Page 74 of Big Bad Boss: Midnight

“How can you deny it?”

She’s right. It’s plain as day how much she loves us. The longing on her face when I walked in. The mixture of pride and grief emitting from her was palpable.

Because I have no answer I care to give to that, I glare at Eagle. “Did you know about this?”

He averts his gaze once more. “I'm sorry.”

“I guess mate comes before the pack, hmm?” I grumble. I can’t blame him. A male wolf will do anything to make his mate happy, even risk enraging his alpha.

I pin Ruby with a dark look. “I won’t throw her out, but you keep her away from me. I’m not going to talk to her, so if you don’t want things to get even more excruciating, make sure she doesn’t try me.”

“Uncle Brick!” Ruby and Eagle are saved from more of my vitriol when August comes sliding in on stocking feet. Ruby catches him around the waist, stopping his trajectory to barrel into me.

“Not now, Auggie. Uncle Brick is mad at Mommy.”

Damn her. She’s using my nephew against me now.

“Why?”

“Come here.” I hold out my arms. Auggie runs into them, and I tosses him high into the air. “Know who I'm not mad at?”

“Who?”

“You. You are the only one I'm not mad at right now.”

“What about me?” April appears and stands at my feet, holding her little arms up. My heart twists. It must be the alpha instinct to protect the pack young at all costs that makes me such a sucker for these kids. Just having them near me makes me go soft.

The anger dissipates.

I put August down and scoop her up, tossing her in the air too. "Nope, not mad at you either. You would never ruin your uncle Brick's Thanksgiving would you?" I look pointedly at Ruby.

“Don’t be a dick to her,” Ruby says.

“Mommy said a bad word,” Auggie gloats. “Uncle Brick is a dick, Brick is a dick!”

“August.” The alpha command in his father’s booming voice makes my nephew freeze in his tracks.

“Sorry, Daddy,” he says quickly.

“Apologize to Uncle Brick.”

Auggie turns wide eyes on me.

I crouch down. “Come here, buddy.” I hold my arm out, and he steps into it. I lift him, and my equilibrium starts to return. I love this kid. Both of them.

I know most people who know me–humans, anyway–think I’m incapable of love.

The truth is that I guard my heart like a fucking dragon because once it’s been pierced, I’m utterly helpless. And I really fuckinghatefeeling helpless.

“You knowdickis a bad word, right?” I ask gently. Auggie is the prince of the pack until I have pups of my own. In line to inherit the throne. My father’s alpha lineage runs through his veins.

“Sorry, Uncle Brick.”

“It’s all right, buddy. I’m not mad.” I walk toward the door to alleviate any embarrassment he might have. “Do you think it’s still snowing outside? Let’s go look.”

I take him outside, needing the breather for myself as much as for him. At least a foot of snow has already accumulated, and it’s still falling hard, swirling with a whipping wind that howls around our ears.

Auggie tightens his grip on my neck. “Brr, Uncle Brick. It’s cold out here.”

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