Epilogue
Cassie was so nervous, her stomach rumbled. This was it, the day of reckoning, the day her future would be voted on by a bunch of egotistical bigots. Well, okay, that wasn’t fair. Not all of them were bad. Since she’d moved to the estate, she’d spent a bit of time with each enforcer. Some of them were nice enough. Like calm, tranquil Josiah.
Then there were others, like Reed, who seemed to hate her. But then she’d known spending time with him was going to be difficult. She understood he was simply trying to look out for his brother. She hoped, given time, he’d see they both wanted what was best for Jay.
Cooper had decreed that this vote take place after she’d lived with the pack for a fortnight, both to give the enforcers a chance to get to know her and to give Cassie an idea of what living with the pack was like.
Cooper had put out feelers to some of the other packs about Brynn. He had the whole pack on high alert, keeping watch for him. Of course, they were already on high alert. They still hadn’t found the werewolf who had bombed the shop or put the rattler in Laney’s car. There had been no other attacks or threats, but everyone was tense, on edge, waiting for what would come next.
So far, Cassie hadn’t been able to find anyone who remembered her father. She shouldn’t be surprised, really. He’d probably been a one-night stand of her mother’s. But if that was the case, she wondered how Brynn had found her. It made her wonder if he’d made it all up if he’d been messing with her for some reason she had yet to figure out.
Most of the pack treated her civilly, but it was a distant sort of politeness. She certainly didn’t feel as if she were part of their community. Laney told her that everyone was waiting for the outcome of the vote, that things would be better once she’d won her petition to become an honorary packmate.
This was where Jay was meant to be. As soon as he’d gotten back to the estate, he’d relaxed. This was his place. Cassie prayed the vote would go in their favor.
Standing here on display while others voted on her future was a nightmare for her. Trying hard not to shake, she attempted to concentrate on Cooper, on his calm, deep voice as he spoke to those in the room. Everyone remained silent, giving him the respect he was due.
Jay pulled her close, tucking her under his arm as Cooper got to the point. “So now you will all cast a vote on whether to accept Cassidy Callington as an honorary member of the pack. Jay will abstain. When I call your name, tell me your decision.”
Cassie already knew how this would go. Jay wasn’t happy, but he’d agreed that he couldn’t vote. Each enforcer got a vote. Laney didn’t vote, much to her annoyance and Cooper wouldn’t vote unless there was a tie.
“Devon?” Cooper asked.
“Yes,” she spoke firmly, winking at Cassie who managed a small smile back.
“Marcus?”
“No.”
Laney turned to glare at her middle brother, but Cassie had expected nothing else. She knew the bald, grouchy enforcer didn’t like her. It was the first thing he’d said to her when she’d moved onto the estate.
“Tina?” Cooper asked the tall, dark-haired enforcer.
“I vote no.” No surprises there either.
“Jesse?”
“I vote no.” His green eyes couldn’t meet hers, and she knew who was really casting the vote. His bitchy wife, Samantha.
“Josiah?”
“I vote yes.”
Cassie stared at him, startled, and he smiled at her.
“That’s three nos, two yes. Cain?”
The quiet enforcer turned to look at her.
“I vote yes.”
Well, that was a shock. She didn’t think he’d said more than three words to her.
“Even votes. Reed?”
“I vote no.”
“Dusty?”
Cassie held herself still. Don’t cry, don’t cry, she told herself. She had no idea how Dusty would vote.
Dusty’s grin was full of trouble. Very slowly she spoke. “I vote…,” dramatic pause, “yes.”
“Oh, dear God,” Cassie whispered, her knees weakening to the point of collapse. Luckily, Jay’s possessive arm held her upright.
“A tie. Well, it looks like I have the deciding vote,” Cooper spoke calmly.
Cassie didn’t dare look up.
“Welcome to the pack, Cassie.”
* * * * *
“That went well, didn’t it?”
Cassie jumped as Dusty drove her wheelchair out onto the small deck of the cabin. Cassie had wandered out here, needing some fresh air and space from the celebration—commiseration for some—going on inside.
“How on earth do you manage to be so quiet in that contraption?” she snapped.
Dusty grinned. “You owe me.”
“What?” Cassie narrowed her eyes down at the other woman suspiciously.
“I voted for you, now you have to do something for me. I need to know what the ‘B’ stands for.”
“Man, you’re persistent, aren’t you? Why do you have to know?”
“Because it’s my job to know.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means just that. It’s my job. I’m the pack interrogator. I ferret out the truth.”
Interrogator? Cassie guessed it made sense. People probably told her things to get her to leave them alone.
“Does Jay have a job?”
The werewolf grinned, showing off pristine white canines. “How badly do you want to know?”
Cassie folded her arms. “I could just ask him.”
“You could.” Dusty held out an arm to prevent her from leaving the deck. “But you don’t want to go back in there. Stay here until Jay comes out.”
“What? Why?” Cassie asked, alarmed.
“Nothing major, Cooper’s giving a lecture about treating you well, as one of us but gentler. You know, because you’re such a fragile, breakable little thing and all.”
“Bet that’s going down well,” Cassie grumbled.
“Like a cat choking on a fur ball,” Dusty replied cheerfully.
“Why aren’t you in there?”
Dusty’s grin wiped clean off her face. “Well, I’m not an enforcer, at the moment, am I?”
“Yes, you are. You got a vote.”
Dusty shrugged. “Jay’s now third in command.”
“Really? Wow. Who used to be third?”
“Justin,” Dusty snarled.
“Cassie!”
Cassie looked over as Laney appeared on the porch, Cooper close behind her.
“I can’t believe you’re going to live here. I’m so happy.” Laney threw her arms around Cassie, squeezing tight. Cassie felt her insides melt a little. The rejection from some of the enforcers had hurt, even though she’d known it was coming. But Laney’s pure joy soothed some of that wound.
Cooper came forward, and Laney moved aside so he could take Cassie’s hands in his. He squeezed lightly as she held her breath. “Cassie, let me offer you a more personal welcome to the Shadowpeak pack. There will be a ceremony in a week, welcoming you formally into the fold. It’s a good excuse to invite the other packs here, and I hope that bastard who bombed your shop is arrogant enough to come. But for now,” he leaned down and kissed her on each cheek, “please know that my mate and I are pleased you are part of our pack and our family.” He let her go.
“Thank you.” She bit her lip. “I hope I haven’t caused too many problems.”
He drew Laney under the shelter of his large arm, dwarfing her tiny frame. “Actually, I think having you join the pack is an extremely positive move,” he replied, surprising her.
“You wouldn’t know it from the miserable faces in there.” She slammed a hand over her mouth. But he merely chuckled.
“Zachary liked us to keep to ourselves as much as possible,” Dusty explained. “We never had much to do with humans until Cooper came along and pushed us out into the real world. It’s ignorance, not hate.”
“So, you see, Cassie. Their reactions showed me who I need to concentrate on and watch. Who requires a bit more exposure to the outside world. Having you around will be a good thing for us. For you, I’m not so sure. You sure you can handle this?” Cooper asked seriously. Cassie gazed up at him. Straightening her shoulders, she nodded.
He smiled approvingly. “Good. We’re leaving early, I’m afraid. Laney is tired. We’ll bid you both good night.”
Laney glared up at Cooper, whacking him lightly on the chest. “I’m fine, Coop,” she complained. “You’re being overprotective.”
Cassie peered closely at Laney for the first time. She’d been too focused on herself to see it before, but Laney was looking exhausted. She was pale and had large, dark circles under her eyes.
“Laney?” she asked in concern.
Laney waved a hand at her in dismissal. “I’m fine. Come on, then.” She pulled at Cooper’s hand, trying to tug him along. Instead, he swooped her up against his chest, carrying her as he walked toward their house.
Cassie turned to Dusty, frowning. “Is Laney unwell?”
Dusty grinned. “Yep, apparently, morning sickness is a real bitch.”
“She’s pregnant?” Cassie turned to take off after her friend, wishing to congratulate her, but Dusty grabbed her hand.
“Yes, she is. But you’ve got to act surprised when she tells you,” Dusty warned her.
Cassie relaxed, nodding.
“Now, back to you owing me.”
Cassie let out a breath of impatience. “Come on, Dusty, aren’t you sick of this?”
“Nope.” The other woman gazed up at her, looking as gorgeous as always, even injured and in a wheelchair. “I have to know. I’ve been wondering for weeks now, all through my operations. Tell me.”
“Fine,” Cassie glared down at her. “But swear you won’t tell anyone else.”
“I swear.”
“Ahem.”
Cassie spun as someone cleared their throat behind her. She noticed Dusty didn’t even flinch. Rotten werewolf had known someone was behind them all along.
“Perhaps this is a good time to let you know we’re here.”
She smiled as Jay stepped out and hugged her, his chin coming to rest on the top of her head.
“Although I must admit, I’d like to know the answer.”
“I’ll go back inside,” Cain spoke up from the doorway.
“No, stay.” She was pretty sure he wouldn’t go blabbing to others. She stepped back, out of Jay’s arms.
“I’ll tell you, but none of you can laugh, okay?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Dusty said impatiently. “Just spill.”
“It’s Buttercup.”
They went silent and still as if waiting for her to laugh. She sighed.
“It’s no joke. My full name is Buttercup Cassidy Callington.”
“But why would your mother do that?” Dusty asked, clearly aghast.
“The Princess Bride.” Surprisingly, it was Cain who spoke up. He grinned at her, the first smile she’d seen from him. “She named you after a feisty, unique, and beautiful heroine.”
Cassie gaped at him in disbelief.
“Really?” Dusty said doubtfully. “You’ve seen it?” she asked Cain suspiciously as he wheeled her off the deck. Cain was the only person Cassie had ever seen wheeling Dusty around. She refused to let anyone else touch her chair.
“Yep. Maybe we could watch it together some time.”
“Hmm, maybe.”
Jay was grinning as he turned to Cassie. “Is it my imagination, or did those two really make a date to watch The Princess Bride?” he asked her.
She laughed. “Well, you know what they say.”
“No? What’s that?”
“For every obnoxious, irritating person there’s a patient, stoic man just waiting to sweep her off her feet.”
“Ahh, so that’s what they say, is it?”
“Yeah, that, or she wants to watch it so she can find something else to tease me about.”
He laughed before stealing her mouth for a kiss.
“Let’s get out of here, aye?”
She arched an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t be running away from your own party, would you?”
He swept her up in his arms. “Not so much running from, but running to. You’re all I need to celebrate because you are the reason I’m celebrating.”
“Well then, let’s go home and have a party for two.”
“As you wish.”
Thanks so much for reading Sinfully Sweet Wolf. Don’t forget to check out my other books.
Read on for an excerpt from Devilishly Good, coming June 2017