Read Online Bridenapped The Alpha's Choice by Georgette St. Clair - Free Book Online

know how it is,” Mary said sympathetically. “Hilda’s been ripping me a new one too, like I had any control over who Jarrod bridenapped.”
    Regina replied with a sullen shrug.
    “You can blame it all on me,” Mary suggested.
    “Well, duh, obviously. Since it’s your fault.” Regina quickened her pace so she was walking ahead of Mary. Conversation over.
    Jarrod was already sitting inside the back of the limo, with the door wide open. He gestured at Mary to get in.
    Then she heard a shout, and saw Constance hurrying towards her. “Hold on one sec!” Constance called out.
    Constance trotted up, holding a big wicker basket. “That’s to hold all of the gifts that you’ll be getting,” she said, handing it to her.
    “Thank you, Constance, that’s very thoughtful of you.”
    “Am I getting gifts?” Regina demanded. “Where’s my basket?”
    “We can go halfsies,” Mary said.
    Constance leaned in and murmured to Mary “The maternity ward. Make sure you check out the maternity ward.”
    Mary was about to ask her why, but Jarrod leaned out of the car.
    “Hey, Constance,” he said with a nod. He slid out and grabbed Mary’s hand, and she felt a rush of arousal as his strong hand folded around hers. “Are you ready to dazzle everybody?” he asked her.
    “I get half the presents,” Regina said loudly, and then climbed into the limo.
    “Yes, let’s focus on what’s important here,” Jarrod said, shaking his head and shooting Mary a look that said “You just had to invite her, didn’t you?”
    As if having Regina along wasn’t annoying enough, they were accompanied by the Pack Council’s chairman, a stiffly formal man named Ignatius. Apparently it was tradition that he go along with them on the tour.
    Regina grumbled and complained the whole way. “My daddy’s limousine is bigger.” She pouted as they drove through the pack’s town center. “And it has a mini bar.”
    “Good thing you’re not marrying Jarrod, then,” said Mary, who was starting to regret letting Regina come.
    The Magister Pack members who didn’t live in the Alpha compound lived in a small town, with most of the houses either clapboard or brick. Werewolves tended to like their houses and their clothing somewhat on the old-fashioned side. Some packs still dressed as if it were the eighteenth century when they were on their pack lands. The Magister pack wasn’t quite that old-fashioned, but their clothing style tended towards the conservative.
    Ignatius narrated for them as they drove, pointing out each neighborhood and feature. They toured the town hall, the rec center, the town center with all its little shops, the supermarket… They met dozens of people; store-owners, workers, Enforcers… Mary was starting to get dizzy from so many introductions. And her basket was overflowing with hand-wrapped gift soaps, bottles of perfume, jars of jam, flower-stuffed sachets, and other goodies.
    Noticeably absent was Earvin, which was a relief.
    Their last stop was the hospital, which, unlike the rest of the buildings on pack lands, was gleaming and modern. And oddly lacking one essential thing, which Mary might not have noticed if Constance hadn’t pointed it out to her.
    “Was that the entire hospital?” Mary asked as she climbed back into the limo.
    “Yes, why?” Jarrod asked.
    “There’s no maternity ward?” she said, puzzled. “Do your women just go out into the woods and squat or something?”
    “Ewww!” Regina cried out, horrified. “The woods?”
    Jarrod laughed. “Why do people have all these misapprehensions about werewolves? We have a separate building for that.”
    “That’s unusual,” Mary said. “Wouldn’t you want it to be connected to the main hospital in case something went seriously wrong? What if someone needed surgery?”
    “Of course, the maternity ward is built to handle any emergency. We have surgeons on staff,” Ignatius said quickly. A little too quickly? Mary glanced at Jarrod. He didn’t