Makayla leaned against another tree, observing me with an unreadable expression. I expected to find wariness, anger, pity, anything but the nothingness on her face. Perhaps she understood me better than I realized. An emotional reaction from her—or anyone—would have sent me over the edge. It was the other reason I’d walked away from my mother. I couldn’t handle her guilt because it was my responsibility to care for Savannah, not my mother’s.
“Not now,” I snarled at Makayla and resumed pacing.
“I think you owe that poor, unsuspecting tree an apology.”
“I saidnot now.”
“You don’t want to be consoled?” Her tone held no indication of condescension, but I felt it in her mind.
I stopped and whipped around to glare at her. “Is that what you came out here for, Makayla? You want me to give you a fast, hard fuck?” I narrowed my eyes. “Or did you come out here to pick a fight? Because, baby, in the mood I’m in, fighting will only turn me on, and you’re going to find yourself fucked either way.”
Makayla rolled her eyes and pushed off of the tree. “The pity train just derailed at the corner of Suck It Up and Move On. This isn’t going to help Savannah, so stop throwing a tantrum, and let’s figure this out like the alphas we are.”
I froze, my jaw hanging open, while all the blood in my body rushed straight to my cock. It was sexy as hell when she went all alpha female on me.
Her eyes dropped to my groin before returning to my face, and a smile slowly curved her lips. She’d been goading me, knowing it would turn me on and get me out of my head.
“You in the market for a spanking, sweetheart?”
She blinked innocently and scoffed. “I’d like to see you try.”
Challenge accepted.
It wasn’t a challenge, asshole.
Amusement overtook my mounting aggression, causing my lips to twitch. Makayla did all that for me. She’d calmed me and my wolf in the process, allowing me to clear my mind and think logically.
I held out my hand, and she closed the distance between us, tucking herself under my arm instead. “Thanks,” I mumbled as I inhaled her floral scent and let it chase away the last of my anger.
“Anyti—um, sure.”
Her hesitation wasn’t lost on me, and neither was her chanting of,One day at a time,in her head. But I pretended not to hear and kissed the top of her head. “I need to go meet with the alphas soon.”
We’d postponed the meeting as a result of the search—every pack had completed their own head count—and now we were set to meet in the virtual conference room at nine o’clock sharp tonight. Most of the alphas attending were all like me—temporary leaders taking over in the time of crisis.
Makayla nodded, and we walked around to the front of my house in contemplative silence.
Savannah still weighed heavily on my heart, but Makayla had helped me clear away some of the fog of my rage, allowing me to focus on finding Savi and killing the assholes responsible for all this pain and suffering.
Once we were back inside, I called Hardt and told him to gather all of our enforcers and come to the cabin as soon as possible. While we waited for them, Makayla, my father, and I worked on a plan for patrols. We split the pack land into four quadrants and broke the days into segments for patrols and perimeter checks.
Hardt and the enforcers shuffled in ten minutes later, and I gave them the rundown and handed out assignments. Paul and Steve were on quadrant three. Timothy and Gregory took the fourth zone.
“You’ve got your thing this evening,” Makayla piped up as we were making assignments, pointing to quadrant one. “I’ll take a patrol shift tonight.”
“I’ll take one tonight as well,” Hardt announced, gesturing at section two.
I didn’t like the idea of him being out there with Makayla, but I had no doubt that if I voiced that opinion, Makayla would try to kick my ass. And as hot as it would be, I didn’t relish the idea of her stabbing me again. Besides, they’d be in entirely separate areas anyway. So I shoved down my irrational jealousy, told my wolf to knock off the growling, and simply nodded.
Makayla headed out, ready to get to work. Enforcer Enrique followed her, and I gave him a pointed look, telling him with my eyes that he’d better protect her. He acknowledged me with a nod. They wouldn’t run together, but he’d be nearby if there were any issues.
Hardt tapped Enforcer Reggie as his partner for patrol, and all eight wolves departed from my home in their animal forms.
Leaving me to prepare for my meeting with the alphas, which was in about thirty minutes.
I gathered the files and materials I needed, then headed toward Tyler’s house. He had all the telecommunications equipment that was required for this, plus a much nicer office area. And it seemed fitting to be in the Silver Lake Alpha’s house while I addressed other leaders of the Northeast Bitten wolf packs.
Some of Makayla’s thoughts drifted into my mind along the way.
