“I knew we were fated together for a reason.” He started to lean in for a kiss, which he planned on leading to an intense, naked workout when his phone rang. “Am I allowed to kill whoever’s interrupting us?”
Preston picked up Zeppelin’s phone and looked at the screen. “Nope. You have to give Liam at least a full day with his new mates before you murder him. Those two are really nice, though I didn’t get a chance to hang out with Teagan. Are they both human?”
“Yep.” Zeppelin retrieved his phone and answered while pulling his sunshine against his chest and curling an arm around him. Cuddling would have to do for now. “Didn’t think I’d hear from you for at least a week, which means something’s wrong. Spill.”
It sucked balls when he was right. Listening to Liam tell him about two convicts after his mates, and why, made Zeppelin bare his canines. “They assaulted and hospitalized Teagan?”
The guy was no bigger than a hobbit. There was nothing Zeppelin hated more than a bully, except a bigoted one.
Preston sat forward, taking his warmth with him. “Someone hurt Teagan? Tonight?”
Zeppelin shook his head and held up a finger.
“As soon as I walked in, I scented them,” Liam replied with a hard edge to his voice.
“Bring your mates home. We can better protect them under our roof.” He put the call on speaker when Preston leaned in so close his ear pressed against Zeppelin’s lips.
“I don’t want to risk driving through the mountains at night with my mates.” The snarl in Liam’s tone was a clear indication of how frustrated he felt. “If those bastards are staking out the house, they could follow us and try to run us off the road.”
Valid point. Shifters had excellent night vision, but they were cautious driving those treacherous roads after sunset. If Liam was forced to outrun someone pursuing him, he would be putting himself and his mates at risk.
“I’m sending backup your way. They’ll keep an eye on the house while your mates are home. I already talked to Ash, by the way. Even though he’s not happy his brand-new employees are taking their honeymoon period after only one night, he said he’ll make do until they get back.”
It might’ve been presumptuous of Zeppelin to schedule the two off, but he’d gotten the distinct impression Liam’s humans needed some breathing room. Zeppelin knew trouble when he saw it, and despite Hayden and Teagan having a good time, they’d looked like the kind of exhausted you only got from living under extreme pressure.
It was the same look Preston had worn when they’d met. Bone-weary tired.
“Thanks,” Liam said.
“You’re welcome.” Zeppelin kissed the tip of Preston’s button nose.
“I was being sarcastic,” Liam growled. “Just one more thing I have to explain to them. They’ve already had a trying night. Teagan passed out when I revealed I was a wolf, and Hayden used me as target practice with amazing accuracy. Follow that with explaining what a mate is to one confused human and one who thinks I’m now his personal…never mind. Just when I think I have a handle on tonight, my alpha takes it upon himself to make a decision involving my mates without consulting them, which will only make them feel like they have no say in their own autonomy. I’m probably going to end up sleeping with a dozen weaponized throw pillows after I tell them you’ve done. So, like I said, thanks, asshole.”
“He’s right,” Preston muttered.
“By the way…” Liam continued. “Preston, I love you like a brother and would lay down my life to keep you safe, but you need to burn that deviled-eggs recipe. Just sayin’. Peace.”
He hung up.
Zeppelin would’ve been out for blood at being called an asshole if Liam hadn’t sounded at his absolute limit. Fortunately for him, everyone in the pack got one free pass.
And Liam had just cashed his in. If the wolf stepped out of line again, Zeppelin would remind the guy why he was alpha. If he didn’t, his pack would lose all respect for him.
Including Liam.
And then Zeppelin would have complete anarchy on his hands. Pack life was sometimes harsh, but the benefits included, but not limited to, ride-or-die loyalty, a family that would throw down for you and with you, no questions asked, and an alpha who made the difficult decisions and took responsibility for his men when they screwed the pooch with anyone outside their pack.
The burden of leadership wasn’t easy, especially when you led a pack of deadly wolves, but Zeppelin wouldn’t trade his life for anything.
And he was a big enough man to know when he was the one who’d messed up and crossed boundaries he had no business crossing. Come tomorrow, Zeppelin would talk with Liam, let the wolf know his mates could take their two weeks whenever they decided to, and to show Hayden and Sasha he’d learned his lesson, he’d kill the son of a bitches hunting them.
“You done?” Preston studied him in a way that said he knew to give Zeppelin a moment.
“Digging around in my head? Yeah. Now where were we, sunshine?”
Preston’s soft laugh echoed through the room as Zeppelin wrapped his arms around the very beat to his heart.
Chapter Eight
