“Do you feel better, Sugar?” Milo leans against the doorframe to our bedroom. “I wanted to go after you, but Ghost said it would be better to give you space.”I pull the pillow over my head and groan. “I’m fine, Babe. I was just frustrated and needed to step away.”“Uh, yeah. Sure.” He slides onto the bed next to me and pulls the pillow off of my head. When I’m looking at him, he slips his arms under mine and rolls us over so I’m laying on top of him. I rest my chin on his chest and look into his handsome gray eyes. “You can save that bullshit for someone else. Spill.”I pout my lip and search for words. “I-I… Milo, this is the perfect opportunity to put pressure on Randall. Bronx isn’t even giving us the chance to stop him. What if he is housing Ryan Connors? What if he’s still out there selling Omegas? Who is will stop him? Hell, what if he knew about Kas living in that awful fucking dungeon for all those years and did nothing about it? Now we’re just going to let Bronx throw her in
“Anything else, Carly?” Bronx clicks his pen and sets it down to end the final meeting before the Council arrives.“Yes, I met Randall’s assistant at the administrative professional’s conference I just got back from.” She clears her throat and looks around as if she’s tentative about sharing the info.“You did?” Ashley tilts her head. “She was allowed to go?”“Um, I think she had to pay for it herself, but yes, she was allowed to go.” Carly presses her lips together. “I wasn’t able to get a ton of detail, but um, she… she said he’s been on six short international trips in the past month. He also had what she called ‘female guests’ in his home during that time. They didn’t stay in the packhouse, they stayed in a guest room in his house.”“She just gave you that information?” Bronx puts his pen down. “After you just met her? Did she know who the women were? How about where they came from or went?”“Oh, I-I didn’t think to ask her all that. It was more of a, uh, just a friendly, casual…
“I don’t know.” I stir the spoon in my coffee and sit back. “She seemed more nervous than usual.”“Yeah.” Ashley sits next to me in the seating area of my office and sips her coffee. “Maybe Milo’s right? Maybe she found a guy to have a one-night stand with and she was embarrassed.”“You gonna ask her about it?” I hold my cup with two hands letting it comfort me.“Mmm… maybe during training.” Ashley shrugs. “You know how she is. I don’t want her to feel more self conscious.”“Agreed.” I lean my head on her shoulder. “The last time she had a boyfriend was in high school, right?”“Yeah. Benji Platt. He works in Procurement at MasonCo now.” Ashley muses. “I think it would be really sweet if Carly found another admin to date. Even if it would be a long distance relationship. I’m sure we could convince your brother to give her time off to keep that flame lit.”“Mmm.” I finally take a sip of the coffee. Even one sip feels like it has energized me. “Hey Ashley?”“Yeah, Leni?” She leans her he
– Flashback –“I want to be a mommy when I grow up.” Ashley picks a flower and smells it. “I want lots of pups like Marco’s mommy.”“Boy pups?” Carly scrunches her nose. “Gross.”“Don’t be stupid, Carly. You don’t get to pick.” Ashley rolls her eyes. “You just have to hope she sends you all girls. How many pups do you want?”“I don’t know.” Carly shrugs. “I never thought about it. I guess one or two, but I don’t want boy pups. What about you, Leni? How many pups do you want when you grow up?”“Nah.” I sit up and look at Mace and Dahlia snuggling at the other end of the meadow. They’re my daddy and mommy wolf spirits. Mommy and Dahlia “I don’t think I want pups. I wouldn’t be as good at it like my mommy and Dahlia. They’re the best.”“You don’t have to be the best at it, Leni.” Ashley rolls over so her head is on my lap. “You just have to use your whole entire heart and love them. That’s all that’s important.”“I don’t know if I could ever love anyone as much as I love my parents.” I l
“Bro, she’s gonna be home in no time. You gotta try to snap out of it.” Milo hands the tailor a black suit jacket with green pinstripes. “This will look good on him, right? Goes with his eye?”“Mmm yeah. The patch should be solid green to match, please.” I nod to the tailor, then cross my legs and bob my foot. “Bronx! Come on! You’re taking forever in there!”“That’s cause I don’t want to be here.” He comes out of the fitting room.“Yeah, well, we don’t want you turning your apartment into an ashtray while Kas is gone.” I stand up and adjust the shoulders of the shirt. “Button the top. Is it too tight?”The tailor comes beside me and waits patiently. He works at Raymond’s department store, but he is a pack member. It makes it easier for our larger warriors and guards to get fitted for suits and uniforms without being questioned.Bronx raises his head and buttons the top button of the dress shirt. “No. It fits perfectly. Tariq always gets it right the first time. I just don’t fucking w
“When is he supposed to wake up? He’s scheduled to go to France to see his mate tomorrow.” I hold Bronx’s hand and watch him sleeping. Does he know I’m here? Does he know how worried I am? “What if what happened to Kas at the mall happened to him somehow? He was glowing like she did. What if he had some sort of premonition we need to know about? Should we call the Coven and let Kas know there’s a problem?”“Beta Lenora, we’ve done every test and scan possible. The EEG shows normal brain function for a werewolf, which means Saint is most likely experiencing the same thing Alpha Bronx is. The only explanation I have is that he has been under more stress than usual with the Luna being away. This incident could be related to PTSD.” Doctor Nolan explains, standing beside me.I press my lips together tightly. It feels like he’s avoiding all of my questions. “Doctor Nolan, when will he wake up?”“It’s normal for a patient to be exhausted after a grand mal seizure. We need to give Saint a cha
“Hey Aaaaashhhhley?” I call through a mindlink.“Hey Lennnniiiiiii?”“Um, are you and Carly busy?” I twist my fingers nervously.“Never too busy for our favorite nerd.” She coos. “Where you at?”“My bathroom.”“Your bathroom? Like, in your apartment… bathroom?” She sounds suspicious.“Yes. And I need you… And Carly.”“Lenora, if you have another toy stuck in your-”“I don’t.” I cut her off. “I just need you guys. Like, right now, right now. Please.”“Alright, alright. We’ll be right there.”I pace in the bathroom looking at the unopened box on the counter.“I don’t remember seeing you in a memory.” Justice insists again. “If you think you’re pregnant, just pee on the magic little stick.”“It’s not magic. It’s science, and you were the one who told me it was a memory, not a dream, Justice.” I snap. “And if it comes up negative, I’m going to have a mental breakdown and if it’s positive, I’m going to have a mental breakdown.”“Oh, for Goddess’s sake. If you’re going to have a breakdown e
“You’re just going to forgive him?” Justice seethes. “He could have killed us!”“Alright, Justice, look.” I sit on the bench outside Bronx’s apartment. “Yes, he got drunk and pulled us into the pool, but it wasn’t intentional. Besides, there was zero chance we were going to drown.”“You’re being too laid-back about this, Lenora.”“Why are you so mad?” I fold my arms over myself and cross my legs.“What do you mean, why am I so mad?” She snaps at me.“You’ve been in a mood even before I found out I was pregnant. What’s going on with you?”Justice pauses. “It’s just a reminder time passing too quickly. A reminder that nothing lasts forever.”“Okay, but that’s not always a bad thing.” I reassure her. “Try to think of this as a blessing. I’m happy. Milo’s over the moon. You saw how Bronx reacted. He’s ecstatic.”“I’ll do my best to hold my temper.” Justice says as a compromise.“I’ll take it. And if you want to talk more about it, please just tell me. Okay?”“Mmm. Fine.” She snips, ending