Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“You’re perfectly happy?” Smiling, Marcus lifted her by her waist, aligned his hard cock to her pussy, and impaled her on him. “That tells me all I need to know.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
He’s your mate?”
Smiling at Nick, Marcus slid an arm around Roni to cup her hip possessively. “I knew you’d be happy for us.”
From his seat on the sofa, Nick gaped at his sister. “Seriously? He’s your mate?”
Looking delighted, Shaya came over and kissed both Roni and Marcus on the cheek. “Congratulations!” Then she was crying and fanning her face. “It’s the hormones.”
“I suspected it,” said Eli, “but I wasn’t totally sure.” He kissed Roni on the cheek, and shook Marcus’s hand. One by one, Caleb, Kent, and the enforcers rose from various seats around the living area of the main lodge and congratulated them—careful not to get too close to Roni. While the mating bond was incomplete, the possessiveness would be worse than ever. Nick seemed too shocked to move.
Roni raised her brows at her uncharacteristically quiet mother. “Happy to hear I’m not living in sin after all?” Kathy didn’t answer. And, yeah, that kind of hurt. Similarly, neither Janice nor Eliza offered their congratulations, but whatever.
“Oh, come on! He’s your mate?”
Roni rolled her eyes. “For God’s sake, Nick! Can’t you be happy for me?”
“I am happy that you’ve found your mate; I was hoping you would.” Nick shrugged, practically pouting. “I was just hoping it wasn’t him.”
“I thought you liked Marcus,” said a clearly amused Eli.
“Like? No. Prepared to tolerate? Yes.”
Shaya patted her mate’s thigh. “Do you think, maybe, it’s not that you truly have a problem with Marcus, it’s that you’re just a little bummed that you have to let your sister go now? You’ve been used to being the main man in her life, and now that’s changed.”
Nick folded his arms across his chest. “Maybe.”
“I wouldn’t take it personally that he’s not warm to you,” Eli said to Marcus. “According to Mom, Nick’s been alienating people since he was two years old.”
“When will you have the mating ceremony?” Shaya did a little clap. “Ooh, can I plan it, please?”
It was tradition for the other females of the pack to plan the event, and since Roni wouldn’t have a clue where to start, she nodded. “Sure. Just no fairy-tale theme.”
Shaya nodded. “Got it. How about on Saturday evening?”
“Can you have it planned and sorted in just two days?” asked Marcus.
“Of course. Taryn and Jaime will help me anyway.”
Marcus squeezed Roni’s hip. “Okay then, Saturday it is.”
“Great!” Then Shaya was crying again. “They’re good tears.”
“I’ve just had a thought.” Jesse leaned forward. “Where are you guys going to live?”
“One of you will have to switch packs,” said Zander.
“I’m not,” both Roni and Marcus said in unison. Wincing, they turned to face each other.
“This is probably something we need to discuss in private,” suggested Marcus.
“You can’t leave me, Roni,” whined Shaya. “I’ll be the only female.”
Kathy arched a brow. “What am I, chopped liver?”
“And what about me?” moaned Janice.
“You’ve got me, Shaya,” said Eliza.
Shaya rolled her eyes. “Kathy, I think of you as more of a force of nature than a person. Janice, I don’t like you, and I’ll never like you. Eliza, you have no chance in hell of transferring to this pack, so crawl back out of my ass.” Sweet though Shaya was, she could be pretty outspoken at times.
An outraged Janice marched out of the lodge, and a concerned Kathy trailed after her.
“What if Jesse and I imprint?” Eliza’s glare switched to Jesse when he snorted. Chin up high, she huffed. “Fine. I don’t believe in staying where I’m not welcome.” She jumped up so abruptly that she tipped over the satchel by her foot. A case file slid out, and papers spilled along the floor. Cursing, Eliza bent down and began gathering the sheets together—snarling at Jesse when he tried to help. Just as she went to grab a particular sheet, Marcus picked it up and studied it closely.
Curious, Roni glanced at it; her eyes were immediately drawn to the photograph that was clipped to the paper. Holy fuck. It clearly fit the description of the wolf shifter who the jackal mentioned, tattoo included. And according to the personal details provided, Noah Brunt was in fact a wolf shifter.
“That is confidential information,” growled Eliza, snatching back the paper. She turned to Roni. “I’d say congratulations on the mating, but I find it much too hard to believe that you could possibly be the mate of someone like Marcus.”
“Well, considering we’re wearing each other’s scent, and you can see our claiming marks easily enough, I’m confused by your disbelief. But I also don’t care.” Roni raised a hand when Eliza went to speak. “No, really, don’t bother answering—I’ve already lost interest.”
“Seriously, Marcus, she’s a—”
“Think very carefully before you continue that sentence,” he rumbled.