Page 40 of Fur-Ever Home

"So?" Jeffrey was having none of it. "He promised!"

"Promises mean nothing when they're coerced," Connor said. "He told me how you got him to promise. He wanted to be your favorite uncle, and you played him against your alpha uncle and auntie."

I frowned at Connor. How was this helping?

"We survived a plane crash! The least you could do is show some appreciation for this little guy!" Connor hugged the stuffed toy tight, and the nose lit up.

"I'm Wolfy, the Wolf Brothers Wonderdog 3000!"

Connor was so surprised by the noise, he tossed the wolf at me. I grabbed Wolfy by the front paw, and he howled. "Helloooo! I'm delighted to meet you! We're going to have so much fun!"

I screamed and tossed the possessed toy on the couch, where it continued to talk.

"Oh, sweet!" One of Jeffrey's guests stepped closer to the couch and beckoned the other kids to join her. "This one's even more rare! Where did you get this, mister?"

"Wolf Brothers?" Connor said it like a question.

"That's not a real Wonderdog 3000," Jeffrey said. "That's crap!"

"If you don't want Wolfy, I'll take him," the little girl said. "Is that okay, mister?"

"You will NOT!" Jeffrey grabbed Wolfy by the same paw I'd touched, and he started talking again.

The little girl took a step back with both arms raised and an eyeroll that would rival my omega dad's. She'd had it with my nephew's shit.

"This is my gift." Jeffrey turned his stink eye on me again. "I suppose I forgive you, Uncle Benjamin."

Jake grabbed the toy and handed it to Matt, who flipped a switch on its back, making its light-up eyes go dark.

"That's not how you thank your uncle for the wonderful,impossible,present he brought you," Jake said.

"Wolfy's going to take a time-out up here." Matt placed the toy on the top shelf of their corner bookcase. "And so are you, Jeffrey. Let's go to your room."

"I'm nine! I don't take time-outs!"

"You do when you act like you're five," Jake called down the hallway after them. "I'm so sorry you had to see that." Jake shook Connor's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Hey, misters." The little girl pointed to the television, where the movie that had been playing now rolled credits over a forest scene. "What are we supposed to do now? Jeffrey said the clown canceled, and it's too windy for the bouncy castle."

"Those storms really messed up our plans." Jake rubbed the back of his neck.

"Do you have board games?" Connor asked.

"We have video games, but that got old fast with this many kids," Jake said.

Connor took a step toward the little girl and kneeled so he was at eye-level. "Do you like dogs?"

"I love dogs. Why do you think I wanted Wolfy?"

He laughed. "I suppose that was a silly question. Give me a few minutes, and we'll play a game." He turned to my brother. "Where's your restroom?"

"I'm allergic to dogs," a little boy said.

"This dog is hypoallergenic," Connor promised.

"Dog?" Jake mouthed at me. I shrugged and led Connor to the first-floor bathroom off the kitchen.

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