Bruce and Winona Howler didn't look like they were old enough to be parents of three fully-grown wolf shifters. They reminded Rowena of a young Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Taylor...an angry Elizabeth Taylor. While they were both attractive, they didn't look anything like Cross. Rowena pursed her lips as her eyes drifted between Cross and his parents.

Cross placed a cup of tea in front of her when she blurted, "Are you adopted?"

Winona shot up in her seat. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I had an affair? I would never cheat on Bruce! He's my mate."

Rowena leaned into Cross and whispered loudly, "Have you ever had a paternity test? The lady doth protest too much-if you know what I mean."

Winona lurched forward. "Why you-"

Bruce grabbed his wife's waist as he tugged her back to his side. "Now, now, Winona, settle down. You know Cross resembles my father."

"Yes, your father was a handsome man. He could have any woman he wanted just like our sons can," Winona said. "Why Cross would give up Angelina for this human, is beyond me."

"Mother," Cross said in a warning tone.

"What?" Her eyes widened, daring him to argue with her. "You said she was special, but I fail to see anything special about her."

Rowena's hands tightened around her teacup.

"She has big hips," Winona noted, pointing a finger toward Rowena. "I suppose that's good for birthing pups. Do we know anything about her family? What if the children look like her?"

"I will not commit assault. I will not commit assault. I will not commit assault," Rowena grumbled to herself.

Cross pulled the teacup from Rowena's hand and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. He held her hand in his before turning back to his mother. "I told you before, Rowena is my soulmate. When she's ready, she'll become my mate. You're my mother but you cannot talk about her like this. I won't allow it."

Bruce gave Rowena a wan smile. Winona huffed before picking up her cup of tea. "Angelina and her family have generations of good breeding. We don't know anything about your human."

"Winona, that's enough," Bruce scolded.

"What? We bring back his intended mate and he shuns her and suddenly tells us he's destined to mate with a human who happens to be a witch with no knowledge of her powers. She doesn't exactly sound like a winner," Winona muttered. "I had Selig investigate her background. She has an arrest record, Bruce."

Bruce gave an exaggerated gasp, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "What was she arrested for?"

Rowena used her fingers to count her crimes. "Assault, disorderly conduct, and jaywalking. Oh, there was a grand theft auto charge once but that was eventually dropped. Don't worry. I didn't steal that clown car. I won it against a bunch of carnival clowns in a game of strip poker. Who knew clowns would be such sore losers and call the cops on me?"

"Rowena," Cross growled.

She shrugged her shoulders. "What? I said I won."

"I refuse to have this woman be part of our family!" Winona shrieked.

"I've read about women like you," Rowena quipped. "You're the evil mother-in-law villain. I bet you have an envelope of cash in your purse to try and bribe me to leave your son."

Winona's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. "What? How did you-"

Bruce groaned. "Tell me you didn't really prepare an envelope of money."

The alpha's mouth fell open. "Mother!"

Rowena continued. "Well, I'm telling you right now, there better be enough for a trip to Hawaii and to get my friend Gina out of jail in case they lock her up for murder."

Winona pointed a finger at Rowena and sputtered, "D-did you just hear her? She has friends who are murderers! And she's willing to take money to leave our son!"

"Rowena," Cross pouted, pulling her closer.

She slapped his hand to release her. "What? I'm still mad at you."

Bruce coughed to cover his laughter.

"Bruce, this isn't funny. Our son is being blinded by this floozy!"

"Floozy?" Rowena yelled. "I don't know what that means but it sounds like an insult!" She turned to Cross. "Did your mother just insult me?"

"Mother, stop insulting Rowena." Cross stood, pulling Rowena up with him. "She may have an arrest record and sure, she's had to take anger management five times-"

"Six times," Rowena corrected him.

"Six times," Cross said. "Yes, she's also been ordered to see a psychologist and she has some questionable friends who may or may not be a male escort and a former stripper who is currently a possible murder suspect...but she's my soulmate! These past weeks, I ignored her to pacify you about Angelina and they were torture. I missed her. There's absolutely nothing you can say to change my mind."

"She's crazy," Winona insisted.

Cross pointed to his chest. "She's my crazy."

"She's friends with a male hooker?" Bruce asked, laughing.

He was referring to Jeremiah, a male escort Rowena met while she was locked up in the county jail. Rowena shook her head. "Jeremiah is not a hooker. He's a male escort who likes to role-play with his partners. He's also teaching me to tango."

"You're learning to tango?" Cross asked her. "I didn't know that."

"You'd know if you ever called me," Rowena said, rolling her eyes.

Winona placed a hand on her forehead. "This is too much. I cannot accept such a woman as a daughter-in-law. Angelina loves you, Cross. Why can't you just accept her as your mate?"

"Will you stop bringing up Angelina?" Bruce asked. He pointed to Rowena. "She's the one your son wants."

Liam and Matt entered the room followed by Abby and Selig.

"Ro!" Abby ran forward to hug Rowena. "I've missed you."

"Since when did you two become friends?" Bruce asked.

"Since we broke into her home to steal a crystal ball and tried to pawn it to an infamous criminal," Abby answered.

Winona gasped. "She's corrupting our daughter!"

"What's going on with Rowena's friend?" Cross asked his brother.

"Ms. Purple Nurple is still a suspect but no arrests have been made," Selig answered. "Your detective friend Donnie allowed me to see the crime scene. A fairy was definitely involved. There was glitter just like Rowena described."

"How are we going to prove a fairy was involved if humans don't know about their existence?" Rowena asked. "Gina can't go to jail for a crime she didn't commit. She's one of my few friends and we haven't even finished reading A Time to Kill for our book club."

Cross placed an arm around Rowena. "We're going to do everything we can to keep her out of jail."

Selig grinned at Rowena. "You're reading A Time to Kill? Tremendous! I love that book. Maybe I can join your book club. Is there a dress code for book club?" He leaned forward and whispered. "Or is clothing optional?"

Cross shoved his brother, sending him flying across the room with a strangled yelp. "Stay away from my soulmate!"

"Be nice to your brother," Winona scolded.

"Don't call me that," Rowena hissed at Cross. "It's weird."

"What's weird?" a melodic voice asked.

Everyone turned to see a beautiful woman with honey-colored hair and green eyes entering the room. Rowena's eyes narrowed. The beauty had her eyes on Cross.

"Angelina," Winona held her hand out for Angelina to grab. "Can you believe this is the woman Cross wants? She's a human."

Angelina tilted her head and smiled at Rowena. "Winona, I'm sure there's a very good reason Cross chose her. Besides, he and I tried to make things work. Sometimes, it isn't meant to be."

She wasn't fooling Rowena, who asked, "Then why did you lie and say you two were together even though you both broke up?"

Angelina's smile faltered. Cross shook his head. Abby chuckled.

"That was a misunderstanding," Angelina explained. "When Cross said we needed space, I didn't realize we were officially breaking up."

"He didn't say he needed space. He said he needed you to get out of his face. Plus, he hadn't talked to you in a year," Abby piped in. "He blocked you from his phone and I told you numerous times he dumped you. How in the world could you misunderstand that?"

Rowena held up her hand and Abby gave her a high five as both women stared at Angelina.

"Abby, you know I have predictions of the future. Not once did the future show Cross leaving my side."

"Wait," Rowena said, holding a hand up. "Are you trying to tell me you're a fortune-telling wolf shifter?"

Angelina gave her a smug smile. "I am."

Rowena harumphed. "I used to tell fortunes too at the weekend carnival. I have a crystal ball. You said you never saw Cross leaving your side. Then you're clearly not a good fortune teller because the man is obsessed with me." She lowered her voice. "The first time he met me, he tied me up in my lingerie and after I told him my demands, he even took care of my Kitty."

Winona made a noise that sounded like she was sucking in all the air in the room. "You dirty tramp!"

"I took a shower this morning, ma'am," Rowena snapped. "I am not dirty."

"Notice how she didn't deny being a tramp?" Winona muttered to her husband.

"Tell me this isn't happening," Cross moaned.

Selig came up behind Rowena. "I don't mind you being dirty or a tramp."

He squealed as Cross pushed him away from Rowena.

"Cross loves my Kitty," Rowena insisted. "He even made Matt and Liam take turns caring for my Kitty. Abby said she loved petting her too."

"Can I pet your kitty?" Selig asked, popping out of nowhere.

Cross kicked him into a wall.

Winona lunged forward again. "You corrupted my family!"

Cross jumped in front of Rowena. "She's talking about her cat! Calm down! She has a calico named Kitty."

"What did you think I meant? Get your minds out of the gutter," Rowena said, shaking her head in disgust. "I don't understand why I'm being judged when I'm not the one who lied about being in a relationship with Cross." She stared pointedly at Angelina.

Angelina's mouth trembled and her eyes watered. She turned to Cross. "I'm sorry, Cross. I didn't mean to make your human upset."

"Your human?" Matt repeated, stealing a glance at Rowena. He nudged Liam who was tapping on his phone.

"I will not commit assault. I will not commit assault. I will not commit assault," Rowena repeated under her breath.

"Why does she keep talking to herself?" Angelina asked Winona.

"Clearly, she needs medication," Winona answered, shaking her head.

"I am not on meds," Rowena insisted. She turned to Cross. "Why do people keep saying that?"

"Stop being rude to Rowena," Cross warned. "Or I'll throw you all out."

"You wouldn't dare," his mother replied, taking a step back. She turned to her husband. "Are you listening to your son?"

Bruce nodded. "I'm listening. All I'm hearing is you disrespecting your son and the woman he loves."

"The woman he loves?" Winona shrieked. "Ha! Doubtful. He said she was a witch. She probably put a spell on him."

Rowena started laughing.

"This isn't funny," Angelina said. "It's a crime to use a love spell on a werewolf shifter according to the Paranormal United Nations."

"I didn't even think of that," Winona said, snapping her fingers. "Did you put a spell on my son? First, it was Reed and now it's my son. I've heard all about your sordid past. I'll have you reported."

"You think I'm afraid of a group whose name is PUN?" Rowena stepped forward. "I don't even know how to cast love spells. I'm supposed to be a hexing witch and if I were you, I'd be nice unless you want me to hex you with perpetual bubble guts."

"You just threatened the alpha's mother," Winona snarled.

"Mom, I really think you should give Ro a chance. You two have a lot in common," Abby suggested.

"Like their really bad tempers," Bruce mumbled.

"Yes, give the human a chance. Perhaps Cross will grow tired of her as he did me," Angelina said, smiling. "Not anyone can mate the alpha."

Rowena exhaled deeply. "I will not commit assault. I will not commit assault. I will not commit assault."

"You can tell just by looking at her," Winona jeered. "She's the type men tire of easily. I bet her own parents don't even want her."

Rowena's head flew up. "That's it! I'm done. You're going down like the balance in my bank account!"

Before Cross could stop her, Rowena screamed like a banshee and leaped toward Winona Howler.