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Lucas and I arrived at the steps I wanted to stay on the ground, but Lucas had no interest in standing lower than the other nolia to move before he extended his hand

Calluht as Lucas and broader across the chest He wasn’t yet forty, but the hair around his te in stark contrast to his dark brown curls Curly hair ran in the McQueen fa the women of the south appreciated Callu of stubble, which clung to his face not unliketo the oaks His eyes were dark brown, and if they were the s to the soul, his were shuttered Callum’s expression was unreadable He looked down at Lucas’s offered hand then turned his attention to round level

"Callu his face into an approximation of a smile "It’s a pleasure"

If anyone else had addressed Callum so casually, it would have been seen as an incredible faux pas But Lucas was a king too, and as much as neither of the pause, Callum took Lucas’s hand and shook it "Welcome to my home, Lucas It’s been awhile Last tiht insult, but I caught on to what Callu to re was of the two of theer men, once," Lucas replied politely

Well played

"Yes And now you’re ’s attention pivoted to -departed niece"

"Hello…Your Majesty" I grimaced after the words came out Even to me they sounded petulant and forced

Callum pretended not to notice and offered me a s to fall into a booby trap any moment I reached the top unscathed and placedHe didn’t need to force his strength on to people His poas obvious without being showy He was confident he would be respected in his domain

"So this is our little Secret" He took my other hand and heldfor a good fit "My goodness, all grown up"

"Grandot my vitamins"

"Grandmere" He cocked his head to the side "Hmm Indeed How is my mother?"

That was a rich question She’d run away froe leadershiphere in his clutches--literally--and he was asking after her health

"She’s well" I said nothing else

"Good" He nodded once And again "Good" He dropped my arrateful "Well, let’s not spend the whole night on the porch The rest of the pack is at the bar Magnolia will take you there, and I will meet you later"

The bar? We drove two hours, and noanted us to leave again to make our introductions to a bunch of drunk wolves? Could this getaround the side of the verandah

"Uh, don’t we need our cars?" I asked

"Why? The bar is out back"

Chapter Eighteen

The Southern wolf pack kne to bring a party to their front door

We followed a chip path through another stand of oaks in total darkness After about five minutes of silence, I was about to ask what kind of horrorus into, when a pair of tiki torches appeared ahead The path opened into a huge clearing

To our left was a stone building, shaped like a turret, which looked too se wood-plank building with a rickety porch wrapping around it and newly replaced wooden steps that stood in bright blonde contrast to the stain of the rest of the building Above the entrance was a neon orange sign blinking the words The Den

More neon decorated the s on either side of the door and also served to obscure uys have a bar?" I couldn’t wrap s were set off in the distance,from their s It seemed as if Callum, or more likely my Grandfather Elmore, had renovated the old slave quarters into residences for the pack With Callu so far from a major metropolitan area, it must have been easier to have the pack stay close rather than wait to have them come to him