AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Bodhi’s studying me as I take everything in. He might not say much, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t paying attention. Time to change the subject.
“So, who is Beta now that Ethan left?” Or that’s what Blake told me. Cooper won’t replace Ethan, despite the pack needing a strong team of leaders with everything going on, not until Ethan officially leaves the Grey Ridge pack.
“Rex. Although he’s more like Alpha, now that Cooper’s gone to ground with the baby coming. Hayley is terrifying! And now Nathan’s gone, too. It’s Rex’s worst nightmare! If he had any doubts about giving up the job before, this has laid them to rest.”
Leah and Bodhi have a good chuckle at her mate's obvious misery.
“Rex is running the pack?”
“Mostly. Marie and Jonathan have come out of retirement to help, but it’s kind of all hands on deck.”
“With a looming threat, I’m getting more and more anxious on behalf of Grey Ridge. Their Alpha is preoccupied with his mate and unborn child. The one brother, who is there, doesn’t want to be there; the other, apparently, isn’t there at all. And the women are either pregnant, human, or both. They wouldn’t stand a chance.
Leah glances over her shoulder and laughs, “Speak of the devil and she shall appear!”
Bodhi stands abruptly, slightly panicked. “No, Leah, not again. I can’t deal with that woman. She has no respect for personal boundaries.” Our waitress looks stunned as Bodhi storms round the counter, “I’ll keep an eye on you from outside,” and with that, he strides through the kitchen
The back door slams shut just as a woman with immaculately styled brown hair, and an aura of confidence, sweeps inside. Her laser-like eyes fix on me immediately.
I know exactly who she is, and that it’s not a coincidence she just walked through that door.
“You didn’t mind-link Rex,” I mutter, annoyed with myself for assuming the bubbly blonde was an open book. Rookie mistake, Belle. You walked straight into an ambush.
“Sorry. Had to be done.” Leah shakes her head. “She’s bloody intimidating, and she’s so protective of her boys. Maybe even more so with Ethan. She’d make my life hell if she found out I was here with you.”
As this beautiful woman slides into the spot Bodhi just vacated, I edge back, my head spinning with how I’m going to explain this to Ethan when I eventually speak to him.
“Marie, this is…” Leah starts the introductions before realising she hasn’t any clue who I am.
“Belle,” I supply, resigned to my fate, “I’m Belle.” Marie’s eyes widen as she looks me over, a flicker of recognition of her features. We’ve met before. She looks back at Leah who nods and smiles, and back to me. Her hands go to her mouth and her face lights up with glee; mine falls, knowing I’m in big trouble now.
“Oh, my goodness! You’re Ethan’s mate.”
“Ssshhh!” Leah hisses, waving her hands and glancing around to make sure nobody else is listening. “They’re not marked yet.”
Marie leaves Leah’s side of the booth and squeezes in beside me, forcing me to slide further and further along until I’m pressed into the wall. I’m trapped. There’s no escape.
“So?! Oh, this is wonderful! Where is he? Does this mean you’re moving here?” Marie makes exactly the same face Leah did when she sniffs the air and detects no trace of his scent. “Is he okay? Where is he? What’s wrong?” The former Luna’s face pales and she immediately assumes something must have gone badly for a couple who just found each other to be apart. She would be right.
“He’s fine,” I assure her. “Safe.”
Marie’s expression is one of utter confusion. “Where is he then? Why would he not come to introduce you to us?” Her gaze slides to Leah, who looks to me, both seeking answers.
“That’s what I was wondering,” Leah shrugs.
Now both of them stare at me and I refuse to squirm. Wiping my palms on my jeans, I lean into my corner and think carefully about how to phrase this.
“Well, he’s, um, still in the Anderson pack. With Lucia.”
Any time I’ve seen Marie before, it has been at official functions where my job is to observe discreetly; I know what she’s like when she’s in Luna mode. Marie is normally the picture of elegance, poise, and warmth. Not today. She presses her lips together, swallowing back whatever it is she wants to say, but won’t in front of me.
“You can say it,” I whisper with a sigh. “I won’t be offended.” Slapping her hand down hard on the counter, she hisses, staring between me and Leah.
“What the hell is he thinking?” Looking down at the array of cakes filling the table, she doesn’t question why there are so many, just drags the closest untouched one toward herself and attacks it with a fork.
“I like mine just fine, Marie. And I think Hayley’s pretty happy too. You did a good job with those two.” Leah grins when Marie rolls her eyes.
“Yes, now you’re both happy. But they don’t make anything easy.” She tilts her head and examines me closely. “Ethan’s not with her though, I presume? Not since he met you?”
