Page 11 of Daddy Wolf's Secret Baby

“How in the hell am I supposed to catch up on ten years of his life?”

Zac looked at him sympathetically. “I understand that you’re frustrated, but Zahra made the best decision she knew how to make at the time. What’s done can’t be undone, and all the accusations and all the should-haves in the world aren’t going to change that. At least Zahra has been honest with Jace about you. You have a complete start with him.”

Josiah’s chest heaved with anger and frustration. He bit his tongue, trying to remember that it was Zahra’s brother and his Alpha standing in front of him.

“I suggest that you text Zahra and set up a time and place for you and Jace to hang out and start to get to know each other.”

Zac rattled off Zahra’s number and Josiah programmed it into his phone. Josiah nodded and stalked out of the house without another word. He drove back to the mountain for his second run for the morning, anger pouring out of his pores like steaming sweat. His world just got turned upside down.

3

Zahra

Zac walked into the kitchen, poured himself a cup of coffee, looked at Zahra, and shook his head.

“What?” she asked.

“I stood up for you, but Josiah is right. You should have told him you were pregnant and given him the chance to choose.”

“You know what he said to me and you know damned good and well what he would have done. He would have at least resented me for it and maybe Jace.”

“You don’t know that. He might have chosen to be a part of Jace’s life and not been in a relationship with you. It’s done all the time.”

Zahra really wanted to tell Zac the rest of Josiah’s comments, about how he was worried that a relationship with her would hurt his friendship and his chances at being the pack’s sigma, but she swallowed her words. Instead, she muttered, “You weren’t in my shoes and you have no right to judge my decisions.”

“You guys do know that I’m sitting right here,” Jace interjected. “You two need to stop arguing. You’re giving me indigestion.”

Everyone was silent for a second and then they all laughed.

Isabel looked at her grandson. “Do you even know what indigestion is?”

“Yeah. It means that my stomach is upset, there is a burning in my upper abdomen, and I want to throw up.”

“That’s a very precise definition,” John said.

“I looked it up once when Mom told Aunt Emma that her boss was giving her indigestion.”

Zahra shrugged. “That’s what he does anytime someone says something that he doesn’t understand. He researches it.”

“You’re a very smart, young man,” Zac said. “Smart enough to become the alpha someday.”

Jace shook his head and said, “I’m way too smart for that. It’s too much work and not enough appreciation. Gentry told me that.”

“Who’s Gentry?” Zac asked.

“He was the Alpha of the Dark Claw Wolf Shifter Pack when I first moved to St. Theresa. He was a wonderful man and welcomed me to take part in pack activities, even though I wasn’t a member. Gentry was always very kind to Jace and went out of his way to speak with him.”

“We met him a couple of times when we visited Jace and Zahra. He was always looking forward to retiring. I liked him,” John said.

“Besides,” Jace continued as though no one had spoken. “You have a couple of sons and so does Uncle Conner. They will get to be alpha before me.”

“Usually it works that way, although sometimes, the Alpha will choose someone else to take the role if there is a better choice.”

“No, thanks. When I grow up, I want to be a medical examiner, like Ducky onNCIS.”

“You watchedNCIS?” Zac asked.

“Why not? There aren’t any bad words. Just a murder mystery. The agents solve it and all is well,” Jace said, matter of factly.

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