Bailey's Secret: Briary Creek Wolves, #1

Bailey’s Secret

Briary Creek Wolves

Book 1

Rayne Rachels

Bailey’s Secret

Copyright © 2015 Rayne Rachels and RAKC Books

All rights reserved.

For more information about the author, please visit http://raynerachels.blogspot.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the Author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

About the Author

Other Titles by Rayne Rachels

Excerpt from Reluctantly Undead

CHAPTER 1

BAILEY SPRAYED THE last table with the disinfectant cleaner and wiped it off. She stood up and stretched her back as she looked around the bakery. Everything was clean and neat. Out of sheer boredom, she had even cleaned the glass cases.

Bailey smiled as she tucked several strands of brunette hair behind her ear. Her long hair was a pain, especially when it decided not to stay where she wanted it. Over the years, she had thought about cutting her hair, but something always seemed to stop her. Maybe it was just the fear of the unknown, or maybe it was because her hair was her best feature. At least, that’s what she thought.

This job was definitely better than working for the temporary agency. At the bakery, she knew where she was going to be and what she was going to do each day. At the temp agency, it was an adventure and not always a good one. Several times, customers thought she was there to do more than just clean or file. Being chased around a desk was not her idea of fun or exercise. Why couldn’t men just take no for an answer? No meant no! How hard was that?

Bailey was glad Courtney Anderson hired her, and she was even happier when Courtney agreed to pay her in cash without asking too many questions.  For the few questions she did ask, Bailey gave her vague answers that seemed to satisfy Courtney. At least, she didn’t press for more details.

Cash payments did not leave a paper trail someone could use to follow her. The last thing Bailey needed was for anyone from her old pack to find her.

She liked Bryant Station and for the most part, the people who lived there. She didn’t want to pick up and leave, but she knew every day she stayed put her at risk of being found. Sooner, or later, she would have to leave and find a new place to call home.

Bailey snorted. It had been so long since she had had a real home, and she wasn’t even sure if there was such a thing, at least for her. She pushed the last chair under the table, took her cleaning supplies to the back closet, and then returned to the front counter.

There was nothing to do in the kitchen. It was clean and ready for the morning crew. Bailey glanced at the clock on the wall to her right. It was almost ten. Any minute Courtney and the others would be there.

She walked over to the coffee maker, dumped the used grounds into the trash, and put a new filter and freshly ground coffee into the basket. She had filled the water reservoir earlier when she rinsed out the glass carafe. Bailey flipped the switch. The machine hummed and hissed as it heated the water. In seconds, the smell of fresh coffee filled the air.

She took a deep breath and sighed. It didn’t matter what time of day or night it was, the smell of fresh coffee made her mouth water. Coffee was the one vice she had never been able to give up.

The lock clicked and the bell over the door jingled. Bailey turned even though she knew it was Courtney and the others. The bakery had been closed for a couple of hours, as had the diner, and the doors locked. The only difference was that the workers at the diner had left over an hour ago, but Bailey had stayed late only because Courtney had asked her to stay.

The coffee will be ready in a couple of minutes. Bailey smiled at Courtney. She still could not believe how good her boss looked, especially after she was kidnapped and injured. Bailey knew her boss’s injuries were a lot worse than had been reported. At different times, she overheard people talking about the accident, and from what she could piece together, Bailey knew Courtney should not have survived the accident.

The woman must have a guardian angel watching over her, and mates who would do anything for her.

Great! I think we are all ready for some. Courtney dropped her bag onto the counter next to the cash register. I don’t think I ever want to attend another funeral like that, not in this lifetime or the next. I don’t care who dies or how important they are. She glared at her mate. Have I told you that I really hate funerals?

I don’t think you will have to worry about attending one of those funerals ever again. Sheriff Anderson wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her on the cheek. In fact, you don’t have to go to any more funerals unless you just want to go.

Why don’t you sit down and rest while I get you a cup of coffee. Harrison, Courtney’s other mate, walked around the counter and grabbed several mugs from a stack by the coffee pot.

That would be great. Courtney smiled at him.

Bailey watched the exchange between Courtney and her mates. Her boss was a lucky woman. Bailey bit her bottom lip. She used to long for a mate, but as she grew older, she realized she would never have one. What wolf would want a female like her for a mate? In her old pack, she didn’t even count enough to have even the status of the lowest wolf, and the extra padding she carried did not help.

No. She would never have a mate. At most, she might someday find a human who would love her, but she wasn’t going to wait around or hold her breath. She didn’t stay in one place long enough to really get to know anyone. Dating was just out of the question. I thought everyone might be hungry, so I put together a couple of trays of pastries and cookies. Bailey plastered a smile on her face.

Good thinking. I’m sure we have some wolv—men who could eat more than a few pastries.

Bailey started to frown, but quickly put the smile back on her face. Wolves were here. She swallowed.  I’ll get one of the trays.

Thanks, said Courtney.

Bailey nodded. It was all she could do not to run to the kitchen. As soon as she was out of sight, Bailey leaned against the counter. Get a grip. You know there are other wolves. You’ve been around a few wolves since you started working here, and they have done nothing to you. In fact, they have treated you really well. The wolves here are nothing like the ones you lived with in the pack.

She took several deep breathes. Bailey hated the way she reacted. She knew not all shifters were like her former pack. In fact, the few wolf shifters she had met had gone out of their way to treat her with respect. A couple of the male wolves had even tried flirting with her. It was something she never received from the wolves she grew up with, but then she knew something wasn’t right with her old pack.

Is everything okay?

Bailey looked up to find Abby Anderson staring at her. Everything’s good. It’s just been a long day.

Abby raised an eyebrow. You seem a little upset. Are you sure everything’s good?

I’m just a little tired. It wasn’t exactly the truth, but it wasn’t a lie. Bailey knew shifters could scent lies. I just need to take these out front. Did you need anything?

Abby shook her head. Skylar took Elizabeth upstairs. I was just going up to feed her.

How is she doing? Bailey had seen the baby a few times, and Abby had even let her hold baby Elizabeth for a few minutes.

She is growing so fast. Abby’s whole face lit up. If you want to talk about anything, I’ll be upstairs feeding her before she decides to wake everyone in the neighborhood.

Everything’s good. Give Elizabeth a hug for me. She is so cute. Bailey picked up the tray of pastries. I need to get these out front. She walked around Abby.

You have a good evening, said Abby.

You too. Bailey shook her head. There was no use dwelling on things she couldn’t change and things she could never have.

There you are. I was beginning to think something had happened. Courtney tried to get up from the table she was sitting at, but Sheriff Todd put his hand out and shook his head.  Courtney rolled her eyes at him.

Sorry. Abby and I were talking. Bailey put the tray down on the counter. She glanced at the coffee pot. I’ll get another pot of coffee going.

You don’t have to do that. I can get one of the guys to do it, especially since they won’t let me do anything. Courtney raised an eyebrow at Todd. Can’t I?

I’ve got it. Bailey moved the half-full pot to the warmer. She dumped the used grounds into the trash, put in a new filter and fresh ground beans, and added water to the reservoir. It was a mundane task,  but it kept her busy, at least for a few minutes. It will be ready in a few minutes. Bailey put a clean, glass carafe into place and flipped a switch.

The bell over the door jingled.

Be with you in just a minute, Bailey called over her shoulder as she grabbed a stack of napkins to put next to the tray of pastries.

DANIEL FOLLOWED HIS cousins, Billy Hunter and David Wolfe, into the bakery. It was not exactly where he wanted to be, especially after the funeral for the mate of the Other, who called himself Eric. Daniel knew he and the his cousins were there to protect Abby Anderson from the Others, just in case one of them decided he wanted her, even though she was already mated to Skylar Anderson, one of the local bears. The Others’s fascination with Abby was due to the fact she had managed to kill the demon that had, decades ago, killed Eric’s mate. The Others were unpredictable, and only the Goddess knew why she created them and continued their existence in a world where animals like theirs were extinct. But now, the guard duty was over, and Daniel was ready to go home. He didn’t feel like socializing. Actually, the truth was, he didn’t want to socialize with anyone. Each day, his wolf grew more agitated, and controlling the beast was getting harder.

I want my mate. We need our mate, growled his wolf.

Not happening, Daniel growled back.

We will find our mate, and when we do, you will not be able to stop our bonding with her.

I can stop us from claiming her. There is