Page 45 of Dead Wolf Falling (Bad Moon Academy 2)

I didn’t mean it like that… okay, I did, but you’re right. I’m sorry.

Grumbling some more, she saysit’s finethen shuts me out.

“I think she’s mad at me.” Pursing my lips, I try to coax her back out, but she’s giving me the cold shoulder. Adler’s fingers flex against me, and I gasp, dropping his hand because I’ve nearly pulled his entire body over the table. “Sorry.”

“Family,” Draco says, drawing out the word. “You may come to regret joining us.” He cuts his eyes to his brother.

Brayden tips his head to the side and flips him off. “Unlike you, Adler isn’t easy to scare. Isn’t that right, Adler?”

“You don’t scare me.”

With a wink, Brayden takes another bite. “There’s still time.”

“Moons, I forgot how annoying you were.” Draco runs his hands through his hair.

He laughs and looks at the guys. “So, I’m in?”

They all look at me, and I widen my eyes, not entirely sure how to answer. Draco hums and drums his fingers on the table.

“I think she likes him.”

“Obviously,” Everett says and scoffs. “He’s in.”

Carter claps him on the back. “Welcome to the club.”

“Ugh, it’s not a club.” I spin my fork in the few pieces of apple left on my plate.

It shouldn’t be so easy to joke right now, but with all the sadness and death, the last thing I want or need is to be wrapped in sorrow. I’ll take my joking where I can get it.

“Hmm. I disagree. It’s like a fan club but better because we all get to have sex with you.” Draco grins when I choke on my own spit. “Careful, Little Red. Wouldn’t want you to die before you fulfill your promise to me.”

“What did Joan say that was gross?” Everett asks, saving me from Draco’s line of questioning but embarrassing me in an entirely different way.

“She, uh, said she was jealous she didn’t get to bang your wolves.”

Four matching growls rumble around the table.

“Tell her not to worry, we’ll bring you enough pleasure she won’t even remember wanting to have sex.” Everett winks at me, running his hand over his jaw, his thoughts obviously down in a gutter.

“So our wolves won’t mate?” I ask Carter, the reasonable one of the group.

His eyes are hooded, making me rethink the last thought, and he takes a second to answer. “No, they won’t. We only have sex in our human forms.”

Oh thank god.

“There’s the matter of the ritual,” Brayden says, shoving his empty plate away. “We should do it before the full moon, it’ll make us all stronger.”

Draco nods. “I like this plan.”

“I agree,” Everett says.

Carter glances at his friends, then slides his gaze to Adler. “It’s not our choice.”

Dropping the mental wall between us, Joan gasps.Oh, woman, if you say no, I will find a way to murder you.

If you kill me, don’t you die too, Joan?

Semantics.She replaces the wall, still mad about my comment, and leaves me to my own devices. She didn’t even explain what the ritual entails.

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