Wolf Claim (Wolves of Willow Bend Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

his tone wasn’t lost on Owen. “Tread very lightly.” Yes, his Alpha had given him some leeway, but his temper was up and the challenge had left him in a worse mood.
    “I’d like to choose who goes with her.” He knew all the Hunters, soldiers, and fighters within the pack, who could be trusted to put her safety first and who could get her out of Hudson River if it went sideways.
    “No,” Mason answered, flatly. “I already know who’s going.”
    Fuck. If he beat the shit out of Dylan beforehand, maybe the other wolf would understand it was his life if Gillian didn’t return whole and unharmed. “I understand.”
    “Somehow I doubt that.” Mason jerked his thumb toward the house. “Let’s go. Put a lid on that temper. You already scared her once tonight.”
    Owen scowled, but unable to dispute the charge, he kept his retort to himself. Thin ice was not the time to make a lot of noise. He could still do something about this, he just had to figure out what. Following Mason, he considered his best approach.
    “You really are a pain in the ass,” Mason said, his sudden chuckle easing the tension. One thing about Mason, he didn’t carry a grudge. His temper was swift, fierce and to the point.
    “I would apologize, but I try not to lie.”
    “Yeah, me too.”
    The only thing Owen was sorry about was frightening Gillian. He’d apologize for that.
    To her.
    And only to her.
    “By the way, you got a wicked left.” He rubbed his jaw and when Mason laughed again, he knew at least in this, they were on solid ground again.
     

Chapter Three
     
     
    Owen wasn’t surprised to see Kyle Huston leaning against the railing on the front porch to Mason’s house. His father was a hard man, hard but fair. The teen’s slouch disappeared at Mason’s arrival. “Hey, can I come in?”
    “Who told you to stand out here?” Mason paused at the door, eyebrows raised at his mate’s younger brother.
    “Dad—”
    Shaking his head, Mason held up a hand. “I’m not running interference with Ryan. He told you stay, you stay right where he told you. Got it?”
    Dejected, Kyle slouched. “Yeah.”
    They left him to his punishment and walked back into the house. The council members were all still present, with the addition of Gillian and Dylan. Their hushed conversation halted when Mason had spoken to Kyle, but at their arrival, the tension in the room diminished.
    Gillian let out a small, yet audible sigh and he tracked his gaze to where she sat on the sofa next to Emma. Dylan stood just behind her, one hand resting on the sofa back far too close to her head. To her.
    “Thank you for waiting.” Mason paused to stroke his daughter’s hair. Emma cradled the little girl while the baby held on tight to one of Gillian’s fingertips. “Did Emma tell you what is going on, Gillian?”
    “No…” Gillian elongated the word and slid a glance toward him before focusing on their Alpha once more. “We’ve actually been talking babies.” The sweet contralto of her voice relaxed the knots in his spine.
    Talking about his daughter would likely soothe Mason’s temper. “She seems quite content.”
    “Alpha.” Gillian slipped into protocol and her gaze dipped a fraction when Mason focused on her. “I came this evening to announce the arrival of three new members to your pack.” Everyone stilled and, one-by-one, smiles spread through the group. Even Owen felt the corner of his mouth curve. Babies were proof of the future, of continuity, of legacy and survival.
    They were who he fought to keep safe. Gillian glanced in his direction and, for a split-second, their gazes locked. The quiet, fierce pleasure in her eyes offered the sweetest temptation, but she glanced away as quickly as she had looked toward him. Gillian announced the names of the families and the atmosphere within the room turned festive.
    “Thank you for bringing them into the pack.” Mason’s reply observed a formality dating back generations. Healers or