Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“Oh yes, please,” Sophie says eagerly. I can imagine it’s heartening to have such an elegant older wolf take an interest in your well-being. As a former Adalwulf defector, Catherine is the perfect person to help her adjust to her new pack. “Thank you, Alpha.”
“Don’t thank me, thank my mother. And mind what she says. Speaking of which, Noah,” Brick glares at my mate. Noah doesn’t flinch. “I’d like to offer you your job back. On the condition that you submit to punishment for the stunt you pulled at the museum.”
“Excuse me, that heist was perfect,” Esme mutters, making everyone but Brick and Noah grin–although Noah wouldn’t have heard her. I pick up a piece of cornbread and munch on it to hide my smile.
“I accept your offer, Alpha. Thank you.”
“Ugh, I was hoping you’d say no, so I could poach you,” Madi says as she signs, “I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
“Maybe I like being a Moon Co Bro.” Noah sits back and rests his arm around me.
Madi groans. “Noooooo, not you, too. That office has way too much testosterone.” She wrinkles her nose at Brick, who grins back. Brick looks more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him before, with his arm around his mate’s shoulders. Every once in a while, he drops a kiss on her shoulder. Right now, he’s resting a hand on her belly as she says, “Aster, as soon as we get back to the city, I’ll introduce you to my friend Aubrey, Billy’s mate. We can have a ladies’ night out. Esme, you’re invited too.”
“Sweet! I’m in.” Esme says.
“Excellent,” Madi says. “We can show Aster all the best spots in the city.”
“Will you work at Moon Co, too?” Oriana asks me.
Suddenly everyone is looking at me. “I don’t know,” I gulp, feeling my cheeks heat. “My skills aren’t really in the tech field.”
“I know of a psychic who runs an investment firm,” Jake says. “I’ll introduce you if you think stock market stuff might be your thing.”
I don’t really know what “stock market stuff” would entail, but that’s okay. I’ll ask Noah later. “I haven’t thought about what I want to do. I guess I’ve just never had a choice before.”
“No rush. Take your time,” Noah says, and I nod, relaxing against his arm. It’s nice knowing no matter what I decide, my mate will support me.
“My family’s always looking for help at our antique shop,” Esme says. “You’d be good at handling the artefacts, even the feisty ones. But honestly, they’re a nightmare to work with. My family, not the artefacts. Forget I said anything.”
“But you’d end up with some great stories,” Noah says.
“That is true,” Esme says, and at everyone’s prompting, launches into some of the most fur-raising stories I’ve ever heard. That goads Jake to tell another weredragon story, and then Nickel shares about his ancestors' exploits involving the royals of England and several other European countries. By the end, everyone’s lying, but we’re all laughing too hard to care.
I eat and eat and eat until I can’t eat anymore, and then I just sit back, surrounded by my mate and newfound friends and family, and just take it all in. I can see myself doing this for years, no decades to come. And that’s not a vision or a premonition. It’s just a fact.
“Thank you,” I whisper to the Grandmothers. I don’t know if I trust them fully, but I do know it’s a great gift to hear them. I’ll call on them for advice and consider what they say, but from now on, my life and my choices are my own.
And I choose Noah.
By the time the sun’s setting, Esme and the triplets are the only ones still eating.
Finally, Esme tosses the bones onto the empty platter. “All’s well that ends well,” Esme smacks her lips and belches. The three werebear triplets’ heads rear up and swivel towards her as one. Their eyes light shifter bright with excitement.
Then they start trying to out-burp her, and the next few minutes turn into a belching contest.
Esme wins.
Epilogue
Noah
I park my rental car in front of my apartment in Brooklyn Heights and lead Aster, Liora, and Oriana up to my quiet two-bedroom. I’ve lived beneath my means since working at Moon Co, despite the generous salary Brick pays me as a member of the executive team because I never knew how long it would last. I have money saved if Aster wants to buy or build a house somewhere with more land.
We enter the building and walk up the stairs. As we approach the door, Liora freezes, catching the scent of a she-wolf.
Nan.
I video-called her from the Berkshires to let her know I succeeded in getting Liora and Oriana out, and they wished to go to live with her in Kentucky. She found the first flight out, insisting on accompanying them back. Oriana’s never been on a plane, and your mom hasn’t mingled with humans in thirty years. There’s no way I’m letting them fly out here alone, she’d signed.