Chapter 16
Chapter 16 Strangers
Jane
Staring at my ex-husband, who idly sits in his car and orders me into the back seat as if he’s some kind
of king, I arch my brow. “Thank you, but no.”
“It’s hard to get a taxi around here.” Ethan argues. “There’s no need to be stubborn.”
Stubborn? Honestly, the nerve of the man. “And there’s no need for you to call me names.”
Ethan turns to say something to his driver, and the car slows to a stop. Within moments the Alpha is
standing beside me on the curb. He moves too close, towering over me so that I have to tilt my head to
look up at him. “Is it name calling if it’s true?”
“You tell me?” I demand. “If I say you are a self-righteous bastard, do you think I’m being honest or
rude?”
I’m not sure what I expected. In fact, I’m astonished I had the nerve to speak such brazen words, but I do
know that thest thing I was prepared for is the wide, wolfish grin Ethan offers me now. “You’ve got
some nerve, little wolf.”
“I would ask that you not speak to me on such familiar terms.” || bite, “It’s far from appropriate… for
strangers like us.”
Ethan rakes his gaze down my body from head to toe, with tortuous intensity. “Is that what we are?”
“It is.” | confirm, internally sighing with relief when my own car pulls up beside us. If I hadn’t been in such
a rush to get out of there I would have waited for the driver outside the atelier. Striding
forward and pulling open the shiny ck door, I offer my former mate onest nce over my shoulder.
“And it’s all we’ll ever be.”
I swear, I don’t take a breath until I’m safely in the car. Protected by the dark, tinted windows, I stare out
at Ethan as we pull away. If I didn’t know any better I’d think he could see through the thick ss. His
attention stays squarely on me until we are far out of sight, but no matter the distance between us, it still
feels as though his possessive eyes are on my body.
It makes the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and my heart beat miles too fast. It isn’t fair
that he should be able to have such an effect on me after so many years. I feel like a young girl again,
the foolish creature who believed the Alpha could love me for me.
I force the thoughts from my mind almost as soon as they ur, 1 know better now. Far better. That isn’t
a mistake I will make again.
Ethan
I can’t stop smiling.
Maybe I’m crazy. After all, I have proof now that my wife faked her death and hid for me for years, and
yet… all I can truly process is the fact that she’s alive.
She’s so different from the Jane I knew. Confident, brave and so strong it defies all logic. There is no
omega left in her, if there ever was at all. This Jane would never let me dominate her sopletely, she
would fight me every step of the way.
Of course, my little omega mate hadn’t been entirely without strength. She did attack Eve for trying to
help my mother…. didn’t
N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.
she? At the time everything seemed so clear. My mother and Eve both told the same story, and even
Jane could not exin her actions.
I can’t pretend to understand what happened that day – or what has happened since. All I know is that
my mate is alive and well, and I intend to bring her home, no matter the cost. Paisley needs her mother,
and if I’m right, then I may have a second daughter as well.
Whether she likes it or not, I’m going to unravel this enigmatic she wolf’s secrets if it’s thest thing I do.
She is everything I’ve been missing thesest few years, and everything I’ve ever wanted. Not to
mention how beautiful she looked. How adorable I found her fiery spirit
Already I’m imagining taking her to bed, kissing every inch of her body and making her whimper and
moan in my arms. My wolf is growling hungrily at the mere thought, and I pictureying her out in front of
me and devouring her like the feast she is.
All in good time, I tell my slobbering wolf. Because as far as I’m concerned, that’s all it is: A matter of
time.
Jane
“I made something for you.” | announce to Linda, hiding a small gift wrapped box behind my back, “As a
thank you for all your help with the kids this week.” And in the weeks toe, I think bitterly,
remembering the use in Ethan’s contract demanding my presence in the city for the foreseeable
future.
“What – no, don’t be silly.” Linda demurs, though she holds her hand out for her present.
Laughing softly, I produce the box, and watch with pleasure as she rips the paper away. Inside is a
delicate ss bottle, with her name printed across the front in a cursive flourish. “La Louve’s newest
scent, in your honor.”
She sprays a bit of the amber liquid on her wrist, bringing it to her nose and breathing in the perfume.
“Oh Jane, I love it. Thank you so much! I can’t believe you did this.”
“Can’t you?” | tease. “I owe you everything, Linda. “This doesn’t evene close to repaying your
kindness, but it’s something.”
Her familiar arms squeeze me tightly. “Thank you so much! Where did you even find the time to do this –
between dealing with Ethan and Eve.”
“I’m a woman of many talents.” | joke. My friend knows all about what happened today. In fact we’ve
already argued about it and put the matter to bed. When she heard how keen my former mate seemed to
spend time with me, she insisted her must be interested in pursuing me again, and I should consider
giving him a second chance now that I am so strong.
Even I have to admit I thought about it for a moment, but in the end my senses returned and I reminded
her that this would never happen. I will never forgive the Alpha for what he did to me, and I could never
trust a man capable of such cruelty.
By now our short-lived fight is long forgotten, and we’re getting ready to take the pups to an open house
at the exclusive daycare center in the center city. It seems wild to me, but apparently even pre-
kindergarten programs are sopetitive here that you practically have to donate a fortune to get your
children epted.
I’m prepared to shell out a good bit of money to secure my children’s future, and I’ll even pander to the
stuffed shirts who run the daycare center. After all, we’re stuck here for the time being, and I can’t afford
for Riley, Ryder and Parker to fall behind in their education – no matter how advanced they already are.
What I’m no willing to do, however, is put them anywhere within Ethan’s orbit – which is why it is so
incredibly inconvenient that he walks in the door of the open house with Paisley and Eve, not ten minutes
after my own brood arrives.