into fists. “Besides, the ship has sailed on keeping her out of danger, and that’s because you’re her brother. It has nothing to do with me.” I’d told him earlier about Deidra Harlow and how she’d pressed Madison to bring Chandler to the fundraiser. “Now get the fuck out of my face so I can protect my mate.”
He cursed under his breath, his eyes narrowing. “I may not have the same instincts as you, but I would die for my family, and that includes Madison.” He shook his head, the aggression gradually fading from his posture. “If I hadn’t been tangled up with Vivi in Reno, none of this would’ve happened. I wouldn’t have been bitten and Madison would still have a chance at a normal life.”
“Unless you have a time machine, we can’t change any of that.” I blew out my frustration and rubbed my hand down my face. “Think about it this way. Maybe Madison never wanted a normal life. Maybe that’s why she’s never been a relationship kind of girl. Maybe she needs more.” I grabbed his forearm and he clasped mine as I met his eyes. “I won’t let anyone hurt her. You have my word.”
He finally nodded, his tone softening. “Be good to my sister.”
“I will.” I released my hold on him and walked up to the house.
I meant what I’d said to Chandler: I would protect her. But I also wanted the chance to love her. And how could she ever love me in return if she didn’t really know me? All of me.
My earlier promise to keep the pack and werewolves from her taunted me. Chandler was probably right about it putting a bigger target on Madison’s back if she knew the truth about shifters. Maybe I was being selfish by wanting to tell her.
Or was I just afraid to trust her with the truth?
I jogged up the steps to the house and opened the door, shoving the impossible questions away as I greeted everyone. Today was a celebration. Our pack was growing.
Madison was glowing sitting beside her brother and Wendy. Those babies were lucky to have her as their aunt, and they didn’t even know it yet.
After the games were done and the gifts were opened, Naomi and Kaya, a gifted chef and member of our pack, brought out a cake with music notes on it. Wendy smiled, her eyes widening. “It’s gorgeous!”
Naomi set the cake on the table and caught her son Ben’s hand before he could stick it in the frosting. “Not yet.”
Her little boy grinned, trying to look angelic. “I wasn’t gonna touch it, Mama. It just looks pretty.”
“Yeah.” Naomi nodded, unconvinced as she mussed his dark hair. “You don’t fool me.”
Ben’s twin brother, Bart, was standing by Wendy, his hand pressed against her round belly. Of the twin boys, Bart was older by a few minutes. As the eldest son of the Alpha, he’d take over leadership of this pack one day. No one had told him that yet, but he had always been the thinker of the two with a maturity that seemed inherited.
He looked up at Wendy. “Auntie Wendy, your babies are going to be strong wolves.”
My gaze snapped over to Naomi, but she was already running damage control. “You mean strong boys, like you and your brother.”
Bart seemed to catch her hidden message. The twins were only three, so keeping the fact that most of us were wolves and jaguars one night a month secret was still tough for them to manage.
Before Bart could alter his assessment, though, Ben blurted out, “But we’re wolves, too, Mama!”
Naomi looked right at me as she set the cake on the table. Everyone had been careful all day to keep any mentions of werewolves out of conversation. Chandler and Wendy had made the big announcement about the twins, and he’d already told Madison about the gestational diabetes to cover the fact that although Wendy was only four months along, she was enormous. We were doing our best to hide that she was already full-term for a shifter. From my spot across the room, I figured I’d be delivering the babies sometime this week.
I cleared my throat. “You’re like wolf cubs, for sure. Maybe you can be bears next week.”
Ben shook his head. “That’s not how it works, Uncle Cole.” Then he turned to Madison with a grin. “You’re a human. Maybe you’ll get to be a wolf like my Mama someday.”
Okay, I’d just made it worse.
Madison’s eyebrows shot up