Page 7 of The Alpha Option
“Only if he feels like it.”
They stood and waited until Marvin was out of earshot, then Blue whirled on Jace. “Seriously, we’ve got trouble.”
Trouble or something to be celebrated, only Jace didn’t know which they should handle first. “You think?”
“It was all I could do to keep from jumping her right then and there,” Blue said softly, leaning in as he eyed the back door, likely to make sure the women weren’t around.
A flash of anger struck Jace, hard and fast. Blue was drooling over Cassidy? The wolf had a death wish. “Really?”
Blue took an unsteady breath, breathing in deep. “God. She smells like fresh-baked bread and cookies, and I want to tumble her in the sack for hours.”
This couldn’t be happening. “You think she’s your mate?”
“Whoa, dude. I thought you had the best sniffer around, but it’s clear that when it comes to one-on-one fated attractions, I hit the jackpot, and you’re out there in sad and lonely-ville.”
Jace held on to his temper by a thin thread. He liked Blue, he reminded himself. He didn’t want to rip out his cousin’s throat. Yet it was becoming a close thing. “And what do you plan to tell Cassidy—”
“Cassidy?” Blue jerked to a stop and looked utterly confused. “And why are you growling at me and suggesting such inane…”
They stared at each other for a moment before sighing heavily in relief.
“Well, the good part is you’re not going to eviscerate me because, hell no, I’m not talking about Cassidy. I’m talking about Stephanie. She’s the most glorious thing I have ever scented in my entire life.” Blue grinned. “And it appears your bachelor days are coming to an end as well. Go us.” Blue held his hand in the air and waited for a high five.
Unfortunately, Jace had a few other things to worry about before celebrating too hard. “Yeah. Awesome. The finding-my-mate thing is pretty good, but there’s a complication.”
“Can’t compare to finding our mates,” Blue insisted.
“No? The last time we spoke, I was told he’d hamstring me and then gut me if he ever saw me again. Which is atinybit of a complication.”
Blue cursed. “Oh. You mean cousin Del.”
“Uh-huh.” It truly was a nightmare waiting to happen. Of all the things Jace hadn’t wanted to deal with, his cousin Del was number one on the list. “Alpha of the Jasper pack. The pack affiliated with the Wilson pack, the one Cassidy and Steph need approval from in order to keep auntie’s lodge.”
Stephanie stared out the window.“They’re still talking. Wait—that big moose of a man wandered off. Do you really think we’re okay with him around?”
“We’ll get solid reassurances of that, trust me.” Cassidy laid her hand on Stephanie’s arm. “I promised Stacy that she’d have somewhere safe to bring the kids, and I meant it. This is going to be their home as well as ours.”
Stephanie leaned in to make sure Marvin kept moving. “I know. I trust you. I always have.”
They turned to each other, and the next minute, Cassidy was being squeezed in a huge hug. Stephanie’s way of showing affection or comfort always involved hugs.
“Oh, stop. You’re getting all emotional and icky on me,” Cassidy complained.
“You lurve me. I know you do.”
Cassidy made a gagging sound, which sent Stephanie into giggles like Cassidy knew it would.
She squeezed her friend once more because that’s what Stephanie needed, then squared her own shoulders. “Okay, not everything has gone to plan. But at least we found the first glitches in the system, and we’re going to get them straightened out. And we do have a caretaker, so I’ll take that as a plus.”
“He’s cute,” Stephanie noted. “And he likes you.”
“Do you want me to gag again?” Cassidy asked.
“And I mean he’s cute in a way thatyoulike, not the way that I like. He has dimples.” Stephanie leaned toward the window and looked in the other direction. “Now about that one. I don’t know what kind of nameBlueis, but he’s entertaining.”
“He’s a bright spot of sunshine in an otherwise drab world,” Cassidy agreed.
Stephanie held up a hand. “But, to reassure you, I am not looking for any kind of a relationship for however long it takes to get Timberwolf Lodge up and running.Thatis my priority. For you and Stacy and the munchkins.”
