Page 24 of She Wolf

“I mean we go look for a house, rent it, and then we paint it however we want.”

I kiss him on the forehead, trying to be as breezy as I can. Like it’s no big deal. Even though it’s huge.

“You can keep this room, just the way it is, and you can have another room, that you decorate however you want, but it will be our house.”

He twists his little face up. “But I can come back here whenever I want and sleep sometimes? And the pool? What about the pool and watching movies? Mom, I don’t know about this.”

I laugh. “Are you kidding me? Your uncle Casey will have you here loads. We’ll come for movie nights and days in the pool all the time. You know…” I let my words trail off to build excitement, “I even bet that sometimes Casey and the boys would have you over for a guy day.”

He sits up a little. “Do you mean, like, no girls allowed?”

“That is exactly what I’m saying.”

He starts nodding. “Okay, I like this. Do you think Casey would get me a painting of a Wolf in my new room?”

I smile and nod. “Buddy, I would bet my life on it.”

He kicks his little legs and claps his hands. “Okay then, I’m ready for our new adventure.”

This went better than I thought it would. We read one of his shorter stories and then I leave his room.

“You’re really going?” Casey is waiting just outside Jack’s bedroom.

“I am. I mean, we are. Come on Case, I know you want Anna to move in.”

He nods and scrubs his hands down his face. “Okay. I will help you move out. I won’t try to give you any money, at all.”

I nod too. I’ve never wanted his money. “I will, however, come to meet landlords with you, or Dad will, Knox or Gunner, hell, I might even send Callan.” We both laugh and he carries on. “I want to check out neighborhoods and get Jack whatever he wants for his room.” He motions to Jack's bedroom door, and I smile.

“Deal.” He pulls me in for a big bear hug.

“We feel like we failed you,” he whispers into my hair. “And we just want you close so we can protect you. Knox, he just lets his emotions get the better of him, you know that. He’s all sad-faced and sulky down there. He wants to help not hinder. We all do.”

“Oh, Case, you’re the best big brother any of us could have wished for.” My words make him puff out his chest,

“Yeah, I am,” he kisses the top of my head, and we make our way back downstairs to the den. He scoops Anna up and takes her spot in front of the TV, placing her down in his lap.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you Coralie,” Knox says from the corner of the giant grey sofa. His eyes are fixed on someone else’s hockey game, so I plonk myself down next to him and let my head fall onto his boulder shoulder.

“That’s okay Ace, but it is happening.”

“I know, I know.” He rubs my leg so hard it burns then he gives it a couple of hard

slaps making me screech in pain.

“Now come on let’s watch these pussies get crushed.”

He pulls me even closer to him on the couch and I spend the rest of the evening

watching hockey with my brothers while they talk strategy for their upcoming game.

Chapter Five

Gunner

Qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs is what the team all live for. It means that without a shadow of a doubt, we have a shot at the cup. We play four rounds of best-of-seven, through an elimination process, and I. Am. Ready. The team is on fire, and I feel like I’m finally free of the shackles that were last season. We’ll face Tampa tonight in our house for games one, two, five, and seven but I’m hoping we win the series in as few games as possible.

Our left winger Korhonen, the poor bastard, is missing it all. Since taking a seriously hard hit a few months ago, he's been out of the game. Casey and I have been to see him a few times and the rest of the team have all sent texts, but rehab is a grueling process and it's clear he's missing the game. Add that to concussion protocol and well, miserable doesn’t even cut it.

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