“None of that now,” she whispered. “It’s okay, my sweet boy. Mommy’s sorry.”

“Sounds like he could use some food in his belly.” Mrs. Martin appeared behind the counter while Aiden toddled over to her with his box of cookies in his hands. “This should help you out for a couple of weeks. Remember, if you need anything, the pack is here for you. We’re all here for you.”

“Thank you.” Danielle grabbed for the cold bag and Mrs. Martin stayed her hand. “Is something wrong?”

“You can’t keep sliding into the shadows. You’re not a whisper on the wind. You’re not even a willow. You’re a reed. Hollow. You go through the day pasting a smile on your face. Laugh when appropriate. Saying thank you. Please. You’re welcome.” Mrs. Martin leaned toward her. “I see your pain. I feel it. It’s electric. A current in the water so strong it takes a person’s breath away. You’re not fooling anyone.”

“Uh…” Danielle didn’t know what to say. “Thanks.” She smiled at Aiden. “Tell Mrs. Martin thank you.”

Aiden gave her a toothy grin. “Tank ‘ous.”

“You’re very welcome, my boy.” Mrs. Martin waved at him. “Danielle, remember what I said.”

Danielle gave a curt nod. “See you in a couple of weeks.”

She couldn’t get out of there quick enough. The air surrounding her became oppressive as Nicolas began to cry harder. She realized it was because the black mass of negative emotions seeped through the wall like an oily sludge. The quicker she tried to re-enforce the construct, the more holes appeared. She needed to get home. She couldn’t fall apart out in public. She couldn’t let anyone see how much Caden’s betrayal hurt her.

“Mama?” Aiden blinked at her as she lifted him into his car seat. “Ou ‘kay?”

She swallowed hard and took a second, afraid he’d hear grief in her voice. “I’m fine, big boy. How about a cookie and some milk when we get home?”

He nodded emphatically. “Yes, Mama. Nic too. Hungee.”

“Yes, he is. Silly Mama. Forgot his bottle.” She made a show of frowning at him then rolling her eyes. Each practiced movement meant to keep Aiden from seeing the frayed ends of her emotional state.

“Looks like you could use a hand.”

Caden.

Icy fingers of dread slid down her spine. At one time, the sound of his voice brought her so much pleasure. Just a whisper of it filled her with anticipation. Those nights she spent curled in his embrace talking about their future and the idea of falling in love with him had been so effortless. She’d instantly felt the connection to him the day they arrived in Window Rock. The cocky smirk on his face. The way his blue eyes twinkled with a hint of sensual heat and the feel of his hand curling around hers when he said, “Pleasure…” It was like he said, “I’ve spent my whole life waiting for this moment. Welcome home.”

“No, I’ve got it.” Danielle took the opportunity to push a strand of her hair behind her ear to cover the track of tears sliding down her left cheek. “No need to interrupt your day to help me.”

“Where the fuck is the baby?” He kept his voice controlled, knowing the pup was safe and sound with Danielle—for now. Kal tried in vain to keep his voice down so their neighbors couldn’t overhear their conversation. As it stood, he still wasn’t sure how he felt about Keeley. Well, he did, but acknowledging the mating and participating in it were two totally different things. Right now, they didn’t need any extra headaches. However, he had a sneaky suspicion he was in over his head and he was too stupid, or ignorant, to admit it.

“He’s with Danielle.” Caden shrugged, moving around his brother. “The boy was in his pup form when I got him. I couldn’t take him to a hospital and you know if I took him to a vet—which there isn’t one in a twenty-mile radius—they would have freaked out if he spontaneously shifted. So, I brought him back here.”

“You don’t think the girl will freak the fuck out when he spontaneously shifts, Caden?” Kal couldn’t believe what his brother said.

“No,” he answered plainly.

“No?” Kalkin snorted. “I have got to hear this explanation. Come on, lay it on me. Tell me, ‘oh smart one,’ why she won’t freak the fuck out when the baby shifts.”

“She’s not normal either.” A slow small crossed his brother’s lips. “She got this…thing. I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone about it, but bro. She’s special.”

“Great. Fan-fucking-tastic. So, she could have a serious case of gas, but she’s special.” Wow, he knew his brother could be stupid sometimes, but this was a colossal fuck up. It ranked right up there with the time they were sixteen and Caden decided he was going to pull the tail of a cat shifter. The asshole ended up in bed for a week with tiger claw slashes to his side.

“I’m being serious, asshole,” Caden snapped, going nose to nose with his brother. “She helped the pup more in five minutes than a hospital could in two fucking weeks. I promised her I wouldn’t say what it was, but I felt her. She did something to him and he was a different pup when he woke up.”

Kalkin blinked, taking in everything his brother said. A part of him wanted to believe his brother and another part of him wanted to continue to chew his ass. He also realized he should be more concerned with the pup. Kal blew out a breath and scrubbed his hand across his brow. “How bad?”

“Two broken legs and some bites. Danielle thinks he’ll be fine. She wrapped the wounds and set his back legs.” He chuckled a bit. “Aiden ate up the attention when I checked on them after Mrs. Martin hooked me up with some breast milk for the boy.” Caden turned serious for a moment. “I don’t know why Tiffany had fucking pups. She couldn’t even take care of herself when we were younger. Then she goes off and gets fucking pregnant. The bitch tried to kill him!” Kalkin watched his brother pace. “Aiden is now parentless. Why? Because she doesn’t have enough fucking sense to bring all the pups to her Alpha.”

Wait. “There are more?” He couldn’t believe Caden would take one and leave the others. “Why did you leave them?”

“Aiden is the only one who survived.”

“Fuck.” He’d have to deal with this sooner rather than later. “Do we know the father?”

Caden snorted. “If I had to guess? Someone in the Quincy pack. The kid smelled of piss and shit, though, so I couldn’t be sure.”

“Shit. Not what we need right now, but because you went off half-cocked, you brought shit down on our new neighbors.” Kalkin couldn’t even be angry anymore. He understood Caden’s need to protect the baby. However, it couldn’t be at the expense of two women who’d been through their own shit. “What are you going to do when Aiden shifts and is a baby?”

“Well, I had been thinking about it when you pulled up to house like Billy Bad Ass. I’m going to tell her what we are.”

What? “Are you fucking kidding me?” He couldn’t believe what his brother was saying. “Why?”

“Tell me you aren’t planning to do the same.” Caden’s blue eyes swirled with intent. “Tell me you weren’t going to have Keeley run with you during the full moon.” His brother had him. He had been contemplating revealing himself during the first day of the summer festival.
“Shit,” he said, blowing out a frustrated breath. “This is all FUBAR.” Fucked up beyond all recognition.

“Tell me about it.”

“You’re part of the reason, asshole.” He turned away from his brother and caught his neighbor staring at him. “Great.”

“What?” His brother stepped over to where he was standing. “Ah, shit.” There, peeking out of their window, stood Keeley, Danielle, and a very happy little boy. Shit, maybe his brother had been right.

“Yeah, great fucking work, asshole. I’m betting they saw and heard everything. So much for having to explain it to them.”

“Hold on. You’re assuming they heard anything. They’re completely human. They couldn’t hear a flea fart.”

“I thought you said Danielle is special.” Kal cocked a brow. “Or were you blowing smoke up my ass about her?”

“She is. I can assure you what I experienced when she started working with Aiden,” Caden paused. “Shit, bro. It was amazing.”

“Are you sure she was touching the pup?” he quipped.

“Yes, dickhead. It wasn’t sexual at all, but it had been amazing nonetheless.” Caden’s blue gaze locked with Kal’s and his demeanor turned serious. “She’s my mate.”

Of all the fucking things he expected his brother to say, finding his mate hadn’t been one of them. “Shit. Are you sure?”

“Oh yeah.”