Untamed: an Alpha's Love (Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance) by Evelyn Glass

The drugs pumped through his system via an IV drip, and his eyelids drooped. His withered hand twitched toward Parker, who took his father's cold, pale hand in his and warmed it with his own.
     
    "I love you, Dad."
     
    Dominic's mouth moved in response but no sound escaped his lips. His eyes burned into Parker's—just for a moment, that fiery gaze he'd grown up with was back—and then his eyelids fluttered closed. He recognized his father's goodbye and knew, without any further confirmation, that Dominic would never open his eyes again.
     
    Later that afternoon they all sat gathered around his bed. The nurse been by after the ceremony and had gently advised them that it would be only hours. Dominic was as comfortable as they could make him. Parker held his mom's hand and Maddie nestled against Charmaine. They held a silent vigil until Dominic took his final breath just before sunset.

 
    CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
     
    They were still at his parents' house three days later when Parker kissed her quickly, his car keys in his hand, and murmured that he was heading back to the house to pick up a few things.
     
    "Now? Do you want me to come with you?"
     
    "No, you stay here. I'll just be real quick. I have to get some..." he paused and looked away and the certainty that he was lying gripped her insides, "...just some stuff of my dad's. I'll be right back."
     
    "But Parker, we were supposed to—" He was gone. She heard the growl of the Audi backing out of the driveway.
     
    Something's not right. He'd been out of sorts ever since his dad had passed, which was understandable—except it wasn't all grief. Sometimes she caught him watching her, deep in thought, the feral animal inside him lurking right below the surface. He's protecting me again , she thought grimly. There's pack business going on again that I don't know about.
     
    She had her phone in her hand before she even realized what she was planning to do. It was time to make amends with Scottie. Maybe there was one person in her life she could convince not to hide things from her. Her finger hovered above the screen, ready to tap his number, when Christine's voice purred in her head, Scottie's really sweet... gorgeous...those golden eyes, that amazing body. Nope, Scottie was hiding things, too. But she wanted to hear his voice and tell him that she was safe now. She hated to think of him worrying, which she knew he did, Christine or no Christine. With a sigh her finger pressed the "call" icon and she put the phone to her ear.
     
    Half an hour later she was even more confused and suspicious than ever. Scottie had spent nearly half the conversation gushing about the new woman in his life, "Chris," who he described as "Jamison's gorgeous sister." Apparently he'd been spending all his time with her, and she'd cooked up quite an elaborate web of lies to spin around herself. His "Chris" was a soon-to-be divorcée who'd moved in with her brother to escape her abusive husband. According to Scottie she was the most incredible woman he'd ever met but she kept evading him when he pressed for something more serious.
     
    What kind of game are those freaks playing with him? Charmaine had no idea how to burst his bubble. Furthermore, she didn't know why Christine would be play-acting at any of this. Pretending to be Jamison's sister? Inventing an abusive ex-husband to tug at his heartstrings? What the hell is going on?
     
    Her mind reeled as she recounted to him her recent validation by the Elder and her conversation with Crystal. Scottie seemed genuinely happy about her Mating Ceremony and didn't complain that he hadn't been invited.
     
    When she'd thanked him for running interference with her mom, though, she detected a chill in his voice.
     
    "What's up?"
     
    "Your asshole brother. I was more than happy to help him out, but he stabbed me in the back. So fuck him—I'm glad you got to see your mom."
     
    "What did Christopher do now?" she asked.
     
    "He put the moves on my