Page 5 of Tempted By the Alpha Outlaw

She tilts her head like it’s obvious. “The one Mom and Dad were talking about. They called him a mackanack.”

I snort. “Can you repeat that for me, bumblebee?”

Lucy scowls. “Don't make fun of me, Maggie…”

“I'm not,” I smile. “I promise. Just trying to teach you a new word. Can you tell me what a ‘mackanack’ is?”

“They said he would fix the trucks,” Lucy clarifies.

“Ah,” I nod. “A mechanic. You almost had it exactly right–and that's a big word! I'm proud of you.”

My sister’s cheeks turn rosy and she flashes me a bashful smile. “Really?”

I nod. “Really,” I say. “Now let's go find Mom. I bet she needs some help in the kitchen.”

I move through the growing crowd with Lucy on my hip, people saying hi to me every so often. When I set Lucy down near the doorway to the kitchen, she scampers off, joining my teenaged brother and sister, River and Kate, as they set the long tables for dinner. My middle siblings barely look up when Lucy barrels toward them, though Kate does manage a half-hearted, “Watch the plates, Lu!”

I linger in the doorway for a moment, my arms crossed as I take in the room. The den’s heart beats strongest here in the kitchen and dining hall—laughter and voices rising, the clink of dishes, the smells of bread and stew filling the space.

But my wolf is restless, pacing inside me.

“Magnolia,” a familiar voice says, pulling me from my thoughts.

I turn to find my mother standing behind me, her hands dusted with flour, her apron tied neatly around her waist. Sarita Jones has a way of commanding attention, even when she’s just preparing dinner. As one of the pack’s oldest members, she calls the shots—sometimes even more than Reyes.

“Are you alright?” she asks.

“Of course,” I say quickly, pasting on a smile.

Her gaze lingers. “The kids are running circles around you again, aren’t they?”

I let out a small laugh. “When aren’t they?”

Her lips curve, but it’s faint—more thoughtful than amused. “You’ve done a good job with them, Maggie. The den relies on you more than you realize.”

The words are heavy, pressing against the ache I’ve carried for as long as I can remember. My place here has always been clear, always steady. But tonight–for whatever reason–that steadiness feels like a chain, holding me back.

When will I get a life of my own? Not as the pack’s teacher…not as the oldest sister, not as the oldest omega in Austin.

Alone, suffering through every full moon in solitude.

“Thanks, Mom,” I murmur. “I’d better go check on the kids.”

Mom doesn’t stop me, but her gaze follows as I move toward the tables. I force myself to focus, helping Lucy straighten a napkin and nudging River when he tries to sneak a roll before the meal starts?—

Then…Ifeel it, so strongly that it almost knocks me off my feet.

A presence.

I turn toward the entrance just in time to see Reyes stride in, his mate Tilda at his side. But it’s not the Prime or his mate who catches my attention.

It’s the stranger walking behind them.

The blond man is tall, lean, and rugged in a way that makes my wolf sit up and take notice. His presence is sharp and commanding, his eyes scanning the room, assessing. I catch sight of the color of those eyes: bright blue-green, looking for something.

And that scent…

Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, a hint of motor oil…a scent that begs me to revel in it, to indulge in it.

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