Wolfen Secrets (The Western Werewolf Legend #3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

nerves but she still needed to chastise
him.
    “I wish you wouldn’t do that. I could hurt
you.” Her hand shook once before she smoothed her skirt front
before returning to her task.
    “Now, sweet thing, you couldn’t hurt me. You
know why?”
    Narrowing her eyes, she took the bait anyway.
“No, why?”
    “Because you’re my mate and you love me so
much.” His wolfish grin made her heart tighten in her chest. He
flashed a wicked smile at her before giving her nose a kiss.
    Old habits die hard. Still she chided herself
for glancing around to see who might be watching their personal
exchange. Who cared? Take her sister, Briann, for example. Her
attitude was there was no harm in a relationship with a former
Confederate General turned vampire. Nor did she go around worrying
over who witnessed their affectionate moments. So why should she?
After all, except for the part about vampires, her courtship could
be the same as any other wartime tale of romance.
    Pulling the lieutenant by his shirtfront, she
drew him into a kiss on his firm, marvelous mouth. Oh, the things
he could do with his mouth, she mused and blushed despite her best
effort to the contrary.
    Hortence coughed. Their spell broken, Ty
glanced over his shoulder at the witch. “Hags need to mind their
business, right witch?”
    Ignoring both now, Hortence moved to the
wooden bowl Sonja used for the potatoes. “I’ll take these.” Before
Sonja could object, she gathered the bowl up and turned to leave.
“Lieutenants should know better than to show off,” she murmured
under her breath. With a snort and another throat-clearing cough
Sonja hoped didn’t end up in the stew, the old witch hobbled back
to her concoction over the fire’s grate.
    A slight tug on her skirt had Sonja glancing
down to find Ethan, her nephew. The boy’s head of hair needed a
comb. His eyes, were wide with questions. He asked, “Why you always
kissing the lie…lieu…Mr. Ty, Aunt Sony?”
    She squatted to his level, gathering him in
and grinned. Pure innocence poured from the child’s face and Sonja
couldn’t help reaching out to run her finger over his button nose.
“Well, Ethan, I love the lieutenant and take pleasure in showing
him how I feel. Understand? It’s what people in love do.”
    Ethan’s forehead gathered. He glanced up at
Ty, before garnering her attention again. “So if Mama and General
Stewart kiss, they must be in love too?”
    Ty cleared his throat, glancing at Sonja.
    Sonja smiled. So serious for a six-year-old,
she mused. “Yes, Ethan, I suppose it does. Why?”
    He lifted his small shoulders in a shrug, “No
reason. I wondered is all.” As he continued to consider, his brows
drew together. “He’s not alive, Aunt Sony.”
    His conspirator’s whisper surprised her.
“Yes, but he’s more alive than most men your mother’s had over for
supper, son.” Giving his hair a smoothing, she forced herself not
to look at Ty, who wore a grin from ear to ear. “Give him time and
you’ll see what I mean.” With a quick frown for Ty, she quickly
changed the subject. “We best be getting the table set. Want to
help, Ethan?”
    The young boy’s eyes brightened. All concern
over his mom’s suitor disappeared as quickly as it had
appeared.
    Youth, Sonja mused, was God’s lesson in
perspective.
    “When we’re done, I want you to go and get
cleaned up. Take your brother with you, all right?” Her instruction
came naturally. Ethan and Nathanial were like sons to her. Unable
to begrudge Briann’s time alone with General Stewart, Sonja focused
instead on helping with the children if she could. After all,
everyone deserved a little happiness in their lives. If the General
filled the void for male companionship, then so be it. Judging
General Stewart because of what he’d become wasn’t going to help
any of them. Better to consider the man within, Sonja mused.
    The supper bell clanged. A rag-tag group of
men formally of the Confederate Army of America filed by