Free Jace (River Pack Wolves 2) (Paranormal Romance) by Alisa Woods

into the food. Jace and his mother both had grins on their faces, although Jace’s was a little more amused than pleased. Daniel seemed baffled that she had decided now was a good time to eat, but it wasn’t like the Colonel had given her anything.
    People wandered in and out of the kitchen, but they didn’t take much notice of her tucked in the tiny eat-in table in the corner. After she spent a minute of blissful silence devouring the delicious treats, two shifters strode into the kitchen, trailed by a younger woman. It was obvious the men were related to Jace, only older: same towering, bulked-up bodies with a hardness that came from military service, not just the shifter gene; same dark, intelligent eyes; same confident alpha walk. Their faces were all hard planes and kissable lips, but they also had a touch of the softness she saw in Mama River’s open concern for her—it was like kindness personified, touching their faces with a glow that came from lives surrounded by people they loved.
    One of the men glowed more than the others, the one with his fingers laced with the girl’s. She was a curvy, dark-haired beauty, and anyone with eyes could see the man was madly in love with her.
    “Hey,” he said to Jace, “I’ve got some good news for you. But first, tell me—” He cut himself off as he noticed Piper at the table, scarfing down pastries. “Oh! You must be Piper.” He dropped the girl’s hand and strode over.
    Piper regretfully put down the chocolate croissant she was about to devour and rose up from her chair. She didn’t say anything, just tried to gauge his intention.
    He extended his hand and a smile. “I’m Jaxson River. I hear you have a brother we’re going to find.”
    Her heart couldn’t help responding—a smile snuck on her face without her permission. She shook his hand. “I hope so.” The words came out more emotional than she intended, so she ducked her head and tried to get a grip on herself. She dropped his hand and backed up a little to gain space. The girl arrived at Jaxson’s side.
    “Hey, I’m Olivia.” She offered up her small hand.
    Piper leaned over to shake that, too, then retreated again. “Piper Wilding.”
    Olivia grinned. “We know. And I think I might be able to help you.” She looked to Jaxson for confirmation, and he gave her an encouraging nod. She turned back to Piper. “You should know I’m half-witch.”
    Piper took a step back that banged her legs against the chair she’d just been seated in.
    “It’s okay.” Olivia’s hands were up. “I’m one of the nice ones.”
    “I didn’t think they came in that flavor.” Piper peered around her for the matriarch of the River pack, wondering if maybe she was a witch, too, as she appeared, but she had already slipped away.
    “If you’d asked me last week,” Olivia said with a smile, “I would have said the same thing. I didn’t think witches could be anything but nasty and evil.” She beamed a newlywed look at Jaxson. “But then I fell in love with a wolf, and that kind of changed my perspective.”
    Piper frowned. “You two are mated?” She’d never heard of such a thing. In fact, she wasn’t even sure it was possible.
    “Mated, in love, and soon to be married,” Jaxson said with a grin that implied this was still a brand-spanking-new turn of events, and he wasn’t tired of boasting about it yet.
    “Um… congratulations?” Piper couldn’t quite wrap her head around the details, but that wasn’t really her concern, anyway.
    Olivia gave Jaxson’s arm an affectionate squeeze, and Piper was suddenly spiked through with envy for the second time in less than five minutes—not only did these River wolves grow up with a family that obviously loved them, but they had mates who adored them as well. Her heart twitched, wondering if Jace had a mate, and she flashed a look to him.
    He was watching her carefully, like he was studying her every small movement, and she had to wrench her gaze away