Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I could tell from all the pre-made meals in your fridge and freezer.” Her smile was faint but knowing. “The females in your pack must keep you stocked.”
He chuckled. “Many do take pity on me. But to be honest, Gus from the diner takes care of most of it these days. He retired, but he still drops by with meals now and then. I try to go fishing with him when I can, though I’ve been meaning to take him ice fishing once the rivers freeze over.”
“Sounds like he means a lot to you.”
“Yeah, he does,” Jackson admitted. The thought of Gus brought a tug of warmth to his chest, though it faded as his eyes drifted over the cabin’s sparse decor.
“This place definitely needs a female’s touch,” Emily said, her tone light but her gaze lingering.
Jackson glanced around at the bare walls and unadorned shelves. “Yeah, I guess. I think there are pictures somewhere. Probably in a box up in the attic.”
Emily tilted her head slightly, waiting.
“I packed everything away after my father died,” he added. The words came out rougher than he intended. “Cleared the whole house when I took over as Alpha. Didn’t think much about decorating after that.”
Silence settled between them, heavy and tinged with tension. She didn’t press him. Instead, she unfolded her linen napkin onto her lap, and Jackson did the same. The brush of fabric against his fingers felt strangely intimate. He had linen napkins? Who knew?
“So.” She broke the quiet. “Who do you suspect for these mining attacks?”
He shook his head, frustration tightening his shoulders. “I really don’t know. Did you call and tell your father about my troubles last night?”
Hurt slid in and then out of her expression. “No. Figured it was your secret.”
There was that sweet side of hers. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m sorry.” Jackson took a bite of the egg casserole, the warm, savory flavors hitting his tongue. It had been a long time since someone had cooked for him in this house. Too long.
Across the table, Emily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the curve of her neck drawing his gaze before he forced himself to focus on his plate. While he didn’t want to take advantage of her, the safest course of action for her was to mate him. Yet that left her father and pack in a bind. She mattered more, as far as he was concerned.
The food was delicious. Before speaking, Jackson took several more bites, savoring the warmth of the dish. “This is amazing,” he mumbled.
Emily laughed, the sound light but warm. “I like to bake and cook. It’s not a big deal.”
“Yeah, it is.” He spooned another helping from the casserole dish.
“I’m glad you like it.” She took a small bite, her movements neat and precise. Reaching over, she poured coffee from a carafe decorated with little tulips.
Jackson blinked. “Where the hell did you find a carafe?”
“In one of the upper cabinets.”
Where the heck did that come from? “I didn’t know you had a domestic side.”
She rolled her eyes. “Shut up. Now tell me about the Blounts and why Warren wants you gone.”
Ah. On to safe subjects. Fine by him. He leaned back in his chair, the tension coiling low in his torso. “Twenty years ago, when I was fifteen and stepping up, Warren wanted the job. The council outvoted him. He was already too old, and his grandsons were too young. He’s hated my guts since. Really didn’t like when I started modernizing things.”
“You mean letting pack members leave to live in the human world for a while?”
“Yeah.” Jackson took a sip of coffee. A hint of cinnamon hit his tongue. It was rich and smooth, better than anything he’d had in months. “The old ways weren’t working. As a kid, I wanted nothing more than to go out and explore the world.”
“But you didn’t get to,” she said softly.
He shook his head. “Nope. Started training harder than ever. Worked every aspect of the mines. Figured if I was going to own all three, I should know everything about them.”
She sat back, studying him with something unreadable in her eyes. “That was smart. Especially at fifteen.”
“There wasn’t much else to do,” he admitted. “The council handled disputes, protection, all of that. I learned as I went.”
She sipped her coffee. “Do they still run things?”
“No,” Jackson said shortly. “They want to, but I took over years ago. They were against modernization, too.”
“So, you won that one.”
He set the coffee mug down, the sound loud in the quiet space. “I did. But I have a bad feeling the council might try to align with Blount and then drag in other pack members.” Not that he couldn’t take them all out. But that would make him a shitty leader, wouldn’t it?