Page 39 of Wolf Roulette

Jemma curtsied. “I have no fears on that count. Please bring him back if he’s too much trouble.”

The pup hadn’t budged an inch.

“I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

I raised a piece of bacon to my mouth, watching as Axel’s blue eyes followed the action. Considering his gut rested on the floor, I assumed the pup had eaten well.

Making quick work of my food, I fed the little Luther my last piece of bacon. He was just too cute to resist. “Alright. Let’s go.”

The pup fell into step behind me, and I couldn’t blame the other pack members for watching him pass. I was already half-obsessed with Axel too.

I grabbed my saxophone from the bungalow, and we walked to the bench by the stream.

Opening the case, I let the pup study the instrument.

He looked at me expectantly.

“What? This is the saxophone.”

I inhaled his sunshine scent. It was muted. The pup was disappointed. Shoving back my misgivings, I rested my hands on the saxophone and freed it from the case. “I’ll show you the parts. This is the bell.”

The brass was cold.

I worked around the instrument, showing Axel how the keys moved and explaining how it made a sound.

Shuffling forward, he sniffed the brass.

“Do you like music?” I placed the saxophone in the case.

He nodded.

“What music?”

Axel refused to shift back to two-legged form. To me, it made sense to frustrate him. There were things a Luther simply couldn’t do as a wolf. One of them, barring mated couples, was talking to anyone with two legs.

The pup stared at me.

I frowned. “I wish I could hear you. Your mother said that you like The Wiggles. Which song is your favourite?”

He stared again.

“Sorry. I can’t understand you.” I gestured to the instrument. “Is that all you wanted to see?”

When the pup didn’t answer, I shut the lid.

He whined.

“I’m not sure what you’re saying. Could you tell me another way?”

Axel rested a paw on the case.

“You want to see the instrument again?”

A shake of the head.

“Then let’s put this away and play a game. How about that?”

A deep voice interrupted us. “May I sit?”

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