Careful What You Ask For Read Online Free Page A

it into the kitchen just as I was pulling the trays out of the oven, and three minutes later the table was set, everyone had something to eat, and we’d all sat down to breakfast.
    “There’s a couple dozen eggs in the fridge if this isn’t enough,” I told them all as I swallowed my first bite.
    “How much progress have you seen in Evie since you arrived?” Duke apparently knew how long it’d been, and he clearly wasn’t happy.
    “I think she turned a corner last night. She’s going to be okay.”
    His eyebrows lifted in doubt. “And you’re an expert on this?”
    “No, but she was just a pissed-off teen floundering without someone willing to take control. She’s trying now. She wasn’t before.”
    He sighed. “I’ll hold off two weeks before I bring my brother in, but I can’t keep quiet indefinitely about a year-plus wolf with shaky control.”
    “She’ll have another full moon behind her, and I’ll have my first at that point.” I wasn’t looking forward to coming face to face with my family’s old Alpha, but I’d have to eventually if I was going to live in his territory.
    Dozer stood to get something else to drink, and Evie cringed like she’d been hit. I had no idea why she suddenly smelled terrified until Dozer said, “Explain why I had to belt you, Britches.”
    Ahhhh. Of course. “Evie, almost from the beginning, my wolf decided she was Alpha to your mother, and your mom didn’t protest when I started demanding submission and obedience. My wolf’s used to being the one in charge, and Dozer and I had a battle of wills. He got me to the point I could kneel to him, but I was still having to fight my wolf to do it, which is why we both changed — so he could prove to her he’s dominant, not just me. Dozer isn’t going to strip you naked and beat you. If you don’t show proper submission, he might throw you to the ground and choke you until you do, but he isn’t going to take his belt to you, okay?”
    She just looked at me, unbelieving, and I added, “He let me ride on his back for over a mile coming back, because my feet are tender and it hurt to walk without shoes. He’s a nice guy — but he’s also a wolf. You’re both, too. Someday you’ll be bigger and stronger and you won’t always be at the bottom of the pecking order. When you’re stronger than others, I hope you’ll choose to help them rather than bully them. Do you want to be like Bubba, or like the bikers who helped you today?”
    “How do you know they helped me?”
    “Because you were terrified of the idea of being around male wolves before, and I returned to find you playing with three of the biggest, baddest wolves I know.”
    “They unlocked the cell and then sat on the floor outside and talked to me until I came out.”
    I nodded. “They treated you like a skittish wolf who needed to learn to trust.”
    “I don’t think my wolf has ever played before.” She looked at Bash. “Thank you.”
    I laughed, but cut it short before I offended Bash. He was the last one I’d have figured for making her feel comfortable, but Duke grinned and said, “Bash was once responsible for keeping a moody teenager safe. He’s the one with the experience.”
    I looked in question at Bash and he said, “I prospected in when Angelica was fifteen. Her dad assigned me as her bodyguard. I had to take her to school, pick her up, and escort her when she went out with friends. I also helped her build her car.”
    “And now you’re married? I’m surprised Bud let you live.”
    “We didn’t get together romantically until she got out of college, but whether Bud was inclined to let me live or not wasn’t a sure thing for a while.”
    I’ve fucked Bud, too. Duke kind of assigned me to him when he came up a few weeks ago. Bud’s even bossier in bed than Gonzo, and he likes to spank. Bud even made me stand in the corner with a huge buttplug in my ass and a penis gag in my mouth because I gagged on his cock. The funny thing