Savage Urges (The Phoenix Pack, #5)(98)

Each of the Phoenix wolves came to see Makenna, a few at a time. They all expressed their relief that she was fine. Rhett wanted to hear about what it was like to almost die and if she’d seen any bright lights. At that point, Grace shoved him out of the room.

Riley, Savannah, Dexter, and Kye then came inside. The kids leaped onto the bed, kissing her cheeks and showing her pictures that they’d doodled for her. Well, Dexter’s was more of a balled-up piece of paper, but the gesture was still there.

As the three children ran out of the room, laughing, Riley said, “Taryn’s offered to let Dexter and Savannah stay here permanently.”

Madisyn took a sip of Makenna’s coffee. “Really?”

Having seen how closely the children had bonded with Kye and how much Taryn adored them, Makenna wasn’t actually that surprised. “How do you feel about that?”

Riley smoothed out a wrinkle on the bedsheet. “It would be good for them, right? To have a real home.” Her reluctance to part with them was clear in her tone.

“I don’t think they’ll stay behind, Riley,” said Makenna. “They’re too attached to you. They love you.”

“Yeah, but they love you and Zac too. You guys live here now.”

Makenna patted her hand. “They love you more.”

Riley shifted uncomfortably. “Taryn said I could stay with them until they feel settled enough to stay without me. She said I could have a permanent place here too—”

“She said what?” Greta was in the doorway with Tao, whose eyes were locked on Riley with an intensity that the raven failed to notice.

“Aw, have you come to check up on me?” asked Makenna, smiling.

Greta’s upper lip curled back. “I was rather hoping you didn’t wake up at all. No such luck. Now I’m stuck with you and her!”

Riley sighed. “Look, Gretchen—”

“It’s Greta.”

“I don’t care.”

The kids all scurried back into the bedroom, and Dexter headed right for the tray.

Riley sighed. “Dexter, don’t stuff more food in your pockets.” Her tone was gentle but firm. The toddler looked at her with an expression that said, “Why?” Then he shoved a slice of apple down his shirt. “Savannah, stop hissing at Gretchen. Or, at least, don’t hiss so loud.”

Kye chuckled and then mimicked the action, making Greta gasp in horror at her grandson. That had Savannah laughing with an evil glee in her eyes.

“That kid has a mean streak that I totally love,” said Madisyn.

At that moment, Dominic strolled inside, smiling. That smile faltered when he looked at Madisyn. He cast her a mock glare. “She still won’t tell me what type of cat she is, Makenna. No one who saw her shift will tell me.”

Makenna just smiled at him. “I heard we both had a close call.”

He waved it off and relaxed into the chair beside her bed. Then he gave her a flirtatious grin. “So, are you into casual sex or should I dress up?”

The guy really was nothing but trouble.


Minutes after he’d left his mate, Ryan stalked into the hut with Dante and Trey close behind him. The hut was where they kept any intruders they found roaming on their territory. Today, it contained a well-built male with shaggy brown hair and cruel eyes.

Despite being bound to a chair, the captive tried to stare Ryan down. When it didn’t work, he sneered, “You must be the cousin. Remy told me a lot about you.”

Ryan’s wolf snarled. “You must be the sick bastard who hurt Zac.”

There wasn’t a hint of remorse in Brogan Creed’s gaze. You could learn a lot about a person from their posture, tone, word choice, and expressions. And as Ryan looked down at him, he had the distinct impression that Brogan wasn’t like Remy. He knew what he’d become, knew it and saw no reason to justify it to himself or to anyone else. For him, abusing others wasn’t so much about sex as about having ultimate power and dominance over another person. “I’m glad you came here.”

“Really?” he drawled.

“I promised Zac you’d die if you did.” Ryan’s claws sliced out. “This saves me the trouble of hunting you down.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR





Standing in the forest outside the caves, Ryan watched his mate roll back her shoulders for the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes. “You’re nervous.”

“Well . . . yeah.”

At least she was admitting it. “You don’t need to be.”

“This is a big thing, okay.”

Fair enough, but . . . “So was our mating ceremony. You weren’t nervous then.”

“Of course I wasn’t. I was one hundred percent sure about you and how much I wanted the ceremony.”

Warmth radiated through Ryan’s chest. Their mating ceremony was short, sweet, and understated, since neither of them had wanted a huge party. Ryan wouldn’t have coped well with one, and he did not—under any circumstances—dance. Besides, he hadn’t wanted to share his mate on the night of their ceremony. He was too selfish and possessive for that.

He’d invited Garrett and the other enforcers from Ryan’s old pack to visit the next day. They all fell hard for Makenna, which probably had a lot to do with the verbal smackdown she’d delivered to his parents when they tagged along with Garrett. She’d told them in no uncertain terms that they were shit parents and even worse people, that if they couldn’t see how special Ryan was, then they were even dumber than they looked. Strangely, they hadn’t argued with that.