Free Christmas Moon by Loribelle Hunt Page A

handle it if it wasn’t.
    She’d been carefully but deftly questioned about Cain and Abel and tried to be noncommittal, neutral in her answers. She didn’t want anyone to think she was complaining about them, but she wasn’t ready to think about that relationship, much less discuss it, with a bunch of people she didn’t know. Not even Chloe, who was the closest friend she’d ever had and who’d given her a wounded look when she’d stonewalled their questions.
    So, when Abel approached and pulled her into his arms, she accepted the embrace, hid her face in his chest, and took the strength he offered. She was so far out of her depth here, she didn’t know how to find her footing, and she welcomed his comfort.
    “You okay, baby?” he whispered close to her ear. She just shook her head. How could she answer that? She’d come here for a job. What she got was something else entirely. She needed time and space to regroup, and she got a sinking feeling in her gut she wasn’t going to get either.
    Abel lifted her chin and stared into her eyes for a full minute. She could get lost there and wanted to kick herself. They were a big part of her confusion. She couldn’t afford to get lost in one of them.
    “After lunch, we’ll head home.”
    What did he see in her gaze that brought on that decision? She felt bad. She was usually so together, and she didn’t want the fact she was off balance affecting him negatively. He obviously had a job to do here, but she didn’t say no, didn’t prod for any answers. Didn’t think it was a good idea in a crowd of people she didn’t know and couldn’t have framed the questions anyway, since she went from Abel’s arms right into Cain’s. Cain wasn’t as circumspect as his brother, and he kissed her, full and hard, right in front of everyone.
    No one noticed, but she was still thankful he had some control because she was more than willing to lose herself in the mysteries of his mouth, in the way his lips commanded hers. He kept it short, but when he lifted his head, he didn’t let her go, keeping her at his side while Abel filled three plates and led them to chairs at the long table in the dining room next door.
    She sat and picked at her food. The last thing she was interested in was eating. She wanted answers, wanted to understand this strange new world she found herself in. Wanted to know what the hell that gathering was about earlier and the tension that hung heavy in the house. The tension that clung to Cain and Abel.
    There was a lot going on here that was unsaid, and it pissed her off to be kept in the dark. She’d been tempted to blurt out stop it, I know they’re werewolves , on the tour, but had bit her tongue. If it had been just her and Chloe, she would have said something, would have peppered her with questions, but she didn’t know any of these other women. They seemed nice enough, but she’d learned appearances could be deceiving. And weren’t Cain and Abel a prime example of that?
    “You need to eat, baby.”
    She smiled, knowing it was Abel, based on the endearment, before she looked up. Lifting the fork, she took a bite of the chicken salad and glanced around the table. The kitchen had been set up buffet style, and the other couples were drifting in and out.
    The other twins she’d met earlier came in and sat a few chairs down. They were the only men in the two rooms that didn’t have a woman with them. Mate , she reminded herself. They made her nervous. Tall, thickly muscled, with cold eyes and closed faces.
    Another couple came in and sat across from them. She looked up and found herself pinned under Trey’s gaze. Cain squeezed her hand, feeding her strength and support. Good thing, too, because while the twins scared her a little, this one made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. He was terrifying. How did Tara deal with that? She broke the gaze and looked at his mate. To be fair, she didn’t look the least bit cowed by him.
    Abel nudged