and opened
the door for Finn.
The aroma of their mother’s Irish stew filled the
house and Finn couldn’t help smiling. He might fear his mother, but he loved
her cooking. Declan also loved good cooking and especially stew. Gigi had mentioned
while waiting in line how she was a chef and Finn hoped this wasn’t common knowledge.
“My boy,” Ainsley said, tugging Finn down for a
kiss. “You need a haircut.”
“I know.”
Declan grinned and checked on the stew.
“Keep your mitts off the food until it’s done,
Dec.”
Rolling his eyes, Declan backed away from the
food. “Finn brought wine.”
“Oh?” Ainsley said, taking the bottle and giving
the wine her patented stink eye. “Did you bring your brother something for his
birthday?”
“He got me a pretty card.”
Finn laughed. “He knows where his gift is when
he’s ready to get off his ass and pick it up.”
Ainsley set the bottle of wine on the counter
then pushed Declan away from the stew he was again lingering near.
“A good gift would be joining his pack.”
Glancing at Finn, Declan kissed their mother’s
forehead.
“He said no. Begging won’t help.”
“I’m not begging. I’m nagging, Dec,” Ainsley said,
turning her gray eyes to her youngest son. “You know a war is coming. Anton is
playing with witches. Roger is off finding reinforcements. You should help your
brother.”
“Help him how? I don’t know how to fight.”
Ainsley shook her head. “You two fought every day
of your lives. I’m sure you learned some moves from Dec while he was kicking
your ass.”
Finn laughed. “I don’t want to go to war. I help
the pack by making good money and giving them a sizable chunk.”
“What do you need money for anyway?” Ainsley said
as she eyed Declan who was again hovering near the pot of stew. “You have no
wife. Not even a girlfriend. When you marry and have a child, your brother will
take less of your profits. Until then, you should give him even more. It might
make you hurry along and find a suitable mate.”
“Suitable? You mean someone you like.”
“A mother knows, Finn.”
“Why can’t Declan get married and give you
grandchildren?”
“He is the Alpha, stupid boy. Alphas shouldn’t
marry and they should never have children. You will give me grandchildren who
will grow up to run the pack when Declan gets old.”
“Yah for me,” Declan said quietly.
Sitting in a chair, Finn sighed. “When I meet
someone suitable, I will marry her and give you grandchildren and Declan heirs
to the throne.”
“You should marry Ella.”
Declan snorted. “She’d eat him alive.”
“Good. Finn needs a strong wife to push him
harder. He’s too lazy.”
“I’m sitting right here.”
“You’re always sitting right there, but you never
listen to me.”
“I can’t date Ella. She feels like a member of
the family. It’d be like marrying my sister.”
Ainsley rolled her eyes and tossed back her thick
blonde hair. “Who will she marry?”
“Who are you trying to marry off, her or me?”
Declan grinned. “Anton likes her. We could convince
her to seduce him and I could steal his territory while he’s away on his honeymoon.”
Finn laughed as Ainsley grinned knowingly. “Anton
is weak. He wants to marry and have children. You would be wise to let him have
Ella.”
“Sure, I’ll just gift wrap Ella and drop her off
at Anton’s place.”
“You laugh all you want, but he has witches aligned
with him. Witches bring plagues to their enemies. You would do best to have a
plan to deal with them. Roger being gone means he knows the war is coming. You
should know it too.”
Finn eyed Declan who sighed in the quiet way he
did whenever the stress was building inside him. Being Alpha had its perks, but
there were definite downsides - such as giving up having a family and becoming
enemies with his best friend.
Or just having to spend his birthday listening to
his beloved mother comment on a war that could lead to the
the door for Finn.
The aroma of their mother’s Irish stew filled the
house and Finn couldn’t help smiling. He might fear his mother, but he loved
her cooking. Declan also loved good cooking and especially stew. Gigi had mentioned
while waiting in line how she was a chef and Finn hoped this wasn’t common knowledge.
“My boy,” Ainsley said, tugging Finn down for a
kiss. “You need a haircut.”
“I know.”
Declan grinned and checked on the stew.
“Keep your mitts off the food until it’s done,
Dec.”
Rolling his eyes, Declan backed away from the
food. “Finn brought wine.”
“Oh?” Ainsley said, taking the bottle and giving
the wine her patented stink eye. “Did you bring your brother something for his
birthday?”
“He got me a pretty card.”
Finn laughed. “He knows where his gift is when
he’s ready to get off his ass and pick it up.”
Ainsley set the bottle of wine on the counter
then pushed Declan away from the stew he was again lingering near.
“A good gift would be joining his pack.”
Glancing at Finn, Declan kissed their mother’s
forehead.
“He said no. Begging won’t help.”
“I’m not begging. I’m nagging, Dec,” Ainsley said,
turning her gray eyes to her youngest son. “You know a war is coming. Anton is
playing with witches. Roger is off finding reinforcements. You should help your
brother.”
“Help him how? I don’t know how to fight.”
Ainsley shook her head. “You two fought every day
of your lives. I’m sure you learned some moves from Dec while he was kicking
your ass.”
Finn laughed. “I don’t want to go to war. I help
the pack by making good money and giving them a sizable chunk.”
“What do you need money for anyway?” Ainsley said
as she eyed Declan who was again hovering near the pot of stew. “You have no
wife. Not even a girlfriend. When you marry and have a child, your brother will
take less of your profits. Until then, you should give him even more. It might
make you hurry along and find a suitable mate.”
“Suitable? You mean someone you like.”
“A mother knows, Finn.”
“Why can’t Declan get married and give you
grandchildren?”
“He is the Alpha, stupid boy. Alphas shouldn’t
marry and they should never have children. You will give me grandchildren who
will grow up to run the pack when Declan gets old.”
“Yah for me,” Declan said quietly.
Sitting in a chair, Finn sighed. “When I meet
someone suitable, I will marry her and give you grandchildren and Declan heirs
to the throne.”
“You should marry Ella.”
Declan snorted. “She’d eat him alive.”
“Good. Finn needs a strong wife to push him
harder. He’s too lazy.”
“I’m sitting right here.”
“You’re always sitting right there, but you never
listen to me.”
“I can’t date Ella. She feels like a member of
the family. It’d be like marrying my sister.”
Ainsley rolled her eyes and tossed back her thick
blonde hair. “Who will she marry?”
“Who are you trying to marry off, her or me?”
Declan grinned. “Anton likes her. We could convince
her to seduce him and I could steal his territory while he’s away on his honeymoon.”
Finn laughed as Ainsley grinned knowingly. “Anton
is weak. He wants to marry and have children. You would be wise to let him have
Ella.”
“Sure, I’ll just gift wrap Ella and drop her off
at Anton’s place.”
“You laugh all you want, but he has witches aligned
with him. Witches bring plagues to their enemies. You would do best to have a
plan to deal with them. Roger being gone means he knows the war is coming. You
should know it too.”
Finn eyed Declan who sighed in the quiet way he
did whenever the stress was building inside him. Being Alpha had its perks, but
there were definite downsides - such as giving up having a family and becoming
enemies with his best friend.
Or just having to spend his birthday listening to
his beloved mother comment on a war that could lead to the
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