I cupped a hand to the side of my mouth and lowered my voice to a confessional whisper that Reuben could still clearly hear. “I kind of forgot he existed after meeting you and getting to experience what actual pleasure is.”
I tutted. “His poor wife. I feelsosorry for Mara. The way she must besuffering.”
“My queen, you remain ever thoughtful,” Declan added pity and consternation to his expression to match mine. “Would you like to offer her refuge in our kingdom?”
“Kingdom?” Reuben repeated, his voice squeaking. “Queen?”
“I mean, itwouldbe the right thing to do, my king,” I continued on as if I hadn’t heard Reuben’s questions. “Hopefully, we can convince her there’s a better life out there than being married to this sad, sad—and did I mention incredibly bad at sex?—little male. But you know… conditioning. She’d probably find it hard to leave.”
Declan considered this dilemma with a grave look. “I could kill him and hide his body somewhere no one would ever find it. Then she’d be free. A widow.”
“What?!” Reuben yelped with a sound that put me in mind of a puppy, not a full-grown wolf.
“That’s abrilliantidea!” I clasped my hands and gazed up at Declan with genuine adoration. “Then we’ll offer her a one-way ticket to a new husband who actually gives a fig about her pleasure—and is able to hold an erection for more than sixty seconds. Do you have a weapon, though?”
“Look at him,” Declan answered without actually bothering to look at the Wölfennite male. “I can snap his neck with just my bare hands. Easy.”
“We’re not married!” Reuben protested, holding up his hands. “Mara found somebody else and immediately went into heat because she never forgave me for what I did with?—”
Before he could finish referring to that humiliating time in my life when I actually deigned to give Reuben even an ounce of attention he didn’t deserve, Declan turned back to him.
“In that case,” he said, “why don’t I just kill you anyway? Save any future she-wolves from suffering through your terrible sex.”
He leaned forward. Mawed his teeth. His eyes glowed silver, and his voice dropped into an ursine growl. “For fun.”
Reuben blinked up at Declan.
Then took off running.
Apparently, thereweresome conditions under which you could run from bears.
Declan just laughed and threw an arm around my shoulders. “So, we’re done with that request for me to stand more than a meter away at that tree.”
I could have wondered if that was a question. But the authority in his voice and the possessive waves rolling across our bond made it clear it wasn’t.
Also, that was the exact moment the entire congregation of St. Ailbe came spilling out of the church.
We were immediately bombarded with questions.
“Sadie?! Is that you? I thought you were in Scotland! And what are you wearing?”
Strange. I’d always thought myself invisible here, despite my size. But standing next to Declan, I suddenly felt like some kind of hometown celebrity.
The much smaller wolves gathered around us, peppering me with questions and throwing nervous glances at Declan, who stood there calmly with his arm around my shoulders—his ring catching the midday sun like it had a message to deliver.
And I guess you reallycouldtake all the dutiful out of a St. Ailbe girl.
I ignored every question and announced, “I’m here to see my mother. Is she staying behind to give the bishop her notes on his sermon?”
The wolves exchanged confused looks before an elderly female, whom my mother had helped recover from a fall a couple of winters ago, told me, “She disappeared several weeks ago. No one’s seen her since. She didn’t even leave a note as to when she’d be back!”
“What?”
I couldn’t imagine my mother going to the next town, much less fully disappearing from the community she'd called home for twenty-three years.
But Leader Daniel himself confirmed it. “We’re pretty baffled ourselves. It’s been quite a hardship not having her here to tend to our elderly and sick.”
I squinted at him. “My mother disappeared without a word, and not only did you not bother looking for her, but your only concern is how it affectedyou?”
