Page 70 of Wolf’s Fated Bride

In turn, he glares.

I frown. I don’t understand! What is his problem? Why can’t we just be…friends?

“I don’t kiss and tell,” he says.

I release the breath I held and look up from my plate to meet my brother’s stare. He slides the death glare at Maren, who, under the table, grips my hand and holds it for dear life.

“Sören, my dear, how did the fire moon treat you?” Mother asks as she hits a boiled egg with her spoon.

My brother narrows his eyes at me and my sister before he turns to our mother to answer her.

My father brings up the supply ships that didn’t arrive because of the storm, and the conversation switches to business. Ash eats quietly, not saying more than a word or two.

Under her breath, Maren says, “Sören knows.”

“Knows what?”

She blinks. “You know what.”

Not really. We have multiple issues at the table. “Maybe.” She thinks Sören figured out that she’s with the Regulator while I’m over here banging the fiancé she rejected, so we don’t really know what Sören knows now, do we?

“What do you think he’ll do?” Maren asks.

“Corner us and demand you tell him the truth.”

“I can’t.”

She really can’t. Sören is overprotective. Any male who touches his sister without Sören’s blessing is a dead male. He has told us this several times. Every male in the Stormcrest pack goes to Sören before they approach either of us. Sören’s overprotectiveness is part of the reason my sister and I used to sneak out and do naughty things.

However, what I did last night isn’t just naughty, it’s also forbidden. I can get into trouble. Real trouble.

“Has anyone seen Sven?” my mother asks.

“He’s packing up his lab,” Ash says.

Mother sighs. “I’m going to miss you, Maren.”

My sister hugs my mom. “I’ll miss you too.”

Head tilted to one side, Ash drums his fingers on the table. I’m sure it didn’t escape his notice that my mother said she would miss Maren and not me, even though he asked that I accompany my sister to his territory.

We’re all stuck under the same roof while the storm passes over our heads. Hopefully, everyone will make nice with each other, and we can all live happily ever after.

Or at least long enough to see the sun rise the next day.

Chapter 29

Runa

Maren packed the sweat-and-semen-soiled blankets that made up her nest in a large trash bag and shoved it in the shower before she scrubbed the floors and aired out the room.

The windows are still open now, letting in the freezing air that makes us shiver. I’m pretty sure any evidence of Sven banging my sister is gone by now. All we have to do is wash the blankets.

I grab the trash bag and head out.

“Hey, how many suitcases do you think I’ll need?” Maren asks.

“I’d say two. We’ll send the rest of your stuff later.”