bad. We don’t have time for dalliances.”
He glowered at him, eyes flashing. “How can you say that when—”
“Come on.” Devan bolted out the door.
After a long moment, his brother followed. Devan drove a good two hours before stopping in front of a mountain. BlueBeard.
“Why are we—”
Devan climbed out of his car and motioned for his brother to tag along. Halfway up the mountain, Devan shifted.
“What in the world… During the day?”
He snarled and nipped at his brother’s still human legs.
“All right, all right, but you’re crazy and if we get shot… Ouch!”
So maybe that last bite had been a little too hard. Whoops.
Erik in wolf form was a lighter shade of gray than Devan’s, slightly smaller too. Pain in the ass. I don’t understand why he can’t—
Why I can’t what?” Devan challenged him, lifting his tail straight up, the position reserved for alpha.
His brother, who had started to circle around him halted, yellow eyes unblinking. Slowly, he lowered his front legs onto the ground and lowered his head.
I am the alpha, Devan announced, and now you will help me form the rest of my pack. He threw back his head and howled.
Erik’s answering call joined in, blending as one.
They spent the rest of the day and night traipsing over the mountain and the rest of those in the range, sniffing around for other werewolves. Near midnight, they finally encountered the scent of an entire pack. Not their old one. Another one.
It might be best to let them be, Erik suggested, but the call is yours.
Let’s keep searching. If we find no one else, then we’ll seek them out. He did not relish the idea of taking on an alpha, especially one he was not familiar with, but if that proved to be the only way to find enough wolves for his pack, then so be it. Single wolves without a pack weren’t common after all. He’d do anything for her. Kyla needed the protection, and he would provide it.
At the last mountain, they found a smelly trail that seemed to belong to only one werewolf. While it was possible the wolf had been sent here from the pack to scout or hunt, Devan decided they should find the werewolf and speak to him. Their noses led them to a small cottage near the base of the mountain.
Devan shifted first, but before he could take one step, Erik clamped a tight hand on his shoulder. “So that’s what this is all about,” he said flatly.
“What is?”
“That chick you saw. The human one. What she have a husband or something? Why do you feel the need to protect her?”
Wonderful. He had been alone for so long, and out of practice with his wolf form, that he had leaked thoughts. At least Erik didn’t discover the whole truth… No. He would not start his reign as alpha by keeping secrets and lying.
Devan moved away from the cottage and lowered his voice. “Kyla is pregnant.”
The moonlight shining down on them revealed Erik’s blank face. Slowly, realization came to him, and he gasped. “You knocked up a human?” he all but shouted.
“Shut up!” Devan knocked him upside the head like he used to do when they were younger. “Of course not. You know that’s impossible.”
“Then… She’s not a—”
“Nope.”
“Oh, no way, man. How could you have done such a thing?”
“An accident.” But not a mistake, he thought.
“Pretty big accident, bro.” Erik shook his head.
“I’ll understand if you’re out,” Devan said seriously. It was a lot to ask, probably too much to ask.
His brother sighed. “I’m not going anywhere. Warrick has to be on the prowl looking for us, and being alone right now just isn’t safe or smart.” He side-eyed his brother. “She that hot?”
“She’s that worth it,” Devan said stiffly.
Erik nodded. “All right then.”
“You do realize what we’re up against?”
“Warrick and everyone other were. Geez, Devan, when you make enemies, you know what you’re doing.”
“Enemies?” an unfamiliar voice growled.
Devan stepped