Page 3 of Echoes of Us
“Come on, girls. Get moving.” Cooper ordered, looking around the diner. “The dinner crowd will be heading in soon, and it’s Friday night. The band is already set up, ready to go.”
“We got it, Cooper,” Lois said, then frowned. “I think you need to get back to the kitchen. I smell something burning.”
Cooper frowned, sniffing the air, then gave them both a stern look before hurrying back into the kitchen.
“Does that work every time you tell him that?” Willow grinned, shaking her head at her friend’s lie.
“Like a charm.” Lois snickered, then stopped Willow. “Listen, I’m sorry, okay? Just know I’m here if you ever need to talk.”
Willow felt like a complete asshole as she caught the flicker of disappointment in Lois’s eyes. Her friend had been nothing but loyal, and here she was, keeping secrets like some coward.
Glancing at the clock, she noted they still had ten minutes before the dinner crowd started pouring in. The band was tuning up in the corner, filling the air with broken chords and drumbeats.
She couldn’t keep this to herself any longer. Grabbing Lois’s arm, she pulled her toward a table tucked away in the farthest corner of the diner, away from the music and the watchful eyes of the band.
“Promise me you won’t tell anyone,” Willow said, her voice tight with a slight tremble.
Lois’s brows knitted together, but she didn’t hesitate. She reached across the table, squeezing Willow’s hand. “You know me better than that. I would never say anything.”
Willow swallowed hard, her pulse hammering. Even though Arthur Wessex was dead, his threat still loomed in her mind, like a ghost whispering in the shadows. If she spoke and told Lois everything, would her grandpa still lose everything? She wouldn’t put it past Arthur to have left his threats behind in his will, making sure his control stretched beyond the grave.
But she was tired of the secrets, and now that she was back in Pineville, she needed at least one friend to help her face what she knew she would soon face, and that was...Talon.
Taking a deep breath, Willow opened her mouth, and before she could stop herself, the truth—the secret that had changed her life forever—came tumbling out.
CHAPTER 3
Talon heard the music as soon as he stepped out of the truck. Friday nights at the Pineville Diner was the hotspot in the small town. Even though their pack stayed in the mountain area, they visited town frequently for supplies and socializing. Only a few humans knew what they were, but families like Jack Campbell, Willow’s grandfather, had been in this area for a century or more. They had known the truth about Shifters and had protected that secret, guarding it as if it were their own.
“I smell fried chicken.” Cory sniffed the air with a huge smile. “I love Cooper’s fried chicken. I swear if that man had a daughter, I’d up and marry her so that I could eat his damn fried chicken every day.”
Glancing at his brother, Talon frowned. “Why in the hell would he cook you fried chicken every day if you married the daughter he doesn’t have?”
“Ah, because I’d be the best damn son-in-law that man ever had, and he’d want to cook me fried chicken every day,” Cory said, then grinned. “I’m very likable, unlike you, grump ass.”
"You make no fucking sense." Talon shook his head, pushing open the diner door. The bell overhead jingled, but he barely noticed as he stepped inside, his instincts kicking in automatically. Without a second thought, he turned toward the back corner table where he could sit with his back against the wall. It was a survival instinct ingrained in him—a habit that had kept him alive and was even more vital now that he was Alpha.
Sliding into the seat, he let his gaze sweep over the room, taking in everything—the people, the tension in the air, the way conversations momentarily quieted as he entered. The usual mix of humans and Shifters filled the diner, their voices blending with the hum of country music playing from the band.
It wasn’t unusual for Shifters to be aware of his presence, but tonight felt… off. Eyes darted in his direction before quickly dropping away, hushed whispers passing between them like secrets laced with caution.
Since taking over as Alpha, he’d grown used to how people looked at him, even those he’d grown up with treated him differently now. Some with respect. Some with fear. But this? This was something else.
Deciding he wasn’t in the mood to figure it out, he reached for the menu, flipping it open. If it were important, someone would tell him.
“Damn, the place is hopping tonight.” Cory looked around with a sigh. “I hope Cooper don’t run out of fried chicken.”
“Will you shut up about fried fucking chicken?” Talon grumbled, still looking at the menu.
“Oh, I don’t know. Will you stop being a fucking dick?” Cory shot back, his eyes narrowed. “It’s been two weeks since we hada decent meal. Neither one of us can cook worth a shit. I’m sick and tired of eating cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...thank you very much. So, give me a break if I want to talk about fried fucking chicken.”
Talon couldn’t help but smile. No matter what mood he was in, Cory could make him smile...the fucker. Tossing the menu to the side, he glanced around the diner. “Did Lois get someone to help her while Beth has her baby?”
“Don’t seem like it,” Cory frowned, also looking around. “We’ve been here for a long minute and haven’t even gotten a drink yet.”
Lois came from the kitchen with a tray full of food. She glanced at them and slowed before looking quickly away. Cory snorted, looking at Talon.
“Is it just me, or does it seem like everyone is in on a joke we aren’t part of?” Cory asked, obviously picking up on the same feeling Talon was having.
