With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4

Ridgecrest, Corde.
    Corde? Wasn’t that the wolf who peed on the other guy’s house?
    Matt pushed the talk button before the phone rang a second time. “Hello?”
    “Hello? Is Aubrey there?”
    “Aubrey isn’t home yet. Can I take a message and have him call you back?” Matt rounded the dining-
    room table and tossed the pillow on the floor right in front of the window. The beauty of nature loomed before him, and his excitement grew. The hairs on the backs of his arms stood on end with all the electricity in the air.
    “Are you the guy who helps Aubrey’s brother with the pack kids in his new pack?”
    Matt winced. He should chastise the other wolf for mentioning wolf culture without knowing to
    whom he was speaking. He didn’t want to end up a lab rat because of a newly made wolf’s carelessness.
    But it wasn’t his place. He settled himself on the floor on his stomach. “Yes. I’m Matt. Corde, right? You called last week?”
    “Yeah. Umm… Hi, Matt.” He hesitated for only a breath and started again. “You heard about the
    situation the other night?”
    “I did. How’d that turn out?” Hmmm, maybe he’d found at least one way he could help lessen the
    load in his mate’s life. This was a way for him to be useful.
    “Well, that’s why I’m calling.”
    Lightning struck a high rise across the street, or rather the rod on top of it, making Matt flinch. Was it safe to be this high up in such a storm?
    “Jase still isn’t speaking to me.” Corde didn’t sound happy about it.
    Matt wasn’t surprised. Just from what he’d learned the other night he’d surmised that Jase was a
    stickler for werewolf etiquette. “Try taking him a steak.” Matt pressed his forehead against the cool glass, trying to look down to street level.
    “Seriously?” Corde sounded incredulous.
    “Yes, seriously. When you take it to him make sure you offer your neck in submission as you
    apologize.”
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    With Abandon
    “I’m not submissive.” The grumbling tone shouted proud redneck about as loudly as the peeing
    incident.
    Matt suppressed a chuckle, knowing Corde wouldn’t appreciate it. “It doesn’t matter. He’s the more
    experienced wolf. You were made, right?”
    “Yeah.”
    “It’s a respect thing. He sees you as a less-dominant and less-experienced wolf, which is probably
    why he didn’t accept your apology. Trust me. I come from a long, proud line of wolves. I know wolf
    culture inside and out.” Wolves were a lot like children at times. Through trial and error, Matt had learned that when dealing with kids and wolves, keeping things simple was often the best approach. Both kids and wolves dealt in emotion and instinct first, logic second.
    “Okay, I’ll try that. Can I call you back if it doesn’t work?”
    The lights from the surrounding buildings came on as the darkness took over the sky completely.
    Mesmerized, Matt nodded and realized he was on the phone. Doofus. “Sure.” Matt gave Corde his cell number and told him goodbye.
    “Thanks.” The line went dead.
    No sooner had Matt hung up the phone the front door clicked open.
    “Matt?”
    “In here.”
    A light flicked on, adding a tiny glare to the window, and keys jangled. “I’m glad you got home
    before the rain started.”
    Rolling onto his back, Matt watched Aubrey stroll toward him. “Tara texted me and demanded I head
    home to avoid the gully worsher.”
    Aubrey hesitated for a second, then he chuckled. “Yeah, that sounds about right.” He set down his
    laptop case and continued toward Matt with a box in his hand. “She teaching you the local dialect too?”
    “Yep. She show is,” Matt teased.
    Aubrey snorted. “That’s Tee for you. She’s show nuff a reg-lar jawjah peach.”
    Wow, that accent was hot. It wasn’t in the least fake sounding coming from Aubrey like it had been
    when Matt was doing it.
    “It’s a great view, isn’t it?” Aubrey sat beside Matt and stretched his legs out in front of him, to where his feet were even with Matt’s head. He set the box on the ground next to them.
    “It’s gorgeous.” Matt sat up, wanting to greet his mate, but not knowing how or what Aubrey
    expected. They were very close now and already Matt’s heart raced with the thrill of his mate’s nearness.
    “What’s in the box?”
    “A surprise.” Shrugging off his suit jacket, Aubrey started on his tie. When both pieces of clothing lay on the floor, he loosened the top two buttons on