Page 114 of Wolf's Mark

I grinned at Camille. “Use the word challenging. Not horrible. I love being a mother, but kids can make you age.” I started pouring some plastic glasses full of wine. I already had a sense that the two other mothers who’d remained behind were jealous.

Tough.

We didn’t like them.

But at least they’d brought presents.

“You haven’t aged a day, for God’s sake. You look like you’re twenty-one. I don’t know how you do it.” Mattie glared at me, making a face and sticking out her tongue.

“Love you too, babe.”

With cheap plastic tumblers in our hands, we lifted our glasses in our typical four musketeers’ toast.

“Who wants to do it this time?” Camille asked.

“Go for it, babe,” Mattie told her.

Camille wrinkled her nose. “To the three of us finding a hot man like the Mr. McHotness belonging to Sedona.”

“I’ll drink to that, but only to fuck him. How is he in the sack anyway?” Shelly adored teasing me.

I was blushing. It was obvious the girls had talked since Camille knew about Mattie’s nickname for him. “We’re just friends.”

All three laughed. “Honey, we know better.” Shelly took a gulp of her drink before her eyes grew as large as I’d seen them. “Johnny! You do not do that! Camille. Help me with the damn kids.”

Camille twisted her mouth, making her own funny face, and placed her cup down before trailing behind Shelly.

Mattie moved next to me, sighing heavily. “I don’t know which is worse, the kids or the parents.”

“The parents. Tenfold.” My thoughts drifted to Lucia’s father. I could not stomach or believe that he’d beheaded his own daughter. But I guessed there wasn’t a fate worse than turning into a flesh-eating monster.

“So, are you taking Britney home with you?” Her expression as she moved in front of me wasn’t chastising, but she was about ready to demand answers.

“Yes. I am.” I wasn’t certain how to keep Jax from interfering even though I’d been clear to him. He wasn’t the kind of manto take no for an answer. “I really appreciate you taking care of her.”

“No problem. However, where did you get those scratches on your arm?” She pointed to the ugly line of them that I’d almost forgotten about.

It would seem even if I was part wolf, I wasn’t capable of healing as fast as he could do. “I don’t know.”

“Bullshit. Hot sex?”

“Not a chance.”

“Come on, honey. You look pale and I can tell something is really bothering you.”

Trying to hide behind a plastic glass of clear white wine was ridiculous, but I did. “I’m just working on something that is disturbing.”

“That’s not it. I know you.”

“Actually, it is, but I can’t go into details.”

Mattie lifted a single eyebrow as she did when she was pissed. “You can’t confide into your best friend?”

“Not a good thing to do right now.”

“Did you break up with Jax?”

“No, I never was reallywithhim, with him.”

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