Wolf's Call (Wolves Next Door #2) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,119

Gabby ended up regretting it? What if this made me the worst mother ever?

So I demanded, "What made you think that was a good idea? What if he didn't want to? What will Gabby think?"

I knew that while I was happy with this, I knew it wasn't fair to her. This was my personal daydream. No one wanted to be tied to their ex for all eternity, and if we'd still gotten along, we'd still be married. But that didn't make this right. Ian had basically "bought" my daughter away from her father, and I couldn't decide which man I was more angry with. No, it was Gerardo. Definitely Gerardo, yet that didn't absolve Ian of thinking he could just purchase a child!

"How dare you?!" I snapped before he could even answer. "She's not something you can buy and sell, Ian!"

"She asked," Trent said, his voice oddly calm for what was going on.

My focus snapped over to him. "What?"

"She asked," he said again. "The other night, after Karen attacked you, Gabby followed us into the yard and told us how to convince him. She made it clear that all it would take was money, Elena, then she asked us to do it."

"Begged," Pax corrected. "We tried to talk her out of it, but she almost started crying."

"She's a fourteen-year-old girl and pumped up on hormones," I told them. "Of course she's going to cry. That's not a good reason to - "

"Elena," Lane said softly. "We didn't agree because of the tears."

"Then why?" I asked, looking at all of them.

"Because," Ian told me, "there is no amount of money that is too much for that girl's happiness - or yours. I didn't even have to push very hard. I offered him fifty, and he laughed, thinking it was a joke. So I increased to sixty thousand, making it clear I was serious. Gerardo asked for one hundred thousand dollars, I agreed easily, and he signed the papers." He stepped closer. "I was willing to pay a lot more."

"How much more?" I breathed.

"Half a million without batting an eye." Ian palmed the side of my face, making me look at him. "And Dad made sure there was even more available. We didn't buy your daughter, Elena. She's not a puppy to be owned or traded. All I did was spend a little to protect both of you. It's just money."

"Who made the trust fund?" I asked him.

He smiled, letting his thumb slide across my cheek. "We all chipped in. A hundred grand from each of us. A small portion of what we've earned setting up Wolf's Run."

"Us?" I asked.

"My betas, Dad, Ashley, and yes, me."

"But you wouldn't do this for just anyone in the pack," I pointed out. "This is too much."

"You," he whispered, "aren't just anyone in the pack. You're my mate. You're all of our family now. I had no intention of telling you about it because that's just money, and I'm still pissed that he didn't ask for more."

"I wouldn't let go of her for a hundred grand," Lane grumbled.

"Maybe a million," Pax muttered.

Seth laughed once. "They..." And he gestured at the other guys. "... Were all raised with money. They don't know any different. Like the Kennedys or something, Elena. Me? I'm not used to it, but this makes sense. You know it does. It just feels weird to have someone willing to do it for you. But I'm sorry, I agree with Ian. There's no price too high to ensure that a child can stay with her pack. I know what that feels like, to not know if you'll end up alone. And how long have you worried about this? About something happening to you and her going to live with him? Now she won't."

Henry moved to my side and rubbed my back. "It's just money. It will only ever be 'just money,' Elena. We have it; you needed it so you can finally be completely a part of Wolf's Run. It's the best investment I've ever made."

Without thinking, I reached over and hugged his side. "Thank you." Then I looked at the rest of them. "All of you. I just..."

Pax smiled at me sweetly. "Don't worry, it probably makes more sense to us because of this disease. Besides, you don't have to worry about it now. You're finally ours, honey."

Which was when it finally hit me. I really was. I was officially divorced. Gabby wouldn't have to live with Gerardo. It was all done and