Page 11 of Mating Season

Fine by me. You dry faster.

My beast released his hold on our form as I shifted, standing straight and stretching the kinks from my neck.

“You alright?” I asked John.

“Dick tried to jump back into my stomach.” John did a full-body shiver. “Give me a minute to adjust.”

I held back laughter as we both turned to the wet wolf who was whimpering and shivering on the ground.

“What do we do about this?” I asked the universe, knowing full well the impulsive acts would only get worse as the rut came on stronger.

“Let’s build a fire,” John suggested. “We’ll make camp, regroup, and talk some sense into them.”

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye to see if he really believed the shit he was saying. “You only want a fire because your dick is cold.”

*

We huddled around the fire as drones buzzed overhead, sweeping us with beams of light like some alien invasion in the middle of the woods. John kept his back facing away from the group as he sat near the river bed. I’d probably do the same in his position. But I had Beau half asleep and snoring at my feet which afforded me some sort of comradery that was missing with most of the solo-wolves who edged closer to the fire, drying their muzzles.

I didn’t want to dip into the food supplies yet, not knowing what shape the girls would be in when we arrived. The thought of Aspen hungry made my gut churn in disgust. The food in our travel saddle bags was for her–not these grown males who could fend for themselves.

Landon North offered a sheepish apology before he slunk back to the shadows of the trees in his wolf form. He’d made a rash decision spurred by the urging of his beast. It wouldn’t be the last time one of them did something stupid if we didn’t hurry and get to the females.

“I’m not your Alpha,” I spoke to the group of wolves. Ears flattened as the nearest ones rested their snouts on their paws. “But if you run with me, I expect you to keep yourselves under control. You aren’t errant pups. Prove it.”

There was some growling in the distance where more of the wolves huddled in the trees far away from the fire. It didn’t take a genius to figure out it was the rich boys grumbling. I’d half expected it to be Trenton’s wolf causing problems, but the beastwas more steadfast than the man and he stuck to the fringes of the group with a reverent sort of lone wolf respect.

I could vaguely sense most of the Alphas’ emotions despite trying to tune them out. It wasn’t as strong as I could sense Foster and Jones who were out of telepathic range running the river and looking for a crossing. Those two I felt in the depths of my soul like I could with the rest of my pack.

That was a mindfuck at seventeen.

Assuming control of McCaw Pack and the close to five thousand shifters had nearly knocked me on my backside. I’d sensed all their souls connect with mine at once. Over the years, I’d learned to block the intensity, keeping careful control of what I allowed myself to focus on.

But those first few months were a fresh hell I’d never be able to forget.

The feeling of anger directed my way had me raising my eyes over the fire. Chad was in human form, speaking with Brett Frazier. I chuckled at Chad’s pouty face, wondering if he had it in him.

Tulia Pack was almost double our numbers. It’d take a strong stomach to absorb the hit of having that many souls to protect. But he was a heritage Alpha and maybe they had some trick to handing down the reins. I must’ve missed the memo when McCaw’s old Alpha was choking on his dying breath.

“Think he’s going to be a problem?” John chewed the side of his thumb as he stared at the schoolyard posturing across the fire.

“I don’t know what to expect.” Ivan’s worry about the filming bothered me. I shifted my foot, startling Beau who let out a rugged snore and cracked an eye open. I patted his head until he went back to sleep.

John watched me for a moment. “Are you thinking he won’t uphold his promise?”

I was thinking I’d been a fool to think the Tulia Pack would do anything the right way. Chad made the bet and I was hoping it was the end of it, but now I wasn’t sure. Political games had never been my forte. But I couldn’t let them know that.

“If he knows what’s good for him, he will,” I spoke loud enough that there was no doubt Chad heard me.

I didn’t know how I’d get him to repeat his promise to the cameras, but I would figure it out. Tulia Pack needed to pay. I wasn’t the only one in the region with a vendetta against their family, but I was the only one strong enough to do something about it.

And this opportunity was too good to pass up. The Alpha Games were a time of strengthening cross-territory pack bonds and righting wrongs of the past, legally. It was a no brainer for me to come to the season and get revenge for my family.

Unlike the others in my life, I didn’t absolve my mother of all the guilt for turning to a drug addiction and ending up on the streets at Crowley Tulia’s hand. But there were so many others who’d fallen into the same trap. I wouldn’t be able to livewith myself if I didn’t at least try to stop the corruption that altered the course of my life.

I didn’t want to kill Chad though.

Speak for yourself.