Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
Emberlyn pulled herself together enough to say, ‘If you regret this, I’d advise you not to say it. Can’t promise I won’t give you a pig’s tail on your forehead or something.’
He didn’t lift his face from her throat as he spoke. ‘No regrets here.’
Oh. Good. ‘Same,’ she said on a sated sigh. ‘Same.’
Passing the living-room doorway the next morning, Emberlyn did a double-take and slowed to a stop. Because Lucie sat on the spot where Ripper had last night feverishly fucked Emberlyn, and the feline was staring at her haughtily.
Emberlyn notched up her chin. ‘I feel you judging me, but I give not one shit.’ She swanned into the kitchen, where she went about making breakfast.
Despite having showered, moisturized and spritzed herself with perfume, she could smell Ripper on her – a faint earthy, woodsy scent. She couldn’t really complain that he’d marked her, considering she’d temporarily covered him in the scent of her magick. It hadn’t seemed to bother him, to her surprise.
He had left shortly after they’d fixed their clothes, wanting to check on Logan one last time – it hadn’t been an excuse to leave; she’d heard the honesty and concern in his voice.
Before walking out, Ripper had pinned her with a look that said he wasn’t done with her. Good. She wasn’t done with him, either.
When she’d found him on the porch last night, she’d known that something was wrong. It had been evident in his dull expression, the tension in his large frame, and the defensive note in his tone. She hadn’t understood why he would come to her of all people – only the twins had ever sought her out when needing to confide in someone – but Emberlyn hadn’t been about to send him away.
The last thing she’d expected was for them to fuck on her living-room floor. Which had been positively spectacular. Something, however, had been niggling at her since she woke; something that would put a downer on last night, if true . . .
Was it possible that he had – perhaps only subconsciously – fucked her to flip CeCe the finger?
Emberlyn settled at her table with a cup of tea and toasted bagel. The more she considered the matter, the more she doubted its accuracy. Particularly since he’d scent-marked her – werewolves didn’t idly do such a thing. Still, the prospect continued to nibble at her.
Putting it all out of her mind for now, she ate her breakfast, snatched her purse and drove to the town hall. She spotted a few other familiar cars parked around, telling her that her family had already arrived.
Exiting her vehicle, she glanced around. There was no sign of Ripper or his truck. But as she began to clamber the wide white steps of the town hall, another werewolf caught up to her. Sadly.
The Alpha gave her a smarmy smile. ‘Emberlyn.’
‘Carver,’ she greeted flatly.
He clasped his hands. ‘Ready for the meeting?’
She paused on the top step near a tall column. ‘I am.’
‘You’re not having second thoughts about going through with this?’ He grimaced, a flash of compassion in his eyes. ‘I would, in your shoes. It’ll be hard to prove that Millicent was sane at the end. Or ever.’
‘Hmm.’
‘You know, you could always drop this here and now,’ he ever so innocently suggested. ‘I’m sure your family will agree to not—’
‘Save it, Carver. You don’t care how I feel, or how they feel, or how this affects anyone but you. Don’t insult my intelligence by implying I should believe otherwise.’
His expression hardening, he moved closer. ‘You won’t win this, you—’ He stopped dead in his tracks, his nostrils flaring.
Ah, he’d picked up Ripper’s scent on her skin. ‘You were saying?’ she prodded.
A muscle in his jaw flexed. ‘He chose not to listen to my warnings about you, then.’
‘You warned Ripper to steer clear of me?’
‘It would have been for his own good.’
She felt her lips quirk. ‘Don’t tell me a strong wolf like you is leery of a little witch like me. You sure you’re Alpha material?’
His eyes flashing, he walked toward—
‘Step back, Carver,’ a gravelly voice calmly ordered, a hint of menace there.
She looked to see Ripper coming at them from the side. Her system spluttered like a faulty engine, overwhelmed by all that raw, gritty masculinity. It drummed at her skin, waking and charging her nerve-endings.
He kept his dangerously intent gaze locked on the other werewolf as he reached her. ‘You’re standing too close to Emberlyn for my liking.’
Carver took a slow but very notable step away. ‘Getting involved with her . . . you have balls, Ripper, I’ll give you that.’ He walked off, his mouth flat.
Ripper’s gaze landed on her, the menace rapidly receding. His feral energy swept over her, tugging at her magick like a damn magnet. Tension rose, the air all but molten with memories of last night.