Free Elder: Reckless Desires (Norseton Wolves #6) by Holley Trent Page A

You’re holding back about your niece .”
    Adam turned to Terrence. “So, you checked in with the doc who gave him the physical? Leg shit aside, Nixon’s otherwise cleared to work?”
    Terrence bobbed his eyebrows. “I think he transferred the approval over to the mansion just before you got here.”
    “I’ll make sure before you go,” the nurse said.
    Adam walked over and clapped Nixon on the shoulder. “Super. Fantastic. Put your leg on so you can do some of that paperwork the folks at the mansion insist we drop some bullshit upon for their files.”
    “I’m supposed to meet Esther.”
    “No reason she can’t tag along—if you can stand her smell.” Adam’s grin was more shark than wolf.
    “Get your chuckles in now, asshole. I’ll remember this one day when you need a favor.” Nixon turned his legs over the edge of the table and carefully put his good foot on the floor. “Be glad you can’t smell her. You must be absolutely nose-blind. It’s the foulest scent I’ve ever encountered coming off a living creature.”
    “My nose works just fine. The reason her scent’s not so offensive to me is because I’m not interested in her that way. Besides the fact that she’s my niece through marriage, I love my wife a lot. I imagine that of all the male wolves in the pack, the only folks her scent would potentially bother are you and Jim, and I suspect Jim is waiting on Jailbait to come of age.”
    “ Jailbait ?” Terrence asked.
    “Leticia Modesto. They came into the pack at the same time. I’d bet money that she imprinted on him, but he’s been behaving himself admirably well for such an ill-mannered schmuck.”
    “Probably helps that he’s never around.” The nurse pushed back her rolling chair, strode to the door, and pulled the handle. She furrowed her brow as she looked at Adam. “I don’t see him as much as I see the other wolves.”
    Adam grunted. “For good reason. He spends most of his time tracking outside threats.”
    The nurse and Terrence left the room.
    Nixon got his clothes back on and followed Adam to the front of the office to check out.
    He glanced at the clock over the receptionist’s head and grunted at the late hour. The day had run away from him. It was already after two. “She’s gonna think I stood her up.”
    “Tell her to blame me,” Adam said. He tucked the appointment card the receptionist gave him into his pocket. He was likely going to invite himself to every exam in the foreseeable future to be sure Nixon wasn’t skipping out on them.
    Nixon laughed and shook his head.
    Adam was a good alpha because he was nothing like most alphas.
    Out on the street, they rounded the corner onto Main.
    Esther was sitting on a bench, alone, in front of the haberdasher. She stood as they approached.
    “Where are the kiddos?” Nixon asked.
    She let out a sharp breath. “Abandoned me.”
    “Come on, now,” Adam said.
    She shook her head slightly and rubbed her eyes. “Well, Darla did, anyway. The lady at the school wanted to do some testing with Kevin to make sure he’s in the right grade, and I guess a wolf works there?”
    “Yeah. Stephanie. Teaches art.”
    “She said she’d take him home when she goes. The preschool teacher saw us moving through the building, I guess, and she lured Darla into the room with a smile and a doll. Darla didn’t want to leave, so I said I’d go back to get her at two, and then Aunt Lilith said she’d get her and take her to her Bunco game.” Esther’s laugh as she raked a hand through her shining hair was a nervous titter. “She said there’d be cake and punch, and Darla can’t say no to cake.”
    “Neither can I, most of the time,” Nixon said.
    That didn’t seem to be the consoling remark Esther needed to hear. She blanched.
    Adam gave her shoulder a squeeze and then pointed in the general direction of the mansion. “Headed over to get some human resources stuff worked out for this guy. Tag along, and you can see where some of