Free This Weakness For You (Entangled Select Otherworld) (Taming the Pack) by Wendy Sparrow

wolf inside from someone staring him down. “Original, huh?”
    “Yes, I’m told it’s worth twenty-five thousand. It’s been in my family for three generations. There’s a small crack on the back that’s from me. I tipped it over when I shifted into a Lycan for the first time at age eleven.”
    “Hmm.”
    “So while it might be satisfying for you when you smash it over my hardheaded skull, my mother might hold it against you when you meet her.”
    As cool as could be, Christa tilted her head. “Well, then, I won’t.” Her mouth twitched in a suppressed smile before she bit her lips. “And since you’re such a mama’s boy, when I meet her, I’ll watch my damn mouth and not tell her I saw you naked.”
    There was no one like Christa. Not in this town. Not in this world. “I’d expect nothing less since you’re obviously so polite and well-behaved.” Except for all the times she wasn’t—which is what he looked forward to.
    He leaned forward…slowly, just in case she went nuts on him again. But she leaned forward, too, and when their lips brushed, she murmured against his mouth, “Can you imagine if I wasn’t a pacifist?”

Chapter Five
    It seemed she’d get further with him when he was asleep, because as soon as they started kissing, he stopped, raised his head, and looked toward the door.
    “I should have ignored what you said about pancakes and kept going,” she murmured. Because, really, who didn’t like pancakes? And they’d get hungry afterward, and she could have discussed pancakes at length, but no, she’d had to be all noble and say, I don’t think you’re actually awake .
    “What?” he asked, still staring at the door. “Excuse me, I need to get that.”
    “Get what?”
    “The phone.”
    Oh, she hadn’t even heard it ringing. Dogs supposedly had good hearing, though, so maybe Lycans were like that too. She trailed behind him as he walked toward the study they’d been in last night. Lucifer had come and whispered a single, humble “meow” last night to get her attention, but he was probably due to go out again.
    Jordan’s long legs and better health meant that he’d already answered the phone when she reached the door. With an easy grace, he scooped up Lucifer in his free arm, walked past her to the front door, and set him down with a firm look while pointing at the black cat with his index finger.
    Her subdued cat was a pathetic thing to behold, and he slunk through the door, which Jordan closed behind him.
    “Yeah, about that…” Jordan looked at her almost sheepishly as he walked back into the library. “Now isn’t a good time after all.”
    She raised her eyebrows. Apparently she was cutting into his social life.
    He cleared his throat before striding to go look out the window. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m not in any danger.” He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand. “Well, not like what you’re worried about. I might have you hold on to Mom’s lamp for me.”
    She refused to be cowed when he turned to frown at her.
    He’d deserved it.
    He grinned. “Uh-huh. That sort of trouble.” The smile dropped off his face. “Not a chance, Garret. Don’t think I’ve forgotten what happened ten years ago.” And he hung up.
    “What happened ten years ago?” Christa asked.
    “My brother thought it’d be funny to steal my…uhh…the woman I was with. I’d recently been made Alpha, and he was pissed at me for that. I nearly killed both of them before I reined it in.”
    She had to let the beginning of that go. She knew there’d been other women. And there wasn’t a wife in the cellar. Hopefully.
    “Your brother wanted to be Alpha?”
    “No. Well, yes, but he’s not Lycan. It was more salt in that wound.”
    “And you’ve never forgiven him for that?”
    Jordan shrugged. “I have, I suppose. I understand why he did it. And he’d met her first. But we’re not a close family. My mother keeps trying, but…I can’t say she’s making much