by R. J. Blain
Tully and the rest of the pack returned, and they brought a moose with them. I stared at the animal, which took five of them to drag into the house. Our old Alpha would have attacked them for even thinking of bringing a dead animal into his home, and through the bonds tying us all together, their satisfaction warmed my wolf and me.
I thought more of them would’ve resented the change, but I couldn’t sense any unhappiness.
Maybe I just wasn’t sensitive enough to feel it yet.
I waited, as was my place, for the wolves to scatter, some leaving while others headed deeper into the house to shift. Tully returned first, pulling his shirt over his head. “How’s the kid?”
“Vivian’s with Hillary feeding him. He had a bath. Bath time is very important to young Alex, who seems to believe being dirty is a very serious crime.”
“And our Alpha?”
I glanced in the direction of the white-wrapped wolf curled up on the couch, sleeping as soundly as he had during his bath. “He permitted Vivian to take Alex for his bath, and a few minutes after they left, he conked out. Slept right through everything, even when I was getting the blood out of his fur. They tore him up pretty bad.”
“Know his name?”
“Not yet. Alex is three, it’s spelled A-L-E-X by the way, and I think that’s something very important to him. He says three as tree, and he can count up to ten. In case you weren’t certain, that’s spelled T-E-N.”
Tully chuckled. “Not bad for three. I take it you were educated on how to spell?”
“I want one,” I whispered.
The older Fenerec thumped my shoulder. “It’s the rut. We all want puppies in the winter. It’ll be better now.”
His reassurance startled me. “Will it?”
“Our Alpha has a baby brother, one he’ll fight to the death for. What do you think?”
“I have no idea, Tully.” I hesitated. “I haven’t exactly been a Fenerec for long.”
“Fair enough. Roger couldn’t have cared less about what we did as long as we didn’t bother him. He’d block us from mating if he wanted our mates. Otherwise, he didn’t care if we had puppies, nor would he lift a finger to help us have puppies. He wanted to find his mate, and that was that. This one?” Tully pointed at our new Alpha. “He took down an Alpha and four other Fenerec, all wild from the rut, to protect a puppy. It’s pretty simple. He did it for his brother, so he’ll do it for any puppy he’s responsible for. That’s how Alphas are supposed to tick. Roger…”
Understanding struck me hard. “He wasn’t a good Alpha.”
“I’m sorry you got dragged into the pack like this, Frank. He was always out for new blood. A large pack is a strong pack, and because of him, we kept losing members. But he was also supposed to control the pack. We’re going to lose more members before this is done, just you wait and see—and they’ll deserve it.”
So far, winter had claimed fifteen lives, most of them younger Fenerec, having bonded with their wolves within the past two years. Some had gotten caught and killed for attempting to force a mating bond with a woman our Alpha had wanted. Others had gone into the woods and never returned.
Tully was right; there’d be more deaths before things got better, but I’d make sure Vivian and I didn’t number among them. Our old Alpha hadn’t cared who lived, died, or broke the law as long as no one got caught in the act. By the time I’d figured out how badly many behaved in the pack, it’d been too late to change my mind. My wolf and I were stuck together.
I glanced in the direction of the kitchen, where my mate kept company with the pack’s lone bitch, and growled.
“Vivian made the right choice, you know. I’ve known her since she was just a puppy. Her ma and pa would’ve approved of you—maybe they wouldn’t have approved of what drove you two together, but you’re not the type Roger usually brought in, and that’s a good thing.”
“I’m not?”
“You’re not. When you mated with Vivian, you had one thought in that dense skull of yours, and that was to protect her from Roger. The other puppies? They only have one thought rattling around in their skulls, and that’s to find a mate. Mark my words. We’re all going to regret having stood by without doing anything to stop it. Maybe not you—you had no way of knowing. No, you’re not to blame. The rest of us, however, are. And for that, I’m sorry.”
I had no idea what I was supposed to say, so I shrugged it off. “You brought an entire moose for a puppy?”
“We’ll clean up the scraps if necessary. We brought down an elk too. That’ll tide us over for tonight. Carve off a hunk for you, Vivian, and Hillary. Leave the rest for our Alpha. He was severely beaten to need wrapping up like that, so he’ll need the meat.”
Where had I gone wrong in my life that cutting a chunk of a moose was commonplace? There was nothing left to do but sigh my surrender, head to the kitchen for a butcher knife, and get to work.
Vivian refused to allow anyone near Alex, and I reinforced her wishes with bared teeth and snarls, but it wasn’t until Tully backed me that the others in the pack decided to find something else to do, giving me the time and space needed to deal with the problem of our sleeping Alpha.
No one else dared to approach him, leaving me to coax him awake so he could eat their offering. While he remained asleep, I unwrapped his paws enough so he could stand without the bandages hindering him.
I used the moose carcass as my base of operations, set my new Alpha on its shoulder, and shook him until he woke with a snarl and snapping teeth.
Luck was on my side. I got out of his way before he could land a bite. Tully cracked up laughing and jabbed me in the ribs. “Scaredy cat.”
“I’d like to see you do better,” I grumbled.
Tully huffed, lifted his chin, and took two steps towards the small gray wolf.
It ended in blood, a yelp from the older Fenerec, and ripped clothes. Smirking, I held my hands up, hoping my young Alpha wouldn’t tear into me too. “Eat the moose, not Tully. Tully’s stringy, and he wouldn’t taste good. It’s all yours.”
“Except for that leg you stole,” my new Alpha’s victim growled through clenched teeth, his leg still in the young wolf’s jaws.
“Part of it went to feeding little Alex. Rest of it’s all yours.” I pointed at the moose. “Eat as much of it as you want. We’ll clean up the mess when you’re done.”
I would be the one cleaning up the mess, but as long as I didn’t get bit, I was all right with the extra work. With my mate happily caring for the human puppy, I’d accept the dirty work to keep the peace and bloodshed to a minimum.
Tully got used as a chew toy for a minute or two before our new Alpha released him and retreated to the moose with a growl. One bite of the fresh kill triggered his feeding frenzy, and we backed away to a safe distance.
“How’s your leg, Tully?”
“It stings a little. I deserved it. Good to know he’s not shy about using his teeth. We’re going to have to get used to that. We’re going to get bit often, I think.”
Great. Our old Alpha hadn’t bitten often, but when he did, someone tended to get killed. I crouched beside Tully, who lifted his pant leg so I could have a better look at the damage. The bites were superficial, and only one bled. “Eh? He barely did a thing to you.”
“He might be young, but he’s obviously been taught how to discipline someone—or has been disciplined enough to learn the trick of it.” Tully sounded satisfied. “I’ll have a light bruise in the morning, if that. You younglings might end up with a scab or two, but nothing to worry about.”
Our new Alpha was a quiet and efficient eater; after a few minutes of watching him, I realized he was trying to avoid damaging the moose’s fur. Amused, I retrieved the skinning knife. “If you give me a minute, I’ll skin it,” I offered.
He hopped away from the kill, his muzzle bloodied and his ears pricked forward. I interpreted his body language as permission and began the unpleasant chore of separating skin from muscle.
&
nbsp; At least we had everything we needed to tan the moose’s hide, although I wondered what we’d do with it. While I worked to keep it intact, Tully hovered nearby. Three months of practice helped me do a tolerable job, but I ended up with four large swathes of hide rather than one piece like I’d hoped.
“May as well take the antlers,” Tully muttered, leaving with the pelt and returning several minutes later with a hacksaw.
I didn’t ask what we’d do with the antlers.
It amazed me how much our young Alpha managed to devour, his sides bulging when he finally finished and staggered from the carcass with a low groan.
“We’ll take care of the moose. You check on our Alpha and get him cleaned up,” Tully ordered.
I glared at the older Fenerec but nodded my acceptance of his demands. “All right. The shower’s this way.” I pointed in the direction of the shower. To my relief, my new Alpha wobbled towards the bathroom, and I followed at a respectful distance, guiding him with a few words and gestures.
Our new Alpha refused to shift, and after checking his bandages, I removed them when I was satisfied he wasn’t going to bleed everywhere. He hunted for his little brother, curled protectively around him, and resumed his watchful, shivering guard.
Would it be okay if I let Alex continue sucking his thumb? Vivian didn’t seem bothered by the habit, but she hovered nearby, flexing her hands. I thought she wanted to steal the toddler back so she could shower him with attention and was restraining the urge through willpower alone.
I couldn’t blame her in the slightest; I wanted a turn with the human puppy, as did my wolf.
“And we’re right back to square one,” Tully grumbled.
I sat down within biting range of my new Alpha, and while he turned his ears back, he kept his teeth to himself. “Not quite.”
“Just because you haven’t been bitten yet doesn’t mean anything, Frank.”
“It’s not my fault you don’t do anything other than scowl.”
Tully’s attempt to smile showed all his teeth, and our new Alpha responded with a growl.
I sighed, shaking my head at the chaotic mess my life had become. “If you were trying for friendly, I’m going to have to give you a failing grade, eh?”
“I’m supposed to be friendly?”
“It helps.”
“But being friendly is so much work.”
“Why hasn’t someone killed you yet?”
“Roger wasn’t man enough to try me, that’s why.”
I could believe our old Alpha had been wary of a kerfuffle with Tully. Pound for pound, Tully outweighed—and out muscled—most in the pack by twenty pounds. He hadn’t used his bulk and strength against anyone to my knowledge, but I didn’t want to face him in a fight, ever.
Alex yawned, pulled his thumb out of his mouth, and tugged his brother’s fur. “Sleepy.”
“It’s too late to take them to the lodge. Think you can rig something for them, Frank?”
Maybe I didn’t want to face Tully in a fight, but if the Fenerec kept volunteering me to do all the work, I’d consider taking off the gloves and giving him a piece of my mind along with a taste of my knuckles. “Why are you asking me? Not scared of a pair of puppies, are you?”
Tully chuckled, and when he smirked, both my wolf and I tensed, wondering—and worrying over—what he found so amusing. “You’d do a better job.”
“Really.” I hoped he heard the sarcasm oozing out of my voice and choked on it.
“Don’t get snarly. I’ll be doing my fair share of the work too. I’ll take the rest of the pack, herd them to the lodge, and start bashing heads together. You and your mate can bring Alex and our Alpha over in the morning. Take Roger’s snowmobile, and I’ll leave you the keys to mine.”
With two snowmobiles, if our Alpha decided to transform, we’d all be able to make the ride without having to shift to wolves. “It’s really easy to hate you sometimes, Tully.”
“Don’t try to deny it, Frank. You know you love me. You love me so much your mate gets jealous each and every night.”
I wished. I shot the older Fenerec a glare while Vivian giggled.
It took almost three hours of coaxing, a crying fit, and a great deal of biting my tongue to get the toddler tucked into bed in the house’s lone guest room. A few sniffs confirmed the bedding was clean, something I viewed as a miracle considering the state of our old Alpha’s house.
I doubted the young Fenerec would be pleased when he learned of the nightmare he’d inherited as a result of protecting his little brother. I had no idea what would happen, but I hoped it happened fast and without any drama.
Once I was certain the brothers were as settled in the guest bedroom as they were going to get, I stepped into the hallway and closed the door.
Vivian waited, shifting her weight restlessly from foot to foot. “They’re so young.”
“It’ll be all right. We’ll figure something out.” Was I lying? I wasn’t even sure. Why wasn’t one of the more experienced Fenerec handling things? I knew nothing of pack politics, had no idea what our new Alpha needed to do next—hell, I didn’t even know the kid’s name. “This is definitely a Christmas to remember.”
“In a good way, though. Do you think I’ll offend the kid if I pay him for having gotten rid of Roger? I could make him some cookies…” Vivian made a thoughtful noise, her gaze locking on the closed door. “We’ll need to go shopping for little Alex on Boxing Day, or find out where they were staying and get their things. Did the pack find any of their belongings?”
“Good question. Let’s check downstairs; if they did, it’d be there.” I herded Vivian down the steps to the main floor, wincing at the creaking planks under our feet. “I’m worried.”
The confession was easier than I expected.
“Why?”
“I haven’t been a Fenerec long.”
“That was part of the reason I picked you over the others. Roger hadn’t had time to get his filthy claws into you.”
I flushed from a blend of embarrassment and anger. Would the fury of knowing she’d picked me only because of fear ever fade? All I could do was my best, and I didn’t know if it’d ever be enough. “Tully won’t do something stupid, and neither will Phillip, but I don’t trust the others.”
Tully and Phillip had mates, although I hadn’t met either woman. They avoided the pack like the plague, and I didn’t blame them one bit. Our old Alpha had wanted one thing from them—and all the other women—and it infuriated my wolf just thinking about it. Whenever I got near Phillip, guilt polluted his scent, and I suspected it had something to do with his mate.
Of all the Fenerec in the pack, I trusted only Tully to have met his mate outside of our old Alpha’s habit of letting the unmated males loose to take whomever they wanted.
What if the pack ganged together and tried to get revenge on the little wolf? Or worse, what if they went after Alex? A wolf capable of killing five could probably take care of himself, but if any one of the Fenerec attacked the toddler, it’d end in a bloodbath.
“They’re not all bad, Frank. The worst ones are gone, and the others don’t have the balls to try anything.”
My wolf loved the fury in Vivian’s voice. I did too, and I wondered what that said about me. “I’ll fight them if they do.”
When my mate halted and turned to me, I tensed, waiting for her to snap at me for displaying aggression, aggression I knew she disliked. We stared at each other, and my wolf whined in my head.
Her smile startled me. Standing on her toes, she brushed her lips against mine in a featherlight touch before skipping in the direction of the kitchen, leaving me gaping at her in astonishment.
According to our new Alpha’s driver’s license, his name was Richard Murphy, he was a newly minted eighteen-year-old, and he’d spent his birthday fighting a pack of Fenerec for his little brother’s sake.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
“I lost count.” Vivian took the card out of my hands, shaking her h
ead. “Cursing isn’t going to fix anything.”
“Fuck.”
“We’re going to pretend we didn’t see his driver’s license, we’re also going to pretend we aren’t aware his birthday is on Christmas Eve, and we’re going to treat him like the adult he is,” my mate declared, returning Richard’s New Brunswick ID to his wallet. “We’re not going to ask why he’s here when this says he’s from Moncton, and we’re definitely not going to ask about their passports.”
I grabbed Richard’s passport, flipping through the visa pages, marveling at the insane number of stamps from all over the world. “He’s been around the block, that’s for sure. He can’t have been back in Canada for long; the last stamp shows they went to Germany in September.”
“We’re definitely not going to ask him why he’s alone with his little brother either.”
I set Richard’s passport down and lifted my hands in surrender. “You’re the boss.”
“Check if Roger’s fucking phone is working. If it is, call the lodge. I have some errands those layabouts need to run.”
With Vivian on the warpath, I decided obedience might help me survive the night. I lifted the phone off the hook. Proving wonders never ceased, I listened to the ring tone. “It’s working.”
My mate grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen from the kitchen drawer, wrote a list, and slapped it down in front of me. “Tell them to get that, and no excuses. Not a one, you hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am.” The clothing made sense, although I had no idea how she managed to give estimates on things that would likely fit Richard, but I wasn’t going to question her. Maybe I hadn’t been a Fenerec long, but I’d been around enough women to know when to keep my mouth shut and do as told. I dialed the lodge.
Four rings later, one of the pack’s males answered, “Hello?”
I really needed to learn to identify people by the sound of their voice. “Is Tully there?”
“Yeah, sec.” The phone hit something hard, probably the lodge’s counter, and the man bellowed for Tully.
