“Come on, Nell. Time to go.”“Can I have a moment of privacy, Alpha?”“Make it quick.”He went back to the vehicle, leaving them alone.Nell said only, “Why?”“Why did I keep it from you? Shucks, Ellie. Hard to say. I bet it hurt when you found out, didn’t it?”“You never used to be so bitter,” she said, taking in the gorgeous heart-shaped face, the newly tinted curls and eyes like the ocean in Summer.“We both know who to blame for that.”All at once, it was as if she had her sister back. Olivia hugged her. “I’m sorry, Nell. Ain’t your fault he was a creep.”“Come visit me soonest,” she urged. “Who knows, you might like it this time around and want to stay.” She lowered her voice. “And if you could see your way clear to returning the American Express card, it would help.”Olivia wouldn’t be drawn. “What’s with you and the Alpha guy?”“Nothing. It’s like he said, I take care of the pack’s heir. So, what’s the latest with you?”“I’m a beautician and stylist,” she said, doing a twirl fo
She saw red. If it hadn’t been for the Beta’s mate talking her out of it, she would have marched to his office then and there, Bella or no Bella.“Why is he spying on me?”“He isn’t, Nell. It’s really to monitor what happens when you’re not here. If you think about it, it makes sense to leave it switched on.”“Well, I wish I had known,” she said. “Maybe Alpha Liam would care to hear what I think of him right now.”“Don’t, Nell. You’re overreacting.”“Am I? At every turn there is some new insult to be overcome. Put this in your earpiece and smoke it: I quit.”She wasn’t serious, and provoking Alpha Liam of all people wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had. But he had neglected to inform her about something so important and, after all, it was her bedroom. What if the nightmare had recurred and she’d said something wildly inappropriate without meaning to, stuff he might take the wrong way?There hadn’t been time to come to terms with who and what she was because of him and his demanding nat
How was she going to get out of this one? It was her own fault for emerging from the bathroom in only a towel. She glanced at Fallon, still sleeping, and began to wonder if someone had drugged her. Surely not Deborah?Biting her lip, she couldn’t help recalling that conversation they’d had, the one in which she’d confronted the she-wolf about allegedly declaring Olivia competent to look after the pup. She had denied it, implying that her sister had probably made the whole thing up and managed to convince the Alpha of that.“Don’t do that,” he said, sounding angry. So what was new?“Did you plan this?” she demanded. “Is that why Fallon’s been asleep such a long time? Sedatives are dangerous for babies, everyone knows that.”“What the hell are you talking about?”Nell paled. “Maybe it was in the already prepared formula I gave her this morning. Send for Deborah. Please Liam, she’ll know what to do.”“We have unfinished business,” he said. “Swear to me you’ll come to my room later.”“Yes
People sometimes offered up the opinion, unasked, that you were never so lonely as when in a crowded room. Nell was finding out the hard way how wrong that was. Being alone and quite lost in the deepening twilight was frightening and she was worried about the Alpha and feeling guilty for not raising the alarm. What if he’d been having a heart attack? She could imagine Deborah’s take on that. Stupid mutt should have appointed a new doc soonest. Nell had to smile. While the sentiment might have belonged to Mrs Marchant, the phrasing of it was pure Oakley, even if she had borrowed the insult. The packhouse was mostly warm, especially the nursery, and she shivered without either cardigan or coat. Maybe she could find a hollow tree and squeeze herself into the gap in its bole. A covering of leaves would be nice. So what if she dirtied her dress. It wasn’t one she had chosen. Had a she-wolf left it behind? Not wanting to examine that idea too closely, she trudged on, discovering she was
On the same day that they argued and his wolf took over, Nell’s sister wandered onto pack lands. This spelled trouble and Thom knew it, too. Henry was only too eager to watch her, though he had warned him to keep his hands to himself.That resulted in a ribbing he could have done without concerning the adult hybrid in his life.Nell’s sister was the kind to make a fuss and accuse the pack of all kinds of things. In truth, the not-so-little woman who was half-elf had far more cause and she hadn’t complained except to Deborah.She reached to his pecs now and it was taking some getting used to given how small she had been.There’d been nothing between them since his possessive outburst, not even a kiss. That night spent in her bedroom – technically the nursery – had brokered a kind of peace. He supposed that was down to the chaperone who took herself off after an hour. Liam didn’t even know why he’d said such hurtful things to Nell. She drove him crazy sometimes.That brought on a remind
Something wasn’t right. Nell loved her sister but she didn’t know who she was any more. This was borne out by the kind of outlandish things she was saying about their shared past. She remembered it differently, that was for sure.“Why did you always call me Ellie, Liv?”“Ellie – elf,” Olivia taunted.“You knew all along?”“Course I did. But mom swore me to secrecy. It would have been an almighty scandal in Oakley.”“I see.”Nell realised they had allowed her to grow up believing she had a deformity when all the time she was being denied the right to know about her heritage. It was a wonder the Alpha hadn’t cast her out.She thought she knew why but didn’t want to contemplate a different, possibly uncertain future within the pack. Not until she’d begun the search for her other kin. And after that intriguing communication in the woods she knew that was a very real possibility.“The pup was sick again this morning, all down my front.”“Was she? I can’t understand it. Fallon’s been thrivi
Bella must have been on high alert as she practically ran up to him and pleaded for a dance. He was so relieved to discover she wasn’t his mate that he agreed, even though it was a waltz. As he moved about the ballroom with her, Liam closed his eyes, imagining the woman in his arms was someone quite different. He even smiled, leading the girl to rabbit on about how some mates didn’t experience the sensory pull at first. “I feel comfortable around you, Alpha. Surely that must count for something?” “I’m too old for you, Isabella. These games don’t work on me any more.” It hadn’t been his intention to insult her but that was the result. He could see it in her eyes she wanted to slap his face with her fan. Why on earth such a useless thing was strapped to her wrist in the first place was beyond him. There was a nip in the night air and all the windows and doors were open to the elements. Once she had stormed off, he scanned the room, seeing very few redheads and only a couple of strawb
Something was wrong, she just knew it. Nell was pacing up and down the nursery, a sleeping Fallon in her arms. She wasn’t worried about the pup, and the absence of Olivia, though annoying and typical, didn’t concern her. Alpha Liam was in danger and it seemed Theo wasn’t either reliable or loyal.Nursemaid, indeed! Looking back on it now, he must have been having a good laugh at her expense.Help him.The plea was only in her mind and she didn’t really expect an answer from the elfkind. But it consoled her to think she had reached out to her kin. A phonecall to Mom wouldn’t have been of any use.Is that what you want, Arielle?It was the same deep voice as before. Nell almost dropped her small burden.“Yes,” she said aloud to the otherwise empty room. “And I don’t know why.”Feeling foolish, she followed it up with a thought.Glad we’re communicating again. I’m Robin. Your uncle is so happy about your ability.So she had another close relative, did she?I’ve always wanted a brother.S