Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 630(@200wpm)___ 504(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Jess’s patience gave out. She excused herself from talking to a local and started Austin’s way.
“My friend sympathized with him, too,” Drex continued, “but this rogue’s power is substantial. If he decided he might like to head up a pack again, or even if he caused trouble, he’d be a problem.”
Jess smiled up at Austin as she reached him, not even sparing a glance for Drex.
Austin bent down to kiss her. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey.” She slid a hand around Austin’s waist and pressed into his side. “What’s going on? You guys look very pensive over here.”
Austin draped an arm around her and held her firmly, finally able to exert his possessive behavior to show this territory who his mate belonged to. And who he did.
He quickly told Jess what Drex had said so far.
“The rogue’s power is possibly more than mine,” Drex said after Austin had finished. “I’d like to offer him a place here, but my beast would get in the way. This rogue apparently doesn’t want anything to do with challenges or dominance, but I wouldn’t be able to let it go. You’ve seen that. Given your power, your setup, and your incredible control, I thought I’d let you know in case you wanted to step in.”
“Obviously, we’ll step in,” Jess said, her free hand resting on Austin’s chest. “We should at least extend the offer. Right, Austin?”
He nodded. “I’d planned to check in with some rogues anyway. He’ll be a good practice run. We’ve got place for him if he wants the option. We just need to fit in the visit.”
“Good. It’s not easy being alpha material without wanting alpha responsibilities,” Drex said.
Austin knew that from experience, even in a Dick town, as Drex had said.
Drex stepped away and hesitated. “A word of caution. My friend said this rogue had cagey eyes and seemed jumpy. He wasn’t threatened by my friend, and so he didn’t attack. With someone of your caliber, though…” He shrugged. “I’m just guessing, but we do rash things when we think we’re cornered, and someone like you might be triggering. He might attack before he knows why you’re there, and he’s mighty. Watch yourself.”
16
Tristan
Two days later, Tristan slowed the Jeep as he noticed Fred in the middle of the road. She was walking toward the houses they were all staying in at the end of the cul-de-sac. She had a flowery reusable shopping bag looped around her shoulder, but it didn’t seem to have much in it.
He pulled up beside her and matched her speed. “Need a ride?”
She glanced over like she hadn’t heard the Jeep approaching. “Oh, hey,” she said, recognition lighting her expression. She kept walking. “How goes it?”
“Good. Need a ride?”
“No. I’m just going…” She pointed at the houses at the end of the street. “I’m almost there. Thanks, though. Nice day, huh?”
He glanced up at the partly cloudy sky. The heat seemed to boost the humidity to almost unbearable proportions. He wasn’t used to it. Fred clearly had no problems.
“Doing a little shopping?” he asked with a grin.
“Nah.” She looked at the bag. “I was wandering around downtown for a little exercise and this nice lady in the flower shop insisted I take this bag to hold my computer. I’ve found it is very hard to argue with these people. They’re extremely pushy in their kindness, you know? They don’t take no for an answer. I like it as much as I hate it, I think. I mean…I like it, I’m not Satan, but it also kinda weighs on you, you know? Now I feel like I owe her something because I took her bag.”
He chuckled. There was something so fun and refreshing in her eccentricities. He found no end of amusement in her.
“You should buy one of her flowers,” She suggested.
“I can’t! I can’t run fast enough to get away after paying for things. Yesterday, I bought a burrito and tried to pay and got that push back I was talking about. So, I smiled and nodded and laid the money on the counter. The man pushed it back, so I tried to explain that I’m not really part of this pack thing, that I’m a Jane, and so I would rather pay for it. I pushed it toward him, he pushed it back. I slid it at him again, and he tried to push it back, but I’d already turned around and started running. Well.” She stopped and faced Tristan angrily. “He ran after me, right out of the store, caught me down the street, smiled at me and curled my fingers around the money. Then he patted me on the back and asked if I needed a hand carrying anything. That man is eighty years old!” she hollered. “How can I feel good about myself when I can’t pay for things, I can’t be as nice as they are, and I can’t even outrun an octogenarian!”