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)
Greta shook her head in disappointment. “Pulling a stunt like this on the mate of a man who likely thinks of her as a mother . . . disgusting.” She put a hand on Allen’s arm. “I tell you, it’s important to make new members feel welcome and at ease. Especially if they’re someone’s mate. Moving to a new pack, leaving behind everything and everyone you know best is a difficult transition. People need to be respectful and supportive. The kind of behavior that Kathy demonstrated tonight . . . I just don’t understand it.”
Jaime blinked at her. “Don’t you?” She, Taryn, and Roni were all looking at the old woman in utter amazement.
Greta’s eyes narrowed just a little.
Oblivious, Allen said to Greta, “It’s the older members like us who need to really step up when new people join. We need to be the ones helping them integrate themselves into the pack, teaching them what they need to learn, and making them feel a part of us.”
Greta nodded. “I completely agree.”
Taryn raised her finger. “Can I get that in writing, Greta?”
Marcus leaned closer to Bracken and said quietly. “I can’t help but respect how perfectly convincing she sounded just now when she spouted that load of shit.”
Bracken nodded. “I could almost think she believes what she’s saying.” His gaze drifted back to his mate. Bracken tightened his grip on the beers when he saw her laughing with Dominic. Before Madisyn, jealousy wasn’t an emotion he’d been very familiar with. He’d felt twinges of it, but not this dark, venomous emotion that made his blood boil, his scalp prickle, and his stomach harden.
He found himself envying the easy way she and Dominic had with each other. It spoke of an uncomplicated friendship. That was something that Bracken had never had with her. His wolf wanted to charge at the other male, despite knowing that Dominic would never poach.
Roni eyed Madisyn and Dominic. “You don’t have to worry about him,” she told Bracken. “I once wondered if those two would get together, but I quickly realized it wouldn’t happen.”
Marcus nodded. “Dominic doesn’t shit where he eats. As Makenna’s BFF, Madisyn is on Phoenix Pack territory a lot.”
“I don’t just mean that,” said Roni. “Dominic needs a female who’ll give him the room to mess up. Madisyn would kill him.”
Marcus tilted his head. “Yeah, there is that.”
“On another note,” Eli said to Bracken, “I offered to put guards on the shelter, but Dawn turned it down. I get why. If lone shifters think it belongs to a pack, they won’t go there for sanctuary. We put guards there once before, and she said it made a lot of people leave.”
“The bears won’t return to the shelter.” Bracken took a swig from his bottle. “They’ll try to speak with Madisyn again, but not there. When you’re dealing with someone like her who’s hard to intimidate, you try to take them off guard to give yourself more of an edge. They’ll show up somewhere she least expects.”
“Like the grocery store or something like that,” said Eli.
Bracken nodded. “Exactly.”
“If this were any other situation, the fact that you’re her mate would probably be enough to keep them away from her.” Eli rubbed at his nape. “But for all the sows the Maverick Clan has taken over the years, Daisy is probably their heroine. She could inspire them to rise against Archer or even flee. He’ll know that, so he can’t just walk away from this.”
“No, he can’t,” agreed Cain, coming up behind them. “You know you can call on me for backup.”
“Ally doesn’t like bringing you into pack problems,” Bracken reminded him.
Cain gave a careless shrug and studied Bracken. “The last time I saw you, your eyes were empty. Even though you’re clearly pissed right now, you seem a lot better.”
“When you’re here, so do you,” Bracken told him.
“How did you like Vinnie Devereaux?”
Bracken frowned. “How do you know I met him?”
Again, Cain just shrugged. “I know lots of things.”
“He told me that Archer went to see him.” Bracken relayed the rest of what Vinnie had told him, adding, “Do you think he was telling the truth when he said he’d side with Madisyn?”
“Yes. I could tell when I spoke with him on the phone that he’s especially protective of her. Vinnie isn’t protective of many people. If he says he’ll fight alongside you in the event of a battle, believe him. On an unrelated note, how’s the Claudia Brookson matter going?”
“She wasn’t hearing my ‘no,’ so I had a talk with her, told her I was mated now, and made it clear that there was no chance I’d leave my pack. That will hopefully be the end of it.”
A deep growl rumbled out of Nick. “Don’t push me, old man!”
Bracken turned to see the Alpha glowering at Shaya’s father.