Page 42 of Jace’s Mate (East Coast Territory #1)

A nikka sighed contentedly as she watched her children.

Brock and Faith—her twin shifter pups—were frolicking on the playground with the other kids, blissfully unaware of the stir their true nature might cause if discovered.

The rest of the children squealed and laughed, completely oblivious that two of their playmates weren’t just extra fluffy puppies. .. but actual wolf shifters.

She laughed softly when Brock scrambled up the ladder, his tiny claws barely making a sound on the plastic rungs.

At the top of the slide, he paused—scanning the scene like a tiny sentinel, his golden-furred ears perked and alert.

Even in his pup form, Brock was already watching out for everyone, his little Alpha instincts kicking in as he surveyed the playground for potential trouble.

Then, with a joyful bark, he crouched low and slid down on his furry belly, tail flapping wildly behind him.

“Your puppies are adorable,” one of the nearby mothers said, smiling warmly.

Anikka turned, smiling back. “Thanks. They’re a bit rambunctious this morning.”

The other woman laughed, waving a hand. “Goodness! Those little fluffballs are precious! I wish I had half their energy. Can you imagine if those were human kids instead of puppies?”

Anikka chuckled, giving a lopsided grin. “It’d be pure chaos. I wouldn’t survive breakfast.”

Another mother approached with a tentative smile. “I hate to ask,” she said, glancing toward the playground, “but would it be okay if my kids played with your puppies? They’re usually terrified of dogs, but they’ve been watching yours, and I think… well, I think this might help.”

Anikka kept her smile polite and refrained from rolling her eyes. If only she knew. Her twins weren’t just puppies—they were young wolves. And in a few years, they’d be powerful enough to lead packs. But for now? They were happy, fluffy, and as gentle as could be.

“I’m sure the pups would love to help your kids get more comfortable around dogs,” she said with a reassuring nod.

The mother visibly relaxed and led her two toddlers toward the slide, where Brock—still in his wolf form—bounced up to them with his tongue lolling out in a goofy, friendly grin. He gently nudged one toddler with his nose, tail wagging in pure delight.

Anikka turned at the familiar sound of footsteps and saw Jace striding toward her, a groan escaping his throat as he took in the scene.

“They shifted into pups?” he asked, voice flat.

Anikka looped her arm through his and grinned up at him. “They did. Right before I could stop them.”

Jace sighed, watching his son lick a giggling toddler’s face. Brock caught sight of his father and gave a cheeky wolfish grin, his tail wagging harder.

“I’m giving them extra kitchen duty tonight,” Jace muttered.

As if he’d heard, Brock dropped dramatically to the ground and flopped onto his back, kicking his paws in the air before springing up and bounding off toward the group of children again.

Faith was already nestled in a child’s lap and being lifted into the small swing, her tongue hanging out as the kids gently pushed her back and forth. Her whole body radiated contentment.

“I hate to break it to you,” Anikka teased, “but kitchen duty’s not the punishment you think it is. George—the new chef?—he’s totally smitten with them. He sneaks them extra ice cream whenever they’re on shift.”

Jace groaned again and rolled his eyes. Then he bent to kiss the top of her head. “We’re not having any more kids, by the way.”

Anikka just laughed, leaning against his shoulder.

“Maybe we’ll stop... after the next one.”

Jace nearly tripped--and he was sitting on the bench.

The expression on his face was worth every second of her playful teasing. Anikka hid her smirk and watched their pups scamper through the grass, joy radiating from every bounce.

Yes--life was pretty darn good right now.

A note from Elizabeth

My very first paranormal romance! When paranormal romances first came out, I hated them. Then I read another and fell in love with the genre. It was intriguing and sparked my imagination. Still, it took me several more years to attempt to write my own.

So…how’d I do? Was it okay?

I’d be incredibly grateful if you left a quick review. Your feedback helps guide me and also helps other readers discover new stories to fall in love with.

Thank you for coming along on this ride with me! Here's a quick link to the review page . Thank you in advance!

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