Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
To her surprise, Derren remained slightly in front of Ally in what seemed to be a protective move as he led her into the kitchen. Instantly, a hush fell upon the room, and several emotions crashed into her, primarily curiosity.
Relief washed over Shaya’s face. “You’re awake.” She headed straight for Ally and greeted her with a tight hug that made gratitude and affection seep into Ally’s system. “You look much better.” With a smile, Shaya turned to the others—most of whom were seated at the table. “Everyone, this is Ally. Ally, this is Roni and Marcus.”
The slender female gave her a small nod, while her dark, incredibly hot mate offered Ally a quiet “Hey.” Ally gave them both a small wave.
Shaya continued, “And these wolves are from the Phoenix Pack.” She gestured to two males. The burly one had a real grumpy air about him while the athletically built male regarded her warily. “That’s Ryan, a Phoenix enforcer, and Tao, who’s their Head Enforcer. The scowling, totally ripped guy leaning against the wall is their Alpha, Trey.” Whereas the enforcers appeared mostly neutral, the Alpha’s aversion to her—or, more likely, to what she was—made her skin itch.
At that moment, the back door opened and two wolves entered. Shaya said, “This gorgeous woman here is their Beta, Ja—”
“Oh my God, Ally!” The familiar tall female with long sable hair came flying at her, eyes wide in both shock and recognition. “Hey, how are you?”
Ally gladly accepted Jaime’s hug. “I’m great. You?”
Pulling back, she said, “They kept referring to you as ‘the Seer,’ but it never occurred to me that it could be you!”
“So,” interrupted the brown-eyed tower of muscle that appeared at Jaime’s side, “you two know each other?”
Jaime replied, “Ally was with our old pack for, like, eighteen months.” She returned her gaze to Ally. “That was almost six years ago, right?”
Ally nodded. “You’re part of the Phoenix Pack now?”
Jaime smiled proudly and leaned into the brown-eyed male. “This is my mate, Dante.”
Ally wanted to ask if he was the Dante—the guy Jaime had talked about many times. Although he’d left Jaime’s old pack when he was just a teenager, Jaime had never gotten over her crush. If the fact that they were now mated was anything to go by, it must have been because they were true mates but hadn’t known back then.
“Ally once had a vision that Gabe was going to be attacked by a group of falcon shifters,” Jaime told Dante, referring to her brother. “It saved him.”
“Really?” Dante’s frown gradually slipped away. “It’s good to meet you, Ally.”
Shaya released a sigh of relief. But then her entire body froze as a tiny blonde with sharp charcoal-gray eyes planted herself in front of Ally. Shaya cleared her throat. “Ally, this is Taryn, Alpha female of the Phoenix Pack.” Taryn’s shrewd gaze assessed her from head to toe and back again.
“Taryn,” drawled Derren, knowing there was every chance Taryn would carry the same prejudice toward Seers that her mate did, given the pain it had caused him.
She waved a hand at Derren. “Oh, cool it, Hudson. I’m not gonna give her shit. She saved my best friend’s life and healed my goddaughter. As far as I’m concerned, she walks on water.” Taryn gave her a respectful nod. “If you ever need anything, just ask.” Her stamp of approval must have been what her enforcers had been waiting for, because then Tao and Ryan nodded at Ally in greeting, along with the seriously hot blond, who was grinning impishly.
Shaya gestured at the blond, seeming reluctant to introduce him. “This is another Phoenix enforcer, Dominic.”
His grin widened. “Hi, I have big feet.” Everyone groaned, other than Jaime, who laughed, and Derren, who growled.
“Dominic, I really wouldn’t exercise your habit of dishing out cheesy chat lines on Ally,” Shaya advised him. “Derren’s kind of . . . protective.”
The Phoenix enforcer was the image of innocence. “It’s just that she looks a lot like my next girlfriend.”
Derren growled again. “Take Shaya’s advice and leave Ally be.”
Dominic just grinned at him before winking at Ally, and she couldn’t help but smile. He was obviously a world of trouble.
“Now you’ve all seen her, so back off,” ordered Derren. “She’s leaving.”
Ally pointed to the blood matting her hair. “I kind of need a shower.”
Jaime hugged her once more. “Expect plenty of visits from me while you’re here.” Ally smiled at that. Jaime was always good company.
Shaya said, “I’ll come see you when everyone’s gone home.”
As Ally followed Derren out of the kitchen, the Mercury wolves either offered her a “hey” or a nod of thanks—none of which were begrudging or had hints of wariness. It satisfied her wolf, who’d found it difficult being part of a pack, even temporarily, that didn’t accept or include her.
As her lodge came into view, Ally inwardly sighed in relief. Now all she needed to do was get rid of the persistent, indomitable, and annoyingly hot male at her side. But since she got the feeling he didn’t intend to go anywhere, and he was a guy who didn’t seem to pay attention to what other people wanted, she doubted it would be easy.