Page 92 of Wolves of the Rising Moon

“Jonah and I. Over the last few months, while we were busy with patrolling and logging stuff, we spent time every day building this.” He walks up the stone steps to the front door and opens it, picks me off the ground, and carries me over the threshold.

“We knew it would be hard for you to move out of the healer’s cottage, so we thought we would sweeten the deal with a big house.”

I rub my arms with excitement. I love it, I really do. But I can’t help wondering. “Where did the money come from?”

“There was always a small fund for the Pack Alpha to build himself and his family a large home. Considering you keep collecting men, I might have to add-on to it, but for now, it’ll suit all our needs.”

“Do you think the other pack members will mind?” I ask.

“Mind? Why? We’re doing them a favor by not staying in pack housing. You’re not exactly quiet when…”

I smack him lightly on the pec. “Hey! OK. You’ve made your point.”

“Now there’s one more thing we need to talk about,” he says and sets me on the ground in the middle of my new empty living room with enough space for all of us.

“I was wondering if we were going to or if we were pretending like it didn’t happen.”

Rafe shakes his head, running a hand through his sandy hair. “That’s not how I work, Will. I need you to promise me something, OK?”

I tense, unsure. I don’t like making promises before I know what they are.

“What?” I ask, hedging.

“However many more men you decide to claim as your own little pack of misfits, I need to know I will always be your head dick.”

I giggle at the phrasing.

“I’m serious, Willa. You’re my first and only love. I know I can’t be the only one for you, but I need to be something. I’m the Alpha of your dick menagerie. Got it?”

“I mean, technically, Drago is stronger than—”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m not doing a very good job explaining this.”

“I’m sorry. Just tell me what you need and I’ll do my best.”

Rafe nods. “I shouldn’t have left you for so long, and I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry I worried you. I needed time to think about how I can make this situation work.”

I nod along. “Of course. I’m not mad. I shouldn’t have let you walk in on that.”

“That’s the thing. I don’t want you sneaking around to be with your mates, either. So I think the most logical compromise is for me to always be there. Not necessarily partaking, but I never want to feel like that again, Willa. I was totally blindsided walking in on you two, cuddling and naked in bed like that.”

“I’m so sorry, and I never meant to hurt you, Rafe. I don’t know how to do this, so I need you to tell me what’s not working and what is, OK?”

He nods. “Can you do the same? I asked you before not to be with Jonah without me, but the same goes for Drago and anyone else. Alright?”

“OK. I can do that.”

Rafe lets out a long sigh and scoops me up in his arms. “Good. Now, I have one more surprise.”

I instantly perk up. I fuckinglovesurprises. “You do?”

“Yup. Come with me.”

I follow Rafe through the house and out the back door—I have a back door now—to a small cement patio with steps off the side that lead to…

“Oh my god! You got me a hot tub!”

“I got us a hot tub. Technically, it’s communal and open to all pack members. There’s a sign-up sheet in the dining hall and everything.”

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