Page 22 of Promise & Artem

“I’ll come too,” his mom said. “I want to know more about this wolf pack in Kentucky. I’ve only ever been around the wolf pack in Little Hope and also one in New Jersey where Angel is from.”

“I thought Angel was human.” Promise said.

“She is, but her stepdad is a wolf and brought her and her mom into the pack,” Brierley said. “Angel brought me here so I could work for Ally and her mates, and she ended up loving the area and stayed. She met her hyena mates here.”

“This place seems like good luck,” Promise said.

Artem agreed.

He’d never considered the Freshwater Campground to be anything more than a place to lay his head and a job. But it was the place where his mate had come looking for him, and for that reason alone, it would forever be special.

They walked with his parents to the workshop, Promise and his mom ahead of them, speaking quietly. His dad walked beside Artem.

“Are you pissed at me?” he asked.

“A bit.”

“Oh thanks,” Artem said.

“Well come on, I told you not to get involved in those damn fights. You didn’t even tell me you’d been struggling with your beast.”

“I’m sorry.” Artem had found the underground fighting group when he’d been at a bar outside Little Hope and saw a flyer for an “open fight night,” where anyone could show up andfight and have a chance to win money. He hadn’t cared about the money, just the chance to work off some aggression. It worked, and he got hooked.

“I understand,” his dad said. “I felt the same way. I didn’t like fighting but I also craved it. But taking a life with your beast is rough, and I know that for a fact. If you ever need to talk, I’m here for you.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

His dad lowered his voice. “She’s great, kid. I’m so happy for you.”

Artem grinned. “I’m pretty damn happy too.”

Now to plan the perfect first date.

The last first date either of them would ever go on.

Who knew what the night would bring?

Artem dropped Promise off at her little cabin after they spent several hours in the workshop together, while he and his dad worked. She loved his mom already, she was so sweet. And his dad had a great sense of humor and clearly loved his family.

And she was one hundred percent falling for Artem too.

Such a sexy, sexy male.

They went for a walk on one of the hiking trails and had lunch with his sister and their friends at the welcome center, where a large kitchen had space for everyone to sit and eat meals together.

“I’ll be back in an hour,” he said.

His gaze was heated as they stood together on the porch, their arms around each other and their bodies pressed together.

“Can we shift together sometime? I’d like to see what you look like.”

“Are you sure you won’t get scared?”

“How could I? You’ll be like a myth in the flesh.”

She squeezed his biceps, feeling the firm muscle under her fingers.

He let out a soft growl. “I’d love that. I haven’t voluntarily been in my shift in a while.”

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