Page 29 of Werewolves Don't Howl
I turned to stare at him, intrigued and horrified at the same time. “You realize that if I defeated the Alta, I would become the Alta, right?”
He shrugged. “You would be an excellent leader.”
“I would rather die. Literally. I can’t imagine anything worse than trying to deal with all the other alphas, like the crazy lady from Golden. It’s a pity that she’s representing women so badly.”
“There was a female Alta before. Her reign began very bloody, but became one of the most peaceful periods for the longest time.”
“You’ve done a lot of research.”
“Mm.”
I smiled at him. “I’ll tell people that I couldn’t resist your scintillating conversation.”
“Very well.”
“Also that you’re too pretty to possibly resist.”
“They’ll know that you’re joking.”
“And then I’ll move onto the fact that you knocked me up.”
His face remained impassive. “And that you’re being farcical.”
“Why? My parents only married after he got her pregnant.”
He inhaled sharply and looked truly shocked for a moment. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not. Bram was a great surprise. Elves never think that they’re going to get anyone pregnant, because elves have such a hard time conceiving, but gnomes don’t.”
“Werewolves do.”
“Then I suppose it’s unlikely for us, but the fact that I’m a werewolf isn’t exactly common knowledge, is it? My mother entrapped him. Gnomes can will themselves pregnant. He didn’t think it was appropriate to take away the life she could have with a nice gnome, but once she was having his baby, what could he do?”
“He didn’t think it was inappropriate to make use of her body in such a way, but he had a problem marrying her?” Disapproval colored every word. He was such an elf.
I patted his knee. “I see that you’ve never been seduced by a gnome. Someday, Senator Silverton, you’re going to be hit so hard by love and desire, you won’t have any control over yourself.”
“That sounds positively optimal,” he said drily.
I nudged him. “Everyone wants to lose themselves in love, at least once.”
“No, they really don’t.”
I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. “Well, it will happen anyway. And when it does, I hope that you enjoy it.”
“Mm.”
“Mm,” I said agreeably, holding his hand in both of mine.
He’d already let me into his personal space, so me being so close to him shouldn’t bother him.
“If you don’t like me snuggling up to you, just say so,” I said.
“I will.”
I laughed, because of course he would.
Once we got to the party, it was time for the interviews to start. As soon as we entered the large main hall where all the floral arrangements were displayed, flower art, which would be purchased for exorbitant sums of money, and some of it would go to charity, we were cut off by Forsythia.
