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“Butter?” Max asked as he handed her the dish.
Her finger grazed his as she took it, and she felt her wolf relax a little. It was a reminder that she needed to chill out a bit. She didn’t always agree with the way things were done there, but she wasn’t the one in charge. She was an outsider amongst the Glenwoods, despite the fact that they were protecting and caring for her. Everything would work out, and she’d get a chance to talk to Ava about a few things later.
“What are your plans for taking care of this young lady?” Rex was addressing his stepson several chairs down.
Conner had hardly taken his eyes off McKenzie, but neither had anyone else. “Well, we’ve got to finish college before anything else really happens. We thought we’d stay here and then get a place on our own after I graduate. If that’s all right.” His pride slipped a little, his cheeks reddening slightly.
Rex looked at him solemnly before his lips split into a grin. “Of course. I’d much rather you stay here and finish your education before you have to worry about putting a roof over your head.”
“Man.” Hunter had been watching them interact and turned back toward his plate, stabbing a big forkful of broccoli. “I can’t wait to be lucky enough to find my mate one day and join the club.”
“You have plenty of time,” Max reminded him. “It happens when it’s supposed to, so don’t worry about it too much.”
“I know, but there’s no telling if it’ll happen while I’m young like Conner or when I’m older like Brody and Rex were,” Hunter replied. He frowned down at his plate for a second and then looked up at Sarah. “How old were you when you were marked?”
Sarah’s teeth clamped together. It was suddenly far too hot in the room, and she was sure everyone was looking at her. The continual chatter of voices and clanging of silverware told her otherwise. Even if the whole table wasn’t staring, her two children certainly were. Sarah turned to Max. He raised his brows and turned the corners of his mouth slightly down. He wasn’t going to explain it to them. It had always been about her in the first place, and it still was. “I was never marked, actually.”
Hunter’s eyes remained glued on her, wide with disbelief. “You weren’t? Dad, why didn’t you—”
“I think this is something to discuss another time,” Sarah cut in. It wasn’t Max’s fault, and in fact, Sarah didn’t think there was really any fault to be had.
“But—”
“You heard what she said.” Max swirled some noodles on his fork and stuffed them in his mouth.
Sarah decided it was also best to concentrate on her meal. She and Max had argued enough since she’d come back, and she sure as hell didn’t want to start another one right there in front of the Glenwoods. That one little phrase he’d just uttered, however, told her that he had her back. No one ever said that raising children was going to be easy. The challenges were different when they were younger, but now she had to face the challenge of trying to explain herself.
It could wait, and the longer, the better.
13
“Hey, kiddo, how did you—”Max paused as he peeked into the living room. He’d wanted to see if Ava had enjoyed her celebration dinner, the first big event she’d attended with the Glenwood pack. He’d already been so proud of her for finally getting a chance to experience her wolf, and it deepened his joy to know that the pack was happy to share in honoring the day.
But Ava was busy. She was standing near the fireplace, raptly listening as Dawn and Joan explained something to her. Max couldn’t quite hear what it was, but he had an inkling. His sister and mother had been thrilled to find that the witch bloodline had continued on, and they’d taken Ava under their wing. He didn’t want to interrupt, so he stepped back into the kitchen.
Sarah had her back to him while she stood at the sink, washing the last dishes that wouldn’t fit in the dishwasher. Max watched her for a minute, admiring the swell of her hip under her jeans and the way her hair trailed across the dark blue of her shirt. She flicked her head slightly to the side, exposing that gentle curve between her neck and shoulder that had gone unmarked as of yet.
Pain pricked inside his gums as his fangs threatened to descend, and he quickly worked to keep his wolf at bay. That was an argument he’d let go of a long time ago, though he’d never been satisfied with it. He and Sarah had different viewpoints on the tradition, and he’d tried to tell himself that it wasn’t a big deal. It had only mattered that they were together. Now they had other eyes watching them besides the adults in the pack. They had children to raise. Hunter might be a man by legal standards, but he wasn’t done growing and learning just yet.
The one thing he could take comfort in was that the subject had been dropped, and dinner had carried on with a toast both to Ava and the newly-mated couple. Max had sensed how uneasy Sarah had become when Hunter asked about her mark, but she hadn’t reacted the same way she had to everything else that was difficult for her. Maybe they were making progress.
He stepped up behind her, resting his hands on her hips. Her scent drifted up to him, a lavish mix of flowers. He didn’t know the scents well enough to parse them all out, but she smelled like the warm riot of blooms that emerged every spring. His wolf sensed her proximity, and he pressed himself against her back. Hell, he couldn’t fool himself. It wouldn’t matter if they were arguing or not. He’d still want her. “Those dishes are getting an awful lot of attention.”
“I think they deserve it after feeding so many hungry wolves.” She turned just slightly so that he could see the profile of her face. “I take it they’re not the only ones who need attention.”
His heart rate picked up as he studied that forbidden skin. It would be so easy to let his fangs descend and—no. That wasn’t how it was done. “I might.”
She rinsed off her hands and turned in his arms. “I didn’t know you were into hot, soapy water.”
His blood throbbed through his body and went straight to his groin. It would be so easy to slip upstairs and into the spacious shower. Soap was just a means to get clean, but not if Sarah was in there with him. He longed to see the lather all over her body, to feel it under his hands, to—
“Hey, Dad!” The garage door slammed behind Hunter as he came into the kitchen. “What are you guys doing tonight? I had some ideas about what I want to do after I graduate, and I wanted to see what you thought.”
Max looked down at his mate. She was tempting. Not just tempting. Irresistible. With her there against him, it was hard to remind himself that he also had the responsibility of being a father. He bent down to her ear, her hair tickling his lips. “There’s nothing I want more than to throw you over my shoulder and take you upstairs, but I guess that’ll have to wait for later.”
The tip of her tongue touched her teeth. “Promise?”
Did she know what she was doing to him? Probably, but he’d take the torture. Max turned to Hunter. “Sure. I think Ava’s in the living room. Let’s head in there.”
