Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Bracken blinked. Maddie?
She stepped into the cat’s open arms. “Hi, Vinnie.”
Resisting the territorial urge to drag his mate away from the other male, Bracken studied the Alpha. Just as his father had told him, Vinnie Devereaux looked deceptively harmless and approachable. He also seemed genuinely pleased to see Madisyn, and it was clear he was as fond of her as Ingrid was.
Vinnie gave Madisyn a quick but thorough head-to-toe scan. “Looking well.” His eyes cut to Bracken, and his smile didn’t dim even in the slightest. “And you’re Bracken Slater. I’m Vinnie. These are my sons, Tate and Luke.” He gestured at the broader of the two tall, lean males. “Tate is also my Beta. And Luke is my Head Enforcer.”
Bracken exchanged nods with each of them, sensing subtle alpha vibes wafting from both males. They might not have the position of Alpha, but either of them could lead the pride at some point.
He frowned when they both took a moment to hug Madisyn. They didn’t appear to be deliberately poking at his possessive streak, and they didn’t look at her in a way that suggested they knew her intimately, but that didn’t stop jealousy from curdling in his stomach. Or stop his wolf from baring his teeth in warning.
Ingrid clasped her hands together. “Anyone want coffee?” She took their orders and then disappeared—presumably into the kitchen.
Vinnie gestured at the sectional sofa and then seated himself in an armchair. “No Makenna today?”
“No, sorry,” said Madisyn, unsurprised when Bracken sat so close beside her that there was barely an inch of space between them. The possessive hand he splayed on her thigh was no surprise either. “She has a meeting with her uncle today.” A man whom Makenna had met only a few years ago, but they were in regular contact.
“Damn,” muttered Luke, leaning against the wall. “She’s such a pretty little thing.”
“She’s happily mated now,” Madisyn reminded him.
Lounging on the other armchair, Tate shrugged one shoulder. “A man can still look. Right, Luke?” As if to prove that, he skimmed his gaze over Madisyn.
Bracken stilled, and his wolf snarled. “Careful.” It was a lethal whisper.
Laying her hand over Bracken’s, Madisyn shook her head at Vinnie. “Your sons are shit-stirring bastards.”
The Alpha nodded, grinning. “That they are.”
She snorted at the pride in his voice. “So why did you ask me to come here?”
“First, tell me how everything’s been going in your life.” Vinnie gave her a mock frown. “You don’t visit us enough these days.”
“Like you don’t already know everything that’s worth knowing.” Madisyn was well aware that Ingrid gave him regular updates on whatever she learned through their calls or her visits to the shelter.
“I knew you were tight with the Mercury Pack and under their protection. I didn’t know Slater here was your mate. Not until I had a visit from the Maverick Clan Alpha.”
Tensing, Madisyn swore, and her fingers curled into fists.
Bracken narrowed his eyes. “Archer thought she was once part of your pride, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” said Vinnie. “We’re the only pallas cat pride in the United States, so it’s not a stupid assumption to make. Unlike most other breeds of shifter, we don’t keep records showing our family trees, so he wasn’t able to double-check that assumption.”
“Why did Archer go to you?” Madisyn asked. “What did he want?”
Vinnie draped his arm over the back of his chair. “Basically, he’d come to see if I had any loyalty toward you. He’d assumed that I’d banished you, but he clearly wanted to be sure.”
“He wanted to know if you’d make a good ally for him,” Bracken guessed. “And to be sure there would be no repercussions from you if he was to harm her.”
“Exactly.” Vinnie’s gaze slid back to Madisyn. “He said you’re keeping a member of his clan from him. Didn’t say much about the sow in question; he was vague about the whole thing, as a matter of fact. He was hoping I’d know where you might have hidden her.”
“She’s not a member of his clan.” Interlocking her fingers with Bracken’s, Madisyn explained the situation.
“Bastard,” spat Luke.
Tate curled his upper lip. “A guy who pulls shit like that is no Alpha.”
Ingrid walked in with a tray of steaming cups that Luke quickly took from her and set on the coffee table. Humming what sounded like “Highway to Hell”—and yeah, that did weird Bracken out a little—Ingrid started handing out cups.
“What did you tell Archer?” Bracken asked Vinnie.
“Well, I thought about expressing how very disappointed I’d be if anything were to happen to Maddie,” said Vinnie. “Then it occurred to me that I might be of more help to her if I gave him the impression that I was in fact her old Alpha and that, out of some personal vendetta against her, I’d be willing to stand with him against your pack, if need be.”