Page 12 of Rejected Wolf's Secret Baby (Rejected Moons 4)

“I didn’t know you were a mechanic.”

“Strictly amateur. Self-taught.” I grin.

“I might have to get you to take a look at my car while I’m—while I’m home.” She seems to stumble over the word.

“So you’re coming back to the pack?” I glance over her shoulder. The car is full of luggage. It looks like sheisplanning on staying for a while.

Alicia frowns and moves to block my view, which is weird. I wonder why she doesn’t want me to see her suitcases. “For now,” she says evasively.

“That’s cool,” I say. “Maybe we can go for drinks and catch up.”

I leave my wording purposefully vague, because I don’t know what kind of catching up Alicia might be up for. I would absolutely be game for another roll in the sack if she was, but I don’t want her to think I’m the kind of creep who’s pushing for that two minutes into a conversation outside of a gas station. I do havesomemoves.

“Maybe,” she says. “I’m going to be pretty busy, I think, taking care of my dad. I guess you know he isn’t doing so well.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say, rolling with the conversational pivot. “Everyone’s doing their best to help out these days. Your dad’s a very popular alpha.”

She nods. “I should get over there,” she says. “They’re waiting for me.”

But she makes no move to get in the car. Again, I get the feeling she’s trying to stop me from seeing inside.

What a weird thing to do. What does she think is going to happen if I see her suitcases? She’s already told me she’s coming back.

Whatever. It’s clear something about this is making her uncomfortable, and that’s not anything I want to do. I’ll give her her space for now. We’re going to have plenty of time to catch up now that she’s coming back to the pack.

And I can’t fucking wait.

Already, I’m making plans in my mind. How I can see her. How I can arrange to talk to her, maybe even get her alone. And then…

Oh, hell. I need to calm myself down. Whatever we do, it’s not happening right now. Maybe I need to go for a run and cool off.

I back away from her car and lift a hand in farewell. “See you at the homestead,” I say.

She nods. I see her relax a little the moment before I turn away.

I wonder what that was all about.

Maybe she’s just tense about her father. That would make sense.

I get in my truck and pull out of the gas station parking lot. When I glance in my rearview mirror, she’s still just standing there, as if she’s waiting for the right moment to open the car door.

7

ALICIA

Idriveslowlyupthe dirt path to my father’s house, my heart still pounding from my encounter with Brandon. I wasn’t expecting him to look that good. The years had been kind to him, and his muscles were just as taught as they day I left. Seeing him had been harder than I thought it would be. I wanted to stay distant from him, but my inner wolf was growling for his body just the same.

He didn’t see Emmy. I’m almost positive he didn’t. I need to make sure it stays that way.

Bringing her back here means that some people are going to have to be let in on the secret. My family is going to know.

But I don’t want the pack at large to know about Emmy, because they’ll think my baby is one of them. I mean, sheisone of them, in a way—she’s definitely got a lot of wolf in her—but she’s not going to be a permanent member of this pack. We’re here for now, but we’re going home eventually. Back to the human world. Both of us.

And I especially don’t want Brandon to know.

She’s just over two years old, and if he does the math—and the math is not that difficult to do—he might just figure out who her father is.

What if they met each other, and then they were separated again? I can’t let Emmy get hurt like that.

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