Page 24 of Found Objects

“Makes sense why Cole wouldn’t be crazy about Justin.”

“It does, and why he constantly tries to take what Justin wants,” she added.

“What does Cole try and take?” Narah asked, retaking her seat on the other side of me. “Oonagh? What have you been saying to my new friend?”

“Nothing.”

“Well, that part is true, Mere. Cole tends to go after all sorts of things that interest Justin.”

I grinned at her. “Neither you, nor your sister, are subtle.”

Oonagh snorted out a laugh. “Me? What did I say?”

I shot her a look.

“All right,” she muttered, then turned to Narah. “This one’s onto us, mate of the alpha.”

“You need to hush,” Narah groused, then looked back at me.

“You’re funny,” I said.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. That was clumsily played, I agree.”

I just tilted my head and waited.

“As a mother, with how much he’s spoken of you, I would like you to date my son, not my nephew.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about it because I’m not dating anyone.”

“Why not?”

I sighed heavily. “Love is exhausting.”

She snorted out a laugh just as her husband joined us, taking a seat beside her. He couldn’t help smiling.

“That was a good sound,” he told her.

She smacked his arm, and his smile lit his face. Truly, it was nice seeing a couple who were clearly very much smitten with one another.

“Merritt was just saying that love is exhausting.”

“Oh God, it is,” he agreed, leaning forward so he could see me. “You could not be more correct, my friend.”

“See?” I said to Narah.

Turning, she smacked her husband’s arm again. “He’s far too young to be so jaded, and your son has a bit of a crush, sir, so don’t do that.”

I saw it then, the flicker of concern on Abel Swann’s features. And I understood. It wasn’t hard to figure out that he didn’t want a nameless nobody from the town they’d moved to for his only son. He wanted to unite his pack with another powerful one, and for that he needed his son free, not encumbered with a love—or lust—interest. I wondered how many packs he’d already weeded through in New York. Now, between the land he had available for hunts and the privacy it allowed, he had something to offer new packs in the way of the mating rituals wolves enjoyed.

“Speaking of crushes,” I said, watching him steadily. “What are your feelings on wolves and humans, Alpha?”

“You don’t think for a minute that I would care if you and Justin⁠—”

“Not me and Justin. My friend Desta, who makes all the amazing tea at The Bower and helps keep my place going, and Fletcher Beauden.”

The relief on his face was obvious, and I nearly laughed. I was right, as usual. The man didn’t want me anywhere near his precious son.

“You know, Merritt, people all over the world know about wolves,” he said, as though telling me something I didn’t know. “I have no issue with Fletcher bringing a human into the pack. Does this friend of yours have children?”