Gareth knew that. As he’d sat watching out the window, he could feel Sean’s stress, even though he was sleeping. There was a terror there that Gareth had never felt before. The more agitated Sean got, the closer to the house the wolves moved. When Gareth stepped outside, they ignored him, instead focusing on Sean’s window.
“Are you hungry?”
“Starved! I was actually thinking about coming down for a snack last night before I went to sleep. That steak was good, but I was hungry again about an hour after we ate.”
Dani came in from the kitchen, her eyes bloodshot. “Good morning, Alpha, Sean. What would you like for breakfast?”
“Tired?”
She nodded. “I slept, but I don’t feel like it. Have you ever felt like that?”
Gareth went to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Why don’t you go ahead and get some more sleep? I’ll make breakfast.”
Her eyes went wide. “Oh, but I couldn’t—”
“I insist. Sean will help me.” He gazed at Sean. “Won’t you?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
She bit her lip and glanced between Sean and Gareth. “If you’re sure you don’t need me.”
“No, we’ll be fine, right, Sean?”
He gave a quick dip of his chin. “Of course. You look exhausted, Dani. Get some sleep.”
She sighed. “Fine.”
She turned around and strode back to the other room. As soon as she was out of sight, Gareth spun to face Sean.
“What do you think is wrong with her?”
Sean shook his head. “No clue.”
And Gareth believed him. There was no guile he could sense. Sean’s emotions were an open book right now. There was happiness there, which was new, along with a touch of apprehension, which seemed to be his default setting.
“Well, we’re going to have a hungry teenager to feed soon. Let’s get to it.”
Gareth led the way into the kitchen, with Sean trailing close behind, keeping up a stream of steady chatter. It was nice to hear him so enthused. While Gareth reached into the refrigerator, Sean opened the cabinets until he found a frying pan, whisk, and plates.
“I can scramble eggs, if you’d like.” He flushed. “Other than coffee, it’s about the only thing I can make.”
Gareth pulled the carton from the bottom of the refrigerator and handed it to Sean.
“How many?”
“With Caleb? Better make the whole dozen. I’m going to make bacon and sausage, and afterward we’ll fry up some hash browns. If you want to make a pot of coffee, you’ll find everything you need in the cabinet above the machine.”
They worked as though they’d been doing it all their lives. Neither got in the way of the other, and before long they had a bountiful buffet set up.
Right on cue, Caleb came striding in, his nose twitching. “Food.”
Gareth turned to Sean. “This is his zombie phase. As soon as he’s eaten and had a cup of coffee, he’ll be what passes for normal.”
A scowl marred Caleb’s features, but he said nothing. Instead he went to the pot and poured a cup. He flopped in the chair, reaching up to brush his long brown hair from his face. He stabbed the stack of bacon, moved a mound of it to his plate, then went back for sausage, where he took at least six links. Then he picked up the bowl of scrambled eggs and scooped half onto his plate.
It was obvious Sean was impressed. Or maybe horrified. “Where does he put it all?”
“Would you believe that’s his morning snack? On the weekends, after he eats that, he’ll raid the refrigerator at eight, ten, and eleven, and then he’ll come back home at noon for lunch. After that, though, he’ll load up a plate and take it upstairs, where he spends a few hours studying. Caleb is going to be a geneticist after school.”
Caleb grumbled something but didn’t stop eating to reply.
Sean took a seat and served up a plate, which he handed over to Gareth, who was pleasantly surprised. “Thank you.”
Afterward, Sean filled his own plate and sat back to eat.
Gareth ate one of the sausages, then decided to talk with Caleb while he was unguarded. “So, Caleb, how’d you sleep?”
He shrugged. “Okay, I guess.” He sipped his coffee. “Where’s Mom?”
“She went back to bed. She didn’t get much sleep.”
His eyes went wide. “Mom? My mom? She’s always up by four, making breakfast, getting my lunch together, and pushing me out the door to school.”
“Yes, well, today she’s sleeping in. I’ll give you some money for lunch.”
Caleb squinted. “So she’s tired and gets to go back to bed. I’m tired and you’re going to send me off to school?”
“That’s what I’m telling you, pup.” Gareth smirked. “Besides, you’re getting to buy food, instead of eating the healthy stuff Dani makes you.”
Caleb’s eyes shone, and he gave Gareth a wolfish grin. “It’s pizza day, you know.”
“Aw, hell.” Gareth took out his wallet and opened it. “All I have on me is a fifty.”
Caleb grabbed the bill and stuffed it in his pants pocket. “That should get me through to dinner.” He smirked. “But I’ll be hungry when I get home.”
Sean shook his head. He got up and cleared the table while Caleb told Gareth they were studying genetic mutations.
Sean came back to the table. “Why the fascination with genetics?”
“It might not be what I go into. I have options, and I’m exploring them all. As for genetics, I want to prove that werewolves are an offshoot of humans. That a million years ago, our genes diverged, and wolves split off from the rest of humankind.”
Gareth shook his head. It was the same old argument. “Caleb doesn’t believe in Mother Moon. Apparently with the advent of the internet, kids today are smarter than their parents, and they reject the old beliefs.”
“I don’t reject them. Not exactly. I just think there’s more, you know?”
And Gareth did. Caleb was too inquisitive to settle for any old answer. He wanted—needed—to know the truth. Despite his seer ability, Caleb still believed there was more than met the eye.
“Sean, could you excuse us for a minute? I need to talk to Caleb.”
“Oh. Okay. I’ll…. I guess I’ll go back upstairs.”
“No, I’m not asking you to leave. Caleb, will you go to my office, please? I’ll be there shortly.”
“Of course, Alpha.”
Caleb got up from the table and marched down the hall to Gareth’s office. As soon as the door clicked shut, Gareth turned to Sean.
“What are your plans for today?”
“I’m going to go out and see about finding a job. If I’m going to be part of your pack, I need to pull my own weight.”
Gareth’s wolf sat up, clearly unhappy. It stalked to the front of Gareth’s mind and let loose a low growl.
Yes, I get it. You don’t want him away from you. God, and I thought I was possessive.
“If you’re looking for work, you can learn bookkeeping. I can always use someone to take that off my plate. I’ll pay you fifteen to start, and then we can negotiate after you learn our system.”
“Fifteen…. You mean a day, right?”
Gareth chortled. “An hour. I would never cheat anyone by giving them less than they deserve. The job isn’t easy. You’ve got to learn to balance the books so that our incoming and outgoing cash matches up. You also need to pay the bills for the pack, file our taxes. You’ll be putting in plenty of hours to learn things, but once you have it down, you could always offer your services to other people in the town. I’m sure Wolfgang would love help with his cash, and there are folks who need help with their taxes every year, and it’s always up to me to do it. Now it can be your job.”
The pack really did need someone, so it wasn’t that Gareth was making the offer lightly. With more people coming in soon, it would take a dedicated person to handle the books.
“I don’t know if I can. Never finished school, re
member?”
“Then you’ll learn. Every wolf here has the opportunity to go to school. If you think you’re lacking in some area, we can ask Caleb to help you, or we can hire a tutor. Either way, you’ll learn what you need to know.”
The way Sean was looking at Gareth, you’d think he’d offered him a Lamborghini or something.
“I don’t know what to say.”
Gareth shrugged. “Don’t say anything other than yes.”
“Okay, yes. Sure. I’d love to.”
“All right. I’m going to go in and talk with Caleb. If you want, I’ll mention you might need some help with your classes.”
Sean’s cheeks flushed. “He won’t think I’m stupid, will he?”
It was written all over Sean’s face. What did his former pack do to him? “I guarantee you that thought will never cross his mind. He’s helped plenty of our adults who needed it, and he likes doing the tutoring.”
“If he thinks he can help me, then I’ll be happy for him to tutor me.” Sean’s expression said something different.
Gareth cupped his cheek and leaned in close. “There is nothing wrong with you. Get that thought out of your head. You couldn’t finish school because of your old pack. It has nothing to do with how smart you are, do you understand?”
Sean nodded sharply.
“Say the words, Sean.”
“Yes, Alpha, I understand.”
“Good. Now, I’m going to talk to Caleb. Did you need anything before I go?”
“No, I think I’m okay. I’ll do the dishes, if it’s okay with you.”
“Sure. One less thing Dani has to do. She works too hard as it is.” As he was about to go, Gareth had a thought. “You know, you’re welcome to use any computer in the house if you want to look up courses or do online testing.” He winked. “Try to limit the porn, though.”
With his beet-red cheeks and wide eyes, Sean looked thoroughly scandalized. “I wouldn’t—”
“Teasing, Sean.” Gareth ruffled Sean’s hair. “Okay, got to get in there so Caleb can get off to school.” He hurried down the hall and into his office to find Caleb staring out the big picture window that overlooked the bird feeders.
“Saw a blue jay and a cardinal. I’m thinking it’s going to be a rough winter.”
“You’re thinking?” Gareth sat down at his desk. “Or you’re sensing?”
Caleb shrugged. “A bit of both.” He moved from the window and over to the chair on the other side of the desk. “Okay, what’s up?”
“Where were you last night?”
“What? I was here, in bed, sleeping. Why would you think I wasn’t?”
He was telling the truth, at least as far as he knew it. “We had some wolves outside the house. Did you notice them?”
“No, I—I—I….” His mouth tightened and his brow furrowed. “I was sleeping.”
“Your mom was out there.”
Caleb shook his head harshly. “That can’t be.”
“I saw her myself.” He pulled out his phone and brushed the screen with his thumb, then turned it toward Caleb. “Recognize anyone?”
“That’s….” His head snapped up. “That’s not possible. I was in bed.”
“And yet, here you and your mom are, on the front lawn, staring up at Sean’s window. You and every other member of the pack.”
Caleb wrung his hands together. “I didn’t do that, Alpha. I swear, I was sleeping.”
It wasn’t that Gareth didn’t believe what Caleb was saying. Yes, he probably was sleeping, but there was proof that he and the rest of the pack were in the yard all night. Gareth wasn’t a fool. There were wolves who possessed unique abilities, like Caleb and his precognition. Could Sean have some kind of gift?
“I believe you, but I don’t want you to talk about this with anyone. Do you understand?”
“But—”
Gareth glared at him, and Caleb tilted his head.
“Yes, Alpha. I won’t talk to anyone about it.”
“Good. Get off to school. And enjoy your bounty of pizza.”
Caleb’s easy smile was gone, and in its place was fear and doubt. Gareth got up and crossed to the other side of the desk, where he reached out and slid a hand over Caleb’s.
“We’re going to figure this out, I promise. Don’t worry. You’re not in any trouble, okay?”
A quick nod, but when Caleb looked up, there was a sheen in his big brown eyes. “I was asleep.”
Unable to let him suffer, Gareth pulled Caleb into a hug and held him while he let the panic pass.
“I promise you, I’m going to figure this out.”
Caleb drew back. “I should go to school.”
“If it would make you feel better, you can stay home today.”
He shook his head. “I need to go do something.”
“All right, but if you think you need to come home, do it.” Gareth fished through the desk drawer for the keys to one of the vehicles and tossed them to Caleb. “Straight home after school. No joyriding this time.”
The smile was back as Caleb snatched the keys from the air and stared at them. “Wow. You’re going to let me drive the Hummer?” He frowned. “Wait. You’re not setting me up for one of those big-car, small-penis things again, are you?”
“Get out of here before I change my mind.” Gareth winked. “And no, I think your friends will take care of those jokes for me this time.”
Caleb stuck out his tongue, then laughed as he headed toward the garage.
Gareth sat back at his desk, trying to understand what was happening in his pack. He was sure that Sean was at the center of it, but was it something he was doing intentionally, or was it something someone else was doing to him?
Could it be Ryker? There were too many things that Gareth didn’t have the answers to, and he hated not having all the details. He could talk to Sean, but if Sean wasn’t aware of what was happening, it could frighten him, too, and that was the last thing Gareth wanted. His wolf demanded that Sean be nearby, and with someone after him, Gareth wanted that too.
He slumped in his chair. “What the hell do I do?”
“Talking to yourself, Alpha?”
He snapped his gaze to the door and found Dani standing there, smirking at him.
“Yes, I was. And if you stay quiet for a few moments, I’ll be doing it again.” He sighed. He’d made her his advisor, so maybe it was time to ask for advice. “Can you sit, please?”
“Of course.” She came and took the chair Caleb had occupied not long ago. She sat, her legs crossed at the ankles, and leaned in. “You look troubled.”
“I thought you were going to sleep?”
“I got to my room and then realized I had too much to do. I’ve never been one for being idle.”
“Yes, I’m aware.” He handed her his phone. “This was taken last night.”
She looked down at the screen, then up at him. “But…. This is impossible. I went to bed after dinner.”
“I saw you, Dani. I saw all of you. I stood at the window until first light, when everyone went off toward their houses. I spoke with Caleb, and he tells the same story. He doesn’t remember being out there, and he also says it’s impossible.”
“And what were we all doing?”
“Would you believe that for six hours, you all sat there and stared up at Sean’s window?”
She squinted at him. “I don’t understand.”
“That makes two of us. Well, three if you count Caleb.”
“Have you spoken with Sean?”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. To be honest, that’s what I wanted your counsel about.”
“You’re taking this whole advisor thing seriously, aren’t you?”
“I am. For years, you’ve been my most trusted person next to Lyram. And before you ask, I do intend on talking with him as well. For now, though, I want your opinion. Do I talk to him? The reason I hesitate is because… something happened in Sean’s past, and I worry about pushing him. What happens if
he doesn’t even know about what happened but gets scared and runs? I—we—can’t protect him.”
“I, huh?” She smirked, looking all smug.
“Caleb is right. Never do that again.”
Dani huffed a sigh. “You’ve given me the details—very clinically, I might add. What you haven’t told me is what this is really about.”
Gareth didn’t want to say the words, but he couldn’t see where he had much choice. “My wolf is… I don’t even know how to say it. It’s protective of him. If any wolf dared to challenge me, my wolf would go berserk. When Sean does it, my wolf… for lack of a better word, laughs. And the night I went to Sean to demand answers about who hurt him, my wolf tried to protect Sean from me.”
If he thought Dani would be shocked, he was mistaken. She steepled her fingers under her chin. “Fascinating.”
“And the other thing…. When I called Franklin and Lyram and told them Sean’s old Alpha might be looking for him, they both went nuts and growled that Sean was, in their words, ours. When I snapped at them, they were back to normal, but neither of them remembers the conversation taking place.” Gareth tapped his fingers on his desk. “I’ll be honest with you. I’m at a loss here.”
“Judging by what you’ve told me, which I admit is sketchy at best, I have to wonder if Sean is gifted like Caleb. Maybe—wait—is it possible? Could Sean be an Omega?”
“There hasn’t been an Omega found in more than two hundred years.” But…. “It would make sense. The first instinct of any pack is to protect its Alpha and its Omega. Frank and Caleb told me that being around Sean made them feel good. That would explain why you were all outside last night, watching his window.”
“And it would also show why your wolf is so bent on protecting him.” She leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “But that doesn’t explain why others hurt him. If anything, they should have been willing to give their lives to keep him safe.”
“If Ryker is psychotic, maybe that’s part of the problem. It could be that he has no regard for an Omega other than as property.”
Dani nodded sagely. “It would also go a long way to explaining the reactions from our pack.”
Gareth grabbed his phone and dialed Lyram.
The Night Wolf Page 8
