Troy has been handed an ugly hand by life. He was kidnapped, his DNA was tinkered with, and he doesn’t know what or who he is anymore. Even if the pride has accepted him without questions, he hides in his room, scared of what he could see in the other peoples’ eyes.
Emery is used to a lonely life. He lost his family years before to the Krsnik wars, and he’s happy to have found new friends within the pride. He’s even happier to find out his mate lives in the mansion, even if Troy makes approaching him difficult.
Troy pushes Emery into mating, scared that Emery will flee once he finds out just how wrong Troy has become. He doesn’t, though, not even when something incredible, something no one could have forecasted, happens. Will they be able to face their unsure future together, or will one of them crumble under the pressure?
All the heads turned their way when they entered the dining room. Emery could feel Troy was very uncomfortable, so he squeezed his mate’s hand harder, hoping it would make him feel better.
“Hi everyone. Is there space for two more?”
Emery had never eaten with the pride members. He’d lived and eaten with the other enforcers since he’d gotten to Whitedell, even if he knew most of the pride members.
Keenan gave them a wide smile and hopped from his chair, pushing it aside before gesturing to his mate to follow him to the kitchen. They both came back with a chair and placed them next to Keenan’s in the space he had made for them.
Emery leaned against his mate and whispered, “Who do you want to sit by? Keenan or Denver?”
“Denver.”
Emery chuckled. He’d already known Troy would choose Denver, of course. The big, silent man was the obvious choice for someone who didn’t want to talk much, while Keenan was the exact opposite.
Emery settled next to the human man and reached for the roast that was sitting in front of him. His stomach growled when the delicious smell hit him, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since breakfast. He heartily tucked in but kept one eye on Troy.
The man didn’t seem to be doing bad, but then the fact that Denver wasn’t trying to get words out of him probably helped.
“How did you convince him to come out?”
Emery turned to look at Keenan. “I’m that good. Dominic didn’t ask me to move in with Troy for nothing, you know.”
Keenan’s eyes went huge. “You moved in with him?”
“I thought you knew since you’re Dominic’s PA.”
“I didn’t.” Keenan turned toward the head of the table. “Hey, Simba, when were you going to tell me?”
“Never.”
“What?” Keenan’s voice was loud enough to make most of the people sitting around the table turn to him. “Why not?”
“Because it’s not your business.”
“But I’m your secretary! I should know these things.” Keenan pouted and Dominic chuckled.
“Still not your business, although I’m surprised you found out only now. Sometimes I swear you bugged this house because you seem to know everything that goes on in here.”
“It happened only once! It’s not like I have a supply of them or something.”
Emery followed the exchange with wide eyes. Had Keenan really bugged the house?
Keenan turned to him and noticed the way Emery was looking at him. He smirked. “It was only the one bug, I swear. I put it in Dominic’s office because I wanted to know if he was planning something for my birthday.”
“Was he?”
“No, but then it would have been ruined if he had since I was kidnapped by the wendigos.”
Emery winced. He still remembered the wendigos. How could he not? They had to be the ugliest things he’d ever seen, and they stank to high heaven.
“So, are you going to tell me what happened? Why did Dominic tell you to move in with Troy? Do I have to find you guys a bigger room? I think there’s still one with two twin beds if you want to.”
