Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“How do you feel about it?”
Shaya puffed out a breath. “I don’t know how to feel about it. On the one hand, it’s good to know she’ll have her true mate. Not everyone finds theirs. But on the other hand, well, I don’t want her bound to a sociopath.”
“He’s not cruel, though. Violent, yes, but he directs that violence against extremists. I don’t think he’d ever hurt her, whether she’s his mate or not. Watching her grow up might soften him a little.” Madisyn took another bite out of her hot dog. “Do you think he suspects that she’s his?”
“That I really don’t know. But I’m scared to ask in case the question spooks him so much that he stays away.”
“Then I guess it’s best not to say anything to him. We could be wrong anyway.” Madisyn cut her gaze back to Bracken, who was still playing football with Kye and the enforcers. A few others had now joined the game, and three of them were pinning Dominic to the ground for some reason.
“You know, I remember the first time you and Bracken met,” said Shaya. “You didn’t say hi. Just sort of stared at each other curiously. Like two predators sizing one another up. Then you both just kind of turned away in a casual dismissal. Dislike at first sight. Or so I thought until I caught Bracken frowning each time you were bantering with Dominic. It was like he wanted to befriend you, and yet something stopped him from taking that step. Something subconscious.”
Like an aversion to mating, maybe. But Madisyn didn’t say that aloud.
“And don’t think I never caught you sneaking Bracken admiring looks. You were cool and subtle about it, but I see all. You avoided him without being obvious about it. Didn’t even glance his way when he entered a room. Didn’t engage him in conversation. Like you were determined to block out his existence. And whenever his attention drifted your way and you were unable to ignore it, you dealt with the situation by poking at him. Of course, he poked right back. And I used to wonder if you both wanted to do a different kind of poking but were fighting it.”
Thinking the female was entirely too perceptive, Madisyn just said, “Hmm.”
“It was more than that, though, wasn’t it? You were both subconsciously fighting whatever pull you felt toward each other. Fighting the bond. I’m not sure why Bracken had doubts about mating, but I can guess what yours are.”
Shaya twisted in her seat to face Madisyn as she continued. “I just want you to hear from me that Nick and I would never try and take away your independence. We lead; we don’t bully. And I get that living on pack territory would be hard when you’re used to privacy, but people will respect your boundaries. If you tell them you want them to call before they show up at your lodge, they will. If you tell them you don’t want them showing up at all, they won’t.”
Madisyn must have looked a little skeptical, because Shaya touched her hand reassuringly.
“We’re shifters. We’re territorial, so no one understands better than we do how important boundaries are,” continued Shaya. “This isn’t me trying to convince you to move here—that’s between you and Bracken. I just wanted to assure you that you can be part of a pack and still have your own rules.”
Madisyn opened her mouth to speak, but then a dark shadow loomed over them.
Bracken glanced between the two females. “This looks serious. I told you, Shaya, no serious talks.”
“It wasn’t meant to be serious,” Shaya said. “It was meant to just be light and reassuring. I don’t know what happened.”
The redhead looked so stressed that Madisyn had to laugh. “We’re fine,” she told Bracken.
He snorted. “I don’t care if she’s fine; she’s Nick’s problem—”
“Hey!” whined Shaya.
“—I just want to know if you’re fine.”
Madisyn smiled. “I am, thank you.”
Bracken bent down and planted a kiss on her mouth. “Good.” With a quick cautioning look at Shaya, he returned to the football game.
Taryn put a hand to her chest. “He’s so sweetly protective. What makes it so much cuter is that you don’t even need him to be.”
Curled tightly around Frankie, Trick spoke to Shaya. “Are we still all going for a run in our animal forms later?”
Frankie’s eyes widened in interest. “I’d like that. My wolf hasn’t been on a run on this territory before.”
“I’ll pass,” said Madisyn. “My cat isn’t used to running with others. Especially on unfamiliar land.”
Trick shrugged. “Yeah, but you know what they say, Madisyn: When in Rome . . .”
Frankie’s brows lifted. “What, visit the pope?”
Trick’s lips thinned. “It’s just a turn of phrase.”
“Yeah, and it’s stupid,” Frankie huffed when he rolled his eyes at her.
Dawn came toward them with a garbage bag. “Shaya, Willow wants you for something—she didn’t say what.”