Page 70 of Ravenous

“Go inside,” I whispered to Remy.

But the child refused to let go of my hand, bursting into tears and wrapping her little arms around my leg.

Eek. I didn’t want to interrupt their meeting.

“The council does not like to separate children from their parents,” a man said. “Wes, perhaps you could return to–”

“I’m not leaving my mate,” Wes exploded.

“See?” Remy turned her blotchy face up to mine.

My nose grew hot.

“Joy is human, that’s true. She’s human, and she’s perfect. She’s brighter than the sun, bringing happiness and love to everyone she touches.”

My throat constricted.

It sounded like Wes was choked up, too. “She’s perfect for me, and she’s perfect for Remy. Shecaresabout Remy. She cares so much she was willing to walk away from us since you insisted, so I could keep my little girl.”

Tears filled my eyes.

“No!” Remy dashed forward and threw open the back door. “This is myrealmom,” she declared loudly to the room, sweeping her arm toward me before I could disappear. “And you can’t make her leave!”

33

WES

Joy.She was here.

Fuck me, my mate was here.

My wolf howled with, well, joy.

I walked swiftly forward to scoop Remy up, then went to Joy and pulled her into me. I kissed her forehead, in front of her messy bun. She smelled like sunshine and my mate.

“I’m sorry,” she began. “I didn’t meant to inter–”

“No. No one’s going to make Joy leave,” I said, cutting her off. She hadnothingto apologize for. “Andno oneis taking Remy from us.” I put alpha command into my voice.

Joy didn’t feel it, but a shudder ran through Remy’s body, and Soraya froze. “We’ll see what the cops have to say about that,” she said, when she’d recovered.

“This is a waste of my time,” Rob said to Parker. “My enforcer has some data of our own to share, if the council member will listen.”

The look Rob gave him said he didn’t have a choice. He really didn’t, actually. Council members heard both sides of a problem.

“Very well,” Parker conceded.

Soraya huffed and tapped her foot on the floor.

Johnny stepped forward. “I offer you my condolences, Soraya, on last week’s death of your father.”

Parker’s head whipped to Soraya.

“I should also offer you condolences on the fact that you didn’t receive a dime of his vast fortune as owner of Stanton Oil. The will states that his granddaughter, Remington Sparks, is Martin Stanton’s sole beneficiary.”

Johnny had dug up this information since I called him yesterday. His network of enforcer connections came through. Thank fuck.

This was the real reason Soraya had suddenly shown up to claim Remy. She wanted to get her hands on that money. When we learned that detail yesterday, I was equally relieved and fucking furious. The conniving, heartless bitch.

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