Werewolves and Chocolate by Shauna Aura Knight Read Free Book Online Page A

leave.”
    “He what?!” The skin all across her body
prickled in a hot rush of anger.
    “We’re working on it. Don’t worry, we’ll get
you home.”
    “What do you mean he doesn’t want us to
leave?” She grew dizzy with how many directions her brain was buzzing. Her
pulse sped up and she had to remind herself to breathe.
    “He’s worried about the Hagalaz doing
something. About our pack members being in danger. Plus if there’s a conflict
he wants fighters.”
    Ellie took another breath, trying to plan a
way out of the mess they seemed wrapped up in. “Can he do that? Demand you
stay?”
    “Sort of.” Kyle scratched the back of his
neck, clearly uncomfortable. “We can leave, we can disobey, but we’re formally
cutting ties with the pack if we do that.”
    “Shit.”
    “Yeah, that about sums it up.” Jake tied his
boots.
    “Will they try to force us to stay? Am I in
danger?”
    “Nobody will harm you, Ellie. You’re our
mate. But they may put up a fight if Matthew gets testy. He is one of our
Alphas.”
    “And these are supposed to be the people you
trust? Your family, the people that have your back?”
    “Things have gotten tense lately.”
    “I’m pissed off too, for the record,” Kyle
said, finally zipping up with a grunt. “But, and I want you to understand this,
I won’t let anyone keep you here. If I have to stay, so be it. But Jake will
get you home.”
    Ellie was nauseated and her heart was
thudding. “We can’t just leave you here, Kyle.”
    “If they need someone to help them fight, I’m
willing to do it.”
    Ellie turned to Kyle. “I’m not leaving you
here, dammit.”
    “It’ll be fine,” he kissed her forehead.
    There was more pounding at the door. Jake
pulled on his sweater. “We have to get over there.” He grabbed the sandwich in
the plastic bag from the dresser. “Here, we made this for you if you’re hungry.”
    “I’ll eat it later. I’m too pissed.” She
stuffed it into one of her large coat pockets.
    Kyle opened the door and they walked outside.
    Liam took one look at them and couldn’t hide
his smirk. “Sorry I interrupted…important matters.”
    Kyle gripped Liam’s arm and stared him down. “Someday
you’ll be mated and you’ll understand. Until then, shut up.”
    Ellie was somewhat gratified to see Liam
blush and actually clamp his lips together. She was still shaking mad at how
they had been perfunctorily summoned, and how Jake and Kyle were expected to
just drop everything in their lives to do the will of the pack. And her, by
extension. Even just from their brief meeting, she could already tell that
Matthew was a lot like her stepfather. He was arrogant and always expected to
be obeyed instantly. There was a reason she didn’t ever go home to visit her
family.
    “Are you all right?” Jake asked her in some
concern. She knew he could probably feel the rage boiling inside of her.
    Realizing that it would perhaps be imprudent
to gripe about their Alpha in front of Liam, she thought of one of the many
other things that was agitating her. “I really hate this whole thing where
everybody can smell everything we’re up to.” Ellie was more bothered than she
had expected that she had absolutely no privacy around the wolves. Worse, that many
of them seemed to find it completely appropriate to tease her about it. She’d
never been good with teasing.
    “Sorry about that, baby.” Jake took her hand
in his.
    “Let’s just go get this over with.”
     

 
    CHAPTER SIX
     
    Jake and Kyle guided her through the snow and
trees to the larger meeting room. The sun was setting and the room was brightly
lit with a roaring fire in the hearth. There were enough chairs around the edge
of the room that all the residents of the colony could meet together. Matthew’s
big frame filled up the large wooden chair on the far side of the room.
    “Seriously, a throne?” she muttered under her
breath.
    Kyle made what Ellie thought of as his
strangled wolf sound,