Page 72 of Brutal Mate

Kane inclined his head toward the manor. “Listen,” he said softly. “It appears you have a guest.”

Miley, having grown used to her new wolf senses, reached out with her hearing and listened in the direction of the manor.

Her stomach twisted when she heard the all too familiar voice that said, “Please, allow me in. I must see my daughter. Please, I beg you.”

Miley growled low in her throat and pulled reluctantly away from Kane. “What the hell is she doing here?”

She hadn't seen her mother since the wedding six weeks earlier. Or her father, for that matter. And truth be told, she hadn't missed either of them.

She would have been glad never to see either of them ever again.

Kane shook his head and said, “You should go and find out.”

Miley cringed. Listening again, she made absolutely certain that her father was not with her.

“I'm sorry, Mrs. Peters, but Miley isn't here right now,” Bonnie said, and Miley almost felt sorry for the alpha's wife. She could easily imagine the distaste on her mother's face.

“When will she be back?” her mother responded, and she continued to listen, growing more and more certain that her mother was alone.

“She and Kane went out,” Bonnie said.

“So early?”

Miley's stomach twisted. So late, she thought, imagining all the horrid things her parents might call her if they knew what she had been up to all night in the woods. Her father would likely have a heart attack if he knew. Hell, if he knew what she had become, he would likely die on the spot. Then again, she thought that could be said for about ninety percent of the human population.

And though a part of her would have liked to have tested it, especially on her father, she had vowed to protect herself and the rest of the pack from being discovered alongside her vows to Kane. She wasn't about to go breaking them, now or ever.

“She is a grown woman, Mrs. Peters,” Bonnie said, and Miley could imagine the hot as hell, dominant, badass alpha's wife staring at her mother long enough to put the fear of God into her. Jack's wolf had certainly hit the lottery when his fated mate had been picked for him. There was no alpha's mate like her, though Kane assured her she was the only one for him, and that was all that really mattered to Miley.

Besides, Bonnie had become somewhat of a close friend of late. They were almost sisters now. Being packmates, it only felt right.

And it felt even more so as she heard the aggressive tone in Bonnie's voice, “Besides, I'm not certain she would wish to see you.”

Guilt bit Miley's stomach. Her feet itched to move.

As if he sensed it, Kane gave her a small nudge in her back. “Go on. Go to her before Bonnie does some real damage.”

Miley paused just long enough to give him a peck on the cheek.

Then she was off, racing barefoot over the lawn and around the side of the house.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she found her mother standing at the bottom of the porch steps. At the top, Bonnie stood, her arms crossed, glowering down at the human woman with open hatred.

Sensing it wouldn't be long before one of them started a real argument, Miley called, “It's okay, Bonnie. I'll see her.”

Bonnie didn't look at all surprised, and Miley guessed she had heard her coming. Her mother, however, whipped around, her eyes were wide with shock.

She looked tired, more tired than Miley had ever seen her, but oddly, there appeared to be less bruising on her face. In fact, it didn’t look as if she was wearing any makeup.

It had been a very, very long time since Miley had seen that.

“Are you sure?” Bonnie asked. “I have no objection to taking out the trash.”

Miley's mother glared at the alpha's wife over her shoulder, and Miley hurried forward before a proper fight could break out.

“Thanks, Bonnie, but I've got this,” Miley assured her, closing the distance between herself and her mother.

“Are you really going to let her talk about your mother that way?” her mother demanded, glowering at Bonnie. “Who does she think she is, anyway?”

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