Wild Hunger (The Phoenix Pack #7)(22)

“They weren’t kidding when they said you look harmless.”

Casting Zac an affectionate hushing look, Taryn stepped forward and smiled at Frankie. “I’m Taryn, Alpha female. This is my mate, Trey, and he’s holding our son, Kye. Welcome to Phoenix Pack territory.”

Frankie nodded at the dainty female. “Thanks.”

Trey inclined his head at her. “I doubt you’ll remember me. I really didn’t like girls much back then—I used to shove daisies down the back of your dress.”

Frankie’s mouth twitched. “I hope I didn’t take that lying down.”

“No, you didn’t. You used to charge at me like a bull.”

“I remember that,” said Lydia, looking like she wanted to embrace Frankie. She refrained. “I’m so glad you came.”

Taryn quickly went on. “Let me introduce you to everyone. Obviously you know Lydia and Cam. Standing next to them are Grace, Rhett, and their little girl, Lilah. Over there near the back wall are the Beta pair, Jaime and Dante, and some of our enforcers, Marcus, Roni, and Dominic. There’s Ryan, who you met at the coffeehouse, standing with his mate, Makenna, and his cousin, Zac. The sleeping pup in Makenna’s arms is Sienna Rose. The woman over there looking miserable and disapproving is Trey’s grandmother, Greta—an accident of nature.

“Last but not least, we have this little cluster of people near the sofa. Hope is Gabe’s mate, Tao is the Head Enforcer, and Riley is the pack’s Guardian. The little girl with the pigtails is Savannah, and the little blond boy with the bulging pockets is Dexter—they belong to Tao and Riley, who are mates.”

Feeling awkward and a little overwhelmed by the overflow of information, Frankie did a slow nod. “It’s nice to meet all of you.” Some of them looked at her with a familiarity that made her uncomfortable. Others just looked curious, particularly the kids, who stared at her. Greta, though, was eyeing Frankie with suspicion.

Dominic stepped forward, a weird grin on his face, but Dante fisted the guy’s shirt and pulled him back with a firm shake of his head.

“Iris wanted to be here to greet you,” began Trey, “but she can’t leave her bed much.”

“She’s super excited to see you,” said Lydia. “I’m under strict orders to take you straight to her. That okay with you?”

Frankie gave an easy shrug. “Sure.”

As Lydia started to lead her out of the room, Trick quietly asked Frankie, “You’ll be all right?”

“Of course.”

Satisfied, he nodded. “If you need anything, call.” He didn’t turn back to the pack until she’d disappeared down the tunnels.

“She really doesn’t remember any of us, does she?” said Jaime, sounding sad.

Dante draped his arm around his mate’s shoulders. “Maybe it’s better that way. If she remembered us, she’d likely also remember her father killing her mother.”

Jaime, who’d witnessed the death of her own parents, said, “You’re totally right. It’s better for her this way. Still, it’s hard. As kids, we played together and tormented the boys together, but she only sees a stranger when she looks at me.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t be friends now, does it?” Dante nuzzled his mate. “I’m sure she could do with a friend right now.”

“I think Trick’s already filled that position,” said Trey.

Ignoring the speculation in the Alpha’s eyes, Trick said, “You can never have too many friends.”

Stopping outside a thick oak door, Lydia spoke quietly to Frankie. “Don’t be nervous. She knows you don’t remember her. No one’s expecting an emotional response from you that you can’t give. She’d just like to talk to you and—”

“Stop muttering outside the room and let me get a look at the girl,” a croaky voice called out.

Lydia rolled her eyes and opened the door. Frankie followed her inside, quite surprised to see that the space looked like a luxury hotel suite. It had all the basics—bed, TV, plush chair, table, bedside cabinet, triple wardrobe with mirrored doors. There was even a balcony and a private bathroom.

Frankie’s attention was drawn to the woman in the bed, who was propped up on pillows. She studied Frankie through blue eyes that seemed to have dulled slightly with age. She looked pale and weak, but not defeated. Her gray hair was pulled into a tidy bun, and its shade made Frankie think of doves. Then the woman smiled, and her whole face seemed to light up.

“Well, I’ll be damned. You look just like me when I was your age.”

Mouth curved, Lydia sighed at her mother. “She does not. You have the same eyes—that’s pretty much it.”

Iris sent her daughter a mock glare. “Are you saying I wasn’t beautiful?”

“Don’t try to talk me in circles.”

Iris turned back to Frankie and gestured at the armchair beside her bed. “Come sit.” Once Frankie was seated, Iris clasped her hands and prompted, “So tell me about yourself.”

Frankie felt her brow furrow. “I’m pretty sure, from what Lydia told me, that you already know quite a lot.”

“I know some basic facts. I know where you live, where you went to school, what you do for a living, and I’m guessing you’ve left a trail of broken hearts wherever you’ve gone—I did the same.”