Page 140 of Unforgivable

"Rhet did it," I tell her. "I'm not sure what he said to scare them off, but-"

"Thjis Anjse, don't you dare lie to me!" she scolds.

First of all, how did she learn my full name? Little squirt is too smart. Secondly, fuck my life.

"Ah... you'll have to ask Rhet what happened, baby." I have no problem tossing my brother under the bus.

"He killed them," she says flatly. "He didn't scare them off. What about Cal Jensen?"

"We don't know."

"So we have a psycho wolf running around the woods?" she asks.

"He won't hurt you. We won't fuck up twice," I vow to her.

"No, he won't hurt you, because Cal Jensen ran due north. He'll be caught and slaughtered before a week is up," Ezra says in a sour tone as he strolls onto the deck.

He smells oddly of woodsmoke. Strange, that. Wonder how that came to be?

"You burned down a house, Ezra Koers!"

"Why the last names, baby?" I ask.

She shrugs, "I didn't know them until a couple of days ago. Isn't that awful? I should know more about each of you. I didn't even know how old you all were."

"Rhet is the oldest," Ezra says as he settles next to us on a chair. "He's a full decade older than you, love. This one is nearly there, too. You should probably drop them as lovers. Wrinkly old male balls and everything."

"I like their balls," Lyri shoots back with a laugh.

"Mine are younger, more supple."

"Smaller," I smirk.

"Asshole," Ezra grunts. Lyri is giggling, the sound making me smile.

"What do you think we should do about Alpha Macon's little visit?" Ezra asks in a hushed voice.

"Should I go say goodbye? Have they left?" Lyri asks.

"Shh," I murmur. "Rhet told them that you were sleeping."

"He's a liar, too," she grumps.

I gently pinch her side. "You should be sleeping."

"Yeah, yeah. I like this, just being here with you, no strangers popping out of nowhere," she says.

"Just close your eyes," I admonish. "You'll fall asleep, and I'll put you in bed."

"Whose bed? Mom and dad are in mine, which is weird. Penny is in Ezra's room. Elder Bea is in yours to keep an eye on Devel," Lyri says with a yawn.

"Rhet has a king-size bed," Ezra winks at her.

She starts giggling again.

I finally answer Ezra's question when I feel Lyri sag heavily against my chest. "Did Rhet say anything about it? Can we trust any of the Cristorsens?"

"I don't want to, but I'll tell you this much, my family never liked Alpha Jax, but they loved Alpha Macon. He's a different wolf."

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