Page 16 of Posing for the Artist Wolf

Despite everything, a smile tugged at my lips. Leave it to Maddy to defuse the tension.

I trailed behind Rafe, my wolf simmering beneath the surface. Watching him fuss over Maddy, adjusting her pillows and pressing a kiss to her forehead, I felt a grudging respect. The guy was decent and treated my sister like she hung the moon. I couldn’t fault him for that.

But the glittering fury in his eyes? That I understood all too fucking well.

Maddy looked pale, but grinned as we filed into the room. Pawbrey abandoned Rafe to leap onto the mattress, demanding chin scratches.

That smile slipped as her focus zeroed in on Shauna’s pregnancy. “Holy shit,” she blurted with all the grace of a wrecking ball. “Is that yours, Kai?”

“Oh, no.” Shauna snorted and shook her head. “No, Kai’s not the father.”

The sheer dismissal was a firm kick to the ego.

Her hand found her mate’s and drew him forward. Shauna’s smile softened as she looked at him, a warmth in her eyes that spoke volumes.

“This is Phillip,” she said, her voice filled with pride and affection. “He’s my mate and the father of our baby.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Phillip said, his accent distinctly British. He’d clearly been instructed in our customs, as he canted his head in submission to Rafe first, before sweeping a tight smile to Maddy.

The frown I received was well deserved.

“Congratulations,” Rafe said dryly. He crossed his arms over his chest, radiating tension. “That doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

Shauna’s gaze dropped to the floor, her fingers tightening around Phillip’s. “After you two left Silver River, things were... not the best for me.” Her voice was soft and tinged with old pain. “My father’s position as alpha was weakened. He couldn’t afford to defend his alpha title and his ruined daughter at the same time.”

I felt my gut twist. Another consequence of my reckless actions. Would the list ever end?

“Then when I heard Bowen was killed, I knew I had to get out before the infighting began.” Her eyes flicked up, meeting mine for a brief moment. “Phillip found me hitchhiking not even two days later.”

“We planned to move back to my home in England just as soon as I finished wrapping up a few loose ends here and Shauna’s paperwork processed,” Phillip continued to explain. “Then the remnants of Bowen’s enforcers found us, along with some from Silver River.”

The room fell silent. Home, she’d said. Our old pack. I could feel the weight of everyone’s stares, the unspoken questions hanging in the air. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, sensing the tension.

Shauna’s voice was barely above a whisper when she spoke again. “They plan to drag me back and force me into another pairing.”

Rafe’s brows shot together. “But you’re mated.”

“A human does not count.” She spat the words out like they left a nasty taste in her mouth.

I caused that. I went along with her scheme without a second thought. A pretty woman asking to get down and dirty, no strings attached? That she was the daughter of the alpha and betrothed to a vicious fucker ruling a different pack should have been massive red flags, not a dare to see who could strip fastest.

But I never blamed her. Faced with a convenient deflowering or a life as some asshole’s punching bag? I’d rip my jeans getting them off.

Bowen demanded my head. Then demanded Maddy take Shauna’s place because ‘used goods’ were of no interest to him. Fucker.

And my sister, my cunning, infuriating, brilliant sister, bought us both time with her claims of an arranged mating with an alpha far, far away. All I needed to do was escort her to her new home, then disappear on my way back to California.

I’d fucked that up, too, by sticking around and trying to make sure my sister hadn’t sold herself into misery to keep me alive.

My hand flexed at my side. Bowen was dead by Rafe’s fangs, but he’d left a permanent mark when he shattered the bones.

“They need to stay here,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended. “Just until they can leave. Please, Rafe.”

Rafe didn’t move a muscle, but his eyes slashed to where I sat and bored holes straight through my head. Probably imagining all the ways he could rip me apart for bringing this shitstorm to his door.

“Of course they can stay,” Maddy said. She reached out, her hand finding Rafe’s. “It’s the holidays. We can’t turn them away.”

Rafe’s jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek. I could see the battle raging behind his eyes—alpha instincts warring with the desire to keep his mate happy. Finally, he let out a long, slow breath. “Fine.”

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