Page 35 of The Buck Stops Hare

God.

Whatever.

I made my way out to the SUV and rummaged through my stuff. I couldn’t fit much in it, but I didn’t have much, fortunately. I’d have to rent a van to get the rest.

Jacque peered up at me from the couch as I carried in his board and set it up in the living room in front of an older TV, one not quite in the tube era but somewhere between tube and flat screen, a fat screen if it were anything. It still had aux cables.

The moment I had his board set up, he sat up before them, reacquainting himself with each of the domed surfaces one byone. His ears perked up, nose twitching. His golden-brown eyes darted from one to the other, head tilting.

“Buck is out getting you some salad, dumpster muffin.” I made a show of setting up his water fountain and a bowl of pellets.

Gimme salad, bitch!He hit the button on his mat proudly. Though, I heard a slight whisper in my mind ofdelicious leaf.

Unsure of what to do while I waited, I flopped onto the couch and listened to Jacque sniff and explore his buttons and reacquaint himself with new surroundings.

Outside!He pressed the button and ran to the door before scratching at it.

“Yep. That’s to the outside,” I said, earning a hard stare while his thoughts celebrated his logic. “Smart guy.”

“Am I doing the right thing?” I threw an arm over my face and sighed, tensing up when my phone dinged from my pocket. I’d been ignoring everyone, but I glanced down to see a text from my mom.

Call me.I stared at the two words and rolled my eyes. She probably needed me to handle something for her stateside. She’d stopped calling and asking things from Rayne a while ago, citing he wastoo needy. Knowing her, it was likely he asked for twenty bucks, or a full conversation and she lost her shit over it.

Unlike Rayne, I’d learned to let her lead the conversation and not speak. I was the golden son, after all.

I dialed her number and held the phone to the side of my head, eyeballing the charge on it. Twenty-five percent. It rang twice before my mom’s whimsical lispy tones came on the line. “Cliff, it’s been a while.”

“Still in Germany?”

“Oh yes, it’s lovely. Your father is doing great, and Hunter is finishing up high school on base.” She prattled on about her wives group activities and considering getting Botox again whileI half ignored her. Our younger siblings never had much to do with us, as our parents sort of had the three of us run feral while their younger bunch got the treatment they couldn’t afford when we were older. Having six kids was a pain.

“Mom. I got a boyfriend.” I interrupted her prattle, eyes tilted up toward the ceiling as I waited.

“A boyfriend.” Her flat tones gave me neither positive nor negative feedback.

“Yep.” I heavily enunciated it to solidify the point.

“Well, have him use protection.” She sighed heavily and I raised a brow, blinking in surprise. “Because I’m absolutelynotready to be a grandmother.”

I hated to break it to her but she already was, but— “What about me, shouldn’t I wear protection too?”

“I didn’t know omegas topped—” she started, and I cut her off with a choked breath.

“You fucken’ knew… You knew I’m—” I spluttered.

“Oh gods, don’t be so dramatic. I thought you had a chance at a normal life but was bound to happen to at least one of you. Honestly, I thought it would be Rayne.” Her voice trailed off.

“It’s Rayne, too!” I huffed. “And by the by, you want pics of your granddaughter? She’s cute as fuck, Ma.”

She paused. “Well shit. So, what are you two? Wolf? I come from them, but I never shifted or went witchy…”

“Oh my god, Ma!” I fought the urge to throw my phone. “Eve’s totally a witch of some kind.”

“Be nice. She’s just spirited.”

“No, I’m serious. She’s—” I huffed a sigh. “Rayne and I aren’t shifters. He can shift, but I’ve not done it yet.”

“Omega witches?” Her airy tones went hard, like the conversation began to bother her. The bombshell I dropped should have made her ask questions or blow me off, but I didn’t expect this.

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