Page 20 of Alpha Wolf's Nanny
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Cassie said, heat rising to her cheeks. “I think they like the ideas I’ve given them, that’s it.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” said Daisy with a smile, “take the win!”
“If you say so,” replied Cassie. “Iamreally enjoying getting to know them!’
The conversation lapsed into an easy discussion about children and the upcoming school production, and how quickly shifter kids outgrew their clothes. Cassie listened contentedly,laughing at the right moments, taking the opportunity to just breathe and let it wash over her. She was here, with the pack, and it was going okay. She was doing okay.
“Hey, Daisy?” she asked, leaning over as the conversation moved on to reminiscing about some previous pack gathering. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” Daisy replied with a smile, “fire away.”
Cassie glanced back at the males, chewing the inside of her lip as she considered her words. “Felix, he’s”—she waved her hand, trying to come up with the right way to convey her meaning—“he’s…well, he’s…”
“It’s okay,” said Daisy with a chuckle, “I know how he can be. Friendly as anything one moment, then all scary when he gets down to business.”
“Notscary,” Cassie said, picking at a fingernail, “just…he’s difficult to read sometimes.”
Daisy shrugged. “He carries a lot of responsibility. I think he wants to be easy-going, but a male in his position doesn’t always have that luxury. He’s in charge of one of the biggest packs in the country, a pack that has a seat on the world stage when it comes to shifter politics. Of course, it takes its toll.”
“I see,” said Cassie, although she didn’t really. What she did need to do was more research into all these…politics.
“Plus, there are the boys,” Daisy continued. “I mean, I adore them. We all do. But they are a handful, and ever since Sarah left, he’s had to raise them all on his own.”
“Sarah?” Cassie asked.
“His ex-wife. Human. They got married young, while Felix and the New Guard—that’s like the inner circle of the Iron Walkers—were still in the process of overthrowing the OldGuard. She said she could handle all the shifter stuff, but in the end, I guess she couldn’t. She left, and I don’t think she’ll ever come back.”
“That’s awful,” said Cassie softly, thinking of Felix and his insistence that humans and shifters shouldn’t mix. Of course he would think that after something so terrible. And the boys, those lovely boys. Her heart broke for them.
“We all have our baggage,” said Daisy with a deceptively light smile. “And hey, you’re here now to help him out with the boys! And I, for one, will toast to that. Cheers, ladies!”
“Cheers,” Cassie murmured with the others, raising her glass to her lips.
She certainly had more than her fair share of baggage.
Chapter 8 - Felix
“So…Cassie…” Nicolas began, his voice carefully neutral. He didn’t need to say anything else; Felix could read him like a book, and right now his sharp eyes were boring holes into Felix. Felix fought down a growl. Nicolas might be his best friend, but Felix was the alpha.
“I know you think my offering her the job was a bad call,” said Felix, “but she’s been amazing with the boys. We’re keeping it professional. What happened the other night doesn’t mean anything.”
“Professional?” Dane asked, sipping his beer. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
Felix glared at him. “Are you implying something?”
Dane’s eyebrows waggled. “Just that there ain’t muchprofessionalabout how you’re lookin’ at her.”
Nicolas moved between them before Felix could snarl a reply, shoving Dane’s shoulder. “Go on, fuck off and let me talk to him.”
Dane gave a mock-dramatic sigh. “You ain’t the boss of me, Accardi.”
“Perhaps not, but I will put you on your ass if you push me.”
“In your dreams, pretty boy.”
Nicolas gave him another, albeit slightly friendlier, shove. “I’m serious. Go track down the kids. Ever since Thea went to war with Danny and Logan, they’ve all been getting far too many reckless ideas.”
“Where d’ya think they get the inspiration?” Dane chuckled before giving Felix a small salute and wandering towards the trees at the bottom of the garden, where the far-off calls of their playing children echoed from deeper beneath the canopy.
