Jared

I squeeze Angelina’s hand as we walk up the drive to her parents’ house for their cocktail party. Angelina didn’t want to go at all. I think she wanted to punish her parents for not accepting me, but I insisted she go.

She insisted on bringing me. I guess it’s her fuck you to her parents. But I put on a button down shirt and a pair of khakis and did my best to look respectable. Angelina’s my girl. I’m going to have to figure out how to get along with her parents. Because I’m not going to have my girl go through her life with discomfort and tension over her choice of partners.

She pushes the door open without knocking and we go in. The place is huge and nicely appointed. Very foothills. Pretty sure I can smell a pool out back. Angelina tugs me toward the kitchen where there’s a bartender standing behind the breakfast counter, ready to serve.

“Beer?” I ask doubtfully, not sure what to expect. Maybe they only drink champagne at these soirees.

The bartender rattles off some choices and I pick an India pale ale.

“Angelina!” Her mom spots us. Angelina told her parents she was bringing me, so I don’t see signs of shock, but her mom’s face is tight.

I step forward and hold out my hand. “Jared Johnson.”

Her mom looks flustered for a moment, then shakes my palm, blushing. “Delia. Nice to meet you.” She turns to Angelina and says in a low voice, “I think he just arrived.”

Angelina presses her lips together and steps into my side. I loop an arm around her protectively.

I don’t know who he is, or why it should make Angelina tense, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.

The front door opens and Delia bolts for it. Her husband also jogs in that direction. A broad-shouldered man ushers a beautiful brunette in and I have to turn away to keep from laughing.

It seems the guest of honor is Jackson King.

Richest wolf in the country. Good friend of the pack.

Angelina looks up at me quizzically and I lead her to the foyer. Her father has arrived and pumps Jackson’s hand. It seems like he’s purposely positioned himself to block me. I suppose he thinks I’m going to embarrass him. Maybe start a brawl. I can’t really blame the guy.

Jackson’s mate Kylie peeks around the side of Delia. “Jared!”

I grin and fold her in my arms, laughing my ass off as Angelina’s parents stop their ass-kissing and stare.

Jackson comes in next for a man hug, complete with back thump.

“Jackson and Kylie, this is my girl, Angelina Baker. Angel, remember the cabin I took you to on Mt. Lemmon? Jackson was the friend who was kind enough to let us use it.”

I ignore her parents’ gapes, but Angelina doesn’t. She shoots them a did you hear that? look.

Jackson’s nostrils flare and I know he’s scenting me on Angelina, realizing I’ve marked her. “Well chosen,” he murmurs to us both as he shakes Angelina’s hand. Angelina beams, tucking herself up against my side.

“Well, uh… you two know each other?” Angelina’s dad can’t make sense of it. He stares from one of us to the next.

“Sure.”

“How?” Leave it to him to come right out and ask.

I hesitate, but Kylie says sweetly, “Jackson’s part of Jared’s fight club.”

I choke on my beer and Angelina has to cover her grin.

Even Jackson, who is the most stoic of wolves has to clear his throat. “Yes.” He’s known for monosyllabic answers, so I figure the one word is the highest endorsement I’ll get from him. Still, it’s enough.

Angelina’s dad cocks his head. “No… not really?”

“Yes,” Jackson, Kylie and I answer in unison.

“Speaking of which—we want to talk to you about the trouble you had over there. See if there’s anything we can do to help,” Kylie says meaningfully. She and Jackson are both infosecurity geniuses, but Kylie is probably the best hacker in the world. She’s been helping to unravel the weird shit that our pack member Sam uncovered with Data-X before he blew up their labs. I think she helped Parker, Declan, and Laurie with new IDs.

Garrett would’ve filled her and Jackson in on the shakedown I received from the mysterious government agent last week, but they probably want to hear it straight from me.

I nod. “Sure. Thanks, I appreciate that.”

“Well, how about if I get you a drink and we can talk shop a bit?” Angelina’s dad attempts.

“Later,” Jackson says. “I’m going to catch up with Jared first.”

Jackson’s always blunt. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s hard to say if this is just him or if he’s purposely dissing Angelina’s dad, but I’m going with dissing because it makes me chuckle.

Jackson lifts his chin in the direction of the door that leads to the patio.

“I’ll get your drinks,” Angelina offers, making her mother beam with pride.

A few minutes later, the four of us are settled on patio furniture looking over the pool. I launch right into it. “The agent was a wolf. Or at least part wolf. I couldn’t figure out how he got into the warehouse until I smelled him. I don’t know if he’s another experiment subject like Parker’s gang. He doesn’t even seem to know about the shifter part, so I’m guessing he’s never met his animal. He asked about the explosions. Tried to hurt me to get my eyes to change color.”

Angelina stares at me with wide concerned eyes and I realize there’s so much she still doesn’t know. I reach for her and pull her onto my lap. “I’m sorry, you don’t know about any of this yet, baby. There’s a very long pack backstory that I’ll fill you in on when we get home, okay? Just know most of it doesn’t involve me.”

“Okay.” She leans into me, the soft waves of her hair brushing my face, her vanilla scent growing straight to my dick. I gotta get my girl alone soon. Enough business talk.

“I ran his information—had to hack a lot of databases to get it. He’s a ghost. There’s hardly anything on him,” Kylie reports. “I can share with you what I have.”

I shrug. “Yeah. He might be trouble. I don’t think I’m a particular target except that I was the one who let his abilities show during that fight. If this was about breaking laws, they would’ve picked up Parker and the other bookies.”

“Agreed,” Jackson says. “What does Garrett want to do?”

“Nothing for now. He’s not even shutting down the fights. If anything, he figures it could draw this guy out. And next time, we’ll be the ones taking Dune somewhere for questioning.”

Jackson nods.

“And now for the important news.” Kylie turns to Angelina, eyes sparkling. “Congratulations on your new wolfmate.”

Angelina smiles. “Thanks.”

“I’m a cat, Jackson’s a lone wolf. I take it this is your parents’ place?”

“Yes.” She blushes. “My parents have been trying to get a meeting with Jackson for ages and they don’t approve of Jared, so you just flipped everything on its head when you said Jackson was in his fight club.”

Kylie winks. “I kinda figured it was something like that. I have instincts for these things.”

“Thank you.”

Kylie’s face softens. “Of course. I’m happy for you both.”

Angelina’s dad saunters over, so I seize the opportunity and stand up. “We’ll leave you to talk business,” I say and tug Angelina around the corner of the house.

“What are you doing?” she giggles when I press her up against the adobe brick and run my hands up inside the skirt of her sundress.

“Claiming you,” I growl. “Right in your father’s garden.” I drag my palms up her firm thighs until I hit panty.

She lifts her mouth to mine, yielding so beautifully, like she always does. She trusts me, despite the brewing pack trouble, despite the way I left her last time we were at this house. She loves me. Needs me as much as I need and love her.

I rub my knuckle over her clit and she gasps against my lips. “Tell me you want me to fuck you right here, up against this wall.” I slip a finger under the gusset of her panties and stroke her dewy slit.

“I want you to fuck me,” she breathes.

“Where?”

“Right here.”

Fuck. I can’t resist. I chase a condom out of my pocket and unzip my pants, sheathing my member for her.

She lifts one thigh and wraps it around my waist, taking my cock in her hand. When she guides it to her entrance, I shudder with anticipation, a flash of white hot need zinging at the base of my spine.

I sink slowly into her, and she wraps her other leg around my waist. I move my arms behind her back to protect her from banging against the brick because then I’m lost. I thrust mindlessly, my hard cock scything in and out of her sweet channel.

She bounces over my dick, rising up and down in my arms. She’s breathing in quick, desperate gasps. When she starts to cry out, I cover her mouth with my own, swallowing her screams.

“I need to come, I need to come, I need to come,” she breathes against my ear when I release her lips.

I want it to last forever, but for Angelina’s sake I make it quick. A few more thrusts and fireworks go off. I shove deep and come. “Now, baby,” I growl.

She comes silently, but judging by the squeezing of her thighs, her pussy around my cock, her arms tight around my neck, she came hard.

We catch our breaths together, but I’m reluctant to put her down. To pull out.

“I love my new wolfmate,” she croons, biting my ear.

“I’m so fucking proud to be your male,” I tell her. “You have no idea.”

She kisses my neck. “I think I do. You’ve always treated me like a princess.”

“Because that’s what you deserve, baby.” I lean my forehead against hers. “I love you.”

“Mmm. I love you more.”

I have to stop and breathe because my chest feels too full. There’s too much joy bouncing around, making my heart swell to an uncomfortable size.