The Wolf Marshal's Pack (U.S. Marshal Shifters 3)
It was a version of home with romance suffused through it, like the chocolate through the devil’s food cake. It was a version of herself that she had never known before, and she thought Mattie was right. Being herself was enough.
Epilogue
Ben Clarke had very strong feelings about backyard cookouts, as it turned out. Colby was tempted to turn the whole grill over to him, but his self-respect was on the line here. Perfectly chargrilling these burgers was probably the modern equivalent of being able to hunt properly for his mate and her cub.
Their cub. Kid.
His brain was going ultra-wolf on him. His manhood was on the line here.
...Okay, that was pushing it a little too far. His manhood was fine. But he liked doing things right, and since this whole “moving in together” cookout had been his idea in the first place, he figured he owed the party his hard labor.
“You got the portobellos for the vegetarians, right?” Ben said. “You put those way on the other side of the grill so they don’t get any of the grease from the meat. Now, the burgers, you gotta make sure to salt those before you start grilling them. It’s not as good if you do it afterwards.” He paused, a hamburger patty still balanced on his outstretched spatula. “You ever eat raw meat?”
Colby blinked. “What, like steak tartare? Sushi?”
“No, I mean...” He lowered his voice. “When you’re all Twilight.”
“Most men your age go for Teen Wolf or An American Werewolf in London,” Colby said, laughing. “Or, I don’t know—The Howling. The Wolf Man.”
“That Twilight lady’s a good storyteller,” Ben said, unruffled by this. “And should you be yelling ‘werewolf’ all over the place?”
Colby shrugged. “Everybody here knows already.”
He salted the burger on Ben’s spatula, took the spatula from his hand, and flipped the patty onto the grill, where it made an appealing hissing sound.
Man discovers fire. Man discovers grill. Man discovers family.
Wolf discovers pack.
I already knew we had a pack, his wolf said complac
ently. When do we eat? The smell is delicious.
Soon. Down, boy.
“Anyway,” he said, “when I’m on all fours... yeah, sometimes. I know it seems gross, but it’s just part of the whole deal.”
“No,” Ben said, rubbing at his chin and the prickle of salt and pepper whiskers there. “I think I understand. Gotta let the beast off the leash every now and then. You take that kid hunting?”
He meant Luke. Colby nodded. “A couple times a month. More running than hunting, though, generally—I just drive us out to the preserve and let him burn off some energy.”
“Wish I could have done that at his age.” Ben considered the point further. “Well, I guess I could have run track. Maybe running’s running.”
Colby shook his head, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face just at the thought of sprinting through the forest, surrounded by dense smells and endless excitement. “Doesn’t even compare.”
“Show-off,” Ben said good-naturedly, elbowing him. “And flip those right there, it’s getting to be time for it.”
He flipped.
Aria came up behind him and slipped her arms around his waist, nuzzling into his back. The scent of her filled his nose, wild and intoxicating.
“What are you two talking about?”
“Running. And whether or not I eat raw meat when I’m a wolf.”
“Dad, don’t ask questions like that.”
“He’s a werewolf,” Ben said. “I’m not allowed to be curious?”