Total pages in book: 254
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
And here I’d thought him controlling his facial features so well was impressive. He was even better at being intimidating at a low volume. I had to fight the urge to tug my collar away from my neck.
My newest protector leaned forward so he was nose to nose with the other man again. “Go home before I change my fucking mind about letting you leave.”
Since I wasn’t looking at Dominic, I didn’t see if he made a face as he left. From the sound of his footsteps, he was pissed, but screw that guy. The second I stopped sensing his magic, I finally took a step back, only to find Pascal’s dad had moved closer to us.
Just how much had he overheard? Did he hear me threaten Dominic?
I opened my mouth to apologize, but a small, very careful smile crept over his face when we made eye contact.
I closed it.
That careful smile turned into a full-blown one. Was there a tear in his eye? “That was pretty badass how you stood up to him.”
Who were these people?
It took me a second to get my reply together. “Thank you...?” My face felt hot.
“You ever thought about a career in—”
Henri’s hand rose between us, and he pointed at Pascal’s dad, his “No” sharp. The other man rolled his eyes but held up both hands.
Henri eyed him for a second before dropping it, the lines at his throat flexing. “Help me put the pups up, would you?” he asked, his tone still all grumbly but not anywhere near as intense as it’d been when he’d been dealing with Dominic.
I wasn’t sure who he was talking to, but Pascal’s dad and I both moved toward the puppies.
But halfway to Duncan, I happened to notice Agnes’s eyes were open. She closed them the second I busted her. I wished she hadn’t heard all that. I didn’t want to be a bad example.
The one small blessing was that Duncan, at least, had slept through everything, which was a surprise since he was usually so in tune with me. When he wasn’t exhausted, that was. Pascal’s dad collected his son, Henri hoisted a fake-sleeping Agnes over his shoulder, and I carried my donut. Pascal Senior went out the back door, but Henri and I went the other way; the silence not stifling, but it left a little knot in my stomach.
I hoped he wasn’t mad at me.
While Henri headed to her room, I took the stairs with the small body that was getting heavier by the day.
I cuddled my boy, my thoughts drifting back to the asshole wolf who liked to pick on people smaller than him.
If only he knew….
Back in our room, I set Duncan on the foot of the bed and covered him with his blanket. Then I took my phone and snapped a picture. I was in the middle of texting it to Sienna when a knock came at the door.
I sighed.
“Why are you sighing?” Henri’s voice came through the other side, reminding me yet again that there was no hiding anything living here, much less from him.
Nothing in this world could have prepared me for Henri Blackrock becoming the nosiest person in my life.
And he was right there when I opened the door, arms crossed over his chest, looking like….
He raised his eyebrows, asking me again with them what I was sighing over.
My shoulders dropped. “I was expecting you to give me a hard time for what I did,” I answered.
His eyebrows went up a little more. “Why would I do that?”
I shrugged.
“Knowing Dom, he asked for it.” Henri tipped his head to the side, showing off that strong jaw. “I’m glad you didn’t back down.”
“You are?” I squinted. “Why?” This sounded too good to be true, or maybe I was that paranoid.
“Because now everyone is going to know the truth.”
“That I’m stubborn sometimes?”
The muscles at his cheeks tightened. “That you shouldn’t be fucked with,” he explained.
That wasn’t what I’d been expecting him to say. Not today, not tomorrow, not in a million years.
“We admire strength.” He nodded to himself. “Good for you.”
I didn’t say anything. I was too surprised by his support, even though it made sense. He was right, werewolves took strength as a gift, though they accepted those weaker as well. It had been easier before, when I’d been a kid. The rules back then had been totally different though. Children were cherished and protected, above all else.
Now? I had no idea where I was, and at this point, there were still a couple of things I wanted to keep a secret… which was why Henri had put himself between us.
He’d been trying to protect me again.
I lifted my chin. “Thank you for standing up for me against that… person.” More like a moron, but I was trying to be diplomatic because of ears.