Page 45 of Knot Letting Go

“Stop right there, Mr. Wolf.” She put her hands on her little hips with the dramatic pose of a superhero. “It’s the Magic Mermaid Police, and you’re under arrest for scaring a little girl.”

“Not for eating the grandma and stealing her identity?” I teased, and I got a giggle from Aubrielle.

“I’m here to keep Little Red Riding Hood safe. You have to come to jail.” Lillianna was undeterred in her act.

“But it’s in the sea, and I can’t breathe underwater,” I protested with a sad wolf whine.

Lillianna pursed her lips thoughtfully and then declared, “I will do a spell so you can breathe underwater. I don’t want you to die. Yet you will learn not to scare little girls!”

“Thank you for saving me, Magic Mermaid. You’re so brave.” Aubrielle clasped her hands under her chin and batted her eyes at her rescuer.

“She hasn’t saved you yet. Not if I eat the mermaid too!” I snatched Lillianna and tickled her as I pretended to eat her with over-exaggerated biting and chewing noises. She squealed with laughter, even as she tried to tell me I couldn’t do that to the Magic Mermaid Police.

Finally I was frozen by a magic spell and the heroine urged Red to get away. Aubrielle hugged Lillianna and kissed her cheek, wishing her good night before she slipped out of the room. I fought the urge to chase after her and continued to pretend I was motionless on the bed.

Lillianna twiddled her fingers. “You’re unfrozen now, Mr. Wolf. Do you promise to be a big good wolf instead of a big bad wolf?”

I let out a long exhale like I’d been unable to breathe. “Oh yes, Magic Mermaid. I have learned my lesson. I promise not to scare any more little girls.”

“Okay, but know I’ll be watching you.” Lillianna used two fingers to point at her eyes and then at me. The gesture was a new one, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Yet she looked stern and I put back on my chastised face.

I gathered her and gave her a hug. “You’re an amazing mermaid hero, sweetie. I love you so much.”

Lillianna squeezed me back and relaxed against me. “I love you too, Daddy. You’re a good wolf. Not scary at all.”

“I’m glad to know that. I never want to scare any little girls. Now, we need to get you tucked in.” I helped her get under her blankets and tucked them around her like I always did. I turned on her starry night light and turned off the lamp. I bent and kissed her head. “Good night, sweetie. Have lots of sweet mermaid dreams.”

“Good night, Daddy. I like having storytime with you and Aubrielle. Can we do that every night forever?”

Oh, fuck me. That sounded like the best of all futures. “We’ll talk to Aubrielle about it, but I bet she’ll be happy to have storytime with us at least some nights. I don’t know if I’m ready to give up all my special time with you forever.”

Lillianna smiled and closed her eyes. “Silly Daddy. You’ll always have me. You need to share me with other people.”

“I’m not very good at sharing.” I lightly tapped her nose and she crinkled it with a giggle.

“I’ll teach you.” She yawned and made a little contented noise. “She’s special, Daddy. You’ll see.”

My heart swelled and seemed too full to be in my chest. From the mouths of babes. “Good night.”

I slipped out of the room and shut the door with a quiet click. My daughter had the right of it. Aubrielle was special. And breathing in the stronger Omega scent in the hall, I decided I was going to show Aubrielle just how incredibly special she was.

Following her sweet musk, it led me downstairs instead of to her room. I crept through the shadows like a wolf on the prowl to find Aubrielle in the sunroom with her palms pressed against the closed French doors, whimpering.

“Aubrielle,” I called to her softly, but she still startled and spun to place her back against the door. Tears dotted her cheeks, and I rushed to her, wiping at them and pulling her against me. Everything in me reared up, ready to smash down whatever was upsetting her. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t get the doors open. I need… I need to get out.” She trembled in my arms. I held her more firmly as if that could chase her fears away.

She was running again, but I wouldn’t let her go this time.

“We have the new security system now, and Evander locked down everything after Enid left. Only the front door and the kitchen door have keypads to get in and out.” I rubbed her back, making slow circles. Her distress triggered my purr, and it rumbled from deep in my chest. “Where do you need to go?”

Aubrielle gasped and squeezed her thighs together. The richness of her scent intensified tenfold. “The garden.”

I wouldn’t let her escape. She didn’t need the garden. What she needed was me. “No more games tonight, Little Red Omega. This wolf knows what you need, and he’s more than ready to give it to you right here and now.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Aubrielle

I’d never been so turned on in my life. The big bad wolf had tracked me down and there was a great hunger in his eyes. There would be no way I could ever read that story again without imagining Konstantin growling with the wolf’s lines and making me so aroused that I couldn’t think straight.

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