conversation and dinnerware clinking. Dean hefted a huge pan of brisket into the kitchen while Rachel and Brent talked animatedly to Mom as they set up a buffet style line of side dishes.
“Mom! I didn’t know you were here already,” she said with a hug.
Her green eyes, much like Morgan’s own, lit up over a beatific smile. The light from the rustic chandelier above illuminated a hundred hues of gray in her hair. “Oh yes. I got here a while ago and I’ve been getting to know your new friends. Delightful people, honey.”
Morgan bit her bottom lip. If only she knew she was talking to a bunch of werewolves, she’d crap herself. Mom was more of a cat person.
Grey walked with a soft foot, but she had been listening for him. “Mom, this is Grey. Grey…this is my mom, Hannah.”
Mom turned wide eyes to his chest, and they got wider when she looked up to the full height of her future son-in-law. “Good lord, but they made you a big one.”
He laughed, chin tilted back until the cords of muscle in his throat stretched. His smile was relaxed and genuine when he lowered his gaze back to Mom. “Got my height from my dad’s side, ma’am.”
“Oh, none of that ma’am crap. Call me Hannah, please.” She held out her hand daintily for him to shake in true southern belle fashion. He would realize soon enough Mom was a spitfire with a mouth to match.
True to form, Mom finagled her way into sitting right next to Grey on the front porch. She’d always been admittedly enamored with big men, and they talked easily about how Lana was settling in here. Mom didn’t even seem to mind the sunglasses he wore, though the evening light had waned. Strands of white lights lit up the coming night and tiki torches were posted at every corner, casting glowing shadows across everyone’s faces. The murmur of conversation battled the cicadas that sang their evening song.
Lana crawled into his lap, and he adjusted her onto his leg without losing a step in his conversation. Mom’s face lit up, and Morgan swelled with pride.
“I love that you have taken responsibility for your sister as well, Greyson,” she told him. Her words nearly hummed with approval as they spilled from her smiling lips.
Grey coughed and Morgan leaned forward. “Yes, Marissa is adjusting so well to the new house,” she clarified before he asked what sister .
Recovering, he ruffled Marissa’s hair. “She’s a pretty good kid most of the time.”
The kid he spoke of rolled her eyes and stabbed another slab of brisket into her pie hole. “Please. I’m the best little sister you could have ever hoped for.”
The change in Grey was immediate. He was smiling, laughing, and charming one moment, and the next, he looked dangerous with his focus trained on the road. Just that flick of his attention did something awful to her insides. Dread slammed into her as the others turned toward the driveway one by one. Then she heard it as well. A car engine. Morgan couldn’t look away from her mate’s unabridged focus. He was frozen like a sculpture of a battle ready warrior in some lovely garden.
As the conversation stalled, Mom frowned and looked from face to face.
Dean threw Grey a loaded look. Morgan’s heart pounded as Grey slid his hand across her thigh. Time to move.
“Hannah,” Rachel said. “Have you had a tour of the entire house yet?”
She looked baffled but took the bait well enough. “No. I’ve only seen the kitchen and living area.”
“I think I need to take Lana in anyway. The mosquitoes are getting bad,” Morgan said, swatting at an imaginary bug. “They’re eating me alive.”
Brent, the Dallas pack’s most submissive wolf, plucked Lana skillfully out of Grey’s lap and said, “Come on baby girl. Let’s go show grandma what you’ve been drawing.”
Grey nodded his thanks and set his gaze back on the road.
When most had gone back inside, Morgan clenched and unclenched her hands to calm her panic. “This was supposed to be a
“Mom! I didn’t know you were here already,” she said with a hug.
Her green eyes, much like Morgan’s own, lit up over a beatific smile. The light from the rustic chandelier above illuminated a hundred hues of gray in her hair. “Oh yes. I got here a while ago and I’ve been getting to know your new friends. Delightful people, honey.”
Morgan bit her bottom lip. If only she knew she was talking to a bunch of werewolves, she’d crap herself. Mom was more of a cat person.
Grey walked with a soft foot, but she had been listening for him. “Mom, this is Grey. Grey…this is my mom, Hannah.”
Mom turned wide eyes to his chest, and they got wider when she looked up to the full height of her future son-in-law. “Good lord, but they made you a big one.”
He laughed, chin tilted back until the cords of muscle in his throat stretched. His smile was relaxed and genuine when he lowered his gaze back to Mom. “Got my height from my dad’s side, ma’am.”
“Oh, none of that ma’am crap. Call me Hannah, please.” She held out her hand daintily for him to shake in true southern belle fashion. He would realize soon enough Mom was a spitfire with a mouth to match.
True to form, Mom finagled her way into sitting right next to Grey on the front porch. She’d always been admittedly enamored with big men, and they talked easily about how Lana was settling in here. Mom didn’t even seem to mind the sunglasses he wore, though the evening light had waned. Strands of white lights lit up the coming night and tiki torches were posted at every corner, casting glowing shadows across everyone’s faces. The murmur of conversation battled the cicadas that sang their evening song.
Lana crawled into his lap, and he adjusted her onto his leg without losing a step in his conversation. Mom’s face lit up, and Morgan swelled with pride.
“I love that you have taken responsibility for your sister as well, Greyson,” she told him. Her words nearly hummed with approval as they spilled from her smiling lips.
Grey coughed and Morgan leaned forward. “Yes, Marissa is adjusting so well to the new house,” she clarified before he asked what sister .
Recovering, he ruffled Marissa’s hair. “She’s a pretty good kid most of the time.”
The kid he spoke of rolled her eyes and stabbed another slab of brisket into her pie hole. “Please. I’m the best little sister you could have ever hoped for.”
The change in Grey was immediate. He was smiling, laughing, and charming one moment, and the next, he looked dangerous with his focus trained on the road. Just that flick of his attention did something awful to her insides. Dread slammed into her as the others turned toward the driveway one by one. Then she heard it as well. A car engine. Morgan couldn’t look away from her mate’s unabridged focus. He was frozen like a sculpture of a battle ready warrior in some lovely garden.
As the conversation stalled, Mom frowned and looked from face to face.
Dean threw Grey a loaded look. Morgan’s heart pounded as Grey slid his hand across her thigh. Time to move.
“Hannah,” Rachel said. “Have you had a tour of the entire house yet?”
She looked baffled but took the bait well enough. “No. I’ve only seen the kitchen and living area.”
“I think I need to take Lana in anyway. The mosquitoes are getting bad,” Morgan said, swatting at an imaginary bug. “They’re eating me alive.”
Brent, the Dallas pack’s most submissive wolf, plucked Lana skillfully out of Grey’s lap and said, “Come on baby girl. Let’s go show grandma what you’ve been drawing.”
Grey nodded his thanks and set his gaze back on the road.
When most had gone back inside, Morgan clenched and unclenched her hands to calm her panic. “This was supposed to be a
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