obvious. Tell all before
you decide to get frisky.”
Get frisky?
Hell if she didn’t make him smile.
Relenting, he flopped back again. “All right. I’m all yours.
Ask away.”
“What was your life like growing up here?”
“Hmm. Good. Dad was a big, strong Alpha and leader of the
Rogues. Mom was feisty and beautiful. Dad could be bossy but Mom wouldn’t put
up with that for a minute.”
“Names?”
“Dan and Emma. Dad has been gone ten years next spring.
Young Daniel whom you met tonight was named after him. He was well-respected,
tough, strong and always fair. I lost Mom just a couple of years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged, knowing full well that death was simply another
part of living. “Dad was shot in a hunting accident.”
From Lana’s look of sympathy, Mad knew she realized what
that meant to their kind. He’d been shot by hunters while in his wolf form. It
was a common passing for lycans who lived among humans. Area humans would see
only a predator and not think twice about taking him out. “Since the town has a
human mix, how did you explain his death?”
“The coroner, Dad’s doctor and the town sheriff are all
lycan. As far as most folks knew, he passed suddenly from a heart attack. He
was respected by everyone and it was tough for the whole town when we lost
him.”
“Bet he would be proud of you.”
“I hope so.”
“And your mom?”
“Car wreck. An out-of-control truck on a rain-slick highway
took her out one Sunday afternoon. She hit a tree trying to avoid it and died
instantly.”
“I’m sorry, Mad. It’s hard to lose those we love. I’ll never
forget when my mom passed. It’s a loss you don’t forget.”
His arm tightened around her. “Yeah, I stepped into the High
Alpha role prepared only because Dad did his duty by teaching me to be a good
man. At least I think I’m good. Sometimes I wonder.”
“Don’t doubt it. Look how you’ve taken care of me.”
He knew without question he’d take care of her and protect
her forever if she’d let him. Hoping to lighten the mood, he smiled. “I have a
couple of sisters.”
“Sisters? What I wouldn’t have given to have had sibs. Lucky
you.”
Mad laughed. “I’m not too sure about that. Chloe and Hayley
lived to torture me. They are both a bit older than me and mated. Chloe is
mated to Alpha of the Blanco Rose pack of South Texas and Hayley lives in
northeastern Oklahoma with her mate who is a first lieutenant of the Cherokee
Hills lycan pack. They’re both happy, out of my hair, and have given me several
cute-as-buttons nieces and nephews. We don’t get to see each other all that
often since life has a tendency to get in the way. I think they’ll all love
you.”
“I hope so. Being part of a big, thriving family sounds so
perfect.” Lana sighed and he knew she must be thinking of her own dysfunctional
upbringing. Sorrow for her loss of any kind of normalcy sank its talons deep
and he wished he could give her nothing but good things for the rest of her
life. He couldn’t take away the bad memories, but maybe over time they would
dim, replaced by the love, laughter and tenderness she deserved. That she could
smile and show such good humor despite it all was, to him, a testament to her
strength. “I just want it to happen. There’s a battle brewing, Madden, and I
just hope I’m up to the task of preserving the life I’m trying to build here.”
“You’ll have help. You have the strength of the Rogues
behind you and before long members of the Wolf Creek pack will add their
power.”
“How many wolves are coming?”
Moon thought back to his most recent conversation with Joe
McKinnon. “McKinnon can’t come. His mate Quinn is due to deliver her baby at
any moment. He mentioned Ringo Ramone, Cactus Mackey and his mate Sara, and big
Gabriel Dunham and his mate Katalin. I’ve met them all. Good wolves. They’re
also sending Sam Rainwater, whom I’ve not met.”
Lana lifted her head, eyes
you decide to get frisky.”
Get frisky?
Hell if she didn’t make him smile.
Relenting, he flopped back again. “All right. I’m all yours.
Ask away.”
“What was your life like growing up here?”
“Hmm. Good. Dad was a big, strong Alpha and leader of the
Rogues. Mom was feisty and beautiful. Dad could be bossy but Mom wouldn’t put
up with that for a minute.”
“Names?”
“Dan and Emma. Dad has been gone ten years next spring.
Young Daniel whom you met tonight was named after him. He was well-respected,
tough, strong and always fair. I lost Mom just a couple of years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged, knowing full well that death was simply another
part of living. “Dad was shot in a hunting accident.”
From Lana’s look of sympathy, Mad knew she realized what
that meant to their kind. He’d been shot by hunters while in his wolf form. It
was a common passing for lycans who lived among humans. Area humans would see
only a predator and not think twice about taking him out. “Since the town has a
human mix, how did you explain his death?”
“The coroner, Dad’s doctor and the town sheriff are all
lycan. As far as most folks knew, he passed suddenly from a heart attack. He
was respected by everyone and it was tough for the whole town when we lost
him.”
“Bet he would be proud of you.”
“I hope so.”
“And your mom?”
“Car wreck. An out-of-control truck on a rain-slick highway
took her out one Sunday afternoon. She hit a tree trying to avoid it and died
instantly.”
“I’m sorry, Mad. It’s hard to lose those we love. I’ll never
forget when my mom passed. It’s a loss you don’t forget.”
His arm tightened around her. “Yeah, I stepped into the High
Alpha role prepared only because Dad did his duty by teaching me to be a good
man. At least I think I’m good. Sometimes I wonder.”
“Don’t doubt it. Look how you’ve taken care of me.”
He knew without question he’d take care of her and protect
her forever if she’d let him. Hoping to lighten the mood, he smiled. “I have a
couple of sisters.”
“Sisters? What I wouldn’t have given to have had sibs. Lucky
you.”
Mad laughed. “I’m not too sure about that. Chloe and Hayley
lived to torture me. They are both a bit older than me and mated. Chloe is
mated to Alpha of the Blanco Rose pack of South Texas and Hayley lives in
northeastern Oklahoma with her mate who is a first lieutenant of the Cherokee
Hills lycan pack. They’re both happy, out of my hair, and have given me several
cute-as-buttons nieces and nephews. We don’t get to see each other all that
often since life has a tendency to get in the way. I think they’ll all love
you.”
“I hope so. Being part of a big, thriving family sounds so
perfect.” Lana sighed and he knew she must be thinking of her own dysfunctional
upbringing. Sorrow for her loss of any kind of normalcy sank its talons deep
and he wished he could give her nothing but good things for the rest of her
life. He couldn’t take away the bad memories, but maybe over time they would
dim, replaced by the love, laughter and tenderness she deserved. That she could
smile and show such good humor despite it all was, to him, a testament to her
strength. “I just want it to happen. There’s a battle brewing, Madden, and I
just hope I’m up to the task of preserving the life I’m trying to build here.”
“You’ll have help. You have the strength of the Rogues
behind you and before long members of the Wolf Creek pack will add their
power.”
“How many wolves are coming?”
Moon thought back to his most recent conversation with Joe
McKinnon. “McKinnon can’t come. His mate Quinn is due to deliver her baby at
any moment. He mentioned Ringo Ramone, Cactus Mackey and his mate Sara, and big
Gabriel Dunham and his mate Katalin. I’ve met them all. Good wolves. They’re
also sending Sam Rainwater, whom I’ve not met.”
Lana lifted her head, eyes
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