Dark Shadow (Book 1 in DARKNESS DUOLOGY)

Eighteen: The Last Straw

Needless to say when I showed up with Eden to my house for lunch, Ridge was already waiting and when we all walked in and my dad and Wade were not having it. They both growled at the Beta the moment he walked through the door.

The alpha in Ridge didn’t take kindly to their aggressive greeting and grit his teeth to growl back. I could tell, though, that Ridge was trying to pull himself and his wolf back from what they felt was a challenge by the two older males in my home.

Mom helped calm the situation, giving my dad a look and reminded him that if I was OK with Ridge being here then both my parents would have to accept that. Mom explained that Ridge and I were working things out but it wasn’t any easier with my dad and brother piling on to the stressful situation.

When I thought everything had settled down, Mom instructed for all of us to sit down. She welcomed Ridge despite the cold welcome he got from my dad and brother. Ridge nodded, thanking her and he sat down in the chair Mom offered him. Eden waved at everyone and then seated herself.

It was when I moved past Mom and Wade who would be seated closest to me that my brother’s head whipped around, even Mom’s. Mom’s eyes went wide, gasping, “Oh, Gianna!” and my brother’s teeth bared.

Wade snarled, eyes turning gold and shifted his gaze to Ridge. I saw the way my brother’s nostrils flared and Mom placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Wade…” Mom warned, glancing at Dad who was now paying attention once he was heading toward the kitchen. He stopped, looking over at us.

I frowned, unsure of what set off my brother until I caught a whiff of myself and looked down at my appearance. To make matters worse, the buttons on my dress had not been buttoned correctly and looking over where Cody was talking to Ridge about something, I noticed Ridge had my claw marks peering from under his collar and some even on his bicep.

My eyes widened, immediately looking to Dad whose brown eyes disappeared behind the gold of his wolf. A low growl emitted from the Head Warrior and the Beta picked up on this. Ridge’s shoulders tensed, peering over his shoulder at my dad and then glanced sideways at Wade who was still being warned by Mom.

I winced, not thinking things through with how giddy I was with Ridge in the forest. I wasn’t really thinking about the aftermath of lovemaking so my idiot self didn’t pay attention to my scent mixing with Ridge’s. I could smell it clearly now and I was so damn embarrassed, biting my lip and squeezing my legs together to keep from giving off what I’d done. But my entire family, especially with Wade and Dad well aware now. Which is why they were both in protective mode, growling at Ridge who swallowed hard as he stood up slowly.

“Angus…” Mom frowned, dragging out her tone. “They are mates. They are working on their relationship and how they do that is no concern of ours.”

“As long as she’s in my house,” Dad growled, his gaze still locked on Ridge. “Everything she does is my concern!”

Wade now stood up, claws out and I knew this couldn’t go on. I went over, touching my dad’s arm but retracted it when I looked wide-eyed at Ridge.

The Beta’s teeth bared, his golden narrowed stare on the space between my dad and me. Ridge was getting territorial because of our consummation in the forest. And with it only being a short time from what we’d done earlier, Ridge felt like the other male wolves in the room were seeking out his female. It didn’t matter if the male wolves were my brother and dad; males were males. That was all the wolf in Ridge understood.

I held up a hand to plead with Ridge that I wouldn’t touch my dad. The Beta growled behind his lips, narrowing his eyes at the man standing next to me. Feeling that Ridge wouldn’t do anything as long as there was no touching involved, I looked at my dad and directed to him and Wade that they both needed to calm down. I understood that they were upset; whether it was with Ridge, me or both but with a wolf of Alpha Blood in the room, it was not the best idea to work that side of Ridge up.