By Hook or by Wolf

And why do I get the feeling that I’m missing something important?

“Yes,” I say slowly. Natasha turns and looks at each of my brothers in turn.

“And you,” she says. “You’re the middle son,” she looks pointedly at Cody.

“Yes,” he agrees. He, too, is looking at Natasha like she’s something special, someone special. How interesting. It’s not uncommon for brothers to share a wolf mate. I wonder if my brother is feeling the same connection to Natasha that I am.

Is his wolf calling out to her?

Is he thinking that she could be the mate to bear his pups?

“And the littlest brother,” Natasha finally looks at Trevor. Trevor, the youngest brother, who has been hurt so deeply. Trevor looks at Natasha. He stands perfectly still, but somehow, she still seems to see right through him.

“I am,” he says.

“How did you know all of this?” I ask, shaking my head to break her spell.

Natasha ignores me, though, and turns back to my mother.

“You tricked me,” she says angrily.

“I did no such thing,” Mother insists.

“You own the Gem of Malice,” she tells my mother.

My mother looks sheepish.

“Wait, what? What’s this all about?” Cody asks, stepping forward.

“Emily Bright,” Natasha says. “Hired me to steal the Gem of Malice. She told me that it was a family heirloom. She said it was something that had been stolen from her long ago,” Natasha shakes her head like she can’t believe it.

So that’s what she was doing?

She broke in to steal my mother’s gem for my mother?

“Emily Bright is your maiden name,” I say to my mother, who nods.

“Why would you have me do that?” Natasha asks, and to my surprise, she looks genuinely upset. “You know I only recover goods that have been previously stolen. If you wanted your gem, you should have asked your sons. I’m sure they would have been happy to help you.”

“It’s not like that,” my mother says, but Natasha shakes her head. Then she reaches in her bag and pulls out our portraits.

Wait, so she stole them, only to bring them back?

“These are yours,” Natasha says. “When I realized who you were, that you owned the gem, I was angry. I grabbed some pictures off the wall because I thought they weren’t important. I was wrong,” she says. “My daughter discovered the sapphires in the frames this morning. I though it prudent to bring them back.”

An honorable thief.

How unusual.

“I trust you won’t be pressing charges,” Natasha continues. “Seeing as how you’re the one who hired me in the first place.”

Then she turns and leaves, entering the elevator and jabbing in the code to go back downstairs.

Somehow, this woman seems completely in control of everything: herself, the world.

As soon as the doors close, my inner-wolf goes nuts. Seriously. It’s all I can do to keep from coming apart. Cody and Trevor each look like they’ve been hit by a bus of some sort. I can’t tell exactly what they’re feeling, but I have a pretty good idea.

She’s our mate.