Page 5 of Remy & the Wildcat

“Thanks.”

He looked around at the half-full dining room and picked a booth by the front windows, greeting the pack members who were eating lunch.

As he settled in his seat, his mom walked up to him and he stood up and hugged her.

“Oh, are you still growing?” she asked as she hugged him tightly.

He laughed. “I don’t think so, Ma. You look great.”

“Thanks, honey. Are you hungry?”

“Absolutely. What’s the special?”

“A burger with barbecue ranch sauce and curly fries with cheddar dipping sauce.”

“Sounds awesome.”

Carrie, who was a waitress, stepped up and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Nice to see you, kid. What can I get started for you both?”

They both ordered the special, Remy’s with double fries and an extra burger patty, plus a chocolate milkshake.

“And a coke, too,” he called after her.

“Hungry?” Karly said with a chuckle.

“I wasn’t when I walked in here, but smelling the burgers really made my stomach growl. Plus, I haven’t had your cooking since February. I miss it.”

“Aw. Every time I make cinnamon rolls, I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Ma.”

Karly reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I remember my parents, my mom particularly, hating when my brothers had to leave the pack when their alpha nature chafed against the leadership. And my home pack was a lot more traditional than this one. My brothers wouldn’t have had a chance in hell going against the high-ranked males to take over, let alone Alpha Krayne himself, who is still to this day quite the badass even though he’s pushing seventy.”

Remy knew exactly what his mom was saying about her former alpha. While Alpha Jason was a great alpha and powerful in his own right, Alpha Krayne from his mother’s pack was a badass, old-school alpha who had a cadre of powerful, high-ranked males at his back to stand between himself and anyone who thought to take over. There was no mistaking, however, that Alpha Krayne didn’t need anyone to fight his battles for him.

Remy was a mix of the two alphas, traditional in some ways but modern leaning in others. As the children of an Angel Mate, his uncles had cleared out of the pack when they’d chafed against Alpha Krayne, the same as Remy had with Alpha Jason.

“But once they started their own packs and were mated, your brothers came back to visit your home pack without issue, right? Didn’t you tell me that your brothers were at your mating ceremony?”

“Yep. But I don’t think they really came back to visit until they were leading their own packs.”

Their food and drinks arrived and Remy’s wolf let out an appreciative growl.

“Micah said to stop in and say hi before you leave,” Carrie said as she dropped off extra napkins.

“I will, thanks.”

He and his mom dug into their food, Karly promising that Remy could have half of her burger because she wouldn’t eat it all.

“Full moon’s got me starving,” he said, in-between bites.

“It’s a good thing there’s a big party to celebrate Kash and Bella’s mating with plenty of food. You and Lennox can go nuts at the buffet.”

“Awesome. I’m already looking forward to it. Plus hunting with Dad and Lennox.”

“I wish you could stay. I wish you all could just stay and never leave home, but I’m so glad you’re working toward your future, Remy. I can’t wait for you to find your truemate. It’s the best thing in the world.”

“I can’t wait, either.” He rubbed the space over his heart as his wolf let out a low growl. Maybe tonight would be the night.