Free The Reluctant Mate: (Book 13, Grey Wolf Pack Romance Novellas) by E A Price Page A

seeing it locked had come into the house.  Surreptitiously, she tried sniffing and listening for Reid, but he wasn’t home.
    As Norma bustled around the kitchen insisting on getting Jolene a drink, she noticed the wooden pear and smiled.  It had pride of place amongst various knickknacks including a ceramic flamingo from Florida sent by a cousin, a snow globe from New York, salt and pepper pots in the shape of turkeys which were allegedly heirlooms going back a hundred years – which was unlikely – and various pictures of family.  She traced her fingers over the pear.
    “Beautiful, huh?” said Norma walking over to her.
    “Yes,” she agreed eagerly.
    “But then I always knew my Beau would make beautiful pups.”
    Jolene blinked at her a couple of times as Norma picked up a photo of her grandchildren.  Oh, she was talking about them .  Jolene had barely noticed the picture was even there.
    “Oh, I’m sorry that was insensitive.”  Norma gave her a pitying look, and Jolene resisted the urge to growl.
    “It’s fine.”  God, what could she say to that proud, expectant face?  “Yes, Beau was always… handsome.”
    Jolene felt a shiver of awareness and turned to find Reid giving her a strange look.
    “Reid,” she whispered, throat scratchily dry.
    He was wearing nothing but jeans, the top button carelessly undone.  Barefoot and with beads of sweat glistening on his skin, his massive chest rose and fell, rhythmically.  He’d been for a run as his beast.  Her body heated as she took in the layers of muscle, of the dusting of dark hair on his chest, and the happy trail that led right down to his…
    Jolene looked away as his dark green eyes bore into her.  She felt like she was projecting her thoughts so loudly that he could see them.  Thank all that is holy for nosy mothers.
    “There you are, honey,” rebuked Norma, mildly.  “You missed your visitor.”
    Reid’s eyebrows dipped slightly in confusion as his eyes flickered between his mom and Jolene.
    Norma laughed.  “Not Jolene, she’s not here to see you.”
    “Well, actually…”
    “Marley came by.”
    Norma seemed to be thrilled, and bristling with excitement, but Reid was confused.
    “Why?”
    She gave Jolene a patient look that said ‘sons – what can you do?’.  “To remind you about the party.”
    Reid shrugged.  “What party?”
    Norma gave him an exasperated look.  “She said she invited you to a birthday party this evening.  I told her, of course, you’d be there.”
    Jolene felt like an intruder.  She felt silly and old thinking that Reid would want to spend time with her when he obviously already had plans with a woman his own age.  A younger, thinner and much less complicated woman .  Her wolf whined in disappointment, but perhaps this was the slap to the senses she needed.
    “I should go.”
    “No!” said Norma and Reid at the same time.
    “You have plans.”
    “I’m not going to that dumb party,” snapped Reid.
    His mother took absolutely no offense.  “Now, Reid, she was kind enough to invite you.”
    He snorted.
    “You should go.  Remember what the Alpha said, you can’t shut yourself off from the rest of the pack.”
    Reid rolled his eyes.  “I won’t know anyone there.”
    “You know Marley,” argued his mother, imperturbably.
    He grunted.
    Norma brightened, struck by what turned out to be a terrible idea.  “Jolene, why don’t you go, too?”
    “Ah… I wasn’t invited.”  And because she still had a shred of sanity – even if it was only a small shred .
    The older she-wolf waved away her objections as easily as she would an objection coming from one of her sons.  “You’re pack; it won’t be a problem.”  Jolene opened her mouth to argue, but she wasn’t fast enough.  “See, then it’s settled, you’ll go together.”
    Reid – the traitor - perked up.  “Sure.”
    “Ummm…”
    “Now, just in case there is alcohol at this party,” began Norma.
    Jolene pursed her