Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Pepper’s head whips around to look out the windows that overlook the park.
Yep. Smart pup.
Aubrey left a leash beside the carrier, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to walk a small dog on a leash in public. Walking a small dog in Manhattan is beneath me, regardless. But signaling I can’t control said tiny dog is absurd.
I set Pepper down on his feet. “Come.” I open the door, and he trots out with me and into the elevator, sniffing every corner of it. He picks up one leg to pee, and I growl. He freezes, drops on his back, and rolls to show me his belly in surrender.
I give him an alpha stare. “Outside only.”
When we get to the atrium, I want to ask Grayson if Aubrey left a message for me—like why the fuck she left Pepper here—but I can’t show weakness. I’m our alpha’s right hand man. I look ridiculous enough walking out of the elevator with a tiny dog trotting behind me when I’m the kind of guy who should have an attack Doberman at his heels.
I nod at Grayson and stride out onto the sidewalk. Usually when I walk down the street, people avert their eyes, but Pepper makes them glance at my face with a smile. Of course, it quickly fades when they see my icy don’t fuck with me return glare.
Pepper trots along as fast as his little legs will carry him to keep up with me. We make it around the corner to the grass of the park, and I point and tell him to do his business. He complies. I don’t have a thing for babies, puppies, or kittens, but it’s hard to deny how fucking cute he is. I may be a monster who’s mostly dead inside, but there’s something about the young—shifter, or animal—that brings out the protective alpha in me.
Especially when I see someone approaching with a bigger mutt that looks like it wants to eat Pepper. I make a low growl in my throat, too low for the human walking the dog to hear, but enough that the dog stops in her tracks, and hugs her owner’s leg as she walks by.
My phone rings while Pepper is running from bush to bush marking his territory, and I pull it out to check the screen.
Madi.
She never calls me. While I have tried to prove my loyalty to her as my luna, we’re still not on friendly terms.
I swipe my thumb across the screen. “Yes, Luna?” I don’t need her to like me, but her trust matters. She needs to know I’m her loyal soldier, prepared to take orders. Prepared to lay down his life for hers.
“Billy. Hi. By any chance is Aubrey still at your place?”
I frown. “No. She left a half an hour ago. Why?”
“I was supposed to meet her tonight, but I can’t get away from the office, and she’s not answering her phone.”
Something twists in my gut. It’s not fear for Aubrey’s safety although that is present too. It’s something different. Something less clean than a protective instinct. Muddier. Tainted with jealousy and hurt.
Fuck. It’s empathy.
I somehow know how Aubrey will feel about Madi standing her up.
I know, and I want to draw a sword and slay the dragon that made her feel this way.
“Where were you meeting her?” I try to keep the sharpness out of my voice. She’s still my luna, and my loyalty should be with her over Aubrey.
For some reason, it’s not, but I can’t evaluate that right now.
“All Night. It’s next to La Résistance in Brooklyn.”
“I know the place. I’ll go and give her the message.”
There’s a pause as Madi takes that in. “You will?”
“Of course, Luna,” I say smoothly, like I’m doing it for her, not for Aubrey.
“Good. Make sure she’s having a good time. Give her a ride home or something if she needs it.” Madi uses a bit of alpha command in her voice, which isn’t warranted in this situation. But she’s a smart woman–sharper than most of us, and we’re all Ivy League. I suspect she’s onto me. I’ve shown too much interest in her best friend than is warranted. Now she’s making this an order to give me the pretense of having Aubrey all to myself tonight.
I don’t hate it.
“I’m leaving now,” I clip and end the call before Madi can glean any more information.
I give a short whistle, and Pepper’s little head whips around to look at me, ears pricked, eyes alert for my command. When I snap my fingers and point to my heel, he bounds over, tumbling a little when his body gets ahead of his legs.
“Let’s go, Pepper. Your mom needs us.”
Aubrey
She’s not coming. And no, I didn’t take her call when she tried the last ten times. Because if the call was just to say she’s running a few minutes late, she would’ve texted. The fact that she’s calling me means she wants to apologize, and honestly, I don’t want to hear it. I will either say something I regret and permanently damage our friendship or burst into tears, and neither of those are appropriate when I’m at a live music event at my favorite venue. In a fantastic turquoise leather jacket that looks amazing on me.