Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“I have no interest in doing anything with you that involves us being apart.”
“You’re not––”
“I think a man who comes to take care of my brother as soon as he knows he’s sick, protects the children of my pack, and built a women’s shelter and one for animals in the town I now live in, might be just the mate I need, Merritt Baker.”
“I—”
“Thank you for letting us stay with you tonight.” He leaned in, his mouth close to my ear, his warm breath on my skin as he spoke. “I know you’re doin’ it for Ev because you would never think of letting him down, but it means a lot to me as well.”
“Of course.” I eased my hand free of his before leaning forward on the chair so I was farther away from him and closer to Evan.
Immediately, he slipped his hand up under the hem of my sweater to the small of my back, the rough calluses sliding over my bare skin.
I turned to look at him. “Have you lost your mind?”
“Nope. My brain’s workin’ just fine.”
“Move your hand.”
“Up or down?”
I had an answer, but it got tangled up somewhere between my head and my mouth.
“Listen,” he said, and his voice had gone all gravelly and low, “I was a jackass the other day, and I’m woefully sorry.”
“Woefully?”
“Do not make fun of a heartfelt apology.” He eased me back so I was resting against his chest before he pressed his nose to the side of my neck and inhaled deeply. “I’m all tangled up over you, Mere, and until I sort this, I can’t do anything else.”
“And when were you planning to tell me all this?”
“I was on my way back to see you, but then Ev threw up black goop all over the grass.”
“You didn’t think I’d buried whatever bones were out there on your uncle’s property?”
“Of course not.” He huffed, side-eyeing me. “I know your heart.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t oh me,” he snapped, and then he suddenly licked a spot on the side of my neck before he gently nibbled.
I turned to stare at him.
“Yeah, well, I have no idea why you would be even remotely surprised that I want to take a bite out of you.”
“You’re not thinking about what’s best for you, you just wanna get laid.”
“I do, very much, wanna get laid,” he said, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “But I promise you, I see you clearly, and you are a good man, Mere. I think being the guy who belongs to you would be great for me.”
I shook my head at him.
“You can think I’m nuts, I don’t mind.”
“I just want you to think about what’s best for your future.”
“I am, I swear,” he whispered, leaning close again and making it impossible for me to smell anything but him. “I think you should kiss me now so I know you’re not mad at me anymore.”
“I was never mad at you, I was just sad that you didn’t listen to me.”
“Well, I’m done not listening to you,” he promised. “Now will you kiss me?”
“I’ll think about it.”
He groaned, loudly. “Killing me.”
Reggie and Fletcher returned then with all the food, which made Cole groan again and me laugh.
Once everything had been passed out, Cole gently woke up his brother, who was thrilled to find the cheeseburger of his dreams in front of him on the table that rolled up to the bed. His shake, onion rings, and fries looked amazing as well. He thanked Reggie and Fletcher profusely, and I could tell they were touched.
Reggie had handed me my food like it was radioactive, and Fletcher shook his head as he watched me eat my veggie burger.
Abel finally turned to me after a few minutes.
“Merritt, if you could explain, please, what happened, we would all be so appreciative.”
I met his gaze.
“I know you’ve heard that I was mistakenly angry with you, and I’m very sorry. It was a knee-jerk reaction that was short-sighted and ungracious after all you did for us.”
I huffed out a breath and let the irritation go, then smiled at him. “Thank you, Alpha.”
He blew out a breath of his own and smiled back at me.
After finishing the last bite of my burger—everyone always said I ate way too fast—I wiped my hands, passed my fries to Evan, who’d already finished his own, and his onion rings, took a sip of Pepsi, then leaned back in my chair. “Evan was possessed by a ghost, and normally that can’t happen unless it’s a person who’s related to you. The channel can open because of the bloodline.”
“I don’t understand.” Cole turned his chair so he was no longer sitting beside me, but facing me. “You’re saying some entity that’s related to us tried to kill him?”
“No, not kill him. The ghost was just trying to communicate. It had no idea that it was hurting Evan in the process. Possessions have differing effects on the systems of the body. Some people would have been sicker, some less. It’s an unknown. The truth is, the spirit just wanted to talk to you.”