Page 57 of Plus-Size Mate

“Eddie, don't!” Winter protested, and her voice was the only thing that stopped him from grabbing Will by the throat.

Their brotherly conversation from a few nights before flashed through Eddie’s mind.

“As my packmate, I expect you to respect my mate,” Eddie snarled in Will's face. “Whether she's a witch or not, she's part wolf, and as my mate sheispart of the pack. Besides, have you forgotten already what she did for us last night?”

“Eddie, please, there's no need for this,” Winter insisted, stepping forward to grip hold of Eddie's sleeve and pull him away from Will. “I can wait outside if need be.”

She glanced at Will, her expression defiant as to say she was only speaking to keep the peace but wished the werewolf wouldn't be so pigheaded.

“No. You stay right here,” Eddie insisted, scowling at Will. “Tell us what's going on or so help me, I'll—”

“Alright, alright,” Will said, holding up his hands in defeat. Glancing around, he added, “You'd better come with me.”

Eddie and Winter followed Will to the nearest private room, a small sitting room usually used for entertaining visitors.

Will carefully closed the door behind them before he turned and said, “You might want to take a seat.”

Eddie and Winter glanced at each other before doing just that.

“Is it that bad?” Eddie asked, his stomach twisting.

Will, taking a seat opposite them, shrugged. “I guess that depends on your definition of bad.”

Eddie's insides clenched even harder, and he gripped Winter's hand tightly as he prepared for whatever was coming next.

“Kane's admitted everything,” Will said, and Eddie braced himself further. “He was born human and turned just before he joined the forces. He didn't tell any of us because he knew how we born wolves feel about the bitten. He's tried to join packs previously, and when it was found out he was bitten, he barely escaped with his life.”

Eddie was unsure how to respond. It was Winter who did first, gasping as she exclaimed, “That's ridiculous. I don’t really know Kane, but what I do know of him, he's a good guy. He's just like the rest of you.”

Eddie and Will looked at each other, nodding their agreement.

“He's never given us any reason to mistrust him,” Will confirmed, but the tension in his face suggested he wasn't pleased with the situation.

Eddie's mind was reeling. How, after all this time, could he not have figured it out? Had there been signs? Was Kane ever not in control of his wolf? He couldn't think of a single time when he'd noticed a lack of control in the man or his beast.

“So what has Jack decided to do about the whole thing?” Eddie asked, his body tingling all over.

There were things many packs would do, but he couldn't imagine Jack ever deciding to do a single one of them. The first was to execute Kane for simply being what he was. The second was banishment. Other punishments were just as bad, if not even more brutal.

“We can't exactly chain him up to be sure he doesn't hurt anyone,” Eddie pointed out, his jaw clenching at the thought of doing that to one of his closest friends, a man who was like a brother to them all. “Besides, we've known him for how manyyears? Surely, if something was going to happen, it would have happened by now.”

“Jack's thinking exactly,” Will said, sighing deeply. “The threat right now is the sister.”

Eddie grimaced. A human in town, one who wasn't in on their secret or utterly in denial about the entire thing, was a threat to the entire town.

“He has agreed to let her stay for the time being,” Will said, his face growing even tenser. “But until he figures it out or she leaves, we've been ordered not to let her see anything that might lead to her figuring out our secret.”

Eddie's toes curled at that. How was that going to go down? They lived in a town full of werewolves, witches and gods knew how many other supernatural folk. The safety of the place drew supernaturals in all the time. It wasn't often a random human came wandering in.

“I have an idea,” Winter said, surprising them both.

Eddie and Will looked at her, neither speaking. It was clear to see the cogs of her mind turning as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“There's an old spellbook in my mom's shop,” Winter explained, “It has all kinds of enchantments. I remember seeing something about a glamouring potion that stops humans from witnessing anything supernatural. It could work for the time being until we figure out a more permanent solution.”

Will looked stunned, while Eddie grabbed hold of Winter by the face and exclaimed, “You're brilliant, Winter!”

With that, he kissed her hard, hoping she would feel his gratitude.

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