Page 3 of Forbidden Daddy Mate

“There’s gotta be at least one,” Jenn said. “We just gotta figure out who it is.”

I laughed. “After everything that’s happened, I’m more than happy to take things slowly and not rush. I’ve had my share of adventure for a long time.”

“I get it,” Jenn said. Her eyes were far away, and I knew what she was thinking about. Jenn and I had both belonged to a different pack. But after a shifter had taken too much of a liking to Jenn, she’d run away to come live near her dad. I’d stayed behind, too timid to leave. At least until the shifter and his friends came after me. They took out their frustration on me until I told them where Jenn had gone. I managed to run away and warn Jenn in time, but it wasn’t the type of adventure I had any desire to repeat.

Jenn studied me. “Do you ever miss the old pack?” she asked,

I shrugged. “There wasn’t much keeping me there when I left,” I said. And it was true. My parents had died when I was a teenager and I’d been on my own for years. Jenn was the closest thing to family I had nowadays. “I’m not one to stay around purely for nostalgia. You know that.”

I’d always been one who believed things happened for a reason, and that included being chased out of my old pack. I might not understand why just yet, and at times Brixton and the Obsidian Pack still felt more foreign than home, but I still felt as though it was where I was meant to be. That didn’t make it any easier sometimes, though.

A knock on the door made me jump and pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to look in the direction of the hall.

Jenn gave an amused smile, shaking her head. “I know exactly who that is.” She stood and walked out of the living room and toward the door. “Dad’s the only person who comes over uninvited.”

I heard the door open, and a minute later, a large, broad-chested man strolled into the room. His dark hair was sprinkled with salt, and the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth gave him a distinguished look. He saw me and gave me a warm smile.

“Hey, Freya,” he said. “Didn’t know you were here. Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. Hi, Malcolm.”

“Doing okay?” He gave me that speculative look that seemed to bore into me. I tried not to blush.

Before I could answer, a little toddler ran into the room. Her eyes landed on Malcolm and lit up as her face broke into an excited grin. She hurried over.

“Heya, Abby,” he said, crouching. “How’s my favorite girl, huh?”

“Uppies!” Abby demanded imperiously, her chubby arms outstretched toward him as her hands opened and closed.

“Well, if you insist,” Malcolm said, eyes crinkling. With no effort at all, he lifted her up one-handed.

Jenn clicked her tongue. “You’re going to spoil her, Dad.” She rolled her eyes at me. “Actually, I take that back. You’re the reason she’s spoiled in the first place.”

“That’s what grandfathers are for, right?” He looked at Abby, who giggled.

“Right!” Abby said, though it came out more as, “Ight!”

Malcolm’s eyes glinted. “And I hear they’re also there to give out presents.”

Abby clapped her hands excitedly, bouncing in his arm. “Yes! Presents!”

“Thanks for that,” Jenn said wryly.

“Well, she’ll have to behave until the big trip,” Malcolm added. “Otherwise, you won’t get any.”

“Be good! Promise!”

It was impressive, watching Malcolm. He had such a gruff exterior, but he absolutely adored Abby. Watching him play with her was like watching an entirely different person. I had to admit that I admired it.

“She’s so excited about the trip already,” Jenn said. “She keeps talking about the fairy princess dress she’s going to wear on Christmas.”

“I can’t wait to see it.” He glanced over at me, those gray eyes piercing into me the way they always did. “You’re coming, too, right, Freya?”

“Wouldn’t miss it!” I said, then added, “As long as I can get my car fixed in time.”

Jenn’s head whipped toward me. “You didn’t tell me there was anything wrong with your car.”

I shrugged. “It’s been on the fritz for a bit,” I admitted. “It decided to die fully a few days ago. I keep meaning to get it taken care of, but Brixton is so easy to get around in that I didn’t really see the need until the party.”