Free Omega Moon Rising (Toke Lobo & The Pack) by MJ Compton Page B

car. Can you fetch it?” Colette turned to Abby. “I don’t know what Luke has for pots and pans. We bought him some things when he first moved in here, but you know how men can be.”
    Marcus went to the car and Abby returned to the sofa and closed her eyes. She wanted to be alone. This day had been one of the worst in her life. Grief plucked every nerve and muscle in her body. Too much. She needed to mourn, but no one was giving her a chance.
    Outside, something howled.
    “You won’t be living like this much longer,” Colette told Luke, as she bustled around his small kitchen. Abby heard the chink of dishes being moved around. “Your mate deserves better.”
    “My wife.” Luke’s tone was wooden.
    “Don’t split hairs.”
    “You know,” Luke snarled at his mother, “I get real tired of everyone treating me like—”
    “You deserve to be treated. I raised you better than this. Your father told me some of what transpired during your audience with Tokarz last night, and all I have to say is we’re lucky someone as wise as Tokarz de Lobo Garnier is leading this pack. Someone else might not have been as lenient with you.”
    Abby must have been even more exhausted than she thought. Colette was saying things that made no sense. The same sort of things Macy had said the night before about alphas and such. What Abby thought of as code talk.
    The distant howling resumed.
    “I know what I did was wrong. I’m doing what I can to make it right. But being wrong doesn’t mean I should be punished for the rest of my life.”
    Colette must have made some kind of motion, because Luke said, “She’s asleep. I doubt she got any more sleep last night than I did.”
    “Since when do you sleep at night?”
    “You know what I mean,” Luke snapped again.
    “You better keep doing right by that girl.”
    “I married her, didn’t I? I brought her kid sister back to Loup Garou to keep her safe. Damn. I need to buy Abigail a guitar.”
    “A guitar?”
    “Her stepfather smashed hers today.”
    A fresh wave a pain washed over Abby. Luke didn’t understand the only value in the guitar was that it had been her father’s. He’d taught her to play when she was barely big enough to embrace the body and her fingers strained to span the neck.
    “That poor girl,” Colette said.
    The door opened with a blast of cold air. “Where are Abigail and her sister?” Marcus asked.
    Abby struggled to open her eyes and sit up. “Here.” Her tongue felt too big for her mouth. “Libby is still upstairs.”
    “What’s wrong?” Luke asked.
    “Their stepfather showed up at Tokarz’s house. Claims you kidnapped Libby.”
    “No!” Abby struggled to her feet. “He can’t have her.”
    Luke caught her arm as she tried to pass him. “Let Tokarz take care of him.”
    “Promise me, promise me Libby stays with us.” Abby knew she was screaming because of the pain in her throat, but the roar in her ears muffled the sound.
    “Libby doesn’t go anywhere with Gary Porter. He will have to kill me first,” Luke vowed.
    Libby’s face appeared at the overhead rail. She was pale. “Gary is here?”
    “He’s at Tokarz’s house,” Luke said. “Gary doesn’t know where we live. You’re safe here. I won’t let him take you.”
    “No one will let him take you.” Marcus sounded fierce. “We protect our own, and you’re one of us now. Let’s take your stuff out to the car.”
    Abby’s skepticism must have shown on her face, because Colette squeezed her arm as Marcus hefted the garbage bag of Libby’s clothes. “Macy told you last night. You’ve never been safer in your life. I’ll let my errant son explain everything to you. Now you rest. The first few months of pregnancy are exhausting. How far along are you?”
    “Since the night of the Moonsinger family picnic.” Abby hadn’t bothered to count. Hadn’t wanted to admit the possibility of pregnancy. Another fantasy that hadn’t come true.
    “I meant to ask you last night,