He blew her a kiss. “I seem to remember you were there too.” He ducked the pillow she threw and left.
The sun shining in made the room a warm haven of peace. To the side of the open window, an indoor water feature splashed and tinkled, the sound calming and reassuring. Missy adjusted herself, stretching her legs in front of her. Maggie stared in amazement at the perfectly round protrusion extending from her sister’s stomach.
“You really are a beach ball.”
“Shut up. Wait until you meet your mate and get pregnant. You’re not much taller than me. There’s nowhere for the baby to go but out, and this time with two of them…” Missy paused, then narrowed her eyes. Maggie felt her face heat up. “Crap, you’ve met your mate. Haven’t you?”
Maggie leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Anyone ever tell you it’s damn hard to have a conversation with you when you seem to know everything, about everybody, before they tell you? It was bad enough when we were young, but since you’ve accepted you’re an Omega, it’s gotten ridiculous.”
Missy snorted. “It’s worse than you think. With Tad being an Omega too, we occasionally have really freaky conversations. Quit stalling. Who is it?”
Maggie stared out the window. “I’m not ready for a mate.”
“Who is it?” Missy rubbed her hands together with glee. “Someone in Vancouver? Why didn’t he come with you? Or is he making arrangements to move north too?”
Maggie stood and wandered away a few steps. She didn’t need this. Not now. Did Missy not realize how difficult it was to be surrounded by wolves again for the first time in years? Had she forgotten what it was like to be truly afraid? The only reason Maggie had maintained any contact with their old pack was to keep in touch with Missy. As soon as Missy had mated with Tad, Maggie instantly severed all final ties with Whistler.
Her sister wouldn’t drop the topic. “You met him in Whitehorse? Mags, you do realize this might be the solution to your problem.”
Yeah, right. “Didn’t you listen to me? I don’t want to be tied to a mate. I’m still wondering if I made the right decision to come and be with your pack.” She looked down at her sister. “How can you be so
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25
Vivian Arend
comfortable around all these wolves? After everything they did to you? All those years of your life wasted because our Alpha—”
“Oh, honey, I’ve told you this so many times over the past two years. These wolves have been nothing but kind to me. Our Alpha wasn’t an Alpha—not in the truest sense of the word. Tad is more than twice the man my first husband ever was. I’m happy now, Mags, really I am. Yeah, it was a rotten situation, and I didn’t deserve to be treated like that, but I’ve moved on. Isn’t it time you did the same?”
The only person in the world Maggie knew who had gone through more hell than she had sat before her, huge with her second and third children. Living with a man she trusted, who went out of his way to make her smile.
Was it really possible to leave the past behind?
“Maggie. Tell me. Please.”
It was impossible to resist her.
“Erik.” Maggie squeezed her eyes tight as her body reacted to even saying his name. Her wolf woke again, this time with a slow and sensuous stretch itching up her spine. She hadn’t felt that sensation in years.
Complete and utter silence greeted her announcement. She poked open an eye to see Missy sitting with her mouth gaping open. “What?”
Missy giggled naughtily. “You don’t want to know.”
“Bullshit. You made me tell you who it is, now spill. Do you not trust him?”
Her sister gasped. “Not trust Erik? The Friendly Giant? Girl, there is no one I trust more, except Tad and my Alpha. I was just imagining…umm…the two of you together. That’s all.”
Oh God. Not what she needed right now. “Great. I tell you I found my mate and the first thing that jumps to your mind is how we’re going to manage sex. You’re such a bitch.”
They both laughed. “Yeah, well, sex is kinda up there on my ‘things to think about’ list these days since I’m not getting much.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Enough. I haven’t accepted the mating yet. I need to figure other things out first.”
Missy lifted her belly with her hands and wiggled to the front of her chair. “What you’re not taking into consideration is with Erik as your mate, he’ll help you figure those things out. You need help, and he’s the one able to give it. You need to trust him.”
“Stop being a bloody oracle.”
“I’m not being an oracle, I’m being an Omega. More importantly, I’m being your sister and I only want the best for you. Why are you fighting it so hard? Erik is a good man, and he’s gorgeous. If I wasn’t mated I’d be interested in a roll in the hay with him.”
A low growl burst from Maggie. She froze in shock.
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