As Luck Would Have It Ch. 03

'Unfortunately, Audra had the pleasure of meeting Kirsten already, just before you arrived. You walked past her when you came in. She's glaring at us from the bar. I've been waiting to give that woman a piece of my mind, Mom. Maybe now I won't have to. Connor will certainly put her in her place.'Sophie was suddenly fuming again, but she calmed herself as Audra hung up her phone.

"I'm sorry, but Connor said something happened at the house and he needs me to get there as quickly as possible. Do you mind terribly that I leave early?" Audra smiled apologetically and turned to hug Sophie.

Sophie laughed at how impatient Connor could be, and she nudged Audra along. "Of course not, Audra. I know better than to keep the Alpha waiting."

Audra said her goodbyes and made her exit from the bar, purposely avoiding the glare she was feeling from Kirsten.

~~~~~~~~~~

"You can't be fucking serious." The male voice sounded irritated, and slightly bored.

"Don't act like that, Bo." Kirsten whined. "I need to find out who she is, I need your help. The Alpha's sister hates me and probably warned her about me, so it's not like I can get close to her. I promise that you won't be disappointed. As much as it pains me to say, she is rather attractive." She added in her best wheedling tone.

"Do you think I just wait around all day, with nothing to do? I have things I am trying to put in place here. You aren't the only one trying to climb up the ranks in a pack. I can't just leave on a whim to go do your dirty work. Stop acting like such a child and handle things yourself." Bo's irritation was intensifying at the interruption by his sister. She always found the perfect timing to enact her little schemes.

Kirsten gripped the phone tightly in her frustration. "Bo, just help me. I'll never ask you for another favor as long as I live. Just get close to the girl and tell me who she is to the Alpha family. As for your own pack, tell them that your sister is sick and you need to visit her."

"What exactly would possess me to make a trip there to help you? I don't feel like getting involved with the Alpha family of your pack." Bo was already bored with the conversation and he let it show with the tone of his voice.

Kirsten could tell he would need more convincing and tried another tactic. "Did I mention she is human? If I recall, you happen to love turning little weak defenseless humans." Kirsten waited as she could feel her brother contemplating the situation.

This had Bo's interest, however he still felt the risk was too great. "And get myself killed? If she has ties to the Alpha family and I take her, they would hunt me down."

Kirsten was not enjoying the direction this conversation was going. She groaned in frustration. "Just find out what she is doing. I'm not asking you to do anything. If you happen to take a liking to her, then we will come up with a plan to make it possible." She waited, hoping he would give in.

"Kirsten, if I do this for you, that's it. No more favors. I'm done playing your little games." His voice was cold, harsh and completely serious. He wouldn't be bothered again by his troublesome sister.

Kirsten couldn't keep in her relieved sigh. She would get her way, again. "I promise. I owe you one!"

"That you do, sister, and don't think for one moment I will forget to collect." His threat was followed by silence and Kirsten knew he ended the call.

~~~~~~~~~

Audra pulled quickly up to her house. No fire. No gaping holes in the wall. The roof was intact. Audra was going through a mental check list when her eyes locked with an adorable male sitting at the top of the steps leading to her porch. She took in a sharp breath to quell the sudden butterflies in her stomach; a reaction she knew would become all too common when she would lay eyes on him. He sat there, bent over with his elbows resting on his knees. A sheepish grin crept up as he saw her get out of her car.

"House emergency, huh?" She laughed, unable to keep up her stern expression as she walked toward him.

"Yeah... About that..." His laughed, his eyes burned into hers and she couldn't help but feel happy that she came back early. He stood up and walked toward her, closing the gap between them. "I missed you, Audra." He reached down and pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

The kiss sent a wave of pleasure through Audra's body and it made her lightheaded. The only reason she was still standing stood in front of her, with his strong arms holding her close. Once she regained her wits, she pulled away and swatted at him playfully. "Come inside, let's eat something. I'm starving."

Connor laughed and followed her inside. He smacked her butt as she walked into the kitchen, causing Audra to yelp in surprise. "You know, you are looking pretty hot in that outfit." His eyes traveled over her body appreciatively.

"Oh? I'm glad you approve," Audra laughed as she searched through her cupboards for anything that would spark her interest. She started pulling items from the shelves and the fridge. "Make yourself useful and open a bottle of wine," she teased handing him a bottle. She pulled her phone from her purse and docked it on the player in the kitchen.

Connor watched as she went through playlists on her phone. He saw her smile brightly as she made a choice and soon Dean Martin's voice was singing Mambo Italiano. He laughed, "Got a thing for ol' Dino, eh?"

Audra turned to him and was beaming, "My mom and I listened to this every time we cooked. It's brings back fond memories in the kitchen."

Connor smiled warmly at her as he watched her get to work. She put a pot on the stove and started boiling water. She kept herself busy, making a cream sauce while the water boiled. He chuckled softly as she sang along while she danced around the kitchen.

"So how was happy hour with Sophie?" He couldn't help but feel curious about how the two spent their afternoon.

"Oh, it was great actually. I met a girl named Kirsten, who was a bit off-putting; she didn't seem to care too much for me."

"Kirsten can be quite a handful," Connor replied dryly.

"Yeah, well, we didn't talk much. Your sister scared her off, which was pretty funny now that I think about it," Audra grinned at the memory. "I did get a chance to spend some time with your mom. Connor, she is lovely." Audra looked up as she poured the penne pasta in the boiling water and noticed disappointment flash across Connor's face.

"My mom? She was there?" Connor couldn't help but feel a little upset. He wanted to be present when he saw his mother's reaction to Audra. He made it a point to have a little chat with Sophie. He could certainly understand her excitement, but this would never happen to him again, and he wanted to experience everything first hand. A low growl escaped him.

Audra picked up on his change in attitude right away. "She was great, Connor. We were able to discuss certain things that probably wouldn't have been mentioned in your presence." She noticed her reassurance didn't change his mood. She decided to try another tactic. "She calmed my fears about mating and the transformation, if that helps any." She crossed the kitchen to where he was standing and brought her hands to cup his face.

Another growl escaped his lips, but this time his mood had definitely changed. He pulled her close as his gazed into her sparkling green eyes. "So does that mean you have decided?" He could feel his wolf howling with satisfaction.

"Well I don't think there was ever a question of if I was going through with this. It was more of a question of when, silly." She kissed him quickly and returned to the stove to sear the chicken. Before she knew it, two strong arms were wrapped around her waist and Connor's face was buried in her hair.

"You make me deliriously happy, Audra. I don't think you have any idea."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Audra woke the next morning with strong arms wrapped around her. She snuggled closer to Connor. "Will I ever get this bed to myself again?" Audra teased him, knowing he was awake.

"Not if I can help it," was Connor's growled mischievously as he leaned down and kissed her neck. He could feel his wolf pacing. 'Soon.' he reassured his wolf. He smiled and pulled Audra closer, pressing their bodies together.

Audra started pulling her body away from his. "We have a lot to do today, Connor. You have to start on the eaves and I have to start looking for a job."

Her statement startled Connor and he was surprised he hadn't thought of the possibility sooner. "A job? Why? I can take care of you, my love."

"I need to make my own money and I can't just sit around and do nothing. My little nest egg won't last forever and I will not be a kept woman." She gave him a solemn look, letting him know her stance on the situation wouldn't waver.

Connor considered her words carefully before he spoke. "Ok, I can respect that. How about we compromise? My family owns a few businesses and I could certainly get you a job. That way, you will be helping out the pack and you can make an independent income."

Audra could sense that Connor would be adamant about this particular topic, so she chose to let it rest for now. "Deal. I'll see what your family's businesses have to offer, but if I can't find anything that I'm interested in, I'll look elsewhere." She tossed a pillow at Connor and quickly darted in the bathroom to avoid retaliation.

"Why you little..." Connor laughed as he tried to open the door to the bathroom but found it locked. "I'll get you later, my pet. Don't you worry!"

~~~~~~~~~~

Kirsten smiled brightly as Bo approached her car. She popped her trunk and rolled down her window. "Throw your suitcase in the trunk." She watched as he opened the door and settled in the seat beside her. "How was your flight, brother dear? It's really good to see you!"

Bo gave her a half smile as they pulled away from the arrivals curb at the airport. "Yeah, it's good to see you, too. I hope I don't live to regret this trip, Kirsten." He eyed her suspiciously as she drove. "So tell me more about this woman."

"She is the bane of my existence, Bo. I've tried for years to get close to the Alpha's family, and this girl appears out of no where and is having drinks with them? It's not fair."

Bo looked at her, not sure if he should be concerned or not. "So you haven't bedded that Alpha crush of yours yet, have you?"

Kirsten was suddenly seething, "Exactly why I need to find out who she is. I can't have her throwing a kink into my plans."

The two continued their conversation as they pulled into town. Kirsten suddenly put on her breaks as she noticed Audra getting out of her car in front of the coffee shop. "That's her Bo! Quick, get out of the car and follow her."

Bo sighed in relief. It would be much easier to meet in town. He followed Audra in the coffee shop and stood by as she placed her order.

Audra settled down with her laptop on an empty couch in the corner. She glanced at her watch. She had an hour before she was to meet up with Sophie and talk about the family businesses. She started checking her e-mail, but was soon distracted when her name was called. She walked to the counter and grabbed her coffee, and the next thing she knew she walked face first into someone's chest and her coffee dropped to the ground.

"I am so sorry, I wasn't paying attention!" She was incredibly embarrassed. Her mind was worlds away.

"Oh no, I should be apologizing. I was texting and I didn't look where I was going," the stranger replied with a guilty smile.

Audra looked up. 'What is it with the men in this town?'She was in shock. She ran straight into a extremely good looking man. He was tall, with shaggy light blonde hair and crisp blue eyes. He wasn't her type, but he was gorgeous, nonetheless.

"No worries." was all she could manage in reply. She went back up to the counter to explain her misfortune in hopes of getting a new cup of coffee.

"Allow me," the stranger insisted, putting money on the counter to cover the new cup of coffee.

"Well, thank you." Audra smiled gratefully.

The barista handed her the new cup of coffee and she returned to her seat. Before she knew it, the stranger was sitting next to her.

"I'm Bo," he said as he held out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you...?"

Audra took his hand and shook it, "Audra. Nice to meet you, too." She pulled her hand away before he was ready to let go. When they touched, Audra got a strange feeling from the man, but she could not place it. She decided it was best to be on her guard and she fixated on the screen in front of her. "I'm sorry to be rude, I just have a lot to do this morning. I hope you don't mind."

She tried to focus on her e-mail, but she could feel Bo's intense eyes on her and it was enough to make her squirm. He moved closer to her. "I don't think I have seen you around before. New in town?"

Audra didn't want to share much, but didn't feel the need to lie. "Yes, I'm new to town."

She could feel his eyes traveling over her body. He tried to be discreet, but there was no hiding his reaction. He grinned at her. "Oh, well then you must let me show you around."

Realizing that he wasn't getting the hint, Audra closed her laptop and gathered her things. "That isn't necessary. My, uhh," Audra stalled as she didn't know how to define to a person what Connor was to her. "My... Boyfriend is actually from here. I'm sorry, but I really do have a lot to do. I have to go now. Goodbye." As she stood up and walked past him, Audra felt his hand wrap around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. Shocked at the sudden contact and his strength, she spun around to face him.

"I hope we meet again, and soon." Bo was intrigued. She had another were's scent all over her, another male, but he didn't care. He would have to thank his sister later for bringing him to such a fine human. His sister would have to come up with a plan on how to ensure that Audra would be his. She would be fun to turn and he couldn't wait. He might even consider bringing her home to his pack. He could feel his groin tighten as he watched Audra walk away. She had a delicious body. He waited until she got close to her car and he got up and walked out.

Kirsten was waiting impatiently in her car as he approached. "Well?" Kirsten asked promptly.

"I didn't find out much, but she is new to town, claims she has a boyfriend and has another Were's scent all over her."

"Male or female?" Kirsten was suddenly very curious.

"Definitely male."

"Shit!" Kirsten was furious. She had a feeling her suspicions were correct, this woman was about to ruin all of her plans.

"Not to worry, Kirsten. I want her. We need to devise a plan, and fast." Bo smiled deviously.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Heya Soph." Audra said as she walked up to Sophie in front of the office building.

"Hey Audra!" Sophie squeezed her tightly and then pulled away suddenly. "What is that smell? Whose scent is on you? I can smell Connor, but there is another faint smell and I don't recognize it." She leaned in again and inhaled deeply. "Yeah, I can't place that scent." Sophie frowned.

"Huh?" Audra thought for a moment. "Oh, I ran into this guy at the coffee shop and spilled my coffee. He wouldn't leave me alone and I got a weird vibe from him, so I left. Do you happen to know him? His name is Bo and he knew I wasn't from around here." Audra could see Sophie's concern.

"I don't know any guys named Bo, and that scent is definitely unfamiliar. He is most certainly a werewolf, though." Sophie tried to force her worried look from her face as she pulled out her phone and made a call.

"Connor? Hi, yeah, I am with her now." Sophie waited a moment. "Well, I think you should meet up with us. Audra ran into some guy at the coffee shop and he is definitely a Were, but I couldn't place his scent. I believe we have an outsider." She paused again. "Yes, Audra is fine. Just meet us at my office."

Sophie ushered Audra into a modern office building. When they entered the elevator, Sophie could sense Audra's worry. "Audra, relax, sweetie. Weres are supposed to contact a pack if they are coming to visit the territory. We just weren't aware of any visitors, that's all. Since Grant's death, strict rules have been set in order to keep everyone safe. Connor just needs to look into it."

The elevator doors opened and Sophie guided Audra through glass doors. She turned to Audra, and beamed. "Welcome to Clair de Lune Event Planning."

Audra loved the office immediately. The walls of the office were a light gray with a touch of shimmering silver. The desks were all white and luxurious. The receptionist noticed Sophie and Audra, "Good morning Sophie!" She eyed Audra curiously.

"Hey Sam. This is Audra, she is considering the position as VP here. We will be in my office. Hold all my calls. Connor will be stopping by, see that he comes directly to my office."

Sam's blue eyes widened and nodded her head as she watched the two women disappear down the hall.

~~~~~~~

Connor rushed through the office and didnt even stop at the receptionist. He walked down the hall, causing everyone in his path to back away.

The moment he opened the door, Audra's scent washed over him, mixed with something he couldn't place. He didn't like it at all.

"Audra." It was the only thing he could manage before he pulled her into his arms. "Did he touch you? Are you okay?" Connor stepped back to look her over, then pulled her in for another hug. He inhaled deeply, trying to grasp the faint scent.

Audra smiled at his protective nature. "Connor, I'm fine. We just bumped into each other and I spilled my coffee. He did try and talk to me, but I was getting a weird vibe from him, so I made an excuse to leave and went. That was it, no pressure. Just a bit odd that he knew I was new to town."

Connor's eyes flashed with a sudden fire and his grip on Audra tightened. "Sophie, I dont recognize the scent. He's not one of our own, that's for sure."