Once Bitten (An Anya Maynard Novel)

Chapter Twenty One

Jess cracked opened the door and we listened; waiting for someone to come retrieve us as she said was customary.

“Stevenson, as always it is good to see you,” a deep voice rumbled, “I see you have our business shut down, why is this?”

Guess I knew why Connor called him Stev.

“We had a pipe burst two nights ago, and with the weather being the way it is we haven’t been able to get someone out to repair it.”

“You were there were you not son, why didn’t you do anything to stop it?”

My own face screwed up at that comment. Even if it had truly been a pipe that burst, how was a person supposed to prevent something like that from happening?

“I did everything I could father,” Connor answered the baritone, “but by the time I could get the water turned off the damage had been done.”

“Very well then,” Aaron said disapprovingly, “I trust you will have things back in order by the end of the week?”

“That’s the goal,” Steve answered.

The hair on the back of my neck began standing on end, I hadn’t even met him yet but I already knew I wasn’t going to like this Aaron.

“So where is she?” Aaron said with a huff, “Dorothy said you had moved her belongings here, so I assume you’ve taken her in yourself son.”

“I have,” Connor answered proudly.

I could almost see Aaron narrowing his eyes.

“Then you think someone could have taken the time to let us know this. That way we could have come straight here rather than have to deal with overweight sod you have running that halfway house of yours.”

“Aaron, please,” another voice called, but nowhere as harsh as the first, hers was gentle, soothing.

“No Natasha,” Aaron said callously, “he is already testing his limits by housing the nymph here, when I said alone I meant alone.”

“Oh shit,” Maddie whispered, “I forgot about that. Aaron told Tasha a loooong time ago that Connor was never to be mated.”

“We know,” Jess whispered back, “but Connor said that it was his mother that couldn’t mate him, not that he couldn’t choose one himself.”

“Yeah I don't see this going over well,” Maddie said as she shook her head.

“You’re not helping me,” I hissed through my teeth.

Teeth that were clenched as tightly as my eyes in an attempt to keep my wolf back.

“Sorry,” they whispered together.

I sucked a deep breath through my nose and opened my eyes only once I knew my wolf had settled. Connor had asked that I hold her back, but if Maddie and Jess continued with their doubts the way they were I didn’t think that was going to happen.

“Well, go get her,” Aaron snapped.

“Yes sir,” Steve answered and I watched him jog down the hall towards us.

He pulled opened the door with one finger to his temple, imitating shooting himself in the head, but dropped his hand to his side when he saw me, “Anya…I mean…wow…”

I looked down to my makeshift dress, “what, what’s wrong?”

“Ab-so-lute-ly nothing,” he said with a grin, “I just wish I had a camera so I could take a picture of Connor’s face when he sees you.”