Page 87 of Shattered

Aurora stood then. “I-I have something to tell you as well.” She glanced down at Mackenzie, and he saw it in her beautiful blue eyes. She was about to tell all of them the truth. “I’m scared, though.”

“No shit,” Kalkin grumbled, cutting his gaze to Mackenzie. “We can smell it on you. What, did Mac knock you up and you’re afraid to tell him?”

She shook her head. “No. Not even close. Er, well, maybe, but it’s not…you know.” She blew out a breath. “I’m messing this up.”

“Wait,” Royce said. “So, you did knot her? Good job, Dad.”

Mackenzie snarled. “Give her a second.” He refused to say either way. When she wore his mark then he’d make the announcement.

“You see, Abby...” Aurora swallowed hard. “She’s not my daughter. She’s my niece.”

Kalkin frowned. “Where’s her mother?”

Mackenzie took Aurora’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “She died, Kal. After she gave birth to Abby.” He then turned his attention to Danielle. “Cat’s out of the bag. Abby and Aurora’s sister had the same thing—”

“PFO or Patent Foramen Ovale,” Aurora said. “My sister had a massive stroke within five hours of delivering Abby.”

“And what about the father?” Kalkin hedged. “Is what you told us true about him?”

“To a degree, yes,” Aurora replied. “He knocked up my sister, didn’t want anything to do with Abby, and signed over his rights, making it easier to become Abby’s guardian. However, when he found out about her condition, I guess in case something happened to her, he came snooping around. So, it made it easier to leave when the doctor said she needed warm, dry conditions to lead a happy, healthy life.”

“Do you think he’ll come around here?”

Aurora shook her head. “No. I think he saw a way to make a quick buck with a sick kid. If he wanted to be her father, he wouldn’t have dropped my sister like she was someone else’s trash.”

“So noted. Anything else?” Kalkin narrowed his eyes.

“Mackenziewasmyfirst,” she mumbled, sitting.

“Whoa now!” Kalkin laughed. “You old, mangy wolf. I knew you couldn’t keep your hands off of her.”

Keeley elbowed him. “Shut up. Can’t you see she’s embarrassed enough. Don’t make it worse for her.”

“I’m not.” Kalkin turned to his mate. “Mackenzie has been keeping secrets.”

“If we’re done with all the yammering, how about some of the apple cake Aurora made? I have been craving it since it came out of the oven,” Mackenzie said, trying to change the subject.

“Wait,” Tate said. “Is that some kind of code for getting laid? Because I’m down for some ‘apple cake,’ too.”

Lorenzo laughed. “He’s a little anxious, you’ll have to forgive him.”

Kalkin barked out a laugh. “All those in favor of apple cake say aye.”

Mackenzie leaned in, so only Aurora could hear and growled, “Aye. But instead of eating the apple cake, I’ll be dining on your sweet as sin pussy.”

She smirked. “Dirty, old man.”

Oh, yes, later he’d be showing just how dirty he could be.

Chapter Twelve

Aurora watched from the car as Mackenzie walked Liam up to the Community Center where Liam would be locked in for the night. It sounded barbaric, but after some of the things Mackenzie had told her could happen, Aurora got why it was done—especially since from what she could gather, being a wolf shifter on the full moon was harder on the males than the females.

Riley sat in the car, waiting for Willow—Caden and Danielle’s young daughter—to arrive with Kalkin and Grey—Keeley and Kalkin’s son—who would be locked in with Liam and the rest of the teenage boy shifters for the night.

According to Mackenzie, they’d pick them up the following morning at sunrise.

“There they are!” Riley hollered from the back seat of Mackenzie’s truck before she bounded toward her cousin.

---