Chapter 27
Chapter 27 The Pups Find a Noy ymate
Ethan
For all my bluster, my head truly was aching after settling the ordeal with Eve and the reporter. Jane was
so thankful I’d stepped in that she didn’t evenin when I said I was going to lie down for a bit,
though I could still hear her speaking in a low voice with Linda after I closed the door.
“What happened?” Jane whispered.
“It’s like he said,” Linda answered, “The doctor said it would be best if he remained here to rest a few
days. He said something about there being too much temptation to take care of pack business at the
penthouse, he didn’t trust Ethan to actually rest if he went home.”
“That’s nonsense.” Jane hissed. “Ethan must have ordered the doctor to say that.”
“Whether he did or didn’t doesn’t really matter.” Linda argued in a hushed tone. “He’s the Alpha. We can’t
refute his orders or the doctor’s. We’ve just got to make our peace with it.”
“I can’t have him here with the kids.” Jane murmured nervously. “Maybe we should see if we can move
into the new apartment sooner.”
“Sweetheart, he’s already seen the pups.” Linda reasoned, “if anything, spending more time with them
will give you time to convince him he’s wrong about you. I guarantee, if you cut and run you’ll only be
confirming his suspicions.” I wasn’t sure if Linda believed what she was saying, or was secretly in my
N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.
corner, but I appreciated her either way. “Stay here and pretend nothing is wrong. Show him he doesn’t
have any effect on you. Make sure that he’ll let you go when the timees.”
Bloody unlikely. I think, even as Jane answers, “Maybe you’re right.”
That’s right baby, listen to Linda.
“But I don’t like it!” Jane adds stubbornly.
“It’s only a couple of months.” Linda assured her. “You can do this.”
There was an odd pause, and then Jane remarked. “Maybe it won’t be a few months after all. When that
articlees out, Eve’s Atelier will be ruined. The deal can fall through.”
Unfortunately for Jane, I’d already thought of this and sent off an email to the board to begin the process
of formally removing Eve from her position. Her decision to try and frame Jane for her own crimes was
thest straw. I no longer felt any duty to protect her under the circumstances. I might have been able to
understand her holding a grudge against Jane, but I was also incapable of allowing her to harm my mate.
Myst thought as I fell asleep was of the cute look I knew would be on Jane’s face when I told her the
news: that our deal would absolutely be going forward, and I would be taking over management of the
boutique so that we would have to continue working together long after the perfumeunch. She was
going to be furious, and I was going to enjoy every moment.
When I wake, it’s to the sound of young voices and three distinct scents, all like different shades of
Paisley. I keep my eyes closed as the pups sneak into my room, my heart already swelling in my chest.
Other than getting to spend time with Jane, I’ve been looking forward to truly meeting the pups the most.
Opening my eyes to tiny slits, I catch sight of the three pups hovering at the edge of the bed. Closing
them again, pretend to shift my legs, listening in amusement as the kids duck down with three little
gasps. A momentter they rise again, muted footsteps carrying them closer.
“Why’s he sleeping so much?” One of the boys whispers.
“I dunno.” Riley replies, a note of pure mischief in her voice. “Maybe you should poke him.”
Paisley’s other half if I ever saw one. I think with delight. Little imp.
“No!” The boys whisper in unison, “he’ll wake up.”
“What are you, chicken?” Riley replies, making a series soft clucking sounds.
“Stop it, Riley.” One of her brothersins.
“Come on, I dare you!” Riley eggs them on.
There’s a beat of silence, and with another tiny peak I catch the boy on my right reaching toward me
hesitantly. At the veryst moment I leap up and catch the boy with a dramatic “Rawr!”
All three kids squeal in surprise, but I’ve captured the second boy in no time t. “Well what have we
here?” I ask, eyeing them suspiciously. “A pair of spies! And so small too.” | tease, lifting a pup in each
hand and adopting an intimidating expression. “Tell me now, who do you work for?”
Riley had begun to run for the door when I rose up, but now she turns back. Seeing me holding her
brothers captive, her adorable features scrunch up in anger. Fighting to smother my smile, I say, “Oh-ho,
so this is your leader.”
Without another word the little girl charges my legs with a vicious war cry, and I know I’m a goner. I’ve
barely met them, and I’m already head over heels for this pack of rascals.
Jane is standing in the kitchen when I emerge with Riley hanging from one of my arms, and both boys on
the other. Their little feet hang off the ground and they giggle uproariously as I carry them out into the
main living area. Despite herself, I see the corners of Jane’s mouth twitching upward, and I offer her a
wide smile in return.
“You’re supposed to be resting.” She tells me, trying to sound stern.
“I was!” I tell her defensively, “But then I caught these little devils spying on me.”
Jane sighs, and shoots the pups a disapproving mom look. “I told you three to stay out of his room.”
“But Mom!” All three cry in unison.
“It’s okay.” I announce, “I’m d I finally got to meet your
pups.”
“Do you have kids?” One of the boys asks.
“I do, I have a little girl named Paisley.” Jane’s eyes are almostically wide as she looks back and
forth between me and the pups, as if she’s trying to figure out some way to split us up before I can say
more.
“Can we meet her?” The other boy asks.
“If you like.” I agree happily, I would love nothing more. “But not this week, she’s in the hospital.”
“I was just there!” Riley announces happily.
I raise my arm until she’s hanging level with my eyes, suddenly overflowing with concern. “You were?” I
question, scanning her for injuries. That must have been why Jane was there the day we ran into each
other. “Why?”
“Just a flu.” She shrugs,pletely unconcerned.
Her bright smile calms me immensely. “Well I’m d you’re better.”
“Us too!” The kids have already moved back to ying, climbing my body like a tree and swinging from
my arms like little monkeys.
“Mommy,e y with us!” Riley calls hopefully.
Jane, who is pretending to dry the same te she was working on ten minutes ago, shakes her head.
“Maybe in a little while honey, I’m just finishing the dishes.”
Bending to the pups’ level, I nod towards Jane and whisper, “you’re not going to let her get away with
that, are you?”
The children exchange mischievous nces, and I give them the extra prod they need.”Get her.”
—-
——
Jane
The Goddess is really testing me today.
Watching Ethan y with our pups was hard enough. I’ve imagined seeing my kids with their father too
many times to count, but seeing it in person makes my heart practically break. They’re all so happy, and I
know if I join them I’ll be asking for trouble. I don’t want to encourage this behavior, no matter how happy
it makes them. But it seems Ethan has no such reservations, and made the decision for me.
As my pups race across the room and pounce on me, I can help butugh as I copse beneath them.
Wrestling and ticking the three wriggling bodies, they give as good as they get, poking my sides and
making me squirm wildly on the tiles.
A warm, deep chuckle that sends a very different kind of warmth through my body sounds above us, and
the next thing I know Ethan is bending down to pluck me from the ground, tossing me over his shoulder
and relocating me to the living room. Though he sets me on my feet when we get there, the feel of his
powerful hands on my body makes my knees feel weak, and I have to steady myself with a hand on his
arm when Ind.
The kids have followed of course and are now eyeing the pair of us with paws outstretched in threat.
They pounce within moments, and before I know it all five of us are racing around
the apartmentughing and ying, making my heart swell evenrger in my chest. It feels as if it will
burst out of me at any moment, and my wolf is practically wing at my skin, begging toe out and
join the fun.
The only thing missing is Paisley.
I don’t know where exactly the thought came from, but I look to Ethan, instinctively knowing he’s thinking
the same. He offers me a warm smile, and as I stare into his dark eyes, I feel as though I’m falling into a
bottomless pool. The longer our eyes remain locked, the more agitated I feel. mes of heat have filled
Ethan’s gaze, and when he rakes it over my body, pure, undiluted desire races through my blood. I want
nothing more than to run into his arms and the way he’s looking at me right now, there’s no doubt he’d
catch me… and remind me exactly what I’ve been missing all these years.