Rescued By The Wolf. Kristal Hollis
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had played hard, fast and loose with the pack’s initiation rule. Doc was neither Wahya nor married to one. He’d been inducted into the pack simply because he was Gavin’s best friend since their college days.
“After all, Grace will be my granddaughter’s godmother. It’s imperative to keep her close. To keep her safe.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Although Rafe was close to the Alpha’s son, he wasn’t usually taken into the Alpha’s confidence.
“Because you’re the baby’s godfather.” Brice leaned in the doorway, all smiles and smugness.
“Like hell I am.” Rafe was still putting his life back together. How could Brice think he’d make a suitable godparent?
“You’re my best friend and Grace is Cassie’s best friend.” Brice flashed a very unwolfan-like smile.
“Find a new best friend,” Rafe half-heartedly told Brice. Though, he was deeply touched by his friend’s faith in him.
“How about Shane?” A gleam lit Gavin’s eyes.
Rafe had to be careful not to over-tighten the screw and strip the threads. Shane MacQuarrie followed Tristan’s wham-bam-thanks-for-the-good-time-ma’am creed. Grace deserved better and like it or not, Rafe felt a degree of protectiveness toward her.
“Personally, I think Shane has a better temperament than Rafe,” Gavin continued smugly. “Since Shane and Grace already have a friendly rapport, a nudge or two in the right direction could turn their relationship into something more.”
“Hell, no!” An unpleasant heat erupted from Rafe’s core.
“Need some water to cool that temper?” Smiling, Brice shook his water bottle at him.
Rafe swallowed and held a breath deep in his chest until the echo of Brice’s laughter subsided.
“Shane’s too young and cocky,” Rafe said more evenly. “He’s all wrong for her.”
“Perhaps.” Gavin’s gaze seemed to bore into Rafe’s skin, making him more irritable. “I want Grace to get to know the pack. I’ll arrange for her to enjoy a few select pack events. I’d prefer for her to attend with someone other than Cassie to avoid the appearance of nepotism.”
“It is, isn’t it?” Rafe returned to assembling the crib.
Gavin issued a warning growl.
Rafe bit back a smile and Brice covered his grin by taking a drink of water. It was a nice feeling to ruffle the Alpha’s fur.
“Considering you’re indebted to Grace because she didn’t kill you with her car,” Gavin snapped, “no one will think twice about her showing up with you.”
Rafe fumbled the screwdriver. “You want me to be her date?”
“Date, escort, guardian. The terms are fairly interchangeable.” Gavin kept a steady gaze on Rafe.
“Not in my dictionary.”
“Perhaps you prefer friend.”
Brice mouthed, “With benefits.” He held up his thumb.
Rafe had an urge to knock the goddamn twinkle out of his best friend’s eyes.
“I want Grace to trust us, not fear us. Making friends among us will ease her anxiety when she finally learns what we are.”
“Want her trust to us? Tell her the truth. The sooner the better,” Rafe said. “Or else this entire scheme will blow up in your face.”
“Tighten ’em up, Pops.” Rafe handed Brice a Phillips screwdriver so the father-to-be could fasten the last four screws into the crib.
Though miffed at his friend for involving him, Rafe understood the reason. The Alpha family was protecting their own. Cassie.
Cassie wanted Grace close. So, the Alpha family would move heaven and earth, and probably a little bit of hell, to see Grace safely settled in their midst. In a twisted, deranged way, the Alpha family had paid him a huge compliment.
He’d rather have free-range runs.
“Thanks, man.” Brice beamed and tackled his token assignment.
After they inserted the mattress, Brice pulled a package out of the closet. “How about this?”
“What is it?” Rafe packed up his tools.
“Stuff the sales clerk said we had to have.” Brice read the package description. “Crib sheet, coverlet, bumpers.”
“Sorry, Walker. Bows and frills aren’t my department.” Rafe shook his head.
Brice frowned, placing the package on the crib Rafe had put together.
They broke down the boxes and stuffed the trash into a garbage bag. “Mom and Dad are out with friends tonight. I’m firing the grill to toss on some burgers for supper. We’ll have plenty if you’re hungry.”
A wolfan was always ready to eat.
“Grace is joining us.”
Dread and excitement competed in racing Rafe’s heart. Part of him, the stupid part, wanted to see her again. The smart half wanted to get the hell out before she showed up.
“I’ve got work to catch up on. Maybe next time.”
“There might not be a next time with Grace. You know what my dad is planning.”
“It won’t work.”
“Cassie said there’s a spark between you and Grace.”
Rafe gave him an eat-shit look.
“My mistake.” Brice’s lopsided grin said he didn’t think he was wrong at all. He grabbed an armful of trash.
Rafe snatched up the remaining garbage and followed him to the side entrance of Gavin and Abby Walker’s home, their family quarters adjacent to the resort.
Brice stayed outside to light the grill. Rafe ducked inside to retrieve his toolbox.
“Rafe? What are you doing here?” Cassie met him in the corridor connecting the Alpha family’s residence to the resort.
“Helping Brice with a project.” Rafe’s gaze skimmed the top of Cassie’s head to his real target. Grace.
“Does he still have all his fingers and toes?” Cassie’s eyes widened against her pale skin.
“He did, but he’s outside lighting the grill.” Rafe’s gaze jumped back to Grace.
Her hair looked professionally sleek. He liked it better in a mussed ponytail. She wore denim shorts with a tiny bit of lace at the hem and a pale pink top with little bows on the capped sleeves. Her nails, painted a dark pink with a black swirly pattern at the tips, matched the toes peeking through the openings of her low-heeled sandals.
“Hey, Sunshine.” Brice strode toward them.
Cassie beamed as he wrapped her in his arms for a big, juicy kiss.
Brice urgently hiked his thumb behind Cassie’s back and gave Rafe the bug eye.
“Come with me.” Rafe clasped Grace’s hand and led her inside the small nursery the Walkers wanted set up for their daughter.
Grace’s lightly glossed lips parted in a soft sigh. She trailed her hand over the newly assembled furniture. “This was your project?”
Rafe nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat at the longing he saw in Grace’s eyes.
Grace gripped the crib’s cherrywood rails, and for a second, Rafe thought tears shimmered in her eyes. “She’ll love it.”