Heartsong (Green Creek Book 3)

“Jesus Christ,” I moaned. “How can you call this music?”

Ezra grinned. “Feel free to stick your head out the window like a good wolf if you think it’ll help.”

“That’s speciesist. You should feel really bad and apologize.” But I rolled down the window anyway. It was warmer than it’d been in Maine. I was stiff and sore, ready to get the hell out of this car, especially since we’d been listening to a woman wail in Italian for the past hour. Ezra thought opera would teach me to be cultured, but it was mostly torture. It didn’t help that we were stuck in traffic as we neared Fredericksburg, a small city outside of Washington, DC. The air was thick with exhaust, and I was pretty sure we were going to be poisoned and die.

“I feel really bad and apologize,” Ezra recited dutifully.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Ah. Well. At least I tried.” But since he wasn’t a complete asshole, he turned down the woman screeching about her lost love or spaghetti or whatever. “We’re almost there.”

“That’s what you’ve been saying for the past two hours.”

He glanced over at me. “How did I not know that you were like this?”

I hung my hand out the window, tapping it against the side of the car. “Because we’ve never had to go this far before.”

“We could have flown.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes. Because a werewolf in a small enclosed metal tube with a bunch of strangers and screaming children is always a good idea.”

“You’ve never flown before.”

I shrugged. “Never had the need to. And I don’t like the idea of being so… high. I like having my feet on the ground.”

The car inched forward. “It’s not as bad as you think.”

“I think it’s really bad, so.” A sign up ahead said our exit was only a few miles away. I was relieved. We’d reach the pack before nightfall. “Do they know we’re coming?”

“They’ve been notified, yes. They didn’t respond, but we’ve done our due diligence.”

“And what do we do if they’re not there?”

I felt him looking over at me. “Where would they be?”

“I don’t know. But if they cut off contact with Michelle, what makes you think they’re going to want to see us?”

“Because they’re not stupid,” Ezra said patiently. “They know there are rules in place for a reason. If they’re not there, we’ll wait for them. They have to return sometime. It’s their home. They wouldn’t leave it behind. Territory is important to a wolf, especially to an Alpha.”

“And if they attack?”

He sounded surprised. “Why would they?”

“Maybe they don’t want to see us. Maybe there’s a reason they stopped responding.”

“Be that as it may, whatever their reason is, our job is to make sure they understand the rules and are following them.”

We hadn’t yet come across a pack that was truly defiant once we reminded them of their place. Sure, there were always going to be disagreements, but Michelle wasn’t so stuck in her ways that she wouldn’t listen to the problems of the wolves.

We were her emissaries, an extension of her, and a few of the packs disliked me on sight because of it. I always explained to them that I understood what they were doing and that I was an intermediary. A peacemaker. I carried their concerns back to the Alpha of all, and if she thought the concerns had merit and needed her intervention, she would meet with them face-to-face. Everyone left feeling like they’d been heard. Sometimes changes were made.

Sometimes they weren’t.

But still.

This felt a little different.

“If anything goes weird, you stay behind me,” I told Ezra.

He laughed. “Protect me, will you?”

“Yes.”

“I believe that.”

“Good.”

“Even though you know I don’t need it.”

“Whatever. Just let me have this, okay? It’ll make me feel better.”

“All right, Robbie. Whatever you need.”

We drove on.

They were waiting for us.

They lived outside of Fredericksburg, the town dropping away into rolling farmlands the farther we drove. I was disconcerted by the sprawling fields that replaced the trees, but to each their own. I’m sure they found a place to run when they needed it.

The GPS led us to a gravel driveway at the end of a one-lane road. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was the color of a bone-deep bruise. Thunder rumbled in the distance behind heavy clouds.

The car hit a deep pothole, and I bounced in my seat. I turned to snarl at Ezra to slow the hell down, but he came to a stop, his gnarled hands tightening on the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead.

The gravel driveway opened up to a large circle in front of an old house. It was different than the picture Michelle had sent to me. That house had been run-down, looking like it’d be easier to level it than to repair. But it looked as if they’d fixed it up nicely. The paint on the porch was new, and so were the shutters. The roof had been replaced, as had the siding. The bones of the house were the same, but they’d managed to make it look almost new.

And they were standing in front of it.

My skin prickled with unease at being in the territory of an unknown Alpha without permission.

An older black man stood in front of the others. His arms were crossed over his chest as he watched us through the windshield. His expression was blank, but his eyes were bright orange. Even over the rumble of the engine, I could hear the low growl in his throat.

Two younger men stood behind him. Fraternal twins, a rarity in born wolves. Both were pale, their hair black and curly. One was thinner than the other, and he looked nervous, eyes darting to his brother before going back to us.

His brother had a scowl on his face. His arms and chest were thick with muscle. I had years on both of them. If the file was correct, they were barely seventeen.

The older man turned his head slightly. He looked like he was about to speak, but instead he stepped to the side, revealing the Alpha.

She looked tired and as pale as the twins. Dark circles blotched the skin under her eyes, and she was thinner than she’d been in the photograph, though it had only been taken a few months before. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and her eyes were dull until they filled with red. It rolled over me, foreign and immediate.

She was pissed.

Resigned, but pissed.

They were expecting us.

Ezra was frowning, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

“Turn off the car,” I said quietly. “And stay inside. Be prepared to move if I say.”

“But—”

“Please.”

He sighed. “Would you hear me for a moment before going out there half-cocked?”

“Yes. Always.” My fangs were itching in my gums. “But they’re listening to us right now.”

His smile was faint. “I know. They’re scared, though they shouldn’t be. We aren’t here to hurt them. Keep a level head. We are all part of the greater good. Sometimes we have to be reminded of that. You’re a good boy, Robbie. I have faith in you. They don’t yet. But they will.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slow.

I reached for the door handle. I was about to pull it when Ezra gunned the engine. It was loud in the quiet, drowning out all other sound. The wolves in front of us winced. He leaned over quickly, his breath hot against my ear. He whispered, “Say little, but listen well.”

He took his foot off the gas, and the engine idled.

I stared at him before shaking my head.

He turned off the car as I opened the door, pushing my glasses back up on my face.

The Beta wolves growled in unison, but they fell silent when the Alpha held up her hand.

The gravel crunched under my feet as I moved in front of the car, maintaining a distance between us. I wasn’t stupid enough to believe I could get any closer without invitation. We were already encroaching.

My palms were sweating as I curled my hands into fists. My claws hadn’t popped through, but it was close. I hadn’t lost control of my shift since I was a cub. I didn’t know why it felt so close now. I opened my mouth, popping my jaw, keeping my fangs at bay by sheer force of will. A show of aggression would be the worst thing right now.

So I did what I was taught.

I tilted my head to the side, exposing my neck. I flashed my eyes at the Alpha.

“We mean you no harm,” I said in a low voice. “I come on behalf of the Alpha of all, who sends her regards. Alpha Hughes is worried about you. She hasn’t heard from you in a while.”

“We’re fine,” the bigger brother growled. “We don’t need you. Go away.”

“John,” the Alpha snapped. She turned her head to the side, though she never took her gaze away from me. “Not another word.”

John looked like he was going to argue, but he snapped his mouth closed instead, glaring at me.

The Alpha said, “If I asked you to leave and tell Alpha Hughes that we appreciate her concern, would you?”

“Probably not,” I said honestly. “And even if we did, we would have to come back, and possibly in greater numbers.”

The brothers didn’t like that. Their fangs dropped.

“But I don’t want that to happen,” I added quickly. “I’d rather it stay just between us.”

The Alpha laughed, though there was no humor in it. “Just between us. And whoever else you tell upon your return.”

She was smart. I would do well to remember that. “Only those who need to know. I’m not one to spread the business of packs to those it doesn’t concern.”

She was quiet, always watching. Then, “Who are you?” She glanced over at the car and then back at me. “And who’s the witch?”

“He’s Ezra. The witch to the Alpha of all.”

She looked confused. “I thought—what happened to her previous witch?”

I didn’t know what she was talking about. Ezra had been Michelle’s witch for a long time. “I think you might be mistaken. I’ve only ever known Ezra. But I haven’t been there long. Perhaps there was someone else, but it’s him now.”

She nodded slowly. “And you are?”

“Robbie. Robbie Fontaine.”

The brothers continued to scowl at me.

The Alpha’s expression never changed.

But the older man…. It was fleeting, the barest of expressions. There and gone.

As if he knew my name.

My reputation must have preceded me. I didn’t know if that was good or not.

“Robbie,” the Alpha said. “Robbie Fontaine.”

“Yes.”

And she asked, “Who are you?” like it was more than just a question, more than what the words seemed to indicate.

Little wolf, little wolf, can’t you see?

It tugged.

It pulled.

“I am the second to Alpha Hughes,” I said, and the urge to shift was harsh and grating.

She shook her head. “I know that. I can see that. That’s not what I’m asking.”

I opened my mouth—to say what, I didn’t know—when the car creaked behind me.

The wolves looked away from me toward Ezra as he climbed out of the car. I cursed silently as he grunted. He shuffled over to my side, wincing at the pains of his old body. He muttered about the idiots standing before him.

“I told you to stay in the car,” I said under my breath, though everyone could hear me.

“You looked as if you could use some backup,” he said, sounding far more cheerful than the tense situation called for. He bumped his shoulder into mine before bowing as low as he could. He barely grimaced at the pain in his back. “Alpha. Thank you for hearing us out. As my young friend said, we mean you no harm. All that we ask is for an exchange of information. Nothing else.”

“An exchange?” the Alpha asked dangerously. “An exchange implies you have something I want.”

“Oh, I imagine we can come up with something,” Ezra said. “All we ask is that you listen to us, and we promise to listen to you. You have my word.”

The Alpha appeared to relax slightly. She nodded at both of us before glancing back at her pack. I don’t know what they saw on her face, but they didn’t seem pleased. She turned toward us again and said, “One night. You can sleep in the barn. In the morning, you leave, no matter what’s been discussed.”

“Agreed,” Ezra said as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

“My name is Shannon Wells,” she said, her voice quieter. “And I am the Alpha. This is John and his brother, James.”

John’s scowl deepened.

James gave a nervous little wave.

“And this is my second,” Shannon said, jerking her head toward the other man, “Malik.”

Malik didn’t say a word.

“You are welcome in my territory,” Shannon said. “But if I suspect there is anything untoward happening, I will kill you both, consequences be damned. Do you believe me?”

“Yes,” Ezra said. “I do.”

“Good. Pull your car up next to the barn. It’s almost time for dinner. You can join us if you wish. I’m sure you have much to say, whether I want to hear it or not.”

The interior of the farmhouse was more modern than I expected, though it still seemed to be a work in progress. It smelled faintly of wet paint, so it had to have been a month or two since they’d done it. Mostly it smelled like the four of them, like a pack home should.

Off to the left of the entryway was a large living room, a sectional couch surrounding a TV mounted above a fireplace. I was amused to see a stack of old black-and-white monster movies on a bookshelf. They all seemed to be about werewolves.

“I like them,” a voice said.

I glanced over to see James standing beside me, nervously wringing his hands. “Yeah? I’ve seen a lot of them. Pretty good. Funny. Got a bunch of stuff wrong, but some of it isn’t so far off. Makes you wonder if any wolves actually worked on them, you know?”

He nodded, looking relieved. “It’s—”

“Jimmy,” John said, voice rough. “Come here.”

Jimmy’s eyes widened, and he took a step back toward his brother. John wrapped an arm around his shoulders, glaring at me as if he thought I was about to attack Jimmy. His expression softened as he glanced over at Jimmy. He leaned over and kissed the side of his head. “Stay by me, okay?”

Jimmy looked annoyed but didn’t argue.

Malik disappeared up the stairs in front of us without a look back as Ezra crossed the threshold. Shannon came in behind him and closed the door.

“No wards,” Ezra said as if he were commenting on the weather.

“No witch,” Shannon said. “Though I think you already knew that.”

“I could help you with that, if you’d like.”

“I wouldn’t like that at all.”

Ezra’s only reply was to nod. He stood with his hands clasped behind him, waiting for Shannon to take the lead.

“Upstairs is off-limits,” she said, and I couldn’t get over how young she was. “I don’t want you in our rooms. Malik has an office downstairs where he works, and we can use that after we eat.”

“Of course,” Ezra said. “Whatever you think is best, Alpha.” He looked over at me and smiled.

Dinner was, in a word, awkward.

Malik stayed silent, always watching.

Jimmy tried to keep the conversation going, but anytime I tried to answer him, John would tell his brother to be quiet.

Shannon didn’t look apologetic in the slightest. I didn’t blame her.

It wasn’t until Ezra spoke, halfway through the meal, that it took a turn.

He wiped his mouth almost daintily before spreading his napkin back on his lap. “John, was it?”

John tightened his grip on his fork. “Yeah? What about it?”

“Are you all right?”

“Fine.”

“You’re happy?”

“Yes.” He didn’t sound happy.

Ezra nodded, glancing at Jimmy. “And you take care of your brother, I see.”

John looked at Shannon, who jerked her chin in response. He said, “I do. But he takes care of me too. It’s what we do for each other. We’re pack.”

“He’s bigger,” Jimmy said, sounding proud.

“And he’s smarter,” John said, sounding pissed off, but not at his brother. All the venom in his voice was meant for us. I wondered what he’d been told. Why his animosity was so blatant.

“Good,” Ezra said. “Keeps things even. You depend on one another.”

“But we can take care of ourselves,” John retorted. “Jimmy may be small, but he can kick your asses if he needs to.”

“I’m hard-core,” Jimmy agreed.

Shannon sighed.

Malik didn’t say a word.

“I bet you are,” I said. “People make assumptions about things they shouldn’t. I bet you prove them wrong all the time.”

Jimmy grinned at me.

John did not.

“And you’re in school?” Ezra asked as if we were among friends.

They looked to Shannon again. She nodded.

“We’re almost done with our junior year,” John said begrudgingly. “We have a few weeks left until summer break.”

“And are there any other wolves at your school?”

Jimmy shook his head. “No. We’re the only ones. And we don’t tell anyone about us.” He fidgeted in his seat. “Promise.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Ezra said. “Most people wouldn’t understand.”

Malik cleared his throat and spoke for the first time. His accent was thicker than I expected, sounding sweet and almost musical. “And you should be studying for finals since you’ve finished, correct?”

Jimmy groaned.

John rolled his eyes.

“Yes,” Malik said. “Such a terrible life you lead. Up, up. I’ll take care of the chores tonight. Jimmy, I want to see that math book open. John, I’ve looked over your essay and made some suggestions. Read through it and make any changes you deem necessary.”

Jimmy looked like he was going to argue, glancing at me, but John grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward the stairs.

Shannon looked up at the ceiling as the boys made enough noise for a dozen people. “They’ll hear every word you say, even if they’re not supposed to listen in.”

“We’re not listening!” Jimmy shouted from somewhere above us.

“I’m sure they will,” Ezra said with a chuckle. “It’s not every day they get to hear from another pack.”

Malik and Shannon exchanged a look. “We’re fine on our own. We don’t need anyone else.”

“Wolves are pack creatures,” Ezra said.

“And we have a pack.”

Ezra sipped his tea. “I can see that. Your mother took them in, correct? After they had no one else?”

“Yes. They’ve been with us since they were little. They don’t know anyone else.” Her eyes narrowed. “And they won’t have to. They’re not going anywhere.” It was a challenge.

I was alarmed. “Oh, hey, no. Of course nothing’s going to happen. That’s not why we’re here.” And, because it felt right, I added, “And I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Alpha Hughes spoke highly of her.”

Shannon stared at me without acknowledgment.

“Why are you here?” Malik asked.

“Because Alpha Hughes was worried,” I said. “She cares about all the wolves. She’s not trying to take anything from you. Not your pack. Not your territory. All she wants are open lines of communication. We’re better off together than we’ll ever be apart. There is strength in numbers.”

“Protection,” Shannon said, flipping the spoon next to her plate over and over.

“Exactly,” I said, relieved.

“From what?” Malik asked.

I blinked. “From the outside world.”

Shannon snorted. “And what would you know about that? Alpha Hughes sits on her throne in her little walled kingdom. She doesn’t know shit about us. What it means to be in the outside world.”

I glanced at Ezra. He didn’t look at me. “That’s not true. She… she would be here herself if she could.”

Shannon picked up on the traitorous skip in my heartbeat. “I doubt that.”

“Be that as it may,” Ezra said, “it wouldn’t hurt to check in every now and then. It prevents… complications. Shannon, if we could—”

“Alpha Wells.”

Ezra wasn’t ruffled. “Alpha Wells, if we could speak privately. Just the two of us. I’m sure I can impress upon you what my young friend here means when he says strength in numbers.”

There was a long moment of silence. I tried to catch Ezra’s gaze to tell him that was a bad idea, that Michelle wanted us to stick together, but he only had eyes for the Alpha.

Then, “Fine.” Shannon stood from her chair. “Malik, we’ll use your office.”

He nodded. “If you’re sure.”

“I am. The sooner we hear what they’ve come to say, the quicker they’ll leave.”

“That’s all I ask for,” Ezra said. He grunted as he stood slowly. He looked stiff, more so than usual. That car ride hadn’t done his body any good. I’d have to keep an eye on him. “Robbie, perhaps you’d help Malik with clearing the table. It’s the least we could do for our hosts.”

No, I did not want to help Malik clear the table. But Ezra shot me a look that told me to keep my mouth shut. I knew he could take care of himself, but wolves hunted by dividing and conquering. I just hoped they didn’t think Ezra was the weakest part of us. They’d be mistaken.

Shannon led Ezra out of the dining room and down the hall. I heard a door shut, and their words and heartbeats disappeared.

“It’s soundproof,” Malik said. “You understand.”

I flexed my hands on my thighs. “Of course. She… she seems like a good Alpha.”

“She is.”

“And John and Jimmy are good.”

“They are.”

I licked my lips. “That’s all that matters.”

Malik looked amused. “Is it? How kind of you to say.” He stood and began to gather the dishes on the table. Not wanting to seem rude, I rose and did the same.

He led the way back into the kitchen. The window above the sink was open, and crickets were humming, frogs croaking. I set the dishes in the sink. I was about to go back for more when he said, “Robbie Fontaine.”

“Yeah?” A burst of laughter came from just overhead. The house settled around us, its bones shifting.

“Where are you from?” He wasn’t looking at me. Instead, he stared out the window.

“Caswell.”

“Always?”

“No. I… moved around a lot.”

“Did you.”

I rubbed my neck. Ezra wasn’t the only one suffering from the long car ride. “Long story.”

“We all have those, I think.”

“Yeah, I guess we do. It’s not… important. I was orphaned when I was a kid. A few packs fostered me. One helped me with my first shift, and I stayed with them for a while.”

“But?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I liked being on the move. I know it’s not ideal for a wolf. Pack ties and all. But it seemed like the right thing for me to do. I wanted to see as much as I could.”

Malik turned around, leaning against the sink. “And what did you see?”

“The good in us,” I said honestly. “The wolves… we may not have the numbers we used to, and we may not always agree with the way things are, but pack is pack. It’s important. I was accepted most everywhere I went. And even though the bonds between us were always temporary, it was enough.”

“To keep the Omega at bay.”

“Yeah. Exactly. I was never in any danger of that. I knew myself well enough to never have that happen to me. And then I was summoned to Caswell, and I’ve stayed there ever since.”

“Summoned? Where were you before?”

I frowned at him. “Before?”

“Before you were summoned.”

I shook my head. It was starting to ache. “It’s not important. All that matters is Ezra came for me, telling me I was needed.”

“By Alpha Hughes.”

I didn’t like the censure in his voice, though I couldn’t exactly fault him for that. “I know she has a… reputation. But I don’t know that it’s deserved. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be an Alpha, you know? All that power. But then to be the Alpha of all? It has to take a toll on a wolf. She handles it well,” I added quickly. “Just give her a chance, okay? I don’t know what Shannon has heard. I don’t know what’s happened to her. I know it sucks that she had to lose her mother like she did and become something before she ever thought she would. And I’m in awe of what she’s made here. But I wasn’t lying when I said we’re stronger together.”

“Temporary.”

I frowned. “What?”

“The Alpha of all. Michelle Hughes. She’s temporary. She’s not meant to be—”

I stumbled. I didn’t know what happened. One moment I was listening to Malik, hearing his words, and the next, the pain in my head detonated with a dull whumpf. My fangs dropped, cutting into my lip. Blood trickled down my chin. I was astonished to see my claws were out as I brought them to my head, pressing my hands against my skull.

It was

(little wolf little wolf)

like I’d lost control, like I couldn’t

(can’t you see)

breathe, I couldn’t breathe and I was going to fucking shift in this house and

(i see you i see you i’ll)

I had to get out, I had to get out so I didn’t hurt anyone, so I didn’t hurt those boys

(never let you go)

because I could never hurt anyone, I could never—

Malik said, “Robbie.”

And just like that it was over.

I looked up as I slowly lowered my hands. My fangs had pulled back, my claws retracted.

Malik was watching me warily. His own claws were out, and his eyes were orange.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out as I wiped the blood from my lip. “I didn’t—I didn’t mean—I don’t know what the hell just happened.”

“You lost control of your shift.” He didn’t move toward me.

“I know. I don’t know what set it off.” I shook my head, trying to clear the fog. “I promise this hasn’t happened in years. If it had, I never would have come here. Michelle wouldn’t have sent me. I wouldn’t put those kids in danger.”

His own claws pulled back slowly. “I believe you.” He hesitated. He looked toward the hallway. The only sounds were the house settling and the boys above us. “Can I trust you?”

That caught me off guard. “Uh… yes? I mean, yes. Of course you can.”

He moved quicker than I expected. He wrapped his hands around my biceps, his cheek grazing mine. My eyes fluttered involuntarily at the touch of another wolf. It wasn’t sexual, it was instinctual. He was a stranger, but it felt warm. There was a scent to him, something I couldn’t quite catch. It was faded, like a dream. “Tonight,” he whispered fiercely. “After your witch sleeps. Meet me behind the house. Say nothing to anyone.”

And then I was alone in the kitchen.

“It isn’t much,” Shannon said as she opened the barn door, “but it’ll do for one night.”

“It’s not the worst place I’ve slept,” I told her, and she looked at me weird. I shrugged. “Swamp. Long story. Lots of bugs. I got a tick on my—you know what? Probably don’t need to tell you that. You don’t need to hear about bugs on my junk.”

“Right,” she said slowly. “John and Jimmy brought out blankets and pillows. They’ve made you a pallet. Everything is new, so the pack smell shouldn’t be too overwhelming.”

“You get a lot of guests?” I asked, looking up at the hayloft above us. Two bare bulbs hung from the ceiling, their light low. It smelled like pack, but there was something more to it. Something different. Like there’d been another wolf at some point.

“Better to be safe than sorry,” she said. Fucking Alphas. Always cryptic.

“It’ll do just fine,” Ezra said. “You’re very kind, Alpha Wells. I’m glad we made this trip. I believe Alpha Hughes will be pleased to hear of this place and all that you’ve made for yourself.”

“I suppose she will,” Shannon said. “We’d offer you breakfast, but the boys have school, and I have work. It’s a madhouse here in the mornings. No time for anything.”

“Not necessary,” Ezra said. “We’ll be on the road at first light. It’s a long trip back, and I know we’d like to be home as soon as we’re able.”

“I bet you would,” Shannon said coolly. “I’ll keep up my end of the bargain so long as you keep yours.” She glanced at me once more before she turned and left the barn, closing the door behind her.

We waited until her footsteps reached the house. I opened my mouth to speak, but Ezra shook his head. He slid the sleeve of his shirt up slightly, pressing his fingers against a faded tattoo. It flared weakly, and the sounds from outside the barn became muffled. His magic washed over me in a comforting wave.

He sighed. “There. They shouldn’t be able to hear us, but it’s not so intrusive that they’d notice unless they come back. I don’t want to make an Alpha angry.” He looked ragged.

I took him by the arm and led him toward the pile of blankets at the rear of the barn. “What happened with her?”

Ezra smiled tightly. “She’s young. Hardheaded. Not unlike a certain wolf I know.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He laughed, though it sounded tired. “She has a chip on her shoulder, and I don’t know if I can fault her for that. The loss of her mother was painful. She didn’t have time to prepare.”

I helped him down onto the pallet, making sure he had the majority of the blankets. Now that it was dark, the air was cool, and I didn’t want him to get sick. I could deal with being a little cold. “It must have been a shock.”

“It was,” Ezra said. He patted the blanket next to him, and I collapsed at his side. I stretched, groaning as my back popped. “And that much power without warning would be a lot for anyone to handle. But couple that with the loss of her Alpha and her mother… well. She felt the need to close her ranks.”

I turned my head toward him, pressing my forehead against his hip. His hand went to my hair. “She told you all this?”

“She did indeed. I think she just needed someone to listen to her. Someone who could understand.”

This was uncharted territory. Ezra had known loss, just like the rest of us, but from what I could gather, his was catastrophic. His entire family had been brutally taken from him. From the bits and pieces I’d collected, rogue wolves were to blame. I didn’t understand how he could know forgiveness after that. I hated the hunters, and not just for what they represented. Everything had been taken from both of us. I could never forgive that. It didn’t matter who they were. I wanted to kill every single one. I would never forget.

“I’m glad she had you to talk to,” I said quietly.

He hummed under his breath as he scratched my scalp. I refused to make a sound of pleasure, though I was already practically showing him my belly. “And I’m glad I have you, dear. I don’t know what I’d do—what’s this?”

His hand left my hair and went to the corner of my lip. He pressed a finger against my skin before pulling it away.

On the tip of his finger was a rusty flake of blood I’d missed.

“Bit my lip,” I said quickly. “Accident.”

He brought his finger up to the front of his face, staring at the flake. “Is that all it was?”

Can I trust you?

“Yeah. That’s all it was. We need to get some sleep. We’ve got a long drive tomorrow. I’ll even let you play your shitty music.”

He chuckled as he lay back against the pillow. “How kind of you. You know, if you actually had some culture, perhaps you could—”

“That’s never going to happen.”

I grinned as he swatted me upside the head.

A moment later, the magic around us dissipated and the crickets began to sing.