He hadn’t even tried to sneak into her room during the night. How did she know? She’d spent hours staring at the ceiling, waiting for it to happen. Only falling asleep as the sun was rising.

  Rather than blurt out any of this, she pushed by him and went to the kitchen, lured there by the smell of coffee. “Where are the kids?” It wasn’t like her to oversleep—and this was twice in the past week. One of them should have checked on her.

  Arms crossed over his chest, he leaned his hip against the counter and watched as she took a mug down from the cupboard and filled it. Her hand was steady, even if she was trembling inside.

  He had no right to look hot and sexy when she felt like a day-old dishcloth.

  “Emmett set the cows out to graze in the pasture behind the barn. Then he went off to mow a neighbor’s yard.”

  “Mrs. Abbott. She’s a retired school teacher, and none of her kids live nearby. He does her lawn every couple of weeks.” Standing across from him, she sipped the dark brew, needing the jolt of caffeine. “We’ll likely have pie for supper. He won’t take money for the chore, so she always sends him home with food, usually pie.”

  “Waya helped Emmett before disappearing into the woods. After Eliza gathered eggs and tended to the hens, she and Henry gathered books and paper and other supplies and headed up to the loft in the barn.”

  “Waya spends too much time alone. I worry about him, but he’s too old and restless for me to order him to stay around. Henry and Eliza will read and draw for hours. They prefer the quiet.”

  “Hmm.”

  “They all have schoolwork during the school year and set chores.” Even though he hadn’t said anything, she felt the need to defend herself and her parenting skills. This was all trial by fire for her. “We clean house once a week. And everyone pitches in daily. Eliza spends a lot of time with me when I’m not in the forge.”

  “How did they come to be with you? I know your parents were killed. But what about the others.”

  The air was suddenly stifling. She needed to be outside to finish the story. After topping up her mug, she went out onto the porch. Nicholas followed and took the chair beside her. At least talking about the kids meant she could put off thinking about their complicated relationship a while longer.

  “After our parents were murdered, we ran, crisscrossing the country so no one could follow.” The lump in her throat threatened to choke her. “I’d pick up waitressing jobs here and there. We occasionally stayed in a shelter. Camped some. We kept on the move.”

  “Smart.” His matter-of-fact acknowledgment helped her settle.

  “I was terrified to stop.” It was easier to admit in hindsight. At the time, she’d done her best to hide it from her brother. He’d only been a kid. She’d almost been an adult. “We were camping one night when I heard someone sneaking around. We didn’t have much, but I was ready to defend what we had. I caught Waya taking a box of granola bars. God, he was so thin, so angry.”

  “He’s still angry, but he’s filled out. I’m surprised he stayed.”

  “He didn’t. Not at first. I told him to keep the bars. That he was welcome to camp with us for safety. I could smell his wolf, knew what he was. I could also see he didn’t belong to anyone, not dirty and half wild as he was.” She looked out at the yard, at all they’d built here. “He kept coming back. I’d leave food out for him. Whatever I could manage—an apple or orange, a granola bar, a box of crackers. When it was time for us to move on, he followed. He’s been with us since. He’s the one who brought Henry to us.”

  Nicholas nodded. “He’s a protector by nature. I think that’s why he followed you to begin with. Over the years, he’s learned it’s safe to let down his guard.”

  His astute assessment of the situation was no surprise. He was perceptive. “He found Henry living on the streets, fighting off a grown man who was trying to steal his food. Waya beat the man, grabbed Henry and his belongings, and dragged him home.”

  Tilting back her head, she gave a sad laugh. “God, he was so dirty. Stank to the high heavens. We were staying in a cheap pay-by-the-week apartment in California at the time.”

  “What happened to his parents?”

  It was easier to face the memories when she wasn’t looking at him. “He’s a half-breed. Unlike us, his mother was full human. His father must have been wolf. He never knew the man. It was a one-night stand, and Henry was the result. They were in and out of homeless shelters his whole life. One day, she left him in one and never came back. Knowing what would happen if he stayed, he hit the road. He was nine.”

  “Fuck.” Nicholas was sitting forward in his chair, rubbing his hands on his thighs. A muscle flexed in his jaw.

  “That about covers it. He was this quiet, scrawny kid, starved for food and affection. Knowledge, too. He’s so damn smart. He’s already doing accelerated courses online. When he joined us, I knew we had to move, go somewhere with more open spaces. I researched online and came up with West Virginia. There’s poverty here, so we don’t stick out because we don’t have much money. Folks tend to live and let live. And because of the economy, there was cheap land.”

  Nicholas went to his knees in front of her and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry you had to shoulder it all on your own. Sorry I wasn’t there to help you.”

  Overcome by the memories, she could barely breathe. She clung to his broad shoulders, resting her head against his chest. “What if I hadn’t found them?” It was the nightmare that sometimes woke her in the middle of the night, the thin tank she wore to bed stuck to her body with sweat. “I’ve probably made a million mistakes with those kids—”

  “No.” He pulled back, his hands wrapped around her upper arms, his face set in stern, forbidding lines. “You loved them and fed them and kept them safe. You’re fucking amazing.” His skin rippled before her eyes. His wolf was very close to the surface. He shook himself. “Finish it.”

  Her own wolf clawed for release, wanting to run wild with the male she saw as her mate. Easing out of the chair, she hugged the post by the steps. “I had a special commission, a large piece. The buyer wanted me to personally deliver it to Detroit. It’s not something I’d done before or since, but it was a lot of money. The boys wouldn’t let me go alone, so we made a road trip out of it. Figured we’d camp along the way. Make it a fun time.” Her wolf rippled again, not with the need to run but the urge to kill. Memories of that day were brutally hard.

  He hooked his arm around her waist so her back was against his chest and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

  Steadier with him holding her, she took a breath. “We were leaving the city when I got lost. No GPS in our old truck. No cell phone in those days, either. We stopped at a gas station for fuel and directions. The neighborhood was rough.” Desperation had permeated the area, along with anger and violence. All she’d wanted was to leave. “I’m ready to go and Waya is nowhere to be found. I’m frantic and start driving up and down the streets with Emmett and Henry on lookout. Next thing I know, there’s Waya running out from behind a house with a little girl in his arms. He’s shirtless and that’s the only thing she’s wearing.”

  Nicholas growled and his arm tightened, the muscles turning to iron.

  “Seemed he’d heard a child howling and went to investigate. My hearing is enhanced, but I was busy inside and didn’t hear her. He found her locked in a closet inside a rundown house, her clothes nothing but filthy rags.”

  “Do you have an address?”

  Whirling around, she grabbed his arm, almost flinching from the unadulterated fury in his eyes. “I got all the kids in the truck and we took off. I couldn’t find the place if I tried.” And she’d thought about it. The only thing that had prevented it was having four kids depending on her.

  “She slept in the closet for months. Seems that’s what she thought was normal. They locked her in one whenever they went out. She wasn’t even sure if the people she was with were her real parents. It took time and patience, but she’s sleeping in her own bed, does well with her schoolwork.”

  He roughly dragged his hands through his hair and walked down the steps to the yard. Locking his hands behind his neck, he began to pace. Every now and then he’d shake himself, bringing his wolf under control. He’d called Waya a protector, but it took one to know one.

  “You’re the first male she’s willingly gone near other than her brothers. I think she senses your wolf and feels safe. They’re all safe here and happy.” They didn’t have a lot, but they had each other. “We’re a pack.”

  Facing her, he put his hands on his hips and stared her in the eyes. “And am I a part of it?”

  It was a direct challenge. Before she answered, she had a question of her own. “Why did you sleep on the sofa last night?”

  ****

  Nicholas was going crazy. His wolf was in no better shape. Thinking about what all of them had gone through made him want to kill someone. It wasn’t fair that all those kids had been abused or hurt—and he included Bailey and Emmett—and no one had paid.

  Even facing her own hardships, she’d taken in three more kids. The woman had a heart the size of the ocean.

  He’d never allow anyone or anything to harm them again. Whether she ever admitted it or not, they were his pack now, too.

  Bailey’s red hair gleamed like fire in the sun as it tumbled around her bare shoulders. Her bearing was poised, her back straight. No, this woman didn’t back down from a challenge.

  He’d asked himself the same question she had—about every five minutes last night. All he had to give her was the same answer he’d given himself. “You didn’t invite me to share your bedroom. I didn’t assume because we’d made love yesterday afternoon that you’d welcome me again. I know what I want.”

  Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “You wanted me to ask? After yesterday afternoon?”

  Swearing under his breath, he stalked toward her. Anger, frustration, and horniness dogged his every step. “Yes.” It was a tough pill to swallow, but he had no place here unless she offered it. “You’re alpha. Those kids would follow you to hell and back.” So would I.

  “You’re no beta wolf,” she shot back. “What do you want from me?”

  Talk about a loaded question. “I want to be your partner.” He went up one step. “Your mate.” Up another. She backed up until she hit the door. “Alpha.”

  “I knew it. You want to take over the pack. It’s what men do,” she muttered.

  “Stop comparing me to the assholes you’ve heard about or crossed paths with.” He wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. “I want to share your pack.” Her eyes widened when he leaned inward until their lips were almost touching. “I want you.”

  Her pupils dilated, and he caught the delicate scent of her arousal. Every muscle in his body hardened. He couldn’t take his eyes off her lips as she licked them. “It’s not just me. And we have enemies, powerful enemies.”

  “I get that you’re a package deal.” He nuzzled the sexy curve of her neck, intoxicated by the delicate scent of her skin. She’d used the soap he’d given her. Satisfaction flooded through him. “Your enemies are mine. I’ll protect you and the kids with my life.”

  “I don’t want you hurt.”

  Most male wolves would be insulted by the insinuation he wasn’t strong enough to protect himself or her. He chose to be pleased she cared about his safety. “Trust me, I can handle myself.”

  Her eyes narrowed and her mouth pulled down into a frown. “Do you think you’d be in my house with my kids if I didn’t trust you? Do you think I would have let you touch me?”

  “No.”

  Tipping her head back against the door, she lightly hit it several times. “You’re the most confusing, infuriating male.” When he smiled, she poked him in the stomach. “It’s not funny.”

  He caught her hand and held it before she dug a hole in him. “No, it’s not. It pleases me that you care.”

  “Too much,” she grumbled.

  “It’s never too much.” He captured her mouth in a searing kiss. This was what he’d missed last night, not only the passion but the closeness. Her tongue stroked his. A rumble of pleasure vibrated inside him. With their lower halves aligned, his cock nestled against her belly, her breasts against his chest.

  Cupping the back of her head in his palm, he angled her head and deepened the embrace. She tasted sweet, like honey and vanilla, like candy. Her obvious enjoyment of the gifts he’d given her pleased him.

  He wanted to shower her in presents, but that wouldn’t work with this woman. She didn’t want diamonds and fancy clothes. She’d be more likely to want things for the kids or the farm, maybe her forge. It was his job, his pleasure, to discover what those things were and provide them. He’d have to be sneaky about it, so as not to undermine her independent spirit.

  “Didn’t you two get enough of that yesterday?”

  Closing his eyes, he cursed under his breath and prayed for patience. He’d heard the kid coming. It was too much to hope he’d take the hint and walk away. Bailey shoved at his chest until he took a step back. Not caring that he was aroused, he glared at Waya. “You’re lucky I like you. I thought you’d gone for a hike. A long one.”

  The teen snorted and grinned. “Cut it short. Figured I might be needed around here. Looks like I was right.”

  The ache in his balls easing somewhat, he found his sense of humor and chuckled. “Like I said, it’s a good thing I like you.” Bailey had pulled herself back together. If not for her slightly swollen lips and flushed face, she looked perfectly normal. “Waya came to help, so what needs to be done?”

  The teen groaned and shook his head. “Now you’ve done it.”

  “Do the crime, do the time.” He swung his arm around the boy’s neck and mock strangled him. “Well?” he asked her.

  “Ah, the stable likely needs to be mucked out if Emmett didn’t get to it before he left. Chicken coop, too. Fresh bedding for the chicks and general cleanup.” She was on a roll. “Check with Eliza to make sure she fed them. Then the garden could be weeded. Pick anything that’s ripe. Oh, and check the compost heap.”

  Waya held up his hand. “Stop, I’m begging you. I can disappear again and you two can go back to what you were doing.” He looked so hopeful, she burst into laughter, her eyes sparkling with uncontained humor.

  “It’s too late for that. The mood has passed. For now,” she added with a flirtatious grin at Nicholas that had his temperature spiking. “Oh, and consider yourself invited.”

  Waya looked confused, but Nicholas’s shoulders snapped back. His cock was ready to burst. And damn it, the sexy she-wolf knew it. With a sway to her step, she went inside.

  “What was that about?”

  He slapped the teen on the back. “You’ll find out later tonight.”

  Groaning, he covered his ears with his hands. “I don’t want to hear it. I think I’ll sleep in the barn. I should have stayed in the woods.”

  “Life is about timing, my friend. And yours, in this case, sucked.”

  “For you more than me.” The sly grin made him chuckle. The longer he was around the kids, the more their individuality shone through. He liked them for themselves, and not only because they belonged to Bailey.

  “Let’s get to work. Something tells me the boss will be checking to make sure it’s done.” With a swagger in his step, he led the way, ignoring the low muttering behind him. Not even cow shit could dampen his mood. He’d been invited to share Bailey’s bed.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Is this right?” Eliza stood on a stool at the kitchen counter, her tiny hands buried in dough.

  Bailey pressed her thumb into it and nodded. “It’s perfect. Now we need to divide it into two-dozen equal portions and roll them into circles.” The greased pans were ready and waiting. They’d have fresh rolls with dinner tonight.

  It wasn’t easy keeping her attention on what she was doing. All afternoon, her thoughts kept drifting back to earlier. Nicholas hadn’t come to bed last night because she hadn’t asked him. His expression had been blank, but his eyes had burned with passion. He wanted her, hadn’t lost interest, but what happened next was up to her.

  “Bailey?”

  “What? Right. Cut the dough in half and then half again and keep going until you have smaller pieces. Like this.” She demonstrated and then stepped back so Eliza could continue. It was important the kids learn to do things for themselves. It instilled confidence and gave them skills in case something ever happened to her.

  We’d be safer with Nicholas here.

  That was a huge consideration. An even bigger one? She didn’t want him to leave. He’d gotten under her skin. “Like a burr or a tick,” she muttered.

  “What?” Eliza paused in her chore.

  “Nothing. Don’t mind me. I’m just thinking out loud.”

  She nodded sagely. “About Nicholas.”

  God, these kids didn’t miss anything. Leaning her hip against the counter, she watched as the girl continued to cut the dough. Her long hair was pulled back in a messy tail, and her tongue was stuck out between her teeth as she concentrated on her task. “What do you think of him?”

  She set the knife down. “I like him. Is he leaving?” Distress darkened her blue eyes.

  “No, sweetie. I wanted to make sure you like him.”

  “He smells right. Like you do.” Knife in hand, she went back to work until she had twenty-four equal amounts. The precision was incredible. Picking up one circle, she rolled it between her tiny hands. Eliza helped her at many tasks, but her favorites were baking and, of course, her chickens.

  Everything was simpler when you were a kid. He smelled right. She wasn’t wrong. He smelled damn good to her, too, both male and wolf. Her body hummed like a tuning fork, getting louder when he came closer, dissipating when he wasn’t, but never quite going silent.

  Don’t think about it. Needing to keep busy, she began to help Eliza. In no time, they had the pans filled and set aside for their final rise before going in the oven. “Go wash up.” She scooted the girl along and began the cleanup on her own.