Chapter 3

"Mommy, I’m still so hungry."

Lior mumbled, his eyes fixed longingly on the raw ribeye I was prepping for the lunch rush.

His pupils were blown wide, nearly swallowing the gold of his irises.

"It’s not cooked yet, baby," I said, reaching for the tongs.

Lior didn't wait.

In a blur of speed no human child should possess, he snatched the slab of meat and began tearing into it.

I sighed as a sudden flurry of black fur drifted onto the kitchen tile.

He was shedding again. His triangular ears popped out, twitching with every frantic bite.

I didn't panic; I just grabbed the vacuum.

Whirrr.

"How about I sear the next one medium-rare for you?"

I asked, navigating the vacuum nozzle around his feet.

"Just tell me when you're hungry, and for heaven's sake, stop raiding the fridge in the middle of the night!"

“One more thing, mom, I accidentally ate the neighbor’s chicken.”

“Again?!” I wasn't in shock.

The struggle of raising a Royal Alpha cub?

It doesn't care about your grocery budget.

When he loses his temper, every dog within a three-block radius starts a howling riot.

But luckily, I’m the only one who can talk him down from the ledge.

"The full moon is coming up," I warned, bopping his nose.

"Try to behave better, okay?"

He just blinked at me.

"Yes, Ma’am!"