“Why would I cry about him?”

Brendon returned his gaze to the television. He knew he should have gone back to the hotel but, to be honest, he wasn’t really in the mood to be on his own. So here he sat, watching Born Free and listening to his sister cry. Not exactly what he’d call a wild evening.

He could have gone out. Probably could have found some companionship, too. But he didn’t want that. Brendon didn’t want to wake up next to a no-name piece of ass he didn’t want to talk to in the morning. At twenty-three that was all he could think about. At thirty-three it was starting to get a little creepy.

“You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?”

Busted. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t bullshit me, Bren. You’re thinking about Benji.”

“Don’t call her that.”

Now that the movie ended, Marissa grabbed the remote and changed to Resident Evil. Not exactly Citizen Kane, but better than Born Free. At least she wouldn’t cry.

“What do you care what I call her? When did you get so protective of dogs?”

“Since they saved my ass.”

“Yeah, but that was more Llewellyn.”

“He may have got them down there, but they didn’t have to help me. You and I both know some Packs would have happily left my ass there for the hyenas.”

“Yeah.”

“And she didn’t have to stay with me in the hospital. She didn’t have to protect me from those two guys who snuck into my room. She sure as hell didn’t have to take me to her aunt’s house. So do you think we can elevate this Pack beyond dog status?”

“Christ! Okay. Okay. Geez. When did you get a soul, anyway?”

“Just do me a favor and lay off.”

“Fine. Whatever.”

“Fine. Whatever,” he imitated back to her. The snarl he received would have scared a lesser man.

Chapter Five

B rendon and Marissa reached for the last grapefruit at the same time. Eyes locked on each other, they tried to stare the other down. Then Brendon roared and Marissa jerked back with a vicious hiss. Feeling smug, he took the grapefruit and cut it in half. He tossed the other half to Marissa, laughing when it hit her in the face.

“Bastard.”

“As are we all,” he joked around a mouthful of grapefruit.

“So what are you doing today?” Marissa buttered her toast and turned the page on her copy of the Wall Street Journal.

“I gotta stop by the Pride and see the kids. You wanna go?”

She nodded, then stopped. “Is that bitch going to be there?”

“Do you mean Missy?”

“I hate her.”

“Yes. I know. In fact, I think the entire universe knows.”

“The only thing that givesme ease is that you never bred with her.”

“You kidding? I’m almost positive she has fangs in her crotch. Snap a man’s penis right off.”

Marissa burst out laughing.

“If you come with me, you can give the kids their gifts.”

She nodded but didn’t answer.

“You did get them gifts this year.”

“Of course I did.” She bit into her toast. “Cash is a gift.”

“Marissa.”

“Don’t give me that tone. Look, I don’t know what to give children. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a Baby Gap gift card.”

Brendon sighed. “You’re pathetic.”

“Yeah. But you love me anyway.”

“I have no choice.” Brendon looked around for toast already made, didn’t find any, so he reached over and took it out of Marissa’s hand. “Look, have you ever thought of having your own Pride? We have cousins you sort of…tolerate.”

“We’ve had this discussion and I don’t want to have it anymore.”

“All right. Then in twenty years you can be the kids’ old bitter aunt.”

“Well, I’m already their young bitter aunt, so it’s really not that big a stretch. What else are you doing today—and get your damn hands off my sausage.”

Brendon dropped the sausage he’d taken from his sister onto his plate. “Nothing. Kids then hotel. As it is, the kids will take a few hours and I’ve got to make sure everything’s okay at the hotel. Then I’ve got me a She-wolf to track down.”

Marissa slammed her fork down. “You must be joking,” she barked.

“Nope. I know she’s around somewhere. I just have to find the Smith Pack.”

Reaching over, Marissa slapped her brother in the head.

“What was that for?”

“Hello? Cat.” And she motioned between the two of them. “Dog.” She made a throwing-away motion; Brendon just didn’t know why. “Mortal enemies.”

“Actually that’s more hyena.”

She clenched her fists. “What I mean, you big-haired idiot, is that she is not the female for you.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean—wait a minute. Why do you have that look?”

“What look?”

“The same one you had when you went for the grapefruit. The ‘this is mine and I’m never giving it up’ look. You’ve never had it about a female before. At least pick a cheetah maybe. Or a leopard,” she cried desperately. “She’ll spend most of her time in the trees anyway. But a dog? A dog with a group of dogs behind her? Are you insane? They howl. They bay. They whine.”