Page 4 of Scars of the Sun
A few members chuckled, but no one opposed.
My brother nodded and briefly met my gaze before doing the same with Delaney on my right. I heard him suck in a breath as if Orion was going to lunge or something, and he let loose a relieved exhale when Orion dropped his gaze to the fire. “I am Pack Leader, but you may call me Orion. I’ve been Leader for three years following the resignation of the previous leader. My father’s family led the establishment of this pack, and I am grateful to be given the opportunity to follow in their footsteps. I’m also a professor at Antler Pointe College in the English department. You may come to me with any concerns you have?—”
“Just don’t call him unannounced unless it’s an emergency!” A teenaged Wolf shouted and received another round of laughter. My brother’s disdain for talking on the phone was pretty much legendary, and apparently everyone in the pack knew it, too.
Surprisingly, my brother’s lip twitched as he rolled his eyes before continuing. “My mate will formally introduce herself, and our pups Dahlia and Oliver are over there playing. All right, who’s next?”
The teen that teased my brother scrambled to his feet and stood like he was giving a presentation at school. “Hey! My name’s Harrison…” and one by one, the pack members introduced themselves to me and Delaney. It was a bit overwhelming, having the attention on me, but it was nice sharing it with someone else. And, at least, I had something else to occupy my headspace. My fingers pulled anxiously at my sleeve cuffs as I tried my best to nod along to the group of elders that ended the exercise. The reverent hush that befell the circle for them made the expectant turn of every eye to Delaney and I that followed even more terrifying.
A nervous hand clutched mine, fingers squeezing almost painfully but not quite, and I felt my near-panting calm. When I found my brother’s light green eyes over the flames, they were planted somewhere on my face, but the small nod of encouragement combined with Sylvie’s smile my way made my stomach relax even more.
Just as I opened my mouth, Delaney cleared his throat and started, fingers still holding mine, “H-hi everyone. I’m Delaney, and I’m a student at APC. I wanted to thank all of you for allowing me to attend this meeting. I’ve been wanting to find a pack again, and I’m very happy to be here.” My eyes scanned the gathered Wolves and their mates, taking in the many smiles that returned Delaney’s sunny demeanor.Well,fuck, how am I supposed to live up to that?
I was panicking, worried I would say the wrong thing or make an ass out of myself, and it wasn’t until a reassuring squeeze of my hand brought me back to the present. All eyes were on me.
“Um…” I wiped my free palm on my bare thigh, felt sweat prickle at my temples. “Hi everyone. My name’s Ramona. I’m staying with my brother and his family,” I gestured a hand to O and Sylvie, “and am grateful to be here.” That was enough, right?
Judging by the nods and redirecting of attention toward Orion, it was. I sighed. There was no fucking way I was going to remember everyone’s names, so their faces and scents would have to do.
My brother took a pull from his beer before continuing the meeting. The sky had continued to darken, the last tangerine rays of the sun just a sliver on the horizon now, and I batted at a mosquito that landed on my ankle. “Before I turn it over for other matters, today, we welcome Ana and Jasper to our meal tonight, following their first run since their punishment has been lifted.” Something about the ticking in my brother’s jaw and the solemn nods of two Wolves in particular told of a much larger story that no one piped up to explain.
Add that to the running list of things I needed to ask Sylvie about.
“Lastly, myself and a few of the elders are meeting with representatives from the Serafim Group next week. It should just be a courtesy introduction, as they are looking to engage in business on our territory. But we will update you at the next pack meeting.”
A middle-aged Wolf with thinning red hair and a barrel chest sat forward, “Any word on that Jaguar? I’ve seen him down at Vinny’s a few times.” A few Wolves began murmuring to each other, but the excited lurch and hammering of my heart made it difficult to parse through all that they were saying.
My fingertips tingled with wisps of electricity, calling back to my first evening living in Antler Pointe. Black eyes and the harsh glint of facial piercings were interwoven with the scent of densebrush and spice. With heated nights that were just as likely to intoxicate as they were to heal.
My weeks had been filled with gardening, reading, and family time, so I hadn’t caught another glimpse of the shifter. Sure, I could’ve gone to Vinny’s at any point to see if I’d be lucky enough to see him, but then what would I have done?
What was one touch? One—barely—interaction that was even more brief than the quick intimate touches and conversation with the male who was still holding my hand.
“No word to me, though I don’t know if others have had interactions with the Jaguar,” my brother replied. When Sylvie, Dahlia, and I had returned home from picking up pizza that night, Orion had been mildly curious about the new shifter in town, but that’d been it.
The red-headed Wolf gave a grunt that was one of the most wolf-like sounds I’d heard all night. “I don’t like it. He should come pay respects, at least.” Ah, there was the territorial nature I’d been expecting. Not that I thoughtallWolves would be mindless, but there was a reason packs had the reputation.
When the male looked me up and down with a confused frown, I realized that I’d been scowling at him, eyes narrowed as he insinuated something unsavory about the jaguar shifter.Who I didn’t even fucking know. I broke our stare to watch my smaller hand being swallowed by Delaney’s. When I raised my head, he appeared to be hanging on what my brother said next.
Without so much as a flinch, Orion addressed everyone, including Delaney and I, “We can keep tabs on him, but so far, he’s done no harm. Should he wish to join the pack or run permanently on our land, we will establish a more formal connection. I will not punish another shifter for just existing here.” A wash ofdominancesettled over my skin, and it made my spine straighten. It wasn’t fear, but a response at a cellular level to take notice of the decision being set.
I stared at my brother, wondrously. Though I couldn’t change into a Wolf, the threads of otherness within me hummed, and the urge to bow tugged at my muscles.
With me, Orion was dry and teasing. With his mate and children, he was quiet and sweet. I was more than a little ashamed to admit that I hadn’t quite been able to visualize my brother as a Leader, in the shifter sense.
His pinning green stare and the scent of Leader coming from him erased all of that. And I felt a new sense of pride at the stance he’d taken. He’d not only found his place but stepped up to take charge of a whole group of people. All these pack members looked to him for support and guidance, something I could tell that he took seriously.
And they not only accepted him—they embraced him for who he was. With the way they all responded to him tonight, leaning in with their attention and familiarity.
Shit, I wiped at a tear that threatened to spill over. If out of love for him or envy, I wasn’t so sure.
The Wolf that’d spoken up dropped his gaze with a curt nod, and the air around us thawed. The sound of excited pup-babbling and chirping crickets filtered back in as the meeting continued with all the relaxed attitude of a summer barbecue. After the pups got bored playing their own games, they wandered over to us, and while Dahlia caught the attention of Sylvie, going on about some game they’d made up, Ollie came to me, dirt-caked hands outstretched.
My first pack meeting didn’t have a formal adjournment, but the mood palpably moved from meeting to casual gathering. Some stood to mill about the yard with their beverages in hand, some called their goodbyes, and some reclined in their seats, content to continue socializing.
With my nephew in my lap, I felt at least more certain about what to do with my hands, and though my hold on Delaney wasbroken, he remained close. O had stood and began speaking in quiet, respectful tones to one of the elders who remained seated.
My new acquaintance blew out a breath while offering his finger to Ollie who grabbed it with the iron grip of a one-year old. “That wasn’t so bad. Right?”