Page 46 of Pack Kasen: Part 2

He nods. “I wanted to tell you more yesterday, but…”

“I was two seconds away from a panic attack.” I was more overwhelmed than I’ve ever been in my entire life.

“They would like to talk to you.”

I thought I did a good job of hiding my overwhelm, but from his smile, clearly not. “Still too soon?”

I nod.

“Leonore—your mom—is holding down the fort.”

“She’s Luna?”

Those pup lessons are already paying off. If my dad is the Alpha of Pack Lake Prairie, my mom must be its Luna, the female head.

He nods. “I couldn’t do it without her.” His gaze sharpens. “If you want to leave, you don’t have to stay here.”

I think I know where he’s going with this. “Aren isn’t keeping me here. No need to break me out of here… dad.” Still feels strange to say it. Not bad. Just… new.

The flash of delight in his eyes reveals just how much it means to him.

When his cell phone vibrates, he pulls it from his pocket, glancing down at the screen. His smile is apologetic. “Leonore. Are you sure you don’t want to speak to her?”

I take a step back. “Not yet. Maybe later.”

When I’ve had time to process the fact that I have a mom, a sister, and a whole pack in Nebraska.

A family.

I have a family and my wolf is yipping with excitement, desperate to meet them, and to no longer be alone.

He presses a kiss on my forehead. “Then I’ll see you later. Leonore doesn’t know the meaning of a short conversation.”

Smiling, I watch him walk away, answering the call with, “My love.”

He wanders toward the bunkhouse to continue his phone call.

I’m in no hurry to go inside when my cell phone vibrates.

I grabbed my cell phone and a change of clothes from Aren’s room to stay in the bunkhouse. We even ate together in his room, so I have no idea what Aren thought when neither of us turned up to eat dinner last night.

It’s Rachel.

Instinctively, I brace myself. The last time she called, Cris had gone missing.

There’s no one else in my life left for the Gregson Killer to kill, other than Aren, that is.

So, what is it?

Did they burn down my apartment?

“Hi, Rachel,” I greet her, wary. “What’s up?”

“Are you sitting down?”

My stomach tenses as my hand tightens around my phone. “No. Why?”

“The cops don’t think it’s a wild animal now. They wanted to know if you were okay.”