Wild Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary Book 4)

A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT

I’d spent a whole weekend with my dad and Maximus, off on a camping trip where we’d sat around a campfire. I’d sung songs and burned shit, which was just my kind of fun. Dad seemed to have enjoyed putting out my fires and he’d asked me a bazillion questions about my life while I’d asked a bazillion questions in return. We were becoming something real special, something I’d never had before. He’d even asked to see me weekly, wanting to ensure we forged a proper bond and I was all giddy inside about that as I skipped up the driveway to the Oscura household.

Rosalie was out on the porch with Hastings, Cain and a few of the pups, playing a game of snap that was causing the youngens to roar with laughter. As I got closer, I realised Rosalie was making the deck fly out of reach as a snap came up and the pups all leapt up to try and grab it from the vine she’d cast.

I used air to capture it for myself, clapping my hand against the deck. “Snap!”

“Sin!” a cry of elation went up from the pups and they all ran at me, the little ones climbing my legs while others prodded and pulled at me. I gave them all kisses and hugs then ran up the porch steps and snared my wild girl in a kiss that made Hastings blush.

Our little pet guard cleared his throat and Cain rolled his eyes when I let our girl go.

“Did you have fun?” Rosalie asked as I swung my pack down onto the boards and the pups descended on it, seeking out gifts. And there were plenty of them in there. Pretty rocks and shiny leaves I’d collected on our trail walks, plus a bunch of fancy twigs.

“It was the best, sugar lips,” I purred. “But nothing beats coming home.”

“I don’t think we can keep calling this home much longer,” Cain said. “Bianca has made plenty of unsubtle comments about us getting our own place.”

“That’s because she’s tired of the pups asking why there’s a ghoul living in Rosa’s room that starts wailing in the night.” I smirked and Rosalie elbowed me.

“She has a point. Much as I love it here, I think we could use our own space,” she said.

“It would be nice to have my own bedroom,” Hastings commented and Rosalie gave him the side-eye.

“We can get you your own water bowl with your name on it,” I said brightly.

“Well, er, I could just use a glass,” Hastings hedged.

“Er, Jack…” Cain started.

“Jack Hastings!” a woman shrieked, and we turned to find a blonde lady stalking up the drive with Aunt Bianca bustling along beside her.

“Oh my stars,” Hastings whispered, pulling his fringe down over his eyes. “That’s my mom.”

“You have been missing for weeks!” his mom yelled. “Not a call. Not a message. Nothing! And now I track you down and you’re here loitering around on somebody else’s porch with a smile on your face. Well you are in big trouble.”

“I belong here, Mom. I’m one of them now,” Hastings insisted, lifting his chin.

“Oh are you?” she snapped, shoving up her sleeves as she made it to the porch and Hastings side-stepped behind Cain. His mom yanked him out by the ear and slapped him around the head for good measure. “You’ve had me worried sick. And your father has been wilting with concern. You will come home this instant!”

“But Mom,” he hissed, his ears turning beetroot, and I sniggered.

“No buts,” she growled, showing her inner beast. “Home. Now.” She pointed back down the drive.

“Do forgive me, Mrs Hastings,” Bianca said earnestly. “If I’d have known he belonged elsewhere, I would have sent him your way sooner.”

“Oh good stars, it’s not your fault,” Hastings’ mom gushed, then turned her sharp eyes on her son again. “Go.”

Hastings bowed his head, muttering a goodbye to us and stomped off down the driveway with his mom berating him all the way.

“So much for him being the dark in the dead of the night,” Cain said with a low laugh.

“He’ll come visit though, right?” I asked hopefully. I liked having him around. Crow-thing liked him too, although my bird liked everyone here. He was always busy flying around with the pups, even chasing Dante into the sky in his Dragon form like a fearless little Crow-thing.

“Anyway, I’ve got a date with a danger noodle. See ya in a bit.” I kissed Rosalie on the cheek, then lunged at Cain to kiss his cheek too, but he swerved me, knocking me stumbling toward the front door.

“Danger noodle?” Cain muttered, and my smile widened as I headed inside to meet with one of the Oscuras who was good at inking skin. I was officially going to become one of them and I’d decided to get my mark somewhere that wasn’t my ass cheek or the middle of my forehead. It was a surprise for Rosa, proof that I was part of her family and that I would never be leaving, because no way was I bitter that I was the only one without a mate mark. Not at all. I wasn’t doing this just to make my own mark. Absolutely not. Except maybe a bit. Just a little. A smidge.

“This is too cute, Sin,” Rosalie purred as she arrived in the garden where I’d laid out some blankets and pillows for us under the stars. Ethan had headed off to visit his family and Roary and Cain were having their Vampy alone time. They liked to sit in a quiet room together and just…chill. Seemed like bore-town to me but they got their kicks out of it. Me? I liked being around the hustle of the house, playing hide and seek or tag with the Wolf pups.

A few of them were peeking at us through the vines at the end of the lawn and I shooed them away with a grin.

“Do you want some of those?” I asked as I took Rosalie’s hand and led her onto the blankets, puffing up a pillow for her head as we lay down.

“What, grapes?”

“Pups,” I said as the kids went tearing off through the vineyard with howls of excitement.

She fell very quiet and I frowned, unsure if I’d said the wrong thing. Sometimes I did that. Saying things that sounded right in my head but came out all spikey and twisted. I was getting better every day at reading my honey pie’s frown lines.

“Maybe,” she said at last. “Not yet. And I’m not sure what way I want that all to look. But maybe.”

“I like maybes. They taste like change and change is always exciting.”

“Some would say terrifying,” she countered, and I barked a laugh.

“Not me.”

“No, not you, Wilder.” She leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth, the gesture sweet like candy.

“I did something.” I pulled up my shirt and showed her the Oscura Wolf mark curling up and around my hip bone.

“Sin,” she breathed, touching it and sending a bolt of electricity through me. “It’s perfect.”

“And I had a moon inked on this side too. Just for you. For my wild, wild Moon Wolf.” I pointed to my other hip bone where a gibbous moon was freshly tatted.

She leaned in to kiss it and I growled with desire as her warm lips left heat dripping through my skin. She gasped and as she lifted her head, my brows dragged together at the sight I found waiting for me. My inked moon was glowing silver, as bright as a shimmering coin. The moonlight was pouring over us from above and as I looked up at the celestial being who had so many secrets hidden in her hat, the truth of what she had just offered us became starkly clear. My tattoo was changing, and Rosalie tugged up her shirt, revealing the very same mark curling around her hip bone.

We came together in a hungry kiss, my hands in her hair and her fingers digging into my shoulders. It was pure and subtle and perfect. My Order was so tangled up with desire and sex that the moon had mated us as simply as this, between the sweetness of our lips.

I was hers and she was mine. We wanted nothing more than each other, just as we were. Brain full of bees and all.