Page 22 of Wild Wolf
“Brandon, Adam, this is my mate, Jordan.” Nolan brought herforward.
Jordan said hello to Adam and offered her hand to Brandon. Instead of shaking it, he gave her a courtly, brief kiss on her knuckles. The alpha had dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes and he was handsome, hardly the villain of her pack’s nightmares. His smile waskind.
“Pleasure, mylady.”
Jordan placed her other hand over his. “I’m so glad you came to honor us on our special day. Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meetyou.”
Brandon looked at Nolan and nodded. “You made a wise choice for a mate, Mitchell. This little redhead ischarming.”
“I may be a redhead, but I fall a little short in the charm department,” she said ruefully. “The red hair comes with a temper tomatch.”
Brandon laughed. “Best kind of mate. Spirited.” His expression fell. “Just like my Trixie. I missher.”
Sympathy filled her. The Harlows might have once been their bitter enemies, but they were Lupines, too. “I’m sorry for yourloss.”
Nolan thanked them for coming again, and then excused himself to dance withher.
Stiff in his arms, shedanced.
He no longer loved her, could never love her and this was a match of convenience. Gazing around, she saw satisfied smiles that told her several Lupines thought she was smitten with Nolan and he had her wrapped around hisfinger.
Still, the fact that he’d invited the Harlows made her wonder of his motivations. “Why did you invite Brandon? For years your father considered him an enemy,” she whispered into hisear.
Nolan bent his head to her, his warm breath feathering over her suddenly cool skin. “My grandmother had asaying.”
“Oh?”
“Keep your friends close, your enemies closer.” Nolan grinned. “And your bride closest of all – because your enemies make for poor bedpartners.”
She laughed, glad for the ice broken betweenthem.
“That stupid feud. Didn’t help that Brandon’s mate, Trixie, get caught in the crossfire when your father and Brandon were fighting over landrights.”
Nolan sighed. “My father felt guilty for years afterward. Brandon never forgave him for Trixie’s death. My grandmother tried to get them both to make peace, but the best she could do was force a truce they both broke from time totime.”
“I miss MeeMaw,” she told him. “Is your granny stillaround?”
Nolan swung her around, expertly cutting a turn. “She’s at her cabin, and my mom is tending to her. It’s hard for my mother to leave. After Dad died, she left the pack to care for MeeMaw. Didn’t want to get in my way ofleading.”
“Can we go visit?” Jordan always admired MeeMaw, and his mother Sue had a gentle way abouther.
Nolan nodded, looking pleased. “They both were hoping you would in a couple of days. I’ll arrangeit.”
“Will the bride sing for us?” a drunk yelled out as the dance ended. “I hear she has a beautifulvoice!”
“Oh, our alpha will make her sing later when he beds her,” someone added,snickering.
Nolan’s mouth twitched in a smile. Jordan smiled as well. She knew how to deal with assholeLupines.
Jordan tugged free of Nolan’s clasp and walked over to the Lupine who’d made the comment about Nolan beddingher.
Instead of sarcasm, she opted for somethingelse.
Jordan opened her mouth and began to sing a tune she remembered from childhood about the forest and the wolf. It was an ancient, lovely melody she’d alwaysenjoyed.
The band stoppedplaying.
Everyone wentstill.
