Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
She doubted it.
It took her several seconds before she was able to compose herself, but when she finally did, she focused again on the man in front of her.
“You went on a date with your mate,” Graham said. “Tell me about that.”
“I don’t think I should.”
“Come on, you can read to me anytime, but you’ve got to give me some juicy gossip, and besides, I might be able to help.”
Rose looked away. “There’s not much to tell. The start of the date was awful. We went to the only bar in town, the Poison Bar.”
“Sounds evil,” Graham said. “I like it.”
Rose laughed again. “It’s not evil, at least I don’t think it is. Val, the owner, is a pretty nice guy. He’s hired me a few times. In case you didn’t grasp what I am, I’m a cleaner.”
“And trust me, honey, that sounds evil as well.”
“Not evil, but it does mean I’m able to clean up almost any mess. It’s what my parents were able to do for years.”
“Well, seeing as you know all about me and what I might be or might not be, I’m guessing you’ve cleaned up your fair share of bodies.”
She pursed her lips. “Yes.” It wasn’t exactly the answer she wanted to give him. “The transition is too stressful for some wolves, and they don’t make it.”
“Holy shit, are you kidding me?” Graham stood. “You mean there are some men and women who turn into giant fluffy wolves that don’t make it?”
She nodded. “Me, my family, we’re the cleanup crew.”
Graham started to pace in his cage. “That is not good, is it? I mean, if there are people, boys and girls, who are supposed to go through that kind of transition and the stress on their body is too much, then what hope do I have? I mean, I know I’ve changed.”
“Changed?” Rose asked.
“Yeah, I wasn’t always this way. I didn’t have muscle, and I could barely press my own body weight before Milton started spiking my food and coffee. I was small, Rose. I don’t look anything like my former self.”
“Do you have a picture?” she asked.
And much to her surprise, he reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a single photo.
“I don’t know why I kept it, I think it was to try and remind myself of who I once was.”
She walked to the cage and Graham stepped close, slipping the photo through. Rose took it and stepped back.
She opened the folded photograph and looked at the smiling face of a man half the size of Graham.
“This is you?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s a little hard to believe, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Trust me, the first day I looked in the mirror, I freaked out. I thought someone was standing in front of my mirror. It took me a little longer to realize that the big hulking guy was me.”
Chapter Seven
Rocco was once again on guard duty, but so far there had been no problem with Graham. However, what Rose had discovered was huge. Alpha was in the process of contacting Elizabeth Cole in the hope of her shedding light on the subject, because none of them were any wiser about what was going on.
He thought about Rose and his mate spending time with this male, and he didn’t like it.
Graham chuckled. “You’re not going to talk to me.”
“I don’t need to talk to keep an eye on you.”
“You don’t want to ask me for advice on how to deal with your mate?” Graham asked.
“You keep Rose out of this.”
Graham clapped his hands. “At least you’re acknowledging her as your mate now. Isn’t that a step up from what you usually do?”
Rocco glared at him. He was more than happy to put this guy out of his misery, although he didn’t seem to be in any pain. In fact, he looked rather cushy. Rose had made him a very extensive care basket, and the bastard had even decorated his cage. There were throws, pillows, and even a stuffed teddy bear. He needed to talk to Rose, and when Graham was knocked out, he was going to have no choice but to take it all away from him. This was just asking for trouble, when his sorry ass exploded in pain.
Graham held his hands up in the air. “Hey, I’m not the one that rejected my mate. You rejected your own.”
“Don’t try to think you can figure out why I did what I did. This is none of your business.”
“That I do get. It’s none of my business. Only, Rose keeps coming to see me.”
“She is helping with guard duty.”
He wasn’t happy with that, but while Rose came to sit with him, one of the guys was able to do a quick perimeter check. It seemed Rose had been able to get the support and respect of the Poison Wolves MC. He tried to stop Alpha from allowing her to help, but his club brother was not listening.