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 grins. “Please allow me the honor, my beauty. ” Any number of women would pay to have one of Ethan’s knock-out smiles directed at them – but not me. Not again. I pretend I didn't hear him and continue walking. 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 the last 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 spea
JaneShe squeaks, “I can’t do that. I’ve already lied to the Alpha once, I’m playing with fire here.”“You have to!” I insist. “Please?”“Alright fine.” She grumbles, “But I swear you owe me another perfume line for this.”“Deal.” I exclaim, softening my hold to something closer to affection. “Thank you. I love you.”“Yeah, yeah.” She mutters good-naturedly, glancing around us and frowning, “Where did the pups go anyway?”Of course at that moment I look across the room to find them only a handful of meters from their father, making my heart stop beating all together. __________________________EthanShe’s here, and she looks so beautiful I could claim her right here and now. Standing in the center of the room and wearing a tightly-fitted emerald dress, Jane sips a glass of red wine and whispers to her friend Linda. She’s pretending not to see me, but I know she’s sensed my presence. My wolf has locked in on her like a heat-seeking missile, and I’m so distracted watching her that I alm
Only afterwards, when I smell how strongly Ethan has rubbed off on the pup, and glance down to see her wearing a dress Riley does not own, do I realize my mistake. It isn’t Riley after all; it’s Paisley. Looking around nervously to ensure no one is watching, I lean down and scoop my daughter up. Mark will never know the difference between her and Riley, and as long as Ethan cannot see me, it should be safe for me to steal a moment with the beloved pup. Excusing myself, I retreat to one of the classrooms down the hall. A few minutes ago I told myself I would turn her away again if we ran into each other, but now that she’s in front of me I can’t help myself. She looks so pale, so tired. Her final surgery is next week and while there will be a long recovery before we can be reunited, it seems the procedure itself is coming just in time. I can’t bear to waste this chance to cuddle her when she’s facing such risk. “Hello little one.” I greet Paisley once we’re alone. My little girl do
Eve “You put something in her glass!” One of the boys cried, “We saw you!” “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” I hiss. At the moment, I’m soaking wet, my head is splitting open with pain from my fall, and my plans for Paisley are in serious jeopardy. Not to mention these little devils can’t be here when Ethan returns. “Get out, right now!” I order. The boys exchange a glance, and cross their arms over their chests. “No.” Raising my hand in threat, I prepare to slap the shit out of the little monsters - first one, then the other. However before I can land a single blow they fall to the ground as one, wailing at the top of their lungs and clutching imaginary injuries. “Owwww!!!” They sob, “She hit me!” The sound sends nurses running, and the next thing I know I’ve been caught red handed, my palm still raised in threat, and two little fakers on the ground screaming their heads off with false accusations. The nurses look at me in horror. “What’s wrong with you?!” The head nurse e
Ethan “I’ll tell you what.” Jane offers silkily, “I’ll go back to my room, and you go back to your daughter’s. I’m sure she needs you more than I do.” Her words strike a cord in my heart, and for once I concede. Though this is absolutely not a defeat. I may be surrendering the battle, but I’m certainly not losing the war. After all, her near-fall allowed me to finally collect the evidence I needed to confirm she’s Paisley’s mother. In my palm rests a strand of her long hair. By this time tomorrow, I’ll have all the proof I need to confront my naughty little mate. We’ll see if she’s still so defiant then. 3 days later. How is this possible? I was so sure Elise Carrington was Jane. I was so sure the beautiful she-wolf I met in Eve’s Atelier was my long lost mate. I know she smells different, but she’s a perfume designer, it would be only too easy for her to fake the scent change. Still, there was no denying the DNA report in my palm, which states in no uncertain terms that the two
Jane Ethan collapses to the ground, completely unconscious. I take a deep breath and try to fight the emotions warring inside me. I will not fall for this man’s tricks again. I’ve been telling myself for years now that I’d be immune to his charms if we ever met again, that I’d learned my lesson the hard way and wouldn’t soon forget it. So much for that. I’m still wallowing in my self-imposed misery when I hear a chair scrape across the floor on the other side of the door. Smashing the vase must have made too much noise and woken the pups. I know my sons, and I’m certain they’re currently clambering onto the chair to spy on us. I run off before they can see me crying, darting away down the stairs without a single thought for my ex-husband. It’s only later, after my senses return and logic sinks in, that I realize they’ll have seen Ehan and run for Linda. The knowledge keeps me away from the house for much longer than I would otherwise considered hiding. I can only pray that he’s g
Jane My clothes and hair are soaking wet, and when I try to escape from the tub, Ethan’s limbs wrap around me like a particularly powerful octopus. "Don't leave me. ......" I freeze and try to push him away, but he only hugs me tighter. His scruffy jaw nuzzles my neck and his hot lips move against my ear, making me tingle all over. I don't know what to do, and then Linda’s amused voice sounds from the doorway. “I thought the idea was to clean things up, not make a bigger mess.” I glance at him, now sound asleep again, clutching me to his chest as if I’m a teddy bear. “Stop teasing and help me!” I hiss at Linda, trying and failing to wriggle free. It takes both of us to untangle me from Ethan’s arms, with Linda laughing the entire time despite my frequent glares. “The doctor’s on his way.” Linda announced when I’m finally free. “And Ethan could probably use a few items from the penthouse. A change of clothes, toothbrush- that sort of thing. I doubt he’s going to be up to going ho
“Well,” Paisley muses out loud, “she hates kids. She hates getting dirty and poor people… I think if we’re just loud and messy and all over her…” “She’ll get really mad.” Ryder surmises, finishing her thought.” “Exactly.” Paisley agrees, “and we just have to be sure Daddy is there when she does.” “But how can we make sure we’ll all be together again?” Parker asks, “Mommy clearly doesn’ wanna be around Daddy.” “If you can handle Mommy,” Paisley suggests. “I can handle Daddy.” “We can do this.” Riley agrees. “We just have to work together. Deal?” All four pups glance at one another before nodding in agreement. “Deal.” Jane “You can’t hide forever, Janey.” Linda informs me matter-of-factly, her voice sounding distant over the phone. “Not forever.” I agree, speaking quietly into the receiver and hoping the pups are too distracted to pay attention. “just until he’s gone.” “Yeah, well the doctor said he could be asleep a couple of days - it’s really hard t