Page 36 of The Patron Saint of Timber Hollow

"Were you not listening when Aggie told you it's the best rental in the Hollow? Iknowshe told you; she's told me at least like three times," Sam chortles, leaning into Artemis.

Artemis laughs again, tilting her beautiful head back towards the ceiling. The motion exposes the column of her throat and the scattering of freckles across her stillbarelytanned skin. There are onesjustoff the center of the hollow of her throat and to the side of her right nipple.

I'd never realized that mapping freckles would be so… entertaining.

"Guilty," the object of my existence says, her amber eyes flashing gold, indicating the rise of her wolf.

One thing about Humans is that they never see the shift, the flash in our eyes. They think they're so observant, the superior species, yet they can't see the evidence plainly in front of them.

I leave Artemis in Sam's capable hands when I spy Aggie coming this way through the side of the room. Artemis nods in confirmation when I give her a 'stay put' hand motion, jerking my head towards where Jay is on the opposite side of the room. The Pack is still filtering out of the room, so I have to step around people. It's only slightly annoying, but since I know that Jay will be busy for the remainder of the evening, I want to find out what he has in mind for the future.

"So now what?" When I get to his side, I ask my Alpha, referring to the situation with his girl, not the Hunters. He's staring at her, leaning against the bar. She's just wearing a dark green flannel and tight leggings, her usual boots on her feet. The tight tank top that hugs the line of her ribs, exposing a swath of skin at her hips, draws my eye. I would imagine that's what is drawing his attention, as well. The smile on her face is whatkeeps my attention, though.

Jay considers his answer for a moment before saying, "Just keep flirting with her. Making her happy will eventually make her realize she likes you."

I blink at him for a minute before a thought forms. "That'syour grand plan?"

"Yep." Jay deadpans, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"That…" I hedge, cracking stiff metacarpal knuckles. "Doesn't seem like much of a plan."

"I told you,getting her to admit she has feelings at all is the hard part." Jay fires back, a smug smirk on his face now.

"And if she never does?"

"She will. I know her, Saint. She's guarded and careful with her words sometimes, but she's always been that way. She'll give you gray hair with her attitude and reckless streak, but that girl has ahugeheart. Just trust me, be yourself, and let her come to the conclusion on her own."

It takes me a minute to answer, but I settle on saying, "Alright. I trust you, Alpha."

Jay claps me on the shoulder and says, "She doesn't need to be here for the rest of the day. Take her home. Don't let her disappear into her head, though, okay?" My Alpha, mybrother, asks, and I nod.

"I will."

"And.. Unless she brings up her Dad, I wouldn't ask about it."

"Why?" The request seems out of place… Why would I ask about her Dad randomly?

"Just… Don't. Artemis will tell you the story when she's ready."

I furrow my brow, but I answer, "Alright. I won't. Otherwise, anything goes?" Most of my ideas to keep her entertained are respectable. Cozy, even. Only half are despicable. Obscene. Derogatory.Filthy. Okay, maybe more than half. Ninety percent?

"As long as she's asking, yeah." Jay snorts, then adds, "But, it's notmypermission you need." He levels me with a look, one that speaks volumes.

"Well, when you put it that way. You got it,Sir." Laughing, I give my Alpha a mock salute.

Jay laughs, then says, "fuck off," while pushing my shoulder. Still laughing, I march back towards the gathering of Artemis, Sam, Aggie, and several other people I can't say I know by name.

Aggie has her eyes on my approach, seemingly examining me from head to toe, waving goodbye to the group of people before her as they leave the Packhouse.

"What's new, Aggie?" I greet as I throw an arm across Artemis' shoulders, and she reaches up, holding onto my wrist. My stomach drops through the floor.

Aggie smiles, answering, "Nothing much, Saint; how are you these days, young man?"

Artemis' aunt has always been a sort of pillar of the Pack. She's entirely outside the Pack hierarchy, but the younger crowd looks to her for advice about shifting and managing a life outside the confines of the Hollow. Agnes Hunt had been an Enforcer at one point, but I don't know why her career ended.

"I'm doing great! Artemis here is a quantifiable,bodaciousquality of life upgrade," I reply, grinning.

"Oh, is that so?" Aggie asks, hand propped on a hip. Artemis lets out an undignified snort underneath my arm.