thinking so hard about it.”
“Have you asked for them to stock what you want?”