Page 22 of Daddy Wolf's Secret Baby

“Yes. First, you have to perform the sacred dance. Then, there is a handshake. After you recite the oath, you read from the book.”

Josiah raised his eyebrows.

She laughed. “No. You just read a chapter in his book with him and then tell him goodnight.”

“That I can handle.”

“What’s your schedule for Saturday night?”

“Jace is spending the night with Conner’s family. They have horses, and he is fascinated by Taryn’s magic. I think he’s a little sad that he doesn’t have any magical powers.”

“Blame that on his mother.” Josiah laughed.

Just then, Jace appeared. “What’s Mom’s fault?”

“That you aren’t a little wizard.”

“I could have always been a muggle-born wizard,” he said, referring to a Harry Potter term for magical children born of non-magical parents.

“You’re out of luck, Bud. You aren’t getting your letter to Hogwarts and there won’t be a map to Camp Half-Blood showing up.”

Jace sighed dramatically and walked toward his room. Zahra motioned for Josiah to follow him.

“We’re readingThe House of Hades.”

They read the next three chapters before Zahra appeared in the doorway. “He conned you into more, didn’t he?”

“Yes. He said he would take the heat if we got into trouble. He said I could have plausible deniability because you didn’t tell me the rules.”

“You two are terrible. Jace, it’s time for sleep.”

She kissed him on the forehead and turned off the light, shutting the door behind him.

Josiah grinned. “He seems to like me.”

“No. He adores you.”

“I’m glad.” Josiah paused for a second as they walked to the front door together. “I was wondering if you would like to go toHowlers’with me Saturday night and grab a bite to eat?”

“That sounds nice.”

For the rest of the week, he realized that he was extremely excited about spending the evening with Zahra. Josiah was looking forward to the chance of getting to know her better. Who knows, maybe some of those old feelings are still there.

She was dressed in perfectly fitting jeans and a lacy, white, button-down shirt when he knocked on her door. Her hair was pulled back in a long, French braid that reached her ass. She only wore a little bit of eyeliner that highlighted her big blue eyes. Zahra took his breath away.

“I’m ready,” she said when he stood there on the porch, looking at her dumbly.

Shaking his head to dispel the cobwebs, he offered her his arm.

Sean and Jade rushed over to hug her as soon as they enteredHowlers’. Several other pack members did as well, and Josiah was starting to think that he was never going to get a chance to sit down and have a conversation with her. Finally, though, the crowd around them dispersed and they snagged a table in the back.

“Are you some kind of celebrity?” he asked playfully.

“Maybe. My secret identity is that of a famous movie star. I didn’t want to tell you because, well, it’s a secret.”

“Gotcha,” he said.

A waitress brought them some sweet iced teas and their dinners. They talked about their lives over the last ten years. Zahra told him about moving to St. Theresa, going to college, working at a restaurant, and raising Jace.

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