Page 3 of The Wolf's Plus-Size Nanny

“I know, but he’s been coming here for years. You’re new.”

And there it is, the unspoken rule of small-town politics: loyalty to the regulars, no matter how much of a jerk they might be.

“So, what?” I ask, my voice barely more than a whisper. “Are you going to fire me for defending myself?”

Betsy doesn’t answer right away, but the look on her face is all I need to see. She squeezes my arm once, gently, and then lets go. “I’m sorry, Sonya.”

The words hit like a slap, and suddenly, I’m not just angry—I’m furious. Furious at Tanner for being an ass, at Jack for not doing more, at myself for thinking I could start a new life outside of Stardust Hollow. Without another word, I grab my things and head for the door, ignoring the stares and the whispers that follow me out.

I was just trying to keep my head down, to get through the night without making waves. But Jack and his friends had to come in and blow it all to hell. And now I’m out of a job because some guys can’t handle a woman who stands up for herself.

My anger simmers just below the surface as I stomp through the streets of downtown Green Lake. I can feel the tears threatening to spill, but I won’t let them. Not now. Not because of them. I might have lost this round, but I’m not about to let Jack Thomas or anyone else make me feel small.

Chapter 2 - Jack

The sunlight slices through the blinds like it’s got a personal vendetta against me. My head pounds in sync with my heartbeat, and every thud is a reminder that I am officially too old to be drinking like I’m twenty-one, trying to forget a bad breakup. I groan, burying my face in the pillow, but there’s no escaping it. I feel like I got hit by a truck—and the truck backed up just to make sure the job was done.

“Never again,” I mumble into the fabric, though it’s not the first time I’ve made that promise to myself. Probably won’t be the last, either. But seriously, never again.

I drag myself upright, moving in slow motion like if I move too fast, my brain might actually explode. The room spins a little, and I squeeze my eyes shut, willing it to stop.

My phone buzzes on the nightstand, rattling against the wood with a sound that goes straight to the center of my skull. I flinch, grabbing it more out of instinct than desire. Reiner’s name flashes on the screen, and I can already hear his disapproving sigh before I even answer.

“Yeah?” I croak out.

“You sound like shit,” Reiner says by way of greeting.

“Feel like it, too.” I rub a hand over my face, trying to scrub away the remnants of last night. “What’s up?”

“We’ve got a mission run today, remember? Alpha Evan wants us to check the border near the river, make sure everything’s clear.” He pauses, and I can hear him breathing on the other end, that heavy, judgmental inhale he does when he’s about to say something I’m not gonna like. “Also, what thehell happened last night? Betsy told me there was some kind of altercation.”

I sigh, leaning back against the headboard. I’d hoped maybe last night’s mess would just fade into the background noise of the bar, but of course Reiner’s already on top of it.

“It was nothing,” I tell him, even though I know that deflection isn’t going to fly. “Just Tanner being Tanner. Sonya, Jane’s friend that just moved to town, got mad. Words were exchanged, that’s all.”

Reiner snorts. “Yeah, Betsy said you were right in the middle of it. You’ve got to get a grip, Jack. You’re not a kid anymore.”

“There it is,” I mutter, rolling my eyes even though he can’t see it. The lecture. The one I can practically recite in my sleep. Reiner’s been like this ever since he settled down, like he’s suddenly the spokesperson for responsibility and maturity. “I’m fine,” I add. “It’s not like anyone got hurt.”

“That’s not the point. You’re thirty, Jack. You can’t keep doing this shit forever.”

“Who says I want to?” I shoot back, irritation flaring in my chest. “I’m just having fun. Not everyone wants the family life, Reiner. Not everyone’s looking for a mate and kids and all that.” The words come out more defensive than I intended, but I don’t take them back.

He sighs, long and exasperated. “You say that now, but eventually, you’re going to have to grow up. This pack’s got no place for someone who’s just drifting through.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumble, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’m not drifting. I’m just—”

“—not ready to settle down, I know,” Reiner finishes for me, and there’s a note of weariness in his voice that makes me feel like a petulant kid. “Look, just be careful, all right? And don’t let Tanner drag you into his crap. You’re better than that.”

“Right,” I say, not really agreeing but also not in the mood to keep arguing. “I’ll see you at the river.”

Reiner’s quiet for a moment, then he clears his throat. “And about Sonya…”

“What about her?” I ask a little too quickly. The image of her flashes in my mind—grey eyes that could pierce right through you if you weren’t careful, fiery red hair that’s always pulled back in some kind of no-nonsense style, and curves that she carries with an air of unapologetic confidence. She’s not like the other women I usually go for; there’s nothing easy or uncomplicated about her. She’s not just attractive—she’s intriguing, and that’s the kind of dangerous I’m not sure I want to mess with.

“She’s pissed, Jack. Jane says she got fired over that whole scene last night. I had to listen to my wife complain about it all morning at breakfast. They’re like sisters, you know. She thinks you should apologize to her.”

I sit up straighter, the dull throb in my head momentarily forgotten. “Fired? Seriously?”

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