Wolf Shifter Diaries: Lies Tamed (Sweet Paranormal Wolf & Fae Fantasy Romance Series Book 2) by E. Hall (books for men to read TXT) 📗

morning shift in the kitchen as part of the rotation of chores, including tending to the vegetable gardens, grounds, trails, cleaning, and of course, cooking. I figured I’d earned a few hours of chill time in the game room.

As soon as Trigg exits, Camilla and Inga swarm around me.

They also wanted me to win the phone time so I can watch video footage, capturing Avril and her mean girl posse being idiots.

I cannot deny my sweet tooth or the bad influence Camilla and Inga have on me for harmless pranks.

Earlier, I switched out the sweet cream doughnut filling for mayonnaise I served Avril, Heather, Harper, and Hannah. Mixing their coffee grounds with a bit of dirt was priceless.

The rest of it was all beta wolf shenanigans.

“How’d you know Avril uses the bathroom every day at the same time?” I ask as phase one of Prank-gate displays on the phone screen.

Avril poked her head out of the bathroom door. Her pants were around her ankles. She called for help, but no one came. She wrinkled her nose and then hopped down the hall to another bathroom (there are at least ten in the lodge). The camera zoomed in on the bathroom where the shelf, filled with empty toilet paper rolls. The one next to the toilet had a choice couple words written on the cardboard.

Camilla and Inga slap hands in a high five.

Phase two of the video displays Heather opening a bottle of soda. It exploded all over her in a fizzy mess.

“That’s what I call a soda-splosion,” Camilla says.

“Using the floss, I threaded it under the cap, snipped the ends off, and then balanced the mint candy inside,” Inga explains.

“Are there any Mentos left?” Camilla asks.

Inga shakes her head. “I ate them.”

“Phase three, we replaced Harper’s deodorant with cream cheese,” Camilla says as we watch her emerge from the bathroom looking disgusted.

“Phase four?” I ask when the video nears the end.

“We didn’t have the heart to prank Hannah. She’s actually sweet. Not sure why she hangs out with the meanies.” Camilla smiles apologetically.

As an Alpha wolf, and knowing how Corbin wants us all to be like one big family, especially because most of our real-life families are gone since wolves live so long, it makes me sad and concerned that there are mean girls among us. Also, because family is all I’ve ever wanted and the mean girl posse has made it clear that I’m not welcome.

“The pranks are funny, but I’ll have to think of a way to make them see that we’re better and stronger together. I no longer feel the need to prove myself, but also know that we could just prank each other back and forth for the rest of time.”

Inga laughs. “Doesn’t sound like a terrible idea, but I know what you mean.”

“Okay, but not before the pièce de résistance,” Camilla says in a perfect French accent. “Those were teases. Little pranks to get back at them for all the times they’ve terrorized the wolves under them and you, Kenna. Avril is a bully.”

“And she’s on probation,” I remind them.

“We’ll see if this changes her ways.”

“Okay, what’s the showstopper?” I ask, wondering if they have more prank footage.

“You’ll have to wait and see, but it’s targeted at Avril since she’s the ringleader.” Inga winks. “And she messed with you.”

“We got your back, girl,” Camilla says.

At that, the two betas leave me with Trigg’s phone.

I slide onto the edge of the pool table, taking Camilla’s spot. I could be a total snoop and look at all of Trigg’s photos or delete them because he was being such a jerk. Instead, I get down to business.

First, I watch the prank video one more time because seeing the discomfort and shock on Avril, Heather, and Harper’s faces is hilarious.

My pulse jumps when Corbin’s voice interrupts my thoughts using the wolf-way of communication—I think of it as having an internal Walkie-Talkie.

Did he catch wind of the pranks and intend to put us on probation too? I hustle to the den, a large room with a long boardroom style table, reserved for meetings with the betas.

Baker sits toward the middle, clicking away on his laptop. If he wasn’t so attached to the thing, I’d have asked him if I could borrow it for my research, but I also don’t think I could get anything by him. Not that I have to hide, but my particular search terms may raise concern.

Corbin sits at one end with his fingers steepled and his head tucked, deep in thought. I lower into the chair at the other end. He glances up.

Our eyes meet. Deep copper to smoky gray. My pulse doesn’t jump this time. It leaps. All it takes is one look, sometimes less than that to get my heart racing, my stomach spinning, and my thoughts turning to mush.

Corbin is my Alpha, my fated mate, and the love of my young life. I’m still blindsided by those facts and the deep love I have for him. I’m in love with him and love him. Would do anything for him. I could swoon.

His lips quirk toward an amused smile. I’m pretty sure I’m looking at him with major heart eyes right now. At least I’m not in trouble. I don’t think he’d be able to freeze me with that smolder if the pranks ticked him off.

No, something else is going on. Something bad, if the layer of unease beneath the heat of his desire for me is any indication.

The others, except Avril, filter into the room and take their spots at the table with Claude and Inga on one side and Trigg, Camilla, and Baker on the other.

Corbin gets right down to business. “We have to smoke out the Klave. Amanda was our one connection.”

“And