Pursued by a Werewolf (Mystic Isle, Book 4) by Selena Blake Page A

hand man. He was thoughtful and a problem solver that had earned the pack’s respect. She’d seen it firsthand.
    Why did he want to give that up?
    Avery looked over at Ceara. “I'm missing something.”
    “I have goals outside of Novgorod pack. Surely you have interests outside the coven.”
    “We’re talking about you.” Her only real goal was to keep her heart intact. And she’d never really thought of life outside the coven. She’d been living with Valencia for thirty years now. She was comfortable there and with her life. She loved their butler.
    But he was right. The coven was changing. With Coco, Ceara and Izzy all in love and living outside the mansion most of the time, the house had been quiet. Too quiet.
    The waitress brought their drinks and talk ceased. She didn't like uneasy conversation and as long as the topic was centered on her, they were in for a rough dialog.
    With Hunter and Maxim sipping their beers and chatting about pack business, Avery idly swirled her goblet.
    “Have you heard if Izzy and Shade have picked a date yet?” Ceara asked.
    Marriage wasn't exactly the norm in immortal circles. Wolves had mates. Vampires had bonds. But since both Izzy and Shade had been human in their last life, she understood their desire to get married.
    Plus, she'd use any excuse to buy a fancy new dress and get dolled up.
    Avery shook her head. “No.”
    “I wouldn't be surprised if it was soon.”
    Avery frowned. “You're not--”
    They couldn’t have children. Could they? Izzy wasn’t a full-blooded vamp… But then, she was part demon and who knew how that would impact fertility. There was so much Avery refused to pay attention to where immortality was concerned. Just when you got complacent and planned your happily ever after, it got taken away from you.
    Ceara smiled. “No. I don’t think Izzy wants kids. At least not yet. Just that those two move very quickly when they set their mind on something.”
    That was true. They'd gone from strangers to lovers to hopelessly in love in less than a week. And Izzy had moved in with the handsome demon not long after.
    “Did she show you her new Bugatti?” Avery asked and took another sip of her cocktail.
    The once shy vamp beamed. “Better. She let me drive it!”
    “No fair. Was it fabulous?” Avery asked, wistful. Such a crazy expensive car wasn't practical. Not in the least. From what Izzy said, everything on it was custom, but that didn't stop Avery from enjoying how incredible it was. A truly impeccable machine. And it purred like a warm, black kitten.
    “Earth to Avery,” Ceara said. She'd picked up a lot of Avery's Americanisms over the years.
    “Sorry,” Avery murmured.
    The waitress returned, arms laden with plates. She leaned over as the woman set down Hunter’s dish, offering him and Avery for that matter, a view of her bountiful cleavage. Hunter, to his credit, didn’t seem to care. He just reached for the ketchup and squirted it all over his fries.
    Man, Avery missed ketchup and fries. It was all she could do to stay on her side of the bench when she wanted to lean over, stick her nose right up to the delicious deep-fried carbs and inhale.
    The waitress was still watching him, however. She twisted a ringlet of blonde hair around her finger and grinned down at Hunter.
    “Is there anything else you want?”
    Avery rolled her eyes. “We’re fine,” she spoke up.
    The waitress flashed Avery a quick grin before turning her attention to the next table.
    Did the woman’s voice have to sound so damned husky? And why wasn’t she fawning all over Maxim?
    Avery glanced across the table and saw that Ceara was snuggled up to Maxim’s side, his arm around her shoulders. Well, at least the perky waitress understood not to mess with attached men.
    Not that she and Hunter were attached. No way. No how.
    You could do something about that, Ceara's voice whispered through her mind.
    Avery pegged her with a look and shot back a message of her own. Why