“We need to get along,” Kirk reminds us.
“And we will.” I offer a fake smile. “Better?”
“No.” Fell frowns.
“It’ll pass,” I insist.
Fell turns away from me.
“We’ll let you do the finishing touches. The car will arrive to pick us up in the next thirty minutes.” Fell grabs my wrist and pulls it to him, pressing something in my palm.
I look down, stunned to find my old cellphone.
“There are things Alpha didn’t give you yet from college,” Cadoc explains.
“I made sure it was charged.” Fell gives me a half-smile.
“Don’t say we never gave you anything, Princess.”
Kirk chuckles. “We thought you might like to have it back.”
“You were right. Thank you—all of you.” I pull the phone to me, grateful to have a piece of my old life back. “I’m going to get ready.” As they leave, the room suddenly feels three times bigger.
My clan has large personalities and bodies to match. I study the missed calls on the phone. Kez hasn’t stopped calling or leaving messages. I want to hear her side of the story.
Agitated, I feel my hormones surge. Not tonight. I move to the bathroom and toss back two pills to keep my raging lust in check.
Removing my rollers, I fluff my hair, pin the curtain bangs, and artfully style the hairpin. Adding a sharp cat’s eye, I roll lavender oil on my pulse points, slip my feet into heels, and return to find my cell dancing across the nightstand. Kez calling.
I walk away from the conversation I’m not ready to have and hurry down the stairs. Descending, I admire the snug fit of Cadoc’s black tux. His diamond cufflinks glint in the light.
He’s styled his hair in a way that frames his masculine, square face. The dark blue bow tie brings out his cerulean eyes.
Fell’s navy-blue suit highlights his paler skin tone and golden blond hair. The black lapel makes him stand out and contrasts beautifully with his white button-down.
My neutral doctor is dressed in a smoky gray formal suit with a pattern carefully overlaid on the rich material. His body is impossibly perfect in the be-spoke suit that’ll shock the women who’d overlooked him over the years.
Bo rounds out everyone with his brash velvet maroon tux with a silken black lapel, onyx cufflinks, and a white handkerchief in the pocket. They’re a walking luxury ad.
“Why did he send us a car?” My question is an attempt to distract myself from the puddle of desire forming in my silk panties.
“Control,” Cadoc spits the words out.
“We can’t just leave if we’re at his whim.” Kirk nods in agreement.
I frown. “This doesn’t seem paranoid to you?”
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” Bo adds.
“We’re not the enemy,” I glance up and close my eyes momentarily.
“He doesn’t know that yet,” Fell says.
“Alpha is the one who put us all together. If he’s worried, it’s his fault.” I scowl.
“Logic never applies to the person who holds all the cards and power.” Kirk shrugs.
“That doesn’t make it any less screwed up.” I sigh.
“All you need to worry about is thinking happy thoughts, Brat. They’ll smell you a mile away if you go in with your blood boiling.”
“You’re emoting, hard,” Bo cautions.
I turn to him, astonished by his insight. “People usually don’t notice my emotions at all.”
Fell clears his throat. “That was before last night.”
We’d talked about what the ritual might’ve changed.
“You were bigger in wolf form,” Kirk adds.
“The car is coming. Show time.”
Cadoc’s rumbled warning sets the tone for tonight. We’re a happy family learning to work together for the greater good.
Nothing to see here folks, look away.
