Page 59 of Howling Night

“It’s from Kellan,” she said, smiling as she tapped her screen. “Look. He sent a video of Mason.”

She turned the phone so I could see too. On the screen, Mason was standing in the yard with a tiny plastic bat in his small hands. He swung wildly at a ball on a tee, connecting with a solid thwack on his first swing.

The ball flew through the air, and Mason dropped the bat. He took off, running, his little legs moving furiously past what looked like paper plates set out for bases.

In the background, I could hear Kellan’s voice cheering enthusiastically. “Go, go, go! That’s it, buddy! Round third base!”

Mason circled back toward what must have been home plate, giggling the whole way. As he jumped on the final base, Kellan laughed and clapped his hands.

“That’s my boy! Way to go, son!” he said, zooming the camera on Mason’s big smile.

“I did it, Mommy!” Mason said, looking up at Kellan. “Should I do it again?”

“Go for it,” Kellan said, and the video ended.

My stomach swirled violently at the realization that Kellan was Mason’s father. I didn’t know what to say.

“Adorable, right?” Courtney said, hugging her phone to her chest before typing a quick message back to Kellan.

Did Courtney know what Kellan was? Did she know he was working against Ryder, trying to take over his pack and territory?

Everything started to spin. “I need to sit down.”

ChapterTwenty-Seven

I sat down on a wooden bench just outside the store. After a few seconds, Courtney sat next to me, leaning forward to meet my eyes.

“Everly?” she said, her voice soft.

“Yes,” I said with a sharp breath.

“Are you okay?”

I swallowed hard. “I’m fine. I just didn’t know he was Mason’s dad.”

“I didn’t mention that?”

I shook my head.

“Oh, well, yeah, he is,” she said, taking my hand and pulling me toward the boutique. “He’s a good dad, but he doesn’t visit Mason nearly enough, but I’m not sure why that made you have to sit down.”

“It wasn’t that,” I said, getting to my feet. “I just stood up out of the car too fast.”

“Yeah, that happens to me sometimes, too,” she said, leading me into the store. “All good now?”

I managed a small smile, my legs still feeling a bit unsteady as we walked into the boutique. “I’m fine now, really. I haven’t been sleeping the best.”

“Mason wakes up at least once a night with bad dreams,” she said, shaking her head as she held up a dress. “How about this one?”

I wrinkled my nose.

“I wish things had worked out for Kellan and me. I really do, but he’s always so busy. That man always has something going on,” she said, holding up something pink with ruffles. She put it back without waiting for my response. “Last night, he stopped by in the middle of the night. Scared the hell out of me, too. He asked if he could crash on the couch so he could be there when Mason woke up in the morning. It’s not like I could say no. I want him to see his son and be part of his life. A boy needs his dad, right? Anyway, nothing happened between us. He fell asleep almost instantly.”

I nodded sympathetically, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling spreading through my chest. “I guess this is why you got so upset with me the other day.”

“I mean, yeah, I guess. I wasn’t that upset with you. It’s just more like… um… it just kind of stings. I’ve always thought that I would find a nice man, marry him, and have kids. A nice, happy family living the easy life in the country, and that isn’t at all how things turned out,” Courtney said with a heavy sigh. “Anyway, we shouldn’t talk about this. We’re here to find you a dress!”

“Can I help you ladies find anything?” a sweet woman with thick pink-framed glasses said as she cautiously approached.

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