Now their she-wolf gives Olafr a careful eye, before saying, “Yeah, sure, come on in.”
Olafr’s eyes stay on their she-wolf as she allows Janelle to enter her chamber. He would not deny their she-wolf anything—especially the company of another female as he suspects she is lonely—but something about this visit rubs his fur the wrong way.
He can feel his wolf senses giving great start, even as his mate looks away in that manner of hers. And shuts the door in his face.
19
A text message arrives less than two hours after my conversation with Janelle. It’s from Rafesson, of all people.
Come to Grandpa’s study.
I curse under my breath. It’s been three days since Uncle Ford told me I needed to put my ass on a plane back to Detroit already. I should have known he and Dad would sic Uncle Tikaani and Aunt Wilma on me sooner rather than later, especially now that all the holiday festivities are finished. And I’m not surprised they used their oldest grandson to send my summons—like Clyde, he was probably being groomed from an early age to head up his own state and make his grandparents proud.
Say what you want about those two, they’re a formidable team. Uncle Tikaani is a shark disguised as a cuddly teddy bear. And as many airs as Aunt Wilma likes to put on for her kingdom, I know first hand how she grew up. Raised by an MC gangster who barely pretended to also be an Alpha King, bound by the laws of the Lupine Council. Of course she isn’t going to let her niece hide out in a guestroom forever.
I’ll be down in fifteen, I type back with a sigh. At least it’s good timing. I just sent the concept presentation off to Iggle for one last review before it goes to the Korean firm.
Knowing how much stock Uncle Tikaani and Aunt Wilma put in appearances, I take the time to hop in the shower and throw on a pair of jeans and a sweater without so much as a Mario brother on it—my version of dressing up.
“Hey, Olafr,” I start to say as I exit the room, already bending to give him a friendly pat before I go downstairs for what’s sure to be a very awkward meeting with Uncle Tikaani.
But I stop short when I see Olafr isn’t standing sentry outside my door. In fact, he’s nowhere in sight.
Strange, I think with a frown. He’s more or less parked himself there permanently since we returned to the house that night after he turned wolf. But I guess wolves need pee breaks, too. And it’s not like he can use the guest bathroom.
I trudge down to the second floor, wishing I’d at least had a few moments with him to zen out before this meeting.
But when I open the door to Uncle Tikaani’s study, I see Alisha and some other wolf I don’t know. No sign of Aunt Wilma or her mate. Huh.
Then FJ stands up from behind Uncle Tikaani’s yellow cedar desk, and I have to blink a few times. Because he no longer looks anything like the wolf I dodged this morning.#p#分页标题#e#
The “Thug King” sweatshirt he was wearing at breakfast—one I vaguely recognized as belonging to Mag—is gone. Now he’s wearing a pair of suit pants with a tailored shirt that, judging by its size and quality, must have been loaned to him by Rafe. Mag’s more a leather jacket kind of guy and I’m not even sure Grady owns a suit.
It’s a very clean and sophisticated look, especial in comparison to the sweats I saw him in last. However, his long curly hair remains tied on top of his head in that messy man-bun, and his partially braided beard is still in full effect. So he looks more than a little incongruous. Like a walking mash-up—Hipster Viking Loves Prada.
Regardless, it somehow works. FJ looks completely at home, like he’s totally in charge of this meeting. So I’m guessing it was him and not Aunt Wilma who had Rafesson text me.
And then another mystery is solved: where Olafr got off to. He’s standing near the desk, eyes completely focused on me.
“Sorry,” I mumble, my own eyes hitting the Berber carpet under my feet.
But when I try to back out of the room, FJ says, “I would have you stay, Varra.” He extends a hand, indicating the empty couch in the corner of the room.
“I can wait in the hall,” I reply, not wanting to interrupt. I know a tense meeting when I see it.
“I would have you stay,” FJ repeats. “This discussion regards our kingdom, so it concerns you as well.”
I’m about to try to use confrontation skills I just don’t have to explain that his kingdom will never be my kingdom. But then to my surprise, I notice Alisha nodding from her seat on the couch.
“Have a seat, Tee,” she says. “Trust me. You are going to want to hear this.”