The Mate Mistake(The Woolven Secret 3)(48)

“You better be. Just like that.”

“Or?” she quirked a brow.

“Or I won’t bite you.”

“Now you’re just being mean.”

“My woman has to learn her place.” But he couldn’t even keep a straight face teasing about it.

Neither could she. The sound of her laughter followed him out the door and down the hall toward Blake.

And what he feared was the beginning of the end.





Chapter 14





Parker knew that current events that had come to a boil were about to go nuclear.

And when that happened, Belle was going to be faced with her nature. The primal actuality of what it was to be Asakku.

She would leave him.

It would kill him, but she deserved to find out who she was and to learn how to live with it. To strengthen bonds with her family.

He didn't know what that meant for him, only that he'd wait for her.

As long as he and Tirigan could keep her safe through the coming battle.

With a puff of smoke and a scent like burned marshmallows, Mrs. Westwood appeared next to him in the hallway wearing her matronly form.

He'd expected her. "You know, when you run around like that, it always makes me want sugar cookies."

The witch gave him an indulgent smile. "I know." She handed him three sugar cookies in the shape of wolves. They had little cinnamon candies for eyes and sprinkles for fur.

"Ah, you're the best."

"Well, can't have my baby feeling underappreciated after all of his big boy heroics, can we?"

It amused him that she was deadly serious, and he chomped happily.

"You know where my brother is? He wanted to see me."

"He's waiting for you in his study."

"Kinda thought they'd all be in the boardroom having a war council."

"Everyone's been worried sick about you, Parker. That vampire saved your life."

"Speaking of, is Tirigan around?"

Westwood arched a brow. "Listen. I don't want all of your hard work to be for naught. The magic wards on this house almost popped his head like a tick when you went all roaring like a lion on some Kind of the Jungle bullshit when you were making love to your mate. You know they're keyed to respond to thoughts and intentions before actions. And you can't blame the guy."

Parker smirked. "You know, I find it interesting that the wards didn't harm Randi. She said she'd planned to do harm to Blake."

"Blake Shmake." She waved her hands. "I knew when I laid eyes on the girl she was his mate, so I figured it would all work out in the end. And it seems that it has. At least for them."

"So, where is Tirigan?"

"You leave him alone for now. He's with David. They're doing vampire...things." She wrinkled her nose.

Parker narrowed his eyes. "That's awfully non-specific for you, Westwood. I do believe something's up. Spill. I won't have shenanigans in this house without including me."

He was the only one who could get away with talking to her that way. His insolence would've earned either of his brothers a whack on the head. Parker, however, she tolerated.

Mostly.

He'd earned his fair share of switches and once, she'd actually turned him into a squirrel. To be fair, he'd been chattering in her ear all day and he'd broken several vials of very hard to acquire ingredients. It was no easy feat to acquire a powdered lock of gorgon hair. He'd had it coming.

"Well," she said in a conspiratorial whisper, "they've hit it off smashingly."

"Hit it off? As in..."

"Yes. As in." She smiled. "David is so curious about everything, and Tirigan has a lot of information to share. David is like Belle, in that he doesn't want to be a monster. Tirigan's blood can give him the freedom to do as Belle does."

"It'll be good for him to have a conduit to the modern world, I think. Get more with the times. Less with the slaughter. I like it."

"Me too."

"But what makes you think they're hitting it off in the way you think?"

"Well, I popped into the laboratory unannounced. I needed some silver nitrate. I was out. They were standing toe to toe, and suddenly, Tirigan just grabbed David's hair and laid one on him." She fanned herself. "It was pretty hot."

"Good for them." Parker nodded. "Maybe if his mind is on David, he won't be thinking about murdering me."

"Ah, no. He's always thinking about murdering you, I'm pretty sure" She smiled. "Maybe not always. I actually get the impression he likes you. Who would've thought?"

"Who would've thought, indeed."

"Westwood!" The sound of a small child echoed down the hallways.

"Noah is here?" He was supposed to be tucked away at boarding school to keep him safe from the war.