Jane Ethan collapses to the ground, completely unconscious. I take a deep breath and try to fight the emotions warring inside me. I will not fall for this man’s tricks again. I’ve been telling myself for years now that I’d be immune to his charms if we ever met again, that I’d learned my lesson the hard way and wouldn’t soon forget it. So much for that. I’m still wallowing in my self-imposed misery when I hear a chair scrape across the floor on the other side of the door. Smashing the vase must have made too much noise and woken the pups. I know my sons, and I’m certain they’re currently clambering onto the chair to spy on us. I run off before they can see me crying, darting away down the stairs without a single thought for my ex-husband. It’s only later, after my senses return and logic sinks in, that I realize they’ll have seen Ehan and run for Linda. The knowledge keeps me away from the house for much longer than I would otherwise considered hiding. I can only pray that he’s g
Jane My clothes and hair are soaking wet, and when I try to escape from the tub, Ethan’s limbs wrap around me like a particularly powerful octopus. "Don't leave me. ......" I freeze and try to push him away, but he only hugs me tighter. His scruffy jaw nuzzles my neck and his hot lips move against my ear, making me tingle all over. I don't know what to do, and then Linda’s amused voice sounds from the doorway. “I thought the idea was to clean things up, not make a bigger mess.” I glance at him, now sound asleep again, clutching me to his chest as if I’m a teddy bear. “Stop teasing and help me!” I hiss at Linda, trying and failing to wriggle free. It takes both of us to untangle me from Ethan’s arms, with Linda laughing the entire time despite my frequent glares. “The doctor’s on his way.” Linda announced when I’m finally free. “And Ethan could probably use a few items from the penthouse. A change of clothes, toothbrush- that sort of thing. I doubt he’s going to be up to going ho
“Well,” Paisley muses out loud, “she hates kids. She hates getting dirty and poor people… I think if we’re just loud and messy and all over her…” “She’ll get really mad.” Ryder surmises, finishing her thought.” “Exactly.” Paisley agrees, “and we just have to be sure Daddy is there when she does.” “But how can we make sure we’ll all be together again?” Parker asks, “Mommy clearly doesn’ wanna be around Daddy.” “If you can handle Mommy,” Paisley suggests. “I can handle Daddy.” “We can do this.” Riley agrees. “We just have to work together. Deal?” All four pups glance at one another before nodding in agreement. “Deal.” Jane “You can’t hide forever, Janey.” Linda informs me matter-of-factly, her voice sounding distant over the phone. “Not forever.” I agree, speaking quietly into the receiver and hoping the pups are too distracted to pay attention. “just until he’s gone.” “Yeah, well the doctor said he could be asleep a couple of days - it’s really hard t
I return my gaze to Elise, a sense of triumph building in my chest. Mommy. Just as I thought. Clearly these aren’t Linda’s pups after all. If Elise realizes that her daughter has just revealed her deception, she doesn’t show it. She doesn’t even look at me because her full attention is on her pup. She crosses the kitchen and scoops up the little girl, humming sympathetically. “Poor baby, you’ve had too much excitement this week.” The child peeks over at me with wide eyes, cuddling closer to her mother but also unflinchingly curious. “Hello there, little one.” I greet her warmly, instinctively stepping closer. “What’s your name?” Elise’s arms tighten on the girl when I move closer, betraying her maternal instincts even further. “I’m Riley.” The pup yawns, resting her cheek on Jane’s shoulder and watching me intently. “I’m sorry if your Mommy and I woke you, Riley.” I state honestly, desperately wanting to reach out to the sleepy girl, who reminds me
Jane “Jane!” Ethan’s deep bass echoes in my ears, sending shivers down my spine and making my knees shake. At first I tell myself I only imagined it, but then the palpable silence hanging between us becomes too heavy to deny. I stop in my tracks, trying to act nonchalant. “Who is Jane?” I ask, not bothering to turn around. “You’re really going to keep playing this game?” He demands, sounding as angry as I’ve ever heard him. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I insist, digging in my heels. “Like you don’t know what happened last night?” Ethan drawls, his footsteps drawing nearer. “I’ve already told you, you fell.” I remind him, determined to stick to my story at all costs. The last thing I need is for him to remember I attacked him. I hadn’t even thought about what I was doing in the moment. It was only after, when I saw his blood, that I truly processed what I’d done: I attacked the Alpha. Yes he kissed me without asking, but I let him. I was kissing him back ever
Jane “Of course not.” I deny, “But I am saying that you could use a few good bonks on the head if you still think this is appropriate.” Ethan sidles closer, towering over me and adopting a knowing leer. He looks so dangerous in this moment that every omega instinct I possess is begging me to give in. Luckily Linda seems to sense my weak resolve. “Okay.” My friend interrupts, “Why don’t we all go to bed before we say anything we regret, and we can pick this up in the morning.” Staring at Ethan, I realize I don’t want to stop fighting. It’s clear he doesn’t either, we’re having too much fun. At the same time, I know every moment we keep this up is a threat to me. I need to be rid of Ethan, sooner rather than later. “Agreed.” I say, turning towards the bedroom. Ethan never agrees with us, but I feel his eyes on me until I shut the door at my back. I don’t need him to tell me to understand: This is only the beginning. Ethan The doctor arrives first thing in the morning, after Jane h
Ethan For all my bluster, my head truly was aching after settling the ordeal with Eve and the reporter. Jane was so thankful I’d stepped in that she didn’t even complain when I said I was going to lie down for a bit, though I could still hear her speaking in a low voice with Linda after I closed the door. “What happened?” Jane whispered. “It’s like he said,” Linda answered, “The doctor said it would be best if he remained here to rest a few days. He said something about there being too much temptation to take care of pack business at the penthouse, he didn’t trust Ethan to actually rest if he went home.” “That’s nonsense.” Jane hissed. “Ethan must have ordered the doctor to say that.” “Whether he did or didn’t doesn’t really matter.” Linda argued in a hushed tone. “He’s the Alpha. We can’t refute his orders or the doctor’s. We’ve just got to make our peace with it.” “I can’t have him here with the kids.” Jane murmured nervously. “Maybe we should see if we can move into the new ap
Jane As my pups race across the room and pounce on me, I can help but laugh as I collapse beneath them. Wrestling and ticking the three wriggling bodies, they give as good as they get, poking my sides and making me squirm wildly on the tiles. A warm, deep chuckle that sends a very different kind of warmth through my body sounds above us, and the next thing I know Ethan is bending down to pluck me from the ground, tossing me over his shoulder and relocating me to the living room. Though he sets me on my feet when we get there, the feel of his powerful hands on my body makes my knees feel weak, and I have to steady myself with a hand on his arm when I land. The kids have followed of course and are now eyeing the pair of us with paws outstretched in threat. They pounce within moments, and before I know it all five of us are racing around the apartment laughing and playing, making my heart swell even larger in my chest. It feels as if it will burst out of me at any moment, and my wolf