Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
He wraps his arms around me, holding me tucked against his chest. “Evans-Blackthroat,” comes his satisfied rumble. “That works.”
Chapter Sixteen
Brick
Madi stands naked at the French doors that open from my bedroom to the forest. “Oh!” She jumps back behind the curtain on the door to hide her body. “Are those wolves?”
“They better not be,” I growl, ready to kill any pack member who just got an eyeful of my naked mate.
“Wait, no. They’re dogs.” Madi gives an embarrassed laugh. “Well, I can’t be too sure around here. Last time I was here, I was cornered by a pack of wolves.”
I open the door and make a click sound with my tongue. “Ah ah.” I stop the overjoyed blue heelers before they can enter. They’re covered in snow, and I don’t want them in the bedroom. “Sit.”
All three obediently drop into position.
“This is Bella,” I introduce the trembling dog as I stroke her ears. Her tail thumps the ground, sweeping snow-covered dead leaves beneath it. “She’s very excited to meet you.”
Madi laughs and pets Bella.
“And this is Fritz.” I give Fritz a thump on his side. He, too, tries to frantically lick my hand as he wags his tail. “And Bobo.” I introduce the third dog. “They are Liz and Dane’s dogs, but they recognize their alpha.”
“Oh, aren’t you beautiful?” Madi croons, bestowing love and pets on each of them in a way that makes me fall in love with her all over again.
“Now, go around to your door.” I shoo them off and shut the door.
Down the hall, I hear male voices. My team has returned. I hand Madi her clothes and dress in clean clothes from my closet.
“Come on. Liz will want to feed us, and we need to circle up with the council.”
“The council?”
“The guys. My executive team is also my inner pack council.”
“That makes sense. Your father was murdered, and you took the helm as a college student. Naturally, your council would be your best friends, cousin, and brother-in-law. You needed support from people you didn’t have to pretend with.”
I gather Madi up in my arms, shocked at how freeing it is to be understood so well. To have someone else I can now be wholly myself with.
She laughs softly, lifting her face to mine.
I brush my nose along hers. “You’re everything.”
“You’re more.”
“Let’s go,” I say before I change my mind and undress her again. I take her hand and lead her out to the living room.
Ruby is there, along with the guys, who have showered and changed. Everyone’s face shows the weight of what just happened. The needless death. The near destruction of our pack.
The moment I arrive, Liz appears with a cart of steaming food that she somehow whipped together with no warning. There’s smoked ham, roast chicken, three dozen dinner rolls, a giant Greek salad, wild rice, and corn on the cob.
We serve ourselves buffet style and settle in the living room with plates piled high with food.
In another wing, I hear April’s shriek of laughter and the quieter tones of my mom. For the first time in years, her presence in the same building doesn’t rattle me–it feels right.
“You burned the place down?” I ask.
Billy nods. “There was an unfortunate explosion.”
“What now, Alpha?” Jake asks.
I shovel a huge forkful of ham in my mouth and chew. All that fighting has me craving protein. When I swallow, I say, “We took care of the problem within our pack. Now we need to deal with the Adalwulfs.”
“Well, there’s one person on this earth who knows how to beat the Adalwulfs,” Madi says.
I tense, ready to defend her if my council shows any objection to her joining the conversation, but there’s none. Everyone looks at her expectantly.
“She’s right here in this building.” Madi nods toward the door leading to the other wing.
“Mom. Yes, that’s brilliant.” Ruby nods her agreement. “I never wanted to put her in a position of having to choose between us, but Odin made the choice for her when his henchmen tried to murder her.”
“He sealed his own fate,” I growl.
Ruby stands. “Shall I get her?”
I sense Billy shift in his chair. He doesn’t trust easily, and he knows the pain my mom caused me.
“Bring her in.”
Billy nods at me. He will be suspicious as always, and that’s his job. But he has my back.
My mom returns with Ruby, and Liz takes my niece and nephew to visit the dogs.
I stand. My mom still doesn’t look well. Despite the glow of love in her face, she moves stiffly, as if her broken ribs still hurt. “Mom. I have a question for you. It’s important that you answer truthfully, and I’ll respect your answer, no matter what it is. Are you a Blackthroat now?”
There’s no hesitation from my mom, but her eyes fill with tears as she nods. “Yes. If you’ll have me. It’s all I’ve wanted since the day I met your father.”