Page 16 of Catnip

“The wolf,” Ava guessed, wondering if every female he knew were thatstunning.

But she wasn’t jealous. Because that would be point-blank idiotic.Right?

“Christine is our cook,” he pointed to a brunette who’d crossed her arms on her chest when they’d first walked in, but she was now too busy staring at Coveney. “Ariadna and Theo, two newcomers. Luke, Ian, and Jas are probablypatrolling.”

“That’s right. Luke is taking an Enforcer crash-course and covering your shifts,” Daunteretorted.

“And those’re our kids. Lola,” he indicated a rosy cheeked toddler, “Niamh, Jasper, Clive, Will, Victoria, Daniel, Hsu, and the source of all the trouble from yesterday,Zack.”

“Hello little Zack,” she waved, as the adorable baby was intently staring ather.

He immediately moved his plump little arms towards her, kicking his feet to make his intentions known. The woman who carried him, Vivicia, glanced towards the Alpha before crossing the room, and handing him toAva.

“Oh, just look at you,” shegushed.

“Careful with the neck,” Vivicia cautioned, but Ava took him withease.

She was used to kids - kissing babies was the soft Dale’s job. Thankfully, she also happened to likethem.

“I got this,” she said, and, of course, the child decided to prove herwrong.

Shocking the heck out of her, he shifted right there in her arms, turning into a spotted little cat in an instant. She adjusted her arms, and managed not to drophim.

“He bites,” the Beta female warned her, making a few people chuckle or roll theireyes.

Ava tilted herhead.

“Clari was recently turned by Zack,” heexplained.

Well, that explained so much. “That’s why the council went afteryou.”

“Yes. The issue should be resolved now, though.Coffee?”

“Hot water and lemon, if you haveit?”

Coveney stepped away, heading towards the kitchen, and came back with her drink. As her hands were taken, he also asked what she wanted to eat, and loaded her plate with bacon and pancakes from platters on thetable.

“Let me take him, so you can eat,” Ace offered, holding her hands up to receive the kitten, but it had decided that playing with her hair was far too interesting, and, if she so much as shifted, his little claws grabbed herarm.

She sighed. The damn thing couldn’t have been more irresistible, but she was hungry, verging onhangry.

Coveney chuckled, before holding her fork up to allow her to eat somefood.

By the time the kitten had fallen asleep, Coveney’d fed her the entireplate.

“Thank you. I was genuinelystarving.”

“I’m always ravenous after healing,too.”

Oh. She then recalled he’d also been hit. More thanher.

“Are you okay? You had a bunch of arrows in your flanks by the time Ileft.”

“Rain sorted meout.”

“Still, you must be hungry. Take your seatback.”

She got up, and went to give the child back to hismother.

---