Free Brink Of Passion (Alpine Woods Shifters) by Sondrae Bennett

our kind and his… Well, you know what they say?”
    Danny, too? They’d seemed to be getting along well at the conference. What had changed?
    “Fighting like cats and dogs,” she murmured, still a bit shocked by this aspect of her family.
    Ethan frowned at her. “Don’t be a breedist.”
    Wait…what?
    “But you just said—”
    “He’s a Red Wings fan!”
    With a laugh, Laurie grabbed a sweater laying over the sofa and hit Ethan in the arm. Hockey! Her brothers were seriously talking about a hockey team?
    “You guys really had me going there.”
    “We’re serious, Laurie. Have you discussed how you’ll bring up the children? Avalanche fans or Red Wings fans. They can’t be both.”
    Considering she’d only learned a couple days ago she’d be moving to New York City, they were asking a lot from her.
    “Avalanche fans, of course,” she replied, playing along. She knew her brothers were just teasing her. All of them had grown up cheering for the Avs, but she had a feeling their teasing was meant more to ease her tension than out of serious concern about a hockey team. Mission accomplished.
    “Thanks guys.”
    Ethan pulled her back into his arms. “Anytime. We’re only a phone call or a plane ride away.”
    “Alright. Boxes are pretty much all packed. As soon as Max and Brendan get back with the U-Haul, you men can load it up,” Gwen said, sweeping into the kitchen like a hurricane.
    “Us men? What will you women be doing?” Ethan’s voice rumbled under her cheek where it pressed against his chest.
    Someone pulled her away. Julie, she realized as her sister linked arms with her and tugged her toward the door where she saw her mother, Gwen, and a very pregnant Samantha waiting with purses in hand.
    “We women are stealing Laurie away for lunch at the diner, followed by happy hour at Books ’N’ Crannies before meeting back up with you all for dinner.”
    Her farewell dinner. Tomorrow morning, Max and she would drive her stuff away from Alpine Woods and that would be it. She’d be a New Yorker.
    Even the thought felt weird. She was glad the girls had thought to include happy hour at Books ’N’ Crannies, the store she’d worked so hard to build. She’d poured her heart and soul into that store, as well as the inheritance her grandmother had split between her grandchildren when she’d passed. Happy hour would give her a chance to say goodbye to her second home.
    “No more dwelling. Come on,” Julie said, pulling her toward the waiting women. Laurie glanced around as she left. Her mother and father had offered to sell her furniture for her, and her personal belongings were all in boxes. The place felt like a shell of the home she loved. Blinking back tears, she said a silent good-bye as she walked out the door.
    “Onto bigger and better things,” Gwen murmured, linking with her other arm. Of all people, Gwen understood best the emotions swirling inside her. Gwen was an otter shifter whose romp had been located in California. She’d left everything behind, minus the best friend who had come with her, after Ethan had mated her while visiting her resort on vacation.
    “Tell me it gets easier.”
    “It does. Knowing you, you’ll be having a blast running amok in New York City before you know it. Bigger town just means more fun to be had.”
    “And more trouble to get into,” Julie piped in.
    “Just try not to take any of Max’s pack skinnydipping in the Hudson. Or Central Park.”
    Laurie laughed at Samantha’s reminder of the night they’d gotten trashed on her homemade margaritas and taken a naked dip in the town park.
    “Probably best to refrain from skinnydipping yourself, as well,” her mother added.
    “What’s the fun in that?” Laurie joked. She was glad the whole family would be together for dinner tonight, but she needed this day out with just the girls.
    “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of other ways to get into trouble. Max has no idea what he got himself