Alpha Bait by Sam Crescent Read Free Book Online Page B

later as she stood in the kitchen. Victoria was watching Scorch chop wood, drink beer, and talk with the men of the pack while kids ran around the garden. The snow and the cold didn’t affect any of them. They all loved life and knew how to take life by the horns and live it to the fullest.
    “What do you mean?” Victoria asked, washing up the spoons from her day of baking. Most of her mornings were spent in Scorch’s arms. At night she would leave him trying to create a distance between them, but by morning he’d be in her bed with his strong arms warding off the nightmares. He kept teasing her about joining her when she went to bed instead of halfway through the night.
    Part of her didn’t want to get too close to Scorch. She knew Chain would be waiting at some point to take her or to take Scorch. If he knew she wasn’t trying to lure him out then Chain would kill her. She really didn’t want to die at Chain’s hands, but she also didn’t want to betray Scorch.
    “Most of the time he goes through life keeping the pack together, working toward keeping us all strong. He doesn’t allow men to lose control of the wolf. His father was similar, and our pack as a whole has flourished. Through it all he hasn’t once taken a woman as a mate.” Mandy was chopping an array of vegetables to go into a soup pot.
    Victoria loved how they all worked together as a family, eating, sharing fun. They had all talked about the chaos of Christmas. Scorch gave them all money, and at some point between September and December they all ventured to the local town and city to buy gifts. The house was decorated, and the food was nonstop. Victoria wanted to experience it at some point, but she knew she was never going to get the chance. The full moon was fast approaching. She could force it to two full moons, but Chain would be impatient.
    “What about Lidia? He seemed close to her.” Walking to the pot, Victoria started to stir the vegetables into the meat so they were all combined.
    “She was a distraction for him. Scorch will not pick a woman from the pack to find pleasure inside. Lidia was his fuck buddy.” Mandy chuckled. “She would come to the pack, fuck Scorch, and think it gave her respect. None of us talked to her at all. We all despised her, but she thought it meant respect. She also stank really bad . The city with all the pollution is not a good place for a wolf to be.” Mandy wrinkled her nose, and Victoria couldn’t stop laughing.
    The back door opened, and suddenly she was hurled in the air. Scorch’s manly scent surrounded her stopping the panic from rising up inside her. “Where is not a good place for a wolf to be?” he asked, sinking his head against his neck and breathing her in.
    Closing her eyes she tried to hold back the moan. Mandy was smiling looking between them when she opened her eyes again. “You two look amazing together.”
    “You hear that, Tori? We’ve got to get married. One of the women in my pack approves. We should strike while the iron is hot.”
    She couldn’t stop the laugh at his teasing. “Okay, we’ll get married, and I’ll be your queen.”
    He stopped smiling, cupped her face and stared into her eyes. “Be careful what you say.”
    “Why? We were only joking around.”
    Scorch leaned in close so his lips touched her ear. “I wasn’t.” He pulled away, heading toward the door. “Both of you should come out when the dinner is on. It’s cold, and I hear the kids conspiring that they’re going to snowball us.”
    He disappeared out the door leaving a cold spell in his wake.
    “I told you. You’ve made him so happy.”
    “He’s talking about marriage.”
    “Have you ever considered the fact your wolves are quiet when you’re together? Neither of you look put out or close to the edge. In fact, I’m sure I’ve heard you both purring in each other’s company.”
    “Wolves don’t purr,” Victoria said, trying to deny the truth.
    “Fine. I’ve heard you both growling