for it. I mean, I didn’t want her to be in any pain, but equally, that was an awkward conversation we couldn’t have.
In the eyes of the world, Todd was a wolf shifter.
Simple.
As we left the packhouse, a place where we were both welcome now, I sighed at the sight of the blossoming trees and murmured, “I want to get married here.”
He arched a brow at me. “I haven’t proposed.”
“No. That was a nudge.”
“I’ll take the nudge under advisement.”
Winking at him, I said, “Hey, I’ll be able to access my trust fund when we get married.”
“Yeah? I’m okay with being your sugar baby,” he joked, hauling me into him and palming my ass at the same time.
“You’re sweet enough as it is,” I teased, leaning up on tiptoe to kiss him. Fuck, he pleased me. Everything about him just fit. I’d been one of those ten-thousand-piece jigsaws that had been missing a single piece until him. Until he just slotted right in.
In more ways than one.
After a kiss that was far too carnal for the vestibule of another pack’s packhouse, we wandered outside, and I waved farewell at Maribel, who was sitting on the veranda with her husband. I didn’t like Leon, but his intentions toward her were good, otherwise I’d have told Sabina, warned her of his true nature.
Jerk.
Todd snorted, evidently seeing the distrustful glance I’d shot Leon. “You’ve turned bloodthirsty on me.”
I grinned up at him. “It’s hard to believe that before I came to this place, I wouldn’t say boo to a goose, isn’t it?”
His eyes twinkled. “Just a little. But I wouldn’t change you for the world. You know that, don’t you?”
I sighed, wondering how he knew what the perfect way to shut me up was, and whispered, “Good answer, babe,” as I leaned up on tiptoe and gave him a well-deserved kiss.
Which, after the ride home, led to a well-deserved blowjob.
And a well-deserved lay.
It was a tough job being the Moon Child, but hell, somebody had to do it, didn’t they?
Sabina
With my hands at my back, I leaned into them, digging my fingers into the soil, seeking solace, as I watched Knight crawl around the sacred circle.
Even as I heard the whispers of the pack in my mind, their woes and their happiness, their troubles and their strife, I felt the totem regenerating me, healing the headache the call with my mother had triggered.
Not liking what I’d heard, not appreciating having my dubious attempts at rationale confirmed, I’d needed the calm of this place to bring myself to a semblance of peace, which was stupid. The totem shouldn’t represent that anymore, not after what had happened barely twenty feet away.
On top of that, this was Lidai’s home. And she had a plan for us.
Sure, she had them for all her children, but we were different. My family were over-achievers.
So my finding peace here was ridiculous, but it didn’t take away from the fact that I did feel more at ease.
Well, until I thought back to that conversation…
Father had pimped mother out.
He’d done it often.
Just like he’d wanted to do with us when we were old enough to sell into marriage.
It was the twenty-first century, and he’d wanted to sell us. Kali Sara.
I pursed my lips, and even though I didn’t like my mother, didn’t respect her or love her, my eyes stung as I thought about how devastating that must have been for her. I wasn’t sure why her own love hadn’t turned to hate, how she’d been so devoted to our father, but was that because love was blind?
Had to be, didn’t it?
There was no reason or rhyme as to why she’d been the way she was with him. So, love, crazy, foolish love was the only answer, the only justification, but even that wasn’t enough.
As I stared blindly ahead, my feet twisting in the dirt of the circle as Knight looked around, a slight movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention.
Berry.
I relaxed my guard, but watched her as she wandered forward, tongue lolling out of her mouth as she followed Knight. My lips twitched as, whenever he moved too close to the edge of the circle, she’d yip at him, then pounce forward, dancing out of the way when he gurgled with laughter, but stayed this side of the barrier.
Watching them was pretty relaxing, and a very good distraction. My mates weren’t here, off on pack business. That was why Lara and I had decided to call our mother without them being