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She would have argued but, really, there was little point. He wasn’t going to budge on this—he’d used what James called “the wolverine tone.” Firm. Emotionless. Determined. Non-negotiable.
James never bothered to argue with Valentina or Alex when they spoke in that voice; he knew he’d never get them to change their mind. In fact, he often just threw up his hands and walked away.
There was a loud knock at the front door.
“That’ll be my mom,” he said. “I know you’re tired and edgy but let her fuss over you. It’s how she shows she cares.”
Like Bree could have stopped her. The woman was a force of nature.
He disappeared down the hallway and, yeah, she watched his epic ass the entire time. Well, there was no harm in looking, was there?
Sipping her coffee, she heard Valentina bustle into in the house and mutter something at Alex in Russian. Heels click-clacked down the hallway, and then Valentina strode into the kitchen, overloading the space with the sheer weight of her powerful personality.
“Ah, there you are. James thought you might still be sleeping. But I said no, Bree is strong, she will be awake.” Valentina palmed her cheek. “You are fine now, yes?”
Bree smiled. “Yes.”
“Good.” She sniffed haughtily. “Coffee?” Valentina curled her upper lip, not a big fan of the beverage. “Sit. I will make you black tea. I brought syrniki,” she added, referring to cottage cheese dumplings. “You need protein and nutrients to boost your strength. Alex, you will eat with us before you leave. No arguments.”
“Damn, Valentina, it concerns me that you struggle to assert yourself,” Bree quipped, sliding onto a stool.
Valentina huffed, but the sound was playful. She lined the contents of her plastic bag on the counter and began to prep the meal. “I called Vinnie earlier. He has assured me he will find fox, and I have made it clear he will lose finger if he does not.”
Alex sighed. “Must you threaten our Alpha so often?”
“I only gave him incentive to work fast,” said Valentina. “I would not really hurt him.”
Bree snickered. Incentive, her ass. Valentina would totally tumble all over Vinnie’s shit if things didn’t go her way. Wolverines feared nothing and no one.
“I could hear Elle shouting in background. She wants to help track who hired fox, but Vinnie will not allow it.”
The Alpha was hardly likely to allow Bree to tag along, then. Which was fair, considering she wasn’t an enforcer. She trusted that Vinnie had this in the bag. She just wished she could be part of bringing the client to his goddamn knees.
She could try doing some investigating of her own, of course, but it wouldn’t lead to much. Bree didn’t have crazy computer skills or “sources” to speak with, so she had no way of identifying the hyenas, or of hunting down Marino. But if she asked Vinnie nicely, he might just allow her to deliver the killing blow to the client. She’d have to—
“You’re plotting,” Alex accused, his eyes narrowed.
“Always.” It was honestly tempting to set off on a tangent and seek her own vengeance. But it wouldn’t be smart. Especially since, as Alex irritatingly pointed out, she wasn’t at full strength.
It wasn’t long before Valentina dished out breakfast. The wolverines ate fast, as usual—it was simply part of their nature. Bree was only halfway through her meal when Alex stood up, ready to leave.
“Call me if you need anything,” he told her before striding out.
Valentina lifted her cup of black tea, watching Bree closely. “You do not like his overprotectiveness,” she observed.
No, she didn’t. And yet she did. “I also don’t like that he blames himself for what happened with the fox.”
“My son does love to shoulder unnecessary blame,” said Valentina, rolling her eyes. “He even believes he bears some responsibility in Freya’s death. You are thinking that is stupid. It is. But he feels he could have used mating bond to keep her alive long enough to reach our healer.”
“Her injuries were too extensive, from what I heard.”
“That is true. Even if they had been mated, there was nothing he could have done. But he still feels he failed at a time when it mattered most. And it is clear he now feels he should have done more to shield you. I can see you are chafing at his protectiveness, but I would ask that you be patient with him. Alex takes protecting those in his world very seriously, so let him help. He will feel better for it, and you will be safer—that is win-win situation, yes?”
Bree sighed. “The ultimate salesperson, aren’t you? You know how to word things to get your way—which is highly impressive, since English isn’t your first language.”
“My kind are cunning that way.” Valentina set her cup down on the coaster. “I heard whispers that Moira confronted you last night. I also heard Bernadette is upset with you. Why is this?”
