Wolf's Pack (Wolves Next Door #3) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,37

of the games will work. Ian..." He glanced at a chair, paused for a moment, then just dropped into it. "I can't remember the last time I had that much fun."

"So, you think the pack will accept them?"

"Yeah." He leaned over his knees with a groan. "Oh, and they made me work for it. But that's the thing. When Elena took her first step? Jax and Vic shouldered her. Not touching, though. They made her do it, and Scott showed her which foot came next. I'd never even thought about that part. He moved his front right, so she did. Back left, so she did. Step by step, he led her through it, and the other two caught her or lifted her back up if she lost control. Easily, I might add."

"Uh huh." I was nodding, because Lane seemed perfectly ok with this. "So, they didn't scare her? At all?"

"Um..." He pulled in a breath. "When Jax first came close, the size was intimidating. She whimpered and submitted, but he just laid down and let her get used to him. They're amazingly gentle with us, but that's the thing." He paused again, his brow furrowing. "The way they reacted when we invited them to the trails with us? It was like a puppy who'd been kicked. Timid, Ian. Three bears, and they were waiting to be told they couldn't. Not trying to fight for the right to shift, but waiting to get the bad news."

"They asked for three trees," I told him. "Well, one, but they would prefer three. Not access to the trails. Not a schedule for them. Just three fucking trees."

"And we just gave them fifteen acres," Lane said. "Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe I'm jumping ahead, but I think those guys are going to be as loyal as any wolf we've ever met. They want a pack, Ian. They just don't know to call it that. I also think they'll fight tooth and claw to protect their wolves. Most of all, Ashley is ok with them."

"Yeah?" Because I wasn't quite following where he was going with that.

"Look, ever since she lost her betas, we both know that she's been adrift. She likes to pretend she's not a wolf. It's how she met Elena, after all. She also doesn't date. She doesn't give many people a chance. For her to speak up for these guys? The only other time she did that was for Elena, so that says a lot."

He actually had a point. My sister didn't exactly trust people. Oh, she'd entertain herself with them, but outside of these walls, she was a completely different person. A beautiful human woman who could pretend like she didn't have a whole crap-load of baggage following her around. I understood why she did it, and I wouldn't ask her to stop, but Lane had just hit the nail on the head.

That was her fantasy. She didn't bring it home. In the "real world," she was one thing, and in here she had to be something else. I didn't like that she felt that way, but she still did. It was also why she never mixed the two. Not until Elena, and now with these bears.

"So you think her instincts are reliable?" I asked. "I mean, being right with Elena doesn't mean there won't be problems with the bears."

"Nope, sure doesn't," Lane agreed. "We had a few problems with Elena too, but we worked them out. All I'm saying is that you should give the bears a chance."

"I am," I reminded him. "I agreed to the lease, in case you forgot."

Lane just nodded, dragging his tongue between his lips and teeth as he did so. "Ian..." He sighed. "Ashley doesn't bond with wolves. Not anymore. She doesn't date. All I'm saying is that she just moved in three guys that she barely knows, and they aren't wolves."

It felt like someone dumped a bucket of cold water on me. "Bears?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Bridget says it's not a problem."

"You think my sister is fucking a bear?!" I shoved to my feet before I could stop myself.

And Lane matched me. "I think they're the first men she's been willing to even think about in fourteen years, so I don't give a shit what they are! They're nice to Elena. They're respectful of the pack. Most importantly, they're fucking living with us, Ian, and you will not screw this up for her, you hear me?"

"Back off, beta," I warned him.

But Lane just smiled, and