Page 40 of Ravenous

“I know. I need her to fall for me. For meandRemy. Because Remy comes first. If Joy’s not the one, then maybe my wolf is wrong about her being my mate.”

“Or you’ll go moon mad, and we’ll have to put you down,” Rob added.

Colton shook his head. “Shit, now who’s the grumpy one? Can’t you be happy for the guy?”

Rob shrugged. “I’m alpha. I have to think of the pack. Let me know if there’s anything we can do to help.”

“Actually…” I began.

I didn’t like to ask for help. I had a lone wolf personality, but the Wolf Ranch pack was teaching me more about trust.

The three men stared at me.

“Remy’s mom showed up. Came to the house last night when we were moving the cattle.”

“She wants you back?” Colton asked.

“I don’t know what she wants. Soraya’s… well, she’s a bitch, and she left her kid.”

They’d already heard my story, but they shook their heads at the idea of a mother abandoning her own pup.

I shrugged. “She sure as hell isn’t here for me. One full moon fuck wasn’t a draw for her. There’s no way she’s back for more, especially after four years.”

“She’s here for Remy,” Rob surmised.

I nodded. “That’s my guess. But why now?”

Rob looked to Johnny and tipped his chin. “Get on it. Find out anything you can about her, so we can figure out her angle. I’ll take your horse while you get started.”

Johnny was our pack’s new enforcer. When Rob offered to help in any way, I imagined babysitting or something. But this? I sighed because it felt good to have a pack at my back. I wasn’t alone in this.

Johnny nodded. “You got it, Alpha.” He looked to me, gave me a reassuring smile, then cut out of the stable.

“Might take a little bit, but he’ll find out what she’s up to,” Rob assured me. “If someone in my pack is being threatened, even from a she-wolf, I want to know.”

I tipped my head. “Thank you.”

He eyed me. “Your job is still to get your human to fall for you. The alternatives aren’t all that great.”

Like Colton said, now who was the grumpy one?

18

JOY

It wasafter dark when I stepped beneath the hot spray with a long sigh. I would go over to Wes’ after I took a shower and felt more like myself.

I tipped my chin down, closed my eyes, and let the one splurge I made when I bought my house–the fancy shower head–beat hot water against my back in just the right way. I’d just come home from my mom’s house, and I was fighting the sensation of defeat.

I wasn’t the kind of person to say I’d had a shitty day, but…if I were, this was one. Definitely.

I groaned aloud, the sound bouncing off the avocado green tiles.

No, I should be grateful. I’d started the day with Wes’ head between my legs, and I’d probably end it that way, too. To say he was talented with his tongue was an understatement. Maybe I was insatiable. Maybe he was just that good, but I came fast. Record speed.

I had zero reasons to complain.

Things could be much worse. I could suffer from depression like my mom.

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