Wild Love (The Kingson Pride Book 4) Read online

  Wild Love

  A Kingson Pride Novella

  Kristen Banet

  Contents

  1. Riley

  2. Riley

  3. Riley

  4. Riley

  5. Riley

  6. Riley

  7. Riley

  8. Riley

  9. Riley

  10. Riley

  Dear Reader,

  About the Author

  Also by Kristen Banet

  1

  Riley

  Spring 2027

  Riley stepped out of her gallery, waving at her current manager as she left.

  “Have a wonderful day, Ms. Kingson!” the young woman called out.

  Riley groaned internally. She could never convince anyone who worked for her to just call her Riley anymore.

  She was only at her studio since she had a private client. Someone had wanted to sit down to take photos for a portrait, both human and shifter, but they had only been in Denver and available today. Portraits were the bulk of Riley’s earnings, which didn’t bother her. She only did a show once a year of her personal work, and many of those sold quickly, leaving only prints in her gallery for the rest of the year.

  Looking back at her gallery before getting in her car, Riley felt a wave of love. She loved her job. She loved that most of her days were filled with paint and canvas, the endless expanse of ideas, the act of capturing life and giving it to others.

  At thirty-three-

  No, I’m thirty-four today.

  Riley smiled. Another year. Next year would be the ten year anniversary of her studio opening. But that was next year. Today, she just wanted to get home for her birthday dinner and curl up in the den with her guys. They were going to have an important talk tonight, one she’d been planning for weeks, months - maybe even years.

  She was able to get out of Denver before traffic hit and raced home back to Wild Junction. She pulled into the garage after five and got out, frowning when she realized none of her guys had met her. None of them had excuses for a day trip to Denver with her; instead, they had come up with excuses not to go. Brenton and Zachary were reviewing the new security system. Troy and Gabe had to test their new bikes. Andrew was doing a shift at the diner, then an appointment at home with Doctor Tanaka, who visited every six months.

  Riley didn’t say anything, but she knew for a fact that Andrew’s appointment with Doctor Tanaka was supposed to be the week before. How it ended up on her birthday, she didn’t know.

  With that weighing on her mind, she left the garage and entered the hallway to the kitchen. She reached to turn on the lights, wondering which of them decided to turn them off. Her men were acting weird, and Riley didn’t much appreciate the strangeness.

  “SURPISE!” a chorus of voices rang out as she flicked the lights on.

  Riley nearly jumped a few feet in the air as her nose finally registered the scents of dozens of people in the mansion - particularly in the kitchen she was trying to walk into. Her heart had wanted to stop, but now it was racing from the scare.

  “Oh my god!” she screamed, her hand over her heart, as if she could slow it down. She looked around at all the people filling the kitchen and dining room behind it, smiling at her. “Oh my God!” She didn’t move as she realized who all was there. Her guys, all of them, grinning in the center. Around them were her friends. Abigail, laughing herself red in the face as Thomas snickered to himself. James and Antonio were holding the twins, the precious little boys that Abigail had with them.

  Beyond the wolf pack, Jessie was glaring at her ten-year-old boy, who had turned out to be a jaguar shifter. Riley wondered what he’d done to get his mom mad now. Theo was always making trouble.

  It didn’t end there, Riley realized. Phoebe and Finn, with both of their children, both little fox shifters like their father. Doctor Tanaka stood behind Andrew; he’d grown close to the Pride over the last ten years. Sheriff and Patty were there as well, along with what felt like half the town. Keith, her dad, was smiling as well. He looked good, and his second wife, a sweet human from the town, was on his arm.

  She blinked several times, unable to really find anything to say to this crowd of people waiting for her to say anything. “Guys?” She looked back at her Pride, confused.

  “We threw you a surprise party,” Brenton said diplomatically, still smiling. She searched his face, looking for anything else he might be hiding. He was too controlled, so instead she just admired his face. Ten years, and none of them had aged nearly that. It could have been yesterday when she met him at Rocker’s - or any of them.

  “I can see that,” she retorted, breaking out into a smile. It was unstoppable, the happiness at the idea that all these people wanted to be here for her. “Thank you all for being here.”

  She didn’t really know what else to say, but that brought cheers from them. They all broke out into conversations and she walked slowly to her men, Andrew breaking off, mumbling about something still in the oven.

  “I know we planned on a quiet dinner,” Brenton whispered when she was closer. His gold eyes twinkled with a devious glint that she knew well. He might not have planned it, but he definitely agreed with the idea and went along.

  “We did,” she agreed, nodding patiently. “Who had this idea?” She already had some guesses.

  “We did,” Troy cut in. Her guess had been right. “Gabe and I realized… we’ve been together for ten years, pretty girl, and we’ve never thrown a real party for you on your birthday. You always just want to go out and hang with friends and family, but nothing really special. Ten years. Well, not this year. Gabe and I wanted a real party.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, emotion causing her voice to sound husky. She leaned over, and Troy planted a slow kiss on her lips.

  “Anything for you,” he whispered to her. “Especially after everything we’ve put you through.”

  Riley rolled her eyes at that. They hadn’t put her through anything she wouldn’t do again to be with them. “Forever and ever,” she told him simply. His answering smile was brighter than his grey and silver hair and mercury eyes.

  “Now, it’s time to sing happy birthday to you,” Brenton ordered.

  Riley groaned, tossing her head back in another dramatic eye roll. This was why she never had big parties, but she would play along. Just this once.

  “Come on, baby.” Zachary chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. She let her big white tiger lead her into the dining room, where her dad waved her over to the big dining room table. Her birthday cake sat in the middle and she ignored the goofy model chocolate cats all over it. Of course Troy and Gabe thought they would be cute.

  “Hi Dad. Were you a part of this scheme?” she asked, moving to stand next to him, dragging Zachary along as well.

  “No, but it’s a fun scheme,” Keith answered, elbowing her lightly.

  She cut straight to the chase. “What did you get me for my birthday?”

  “I’m not telling you,” Keith scoffed. He rolled his eyes to mock her and she laughed, leaning into Zachary. After the laughter, her tiger leaned to kiss her forehead.

  Ten years had done them a lot of good as well. It had been slow, rebuilding the Stern family as best they could. He got to know her Pride; she got to know him. Now there was no difference between the Sterns and Kingsons. They were a unit, one family. Keith was tag-teaming with Sheriff to keep an eye on the Pride now. Riley told them nearly every week that she and her men were all adults, but once Sheriff and Keith became friends, there had been no stopping them.

  “What have you been up to, Dad?”

  “Well,” Keith sighed, his smile turning into a frown. “I visited her the o
ther day, a few weeks ago.”

  “What?” Riley stood up a little straighter. He didn’t. “Dad?”

  “Her lawyers asked for me, and I couldn’t find a reason to say no. I even took it to my lawyers, and they thought it was fine. If anything, I was curious.” Keith shrugged. “Isabella is accepting her fate. I still think she should be doing life, but thirty years will teach her a lesson.”

  “Yeah,” Riley mumbled, looking away from him. Her mother wasn’t doing life because she had decided not to give up the tape of Isabella confessing to the murder of Brenton’s mother. Brenton had agreed with her. It was a long time ago, he’d said. Then he broke the copy of it in half, ending everyone’s ability to even try. They had put her out of their lives and never looked back. When the SSTF even caught her, Riley hadn’t even visited. Only Keith had, just a few times, and he promised to never bring Riley correspondence from her.

  Riley thought it was odd to be thinking of her mother when she had such an important conversation to have later.

  “Forget about her,” Zachary whispered in her ear. “Today is your birthday.”

  “You’re right,” she agreed, nodding. She could think about her mother, motherhood, and all of that after the party. The glorious little party her men had wanted to throw for her. “Now, what’s this about singing me happy birthday?”

  They did, loudly. Riley was jumped on by one of the Pack’s boys. Luther, the little wolf twin, threw his arms around her neck, and Riley cuddled him close as everyone sang.

  “Happy birthday, Aunty Riley!” Luther happily cheered as the song finally ended.

  “Can I be picked up?” Jude asked, tugging on her pant leg.

  She looked down and laughed. Zachary grabbed Jude and lifted him onto Riley and Luther’s level. Her heart squeezed at the sight of her big tiger holding the four-year-old boy that played with his hair. When Zachary growled playfully and Jude tried his best to growl back, but Riley knew little buck boys weren’t known for their growling ability. “What did you get Aunty, Uncle Z?” Jude poked him, and Riley snorted while little Luther laughed.

  “Only big kids get to know that,” Zachary answered diplomatically, winking at her.

  “Cheater!” Jude cried out.

  “You have to open our present first!” Luther demanded, beginning to rock in her arms. “Ours!”

  “Okay!” she agreed, knowing it would end in tears if she didn’t. Abigail’s precious twins were notoriously good at getting what they wanted by turning on the dramatics.

  “Let me have Judas.” Thomas chuckled as he walked to them. He took Jude from Zachary while Riley shook her head. “Antonio, come get Lucifer before he starts the waterworks and Riley can’t open any presents.”

  “If Abigail hears-” Riley was going to remind the wolves that their wife hated those nicknames. Antonio grabbed Luther from her, holding him with one arm as he pulled out a chair at her table for her to sit down.

  “Oh, I heard!” their wife yelled across the room. Riley watched Antonio wince. “Our sons are Jude and Luther, Thomas. Not Judas and Lucifer. They are not evil. Stop that.”

  Thomas narrowed his eyes at Riley, who grinned. She thought the nicknames were funny, but she had to help a sister out. The doe hated them, and so Riley would help enforce the law. No nicknames for the twins.

  Riley sat down at the dining room table and waited for Luther to impatiently climb back on her lap. He snuggled in and she blinked back tears. Precious. Absolutely the sweetest things in the world, the Pack’s twins. Jude was next, getting next to his brother.

  “You boys are just too big for that,” Brenton commented as he sat down next to her. “Come here. Don’t squish your godmother.”

  Riley wasn’t sure she could handle it. The sight of Luther climbing into Brenton’s lap, the smile on Brenton’s face at it. He was always so tender with the kids around.

  Jude took that chance to plant a wet kiss on her cheek.

  “Now they’re trying to take her,” Zachary grumbled, pulling Jude off her. “Little playboys.”

  “They are adorable!” Riley exclaimed, trying to take Jude back. When Zachary didn’t let her have him, she sighed and looked at the foxes. The moment her eyes landed on the one-year-old, the baby girl’s face lit up and giggles started. Phoebe walked closer and Riley cooed at the baby girl.

  Riley knew she had a problem, but it was easy to fall for the sweet faces of her friends’ children. Except maybe Theo. He was cute when he didn’t understand what the definition of rebellious was.

  “Open the presents!” Luther demanded, yelling from Brenton’s lap.

  She rolled her eyes and looked at all the people patiently watching her. A few already had cake, and Andrew was dutifully watching over the food to make sure no more was stolen before she had the chance to eat any.

  “Okay,” she decided, reaching for a messily wrapped box. She looked at the tag and smiled. “To Riley. From Luther and Jude.” The handwriting was messy, their letters too big and a mix of capitals and lowercase. “This one?”

  “YES!” Jude screeched. She heard Zachary grunt and glanced at Jude trying to jump up and stand on her tiger’s legs.

  She opened it slowly, driving the twins insane, and revealed a box of children’s paints. She pulled it to her chest.

  “Thank you, boys,” she told them, leaning to kiss Luther’s forehead on her one side then Jude’s on her other.

  “She liked it!” Luther yelled out, jumping off Brenton, who just laughed. Riley watched him run to his father and jump. Thomas grabbed him. “She liked it, T-Dad!”

  “She did.” He chuckled, holding the wolf boy.

  “A-Dad!” Jude yelled as well. “Did you hear?”

  “I heard. I’m right here, little man!”

  Riley held back giggles. T-Dad, A-Dad, and J-Dad. It was how their family figured out the naming issues. Thomas was their biological father, and Riley knew that wasn’t a secret, but Antonio and James were as much those boys’ fathers as Thomas. Abigail was rolling her eyes in the back of the room. Riley grinned at her.

  Another present was handed to her, by the little fox boy. Carson was Phoebe and Finn’s oldest, a sweet three-year-old with Finn’s red hair and Phoebe’s eyes. She took the present from the soft-spoken sweetie and opened it for him. The fox family had gotten her a set of new jewelry for her piercings and Carson drew pictures for her.

  “Thank you,” Riley whispered to him. He nodded and ran off back to his father.

  Something about that made this one of the best birthdays she’d ever had. Something about the happy and adorable smiles, the presents, the big family all around her.

  The absolute best birthday - and she was planning on asking for one bigger present from her guys. She’d made them a promise nine years ago. She wanted to fulfill it.

  She opened more presents, from her dad, from Sheriff and Patty, from just Abigail, and then Jessie. Theo hugged her and wandered away, too old and too ‘cool’ to hang out with the other children. It got him scolded by Patty, of all people.

  They ate cake, and she watched Jude and Luther smear it on each other’s faces. Troy flicked a piece at her and she smeared icing on his face for it. Seeing the adults do it too only made the children worse. Gabe helped Luther on one of the table, while Zachary helped Jude. So started the cake food fight. Andrew just wore an expression of acceptance as he sat next to her, taking Carson onto his lap to protect the little boy while Phoebe and Finn were busy, since their little girl started to cry.

  Her men were so fantastic with children.

  Her heart squeezed a little more.

  It was close to ten that night when Riley watched Brenton and Zachary push out the last of their guests. Andrew pulled her along to the den for a favorite movie and she laughed when they fell on her favorite couch together.

  “How was that?” Andrew asked, kissing her neck, holding her to straddle him.

  “It was fun,” she answered, letting her head roll back for him to get a better a
ngle.

  He nipped her earlobe, pulling a moan from her. “Good,” he whispered huskily in her ear. “I was worried you would hate it.”

  “No, it was really sweet of you guys to think about it. Ten years, and I never let you throw me one. I can roll with it and enjoy the pomp and circumstance.” She looked into his warm chocolate eyes when he pulled back from her. “I love you.”

  “I love you too,” he whispered, leaning to kiss her again. His lips were soft and gentle, but when the others walked in, he grew possessive, pulling her tighter against him. It was a playful possession, a way to show the others it was his turn and he wasn’t losing it.

  Riley always had been fine letting them figure it all out and for ten years, it’s been working for them. It reminded her of what was about to change - what she wanted to change about her perfect life. Would it all still work after that?

  “Stop kissing and watch the movie.” Zachary growled over to them.

  Riley gave the white tiger a playful glare and stuck her tongue out. Thirty-four was not too old for a good stuck-out tongue, in her opinion.

  Andrew snarled and rolled them over, grabbing the tongue with a kiss.

  She was delighted that some things wouldn’t change, probably ever.

  It was a long time before Andrew let her up to breath, his hands roaming her body, and she’d thrown his shirt away to delight in the flat stomach he now sported. Since his injury, they had let him get a little lazy and he no longer sported the cut figure, but he was still deliciously good-looking. He was still strong and in his prime, he just didn’t maintain a six-pack. Riley didn’t care.

  “Now, you were a bit out of it for some of the party-” Andrew started.

  “All of the party,” Brenton corrected.