"Her name is Honey and her car broke down. She's a wolf, but her pack is a few states away."

Nila frowned. "It's nearly the full moon. Shouldn't she be home?"

"I didn't invite her into the car because she's a stranger, but I told her we'd wait until the tow showed up."

"Is she going to freeze to death while we wait?" Nila felt bad that she was back there all alone in a broken-down car.

"Malachi would skin me alive if I brought a stranger into the car. She said she understood why I couldn't invite her into our car, and besides, Ren will come quickly. He owns the garage, so he can help her."

"Where will she stay if the car can't be fixed tonight?"

Mia blew out a breath. "I guess I should call Acksel, especially since she's a wolf."

Nila listened as Mia called her alpha. By the time Mia had explained the situation to him, a tow truck appeared and Ren helped the woman into the cab of the truck and disappeared behind it.

"We can go now. Acksel's on his way and I'm hungry. The finger sandwiches and veggie trays did not fill me up," Mia said as she put the car in gear and pulled onto the street.

Nila chuckled, "Me, either."

Mia dropped Nila off at home. Nila stomped her boots on the front mat, kicking the snow from them, and then walked inside. Malachi and Jack were sitting on the couch. Jack was in his lap with a large storybook. Malachi was reading, or at least trying to. Every word that he said, Jack would interrupt and repeat the word, looking up at Mal for confirmation that he'd said it correctly.

"Mama," Jack squealed, bouncing on Malachi's lap.

"Hi baby." She removed her boots and hung up her coat before crossing the room to them, bending over to kiss Jack's cheek. She sat next to them and kissed Malachi. "Hi to you, too."

"How was the shower?"

"Fun. I heard that the baby shower involves the she-wolves hunting and bringing back dead animals. Is that true?"

He laughed. "Just for the alpha."

"I don't have to try to hunt, do I? I don't think I'd be fast enough to catch a mouse, let alone a bunny or something bigger. Plus, you know...ick."

"You can get her something normal, don't worry."

"Do you think about having kids, Mal?" She rested her head on his arm, which was draped over the back of the couch.

His eyes darkened, and a soft smile played on his lips. "Yeah. I'd love to have a baby with you. As many as you want."

He leaned forward to kiss her but Jack put his hand up between them. "Dada? Woof."

Malachi made a face. "Woollff."

"Woof."

"I think he's doing it on purpose," Malachi said.

Nila grinned. "Not my little angel."

Malachi put Jack on the floor and grabbed Nila, pulling her into his lap. "You're my angel. My heart. My life."

Her stomach flipped at the heated look and then she felt Jack fist her shirt and tug as he pulled himself to standing. "Oose."

"Juice? Sure, baby. Just tell Daddy to let me go."

Malachi growled lightly and nipped her neck. "That is never happening."

She wiggled off Malachi's lap and headed into the kitchen. Malachi s.n.a.t.c.hed Jack off the floor and tickled him until he giggled hysterically. Nila handed a sippy cup of apple juice to Jack and sat down next to her mate as Jack climbed off the couch and toddled around. Malachi kissed her temple and pulled her close. "However many we have, whether they end up shifting or not - the only thing I care about is that they're happy and healthy."

"Me, too," she said, smiling as she watched Jack bang the cup on the table a few times before taking another drink.

She never expected to find herself engaged to a wolf, not when so much bad had happened before. Malachi had protected her when she didn't want him to, saved her when she needed him, and was the kind of father to Jack that she had always wished for him. The journey had been a disaster at times, but the reward was sweet. She'd never felt more loved and cared for then she did with Malachi, her fierce protector and the only wolf to ever steal her heart.

The End.

Also from R. E. Butler.

Wiccan-Were-Bear Novella Series.

A Curve of Claw.

A Flash of Fang A Price for a Princess A Bond of Brothers A Bead of Blood.

A Twitch of Tail A Promise on White Wings A Slash of Savagery.

The Wolf's Mate Series The Wolf's Mate Book 1: Jason & Cadence The Wolf's Mate Book 2: Linus & The Angel The Wolf's Mate Book 3: Callie & The Cats The Wolf's Mate Book 4: Michael & Shyne The Wolf's Mate Book 5: Bo & Reika.

The Wolf's Mate Book 6: Logan & Jenna The Wolf's Mate Book 7: Lindy & The Wulfen.

The Necklace Chronicles The Tribe's Bride The Gigolo's Bride.

Ashland Pride Series Seducing Samantha (Ashland Pride One) Loving Lachlyn (Ashland Pride Two) Marking Melody (Ashland Pride Three).

Redeeming Rue (Ashland Pride Four) Hyena Heat Series Every Night Forever (Hyena Heat One).

Every Dawn Forever (Hyena Heat Two) Every Sunset Forever (Hyena Heat Three) Wilde Creek Series.

Mate of Her Heart (Book One) The Alpha's Heart (Book Two) The Protector's Heart (Book Three).

Coming Soon... The Omega's Heart (Wilde Creek Four).

Jeremiah Kincaid has spent most of his life on the outside looking in. Unable to shift even though he's a full-blooded wolf, he's forced to be an omega in his pack, looked down upon by his fellow pack members. No male wants him at his back in a fight, no female wants him in her bed. As his twenty-eighth birthday approaches, he finds himself reaching the limit of what he can tolerate, and makes plans to leave the pack and try to blend in with the humans.

Honey Williams' alpha father has been acting strangely ever since she turned twenty-five, and as the January full moon draws near, she begins to feel like something is going to happen to her. Something bad. She takes the opportunity of her college friend's bachelorette party to leave town, but instead of heading to her friend's house, she runs in the opposite direction. As the full moon looms near, she knows she needs to find a place to stay so she can shift and hunt before she moves on in her attempt to get away from whatever plans her father is making for her. When she arrives in Wilde Creek two days before the full moon, she sees a small town with lots of woods to hunt in and knows she's found a temporary place to stay. To ensure her father can't order her home for the full moon, she disables her car, getting help from a friendly she-wolf and a handsome tow-truck driver.

When Jeremiah fakes illness to avoid the full moon preparations, he never expected to be sitting on his back porch the night of the full moon and have his life change forever. One look at the sultry beauty who shifts in his yard and he knows he's in the presence of his mate. Honey's father demands she return home, and the truth of his betrayal is revealed. Jeremiah is determined to keep Honey safe and keep her forever. He might not be able to shift, but he'll be d.a.m.ned if he lets Honey's life be ruined.

When a non-shifting wolf and a beautiful she-wolf get together, expect scorching s.e.x, ripped clothes, and furniture broken in the heat of pa.s.sion. Contains m/f interaction.

end.