Page 39 of Little Howl of Moon

“Quinn drove like a maniac.” Mama stepped further into the cafe, stepped over piles of glass, and then reached me. She pulled me into a big hug, but I knew her attention was still on Oli. “Is your mate okay?”

“Yes, Mama,” I said. “This is Oliver.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said.

Oli held out his hand, but she just chuckled, her tail flicking behind her. She shook his hand, clearly amused by that. “It’s so good to meet you, Oliver. We’re very happy for Steel. We will plan a proper lunch together and meet without disaster present. Yes?”

“I’d like that,” Oli said.

“Quinn is Steel’s second mom,” she said. The three of us glanced over at her and Layla. My mom had sandwiched Layla’s face between her hands and was whispering to her.

“. . .severed my bond.”

“What?” Mama sneered, her spine stiffening. “He did what?”

I tugged Oli against my side as the three of them started talking over each other. “We should go home,” I said to him.

His bright blue eyes filled with surprise. “Shouldn’t we stay to help?”

“No,” I said. “We have a big family. They will take care of Layla in ways we can’t. If we are needed, they will call.”

“The two of you should come over Tuesday night,” my mom said. “Oliver, I’m sorry, I want to meet you as well.”

“No one owes me any apologies,” he said patiently, frowning at her.

Ah, yeah. She probably looked like she was in her twenties to him.

“We’re going to go,” I said. “We’ll meet later this week. Layla, if you need anything, please call.”

“Thank you, Steel.”

I nodded and before Oli could protest, I swept him into my arms.

It was time to get the hell out of here.

13 /MATED TO MY WEREWOLF

Oliver

Despite all that had happened and the exhaustion that came with it, I still called my daughters and told them everything.

Well, I skipped over the kinky parts, obviously. Figging a werewolf, realizing I was definitely into being a Dom, the ridiculous amount of sheets we’d ruined this week.

But I did tell them about being kidnapped in the middle of the night, fated mates bonds, and about their mother. The three of us had cried together, all while Steel rubbed my back, never leaving my side.

It was already past nine in the morning, and we were tired physically, mentally, and in our souls.

“I’m going to sleep like the dead,” I said, lying back in bed. Steel hesitated, but I patted the mattress next to me. “Please come lay down with me.”

“Okay.” He crawled into bed and drew me close, spooning my body. “The last twelve hours have been hell, Oli . . . If you want me to give you some space?—”

“No,” I said immediately. “Space is the last thing I want or need. I want you here with me. I meant what I said.”

I turned over to face him, gripping his chest fur.

“I want for us to be mated,” I said. “I was scared. I was scared and holding onto the past. After everything with Alia, I've held onto this guilt.”

Steel frowned. “You felt guilty?”