The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapter 24 Jane Explains

If Elise realizes that her daughter has just revealed her de

ception, she doesn’t show it. She doesn’t even look at me be cause her full attention is on her pup. She crosses the kitchen and scoops up the little girl, humming sympathetically. “Poor ba by, you’ve had too much excitement this week.”

The child peeks over at me with wide eyes, cuddling closer to her mother but also unflinchingly curious. “Hello there, little one.” | greet her warmly, instinctively stepping closer. “What’s your

name?”

Elise’s arms tighten on the girl when I move closer, betraying

her maternal instincts even further. “I’m Riley.” The pup yawns,

resting her cheek on Jane’s shoulder and watching me intently.

“I’m sorry if your Mommy and I woke you, Riley.” I state hon estly, desperately wanting to reach out to the sleepy girl, who re minds me so much of Paisley it hurts. “But I’m happy we got to

meet again.”

Riley frowns, “You hit your head.”

“I did.” I agree, “we were just talking about that.”

“Is it better now?” She asks with obvious concern.

“Yes, thank you.” I smile, giving in and brushing the hair back from her eyes, even as a low growl rumbles in Elise’s chest. I flash a wolfish grin at the protective mother wolf, loving her feroc ity even if her concerns are completely ridiculous. How could she think I would be any threat to such an angel.

“You should stay here ‘nyway.” Riley suggests drowsily, her eyes falling shut.

“He can’t stay.” Elise decrees firmly.

“He should.” Riley repeats dreamily.

Ignoring her, Elise carries the pup back to her room, glancing over her shoulder and glowering when she sees me following. My attention is riveted on the child in her arms, if I didn’t know better I’d be absolutely certain it was Paisley. There is no way the two girls are not related; resemblances this similar simply don’t hap pen by coincidence, especially not when her mother might as well be Jane’s twin, and when her brother’s look so much like me. The boys are tucked in and sleeping soundly in the nursery, their little heads poking out of the covers as their chests rise and

fall in slumber.

know I’m staring at my

counter and sharply monitoring her

Mommy,” I remark dryly, enjoying the way she

Linda’s pups

Elise admits, “They’re

their father?” |

eyes narrow. “He’s not in

lie?” | interrogate, every predatory bone in my body on high alert. If I’m right and this is my mate in front of me, she has a lot to answer for: Not only did she hide my pups from me and fake her death, she forged DNA

Elise simply shrugs as if the lie was no big deal, “Techni cally Linda lied,

direction.”

you more leverage.” She an. swers coolly, staring me straight in the

don’t know many mothers

such wonderful

met many single mothers

protect.”

| ask, stalking forward and loving the way she squirms

any inclination for truth telling clearly gone, “but you are an alpha wolf with a dominant streak a mile wide. In my experience your kind don’t take well

their potential mates having another

in. Of course when they do, my anger spikes. “Are you suggesting I would harm innocent children, simply

man?”

the first.” She

powerfully I have to count to ten just to get my temper under control. Once I do, I real ize she’s intentionally baiting me, riling me up to distract me from

tracks, I try to catch her as off-guard as she caught

me, hiding her face even as I can

my eyes from her throat before I lose control and start kissing

I’m moving forward despite my attempts at

so close behind her I can feel her

long hair back into place, glowering at me over her shoulder. “I wasn’t even going to tell you I have kids. You think I’m

the crescent shaped scar where her neck meets her shoulder. A mating mark – my mating

my mark. Well, nothing but another wolf’s mark on top of it, and Goddess am I glad to see she hasn’t

you noticed how closely our daughters resemble