Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“But, he doesn’t want to be mated to me.”
Pam wrinkled her nose. “I’ve come to understand that some men can be assholes, especially in regard to their feelings.”
“You think Shadow was being an asshole?”
“For a guy who didn’t care about you and only saw you as weak and an easy fuck, he’s stuck around. He didn’t have to keep coming and visiting the coffee shop, but he did. I don’t know if he has told you this, or if you put two and two together, his house doesn’t contain a single coffee ingredient.”
Lisa laughed. “He has already told me he can’t stand coffee.”
“For a guy who said what he said, don’t you think his actions are starting to get a little louder than his words?”
Before Lisa could say anything, the front door opened, and she already knew it was Shadow before he said a word.
“I know it’s early, but I wanted to check on you,” Shadow said.
“I’m in here,” Lisa said.
“On your feet again, what have I told you about this?”
While Shadow had already started to complain, Pam was mouthing words toward her, but she couldn’t quite make them out. The moment he entered the room, Pam stopped.
“You’re here,” Shadow said.
“Yeah, I am here, and that is my cue to leave. Just a little word to you, though, I would love a piece of carrot cake. Just saying.”
Lisa laughed. “Don’t worry, I will save you a piece.”
“You’re a doll,” Pam said. “Now, duty calls.”
Pam left and Lisa turned toward Shadow.
“What does Pam do?”
“Fuck if I know,” Shadow said. “You’re back on your feet again. I thought we had talked about this.”
“We did. You told me you didn’t want me on my feet all the time. I listened to you, and then decided not to agree, but I didn’t argue. Besides, we’re out of cake, and I like making cake. Also, your pack stops by a lot, and it seems rude not to have cake on hand to offer them. You’re going to have to pick up some coffee.”
“Why?” Shadow asked.
“It’s rude not to have it to offer to our guests.”
“They’re not guests, not to me. They have arrived uninvited, and they do not get a choice about what we have to drink.”
“You’re being rude,” Lisa said.
“I’m the Alpha, and I’m not having coffee. Besides, you cannot drink it and you cannot even be near it without feeling woozy.”
Lisa frowned. She had a conversation with Adele just last night, where she admitted the truth. Working at the coffee shop, although she loved it, was starting to cause her too many troubles. There had been a few times the coffee shop had made her feel sick to her stomach, and she had to keep taking breaks to recover.
“You listened to my conversation!” She put the last of the cakes into the oven. This was a chocolate-and-vanilla-swirl cake.
“It’s not hard to hear your conversations, and you’re welcome.”
“I didn’t say thank you. We’re going to have to start laying down some ground rules, which include you not listening in on my conversations!”
“I can’t do that. The whole wolf-hearing thing.”
“It’s a shame you didn’t hear me walk into that bar, huh?” she asked.
“It would have made my life easier,” Shadow said.
She put her hands on her hips. “How?”
“I wouldn’t have said that shit, because you would have been there.”
Lisa stared at him. “I’m not really sure if that is a good thing or not.”
“It’s a good thing, because it would have stopped me fucking this up. I didn’t want to hurt you, Lisa. Not at all.”
She pursed her lips together. “Look, I just … can we not? I don’t want to talk about it.”
She never wanted to talk about it, because that one conversation messed everything up, and now it confused her even more than before.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she forgave him, but she didn’t think she was ready to do that.
****
The pack freaking loved Lisa. Not that it surprised Shadow. Well, it might have a little. He didn’t know if it was because she carried his child, her sweet smile, or the fact she always had a baked good to offer. Either way, the pack adored her, and they were all so excited for the upcoming baby.
The last full moon had already come and gone, and Shadow stood out on the back porch. A wave of snow had fallen in the last twenty-four hours. His senses were on high alert as he knew more was due. This was no trouble for him, but he also knew it worried Lisa. He didn’t want her stressing out.
His wolf was currently at peace. For the first time since his transition when he was a teenage boy, he hadn’t opted to go running. His wolf hadn’t wanted to leave Lisa. She had told him to go and enjoy the full moon and the pack. He didn’t.