Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 131137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
Cuddling a sleeping Kye to her chest, Greta huffed once more at Taryn before turning to Shaya and smiling fondly. “Shaya, sweetheart, how are you?”
“Oh, you’re nice to her because she’s not going to mate with one of your boys.” Taryn growled. “Give me my son before your old-lady breath bleaches his hair.” As Taryn took the adorable eight-month-old baby into her arms, his lids fluttered open to reveal a set of arctic-blue eyes exactly like his father’s. As Nick had once said, Kye was literally Trey with Taryn’s hair—which made him one absolutely gorgeous baby who would undoubtedly break many female hearts when he was older.
“Hey there,” whispered Shaya, playing with his hair. “Recognize me?”
“Of course he does,” said Taryn. “It’s so cute how he points to the laptop and waves—I know it means he wants to wave to you on Skype. Can you do it for Auntie Shaya again now?” Taryn waved her hand slightly, and Kye mirrored the move, flashing Shaya a huge smile. “Now that I can visit you without worrying that Nick will have people following me who will then know where you are, we can come see you whenever I want, and you can visit us whenever you want.”
A smile spread across Shaya’s face. She liked that idea. After only a minute of gentle coaxing, Kye went willingly into Shaya’s arms. “He’s such a sociable kid.”
“It’s only natural given that he’s part of a pack that spoils him rotten and treats him like he’s at the center of the entire universe,” said Taryn. “He’s used to being handled by different people.”
With Kye in her arms, Shaya led Taryn and Greta into the house. She found the guys all gathered in the dining area. Her eyes instantly went to Nick, who was sitting at the table. His smile had a hint of relief to it, and she realized just how worried he’d been that she might leave. As she entered the room, Dominic straightened from where he’d been leaning against the wall and came toward her wearing a devilish grin—yep, he had every intention of flirting with her to annoy Nick, just like he did to all the mated females to provoke their mates. Well, it wasn’t so much flirting as delivering cheesy lines, but it had the desired effect on the mated males.
She halted him with a look. “Dominic, if you value your life, you won’t aggravate him right now.” Not while Nick was being forced to cope with her being in the presence of a number of males, particularly when two of them were unmated. Possessiveness would be haunting him, just as it did her when Amber was around.
Dominic, to her surprise, raised his hands in surrender and dropped his smile. “Okay, fine, but I was just going to give you a little kiss. If you don’t like it, you can always return it.”
“Dominic.”
“Watch it, blondie,” warned Nick, his voice like a whip.
“You sure like to live dangerously, don’t you?” said Tao, shaking his head at his packmate.
Dominic just grinned. “There’s no better way to live.” Noticing Nick’s evil smile, he asked, “What?”
“I’m just thinking how much fun your pack is going to have when you meet your mate. I could be wrong, but I’m guessing the males will be getting some payback.”
Nodding, Trey said, “Damn right.” At that moment, his son held out his arms to him, and Trey took him gladly.
“Hey, I’m a breath of fresh air,” maintained Dominic. “Besides, why would I want a mate yet when there is such a wide variety of females out there to sample?”
Shaya wasn’t buying that act for one minute. Oh sure, Dominic loved women, and women loved Dominic—it was impossible not to love that wicked grin, his caramel skin, and those impressive abs—but he wasn’t quite the slut he pretended to be. She had yet to figure out what his act was all about, however. Just as she had yet to figure out why he bothered with lines, given how easily he reeled in females.
As Greta came to stand beside Shaya, the old woman scowled at Nick. “You I’m not in the least bit happy with,” she told him in her usual witchy voice. Nick’s brows rose in surprise. “It doesn’t matter that you had your reasons—you hurt our Shaya, and I don’t like it. You should be thankful that you have a mate as wonderful as Shaya and not a hussy like her!” She tipped her head at Taryn, who just smiled.
“You love me really, Greta.” Taryn elbowed her gently. “Admit it, I hold a place in your heart of solid concrete.”
Trey rolled his eyes and then turned to Shaya. “Nick and Derren have told us what’s been happening around here with the humans. It’s not safe.”
“Which is why I recommended that you take your pack and leave,” Nick told him.