Alpha's Vow (Shifter Ops 2)

“It's okay,” Adele says. “We've got you.”

“Yeah, Charlie,” Tabitha adds and Sadie finishes, “We're going to get through this.”

“I know he’s a player. It was just a birthday indulgence. He bought me a drink after we celebrated my birthday—we met in the parking lot. Actually, we met at the hot springs that morning—naked. And that set the stage.” I can’t resist a naughty grin that makes my friends ooh and laugh.

“So,” Tabitha says, “he must be good.”

“Really good,” I admit with a sigh. “So very good.”

“But?” Adele prompts, hearing my reluctance. She holds out the plate of cupcakes, and I take one.

“But I wanted someone stable. A homebody like me. Lance isn’t in the military anymore, but I think his job is just as dangerous—or even more so now than when he was.” I peel back the wrapper of the cupcake and take a bite. It’s perfect: moist and spongy with just the right amount of icing. The sugary sweetness melts on my tongue.

Sadie sobers. “I worry about that, too,” she admits, unwrapping her own cupcake. “But they’re strong guys.” She gives me a meaningful look. I know I’m not allowed to tell Tabitha and Adele about the pack—what they are. I don’t know how Sadie could stand it when none of us knew. At least now we can talk to each other.

I mix myself a mocktail. Adele and Tabitha spike theirs to make the real thing. “They are… but it’s still dangerous business.” I can’t stop thinking about those bullet holes in Lance. Last night, I had a nightmare that I was up at night to feed the baby, and found Lance bleeding out on my kitchen floor.

“But it does seem pretty lucrative,” Tabitha offers. “I mean, those guys bought that multimillion dollar property on the way to the ski valley for their headquarters. They must be doing well.”

I nod. “Yes, I think you’re right. Which reinforces my belief that it’s highly dangerous. Maybe not even legal.”

“It’s legal,” Sadie says staunchly. “Or at least it’s at the behest of the U.S. government.”

“Not necessarily the same thing,” I counter.

Sadie’s brow creases with worry, and I kick myself for transferring my anxieties to her. If she’s blissfully happy with her new wolf-mate, I shouldn’t poop on her party.

“So he’s all in with the pregnancy? I mean, what did he say?” Tabitha asks.

I take a long swig of my mocktail. “Yeah. He’s all in. He’s at my place every night, making sure I’ve eaten, and rubbing my feet. It’s pretty unbelievable, really.”

“So do you believe him?” Adele asks. She doesn’t sound judgmental; just like she’s trying to get the facts straight. “Is he for real?”

If it weren’t for the wolf part, I wouldn’t believe any of it. But this guy isn’t human. So that means I can’t pigeon-hole him into the box where I thought he belonged. “Yes, I think he is. And he’s not what I would’ve picked—far from it—but we have enough chemistry that I want to give it a try.”

“All right,” Tabitha says. I know she'll support me. And if Lance does ever cheat on me, she'll be the first one to egg his house, send glitter bombs to his place of work, and put sugar in his Duke's gas tank.

“What about baby names?” Sadie says. “Have you thought of any?”

I brighten. “Actually, I have.”

“Right.” Tabitha rolls her eyes. “Your perfect life plan.” She puts life plan in air quotes.

“Behave,” Adele cautions.

“It's not like her life plan is written down in a big binder with tabs color-coded by decade,” Sadie scoffs.

There's a silence as my three friends look at me.

“It’s not color-coded,” I mumble. “That's a good idea.”

Tabitha snorts.

“What?” I throw up my hands. “I like to have all my goals in one place.”

“And there's nothing wrong with that,” Adele says.

“Well, if you need help with baby names, I've got a few.” Tabitha pours some blackberry syrup into her cup, takes a sip, and smacks her lips.

“Oh do you now?” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Here we go,” Adele mutters.

“Gorgon,” Tabitha says with a straight face. “Good strong name.”

“What? No!” Sadie cries.

“Scheherazade. Another great one. Strong woman. Boudicca. Another strong warrior woman.”

“I like old-fashioned names,” I cut Tabitha off before she really gets going, but I’m grinning. “Like Opal and Jonas.”

“Boudicca is a good old-fashioned name,” Tabitha argues. “Or what about something Biblical? Like Rahab or Belshazzar.”

“Nebuchadnezzar,” Adele mutters.

“Yes.” Tabitha points at Adele. “Exactly. Nickname Nebu or Nezzar.”

“You’re not serious, Tabitha,” Sadie says, sounding unsure.

“I think Nebuchadnezzar is a great name,” Tabitha says, all innocent. I glare at her, and she grins into her glass.

“Actually, I was thinking of going with ‘J’ names,” I say sweetly.

“Oh lordy,” Adele says. “I went to school with a family. Every kid of theirs had a ‘J’ name. From Joshua to Jordan to Josiah. Thank goodness they stopped after eight kids; they'd run out of names.”