Keata's Promise [Brac Pack 7] by Lynn Hagen Page B

existence now.
    “I do. He seemed cool about it, even offered me partnership in his diner for helping to renovate it. The fire destroyed the old one.” Cody leaned back in the leather chair.
    “I’ll trust your instincts on this, but be aware, Sentry, if he betrays 78
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    us, life as we know it won’t exist anymore, and we’ll be hunted.” Maverick knew he was taking a big risk at letting this human live, but it actually felt kind of nice for someone else to know and accept them.
    If Frank betrayed them, he would kill him slowly and painfully.
    Cecil’s happiness and well-being came before even his own pack. He wasn’t going to be on the run with his mate. Ever.
    “I’ll take full responsibility for him.” Maverick sat forward, looking the warrior straight in his eyes.
    “You know what you’re saying, right? If this Frank does reveal our secret, you’ll be killed along with him.” Maverick wasn’t going to pull any punches. Cody had to know what he was agreeing to.
    “I know, and I don’t take it lightly, Alpha.”
    “Very well, I would like to meet Frank Thomas and reserve judgment for myself. If I feel he isn’t a threat, he lives, as do you.” Maverick dismissed Cody.

    * * * *
    Cody hadn’t expected that. He couldn’t even warn his new partner. If he did, Maverick would skin Cody alive. His loyalties lay with his pack, but he had an urge to protect Frank. Maybe it was because the guy had stayed true to his word, not telling a soul, maybe because he felt for the widower. Maybe Keata’s naïve trust was eroding Cody’s damn brain.

    * * * *
    He found his mate licking a spoon he had just dipped into an ice cream container. Cody shook his head. All the mates should be five hundred pounds by now, but luckily they were young and had high metabolisms. That and the fact that being mated to a wolf burned off excessive fat. Something in their saliva was transmitted to their mates.
    Cody chuckled as he thought how people across the globe would Keata’s Promise
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    love to get their hands on the wolves’ saliva, the new and improved diet.
    “Hungry, baby?” He had forgotten that Keata hadn’t gotten a chance to eat with all the commotion going on.
    “Yes, Cody.” Keata beamed up at him, ice cream smeared on his chin. Cody licked it off, growling at the intimate act.
    “No sex. Food.” Keata tapped Cody’s chest.
    “Food, then sex.” Cody corrected. He reached under his mate’s arms and lifted him in the air, kissing him before setting him down.
    “Roger that.” Keata dug through the freezer and handed Cody a bag of chicken strips. “Please.”
    “Anything for you, Keata.” Cody took the bag and set up the stove to begin frying them. Chicken strips weren’t the healthiest breakfast—lunch, now, since the morning had slipped away—but he would give Keata anything he asked for. Besides, he wanted more of that ass. Cody chuckled to himself.
    Too bad they didn’t have anyone in the house that could cook.
    Lonny had been the chef, but since Maverick killed his assistant for trying to kill Cecil, it was every man for himself. He missed the sit-down meals they used to have. Maybe they could find a trustworthy human to cook for them. Cody dismissed that thought of a non-mated human at the Den. Frank knowing was enough of a risk.
    He pulled the strips from the oil, laying them on a towel. His stomach grumbled, so Cody dumped the rest of the bag into the fryer.
    The hell with it. A thought struck him.
    “Can you wait to eat, Keata?”
    “Why?” Keata sat up in his chair and stared at Cody.
    “One word. Picnic.”
    “One word. What that?” Keata leaned forward, his head tilted to the side.
    “You’ll see. Go get our coats.” Cody grabbed two sodas, potato salad and some fruit. He snatched the picnic basket off the top shelf of the cupboard and began to fill it. When the strips were done, he put 80
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    them in a container and grabbed a checkered tablecloth from the