“He would never hurt me,” Bethany said, “but I still think I’d like you to stay.”
“Of course,” Jacque assured.
“But he’s going to be…” Bethany paused and let out a resigned sigh.
“So overbearing you are going to want to push him off a cliff into alligator-, shark-,andelectric eel-infested waters,” Jen said, completing Bethany’s sentence.
“Yeah, and…”
“More possessive than a starving lion eating his first kill in years,” Jen continued.
“Wouldn’t the lion be dead?” Sally asked.
“Not the point,” Jen said.
“He’s not going to…”
“Let you out of his sight or even an inch from his side until the baby comes,” Jacque said.
Bethany laughed. “It’s not funny, but it is.”
“You either laugh or you maim your mate. Those are pretty much your options,” Jen said with a shrug. “Sometimes you have to do both.”
“Costin seems laid back,” Bethany said looking at the healer. “Does he get possessive like the others?”
“Ha, not lately,” said Sally. “But usually he is more laid back than the others. However, even relaxed Canis lupus males have those same instincts as the more aggressive ones. Hunt, claim, possess, protect, provide for, love. They do all of it fueled by incredible passion.”
“It sounds beautiful when you put it like that,” Bethany said.
“At times, it is beautiful,” Sally said.
“At times, it’s indescribable,” Jacque added.
“And at times it brings you to your knees,” Jen said.
Bethany’s face suddenly paled. “He’s almost here.”
“Alright, battle faces on, ladies,” Jen said, rubbing her hands together as she stood and faced the door. “If he gets out of control, I’ll take him out at the knees.”
“You’re not a bloody linebacker,” Sally pointed out.
“No, I’m worse. I’m a female werewolf protecting my packmate.” Jen smiled, and Jacque grinned at the feral look in her friend’s eyes.
Jacque stood, as did Sally, and they, too, faced the door, creating a wall in front of Bethany.
“Jen, we’ve seen how standing between a male and his mate turns out,” Jacque said. “Maybe we should make a stand frombesideBethany instead of in front of her.”
“Live on the edge a little, Red. It gets the blood pumping and the endorphins flowing.”
“You know what endorphins are too?” Sally asked cocking her head to the side to look at Jen.
Jen growled at their healer. “Doyouknow what a can of whoop-ass is?”
“A 90’s redneck saying that not even the 90’s wants back?” Sally asked.
Suddenly, several things happened at once. Bethany gasped, the door to the library flew open and slammed against the wall, and Jen pulled out a knife, whipping it open with a flick of her wrist, and growled at Drake. “If you say one thing that hurts her, I will cut you.”
“It’s okay, Jen. Thank you, but it’s okay,” Bethany said as she gently pushed in between Sally and Jen until she was standing in front of them.
