Page 41 of Pack Kasen: Part 1

“Why was this a problem?” I ask Emilio.

He starts to explain but Joy talks over him. “He doesn’t think I’m capable of handling something if we run into trouble.”

Emilio jerks his head toward her. “You really think that?”

She glares at him. “Why else would you snarl at me to not put myself in a buck’s crosshairs?”

“You’re going to be the mother of my pup. I want to keep yousafe.”

“Because you don’t think?—”

“BecauseI love you more than life itself and if I failed to protect you or our pup, I would fall onto a million swords and I wouldstilldeserve to die a million times more.”

Joy lunges at him and he catches her as they forget I’m even in the room.

I sink back into my seat and massage my brow. “For fuck’s sake.”

They don’t seem to hear or even care. Joy is moaning and Emilio is literally groping her ass right in front of my face.

I get up from my chair, stepping around them on my way to the door.

I give Finan a pointed stare. “You see why I don’t like meetings. Better to just growl and everyone scatters.”

“If only they all ended as happily as this.” A hint of amusement warms his light green gaze. He walks out first, holding the door open for me.

Speaking of happy endings…

Stopping in the doorway, I angle my head back. “Don’t you fuckingdaredo anything on my desk.”

Emilio gives me a thumbs up but at no point does he stop kissing Joy.

I snort a laugh and leave them to it.

That they’re talking about pups means their fiery relationship is due to get even more volatile in the coming weeks and months.

It’s difficult for a female shifter to get pregnant. No one knows why. It’s also the reason why most shifters don’t have brothers or sisters. It can take years for a couple to have even one child. And it is why we value children so much. We don’t have as many of them as we would like.

A pregnant shifter is volatile at the best of times, and so is her partner, because all his instincts scream at him to keep the mother of his child safe.

I’m happy for them and their future family, but it is going to be hell on earth working alongside them.

Andthis, the losing your mind over a woman the way Emilio has lost his over Joy, is a large part of the reason I’ve beencontent having shallow, sex-driven relationships for the last few years.

I could have made more of an effort visiting other packs, searching for my fated mate in case she was among them. But I’m not sure I’m ready for a woman to destroy my sense of calm the way Joy destroys Emilio’s on a daily basis.

“When do you think they’ll announce it?” Finan quietly asks me.

Joy doesn’t smell different to me yet, but she soon will.

I shrug. “Not sure. Maybe I have time to build a cabin in the woods to stay in for the next nine months.”

He shakes his head. “You’re as happy for them as I am.”

“Yes. I will continue to be happy for them from afar. From where he won’t go for my throat if he thinks I’ve looked at Joy a second too long.”

Finan hasn’t told me why he prefers the single life, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he felt the same way I did.

Women are complicated and they are distracting. Two things no leader or his advisor need or want in a life when it can be complicated enough.

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