Page 67 of The Coyote's Veterinarian Omega

“What if—”

“And if they thought it was really so bad that they couldn’t get here safely, they wouldn’t have started out, and they would have called you or texted you to let you know by now.”

I pursed my lips. I hated that he was right, but I still couldn’t help but worry. It seemed like becoming a parent had given me the ability to see every possible danger in the world simultaneously. The world was suddenly very, very scary, in a way it hadn’t been before.

A howl went up outside, startling both Wyatt and me. I flew to the back door, yanking it open.

There, in the snow, was my family: Cody and Connor, who were back for Christmas break; Carter, who had flown in fromthe base; and my aunts as well. All of them were standing in the drifts, up to their forelegs, snow collecting in their fur. Connor gave me a lazy yawn, and Carter yipped.

Wyatt joined me at the door. “Hey guys,” he said, and our baby fussed in his arms, turning over.

“Get back inside,” I scolded. “It’s too cold out here for her.”

She crinkled her nose and gave a little coo, as though disagreeing with me.

I turned back to my relatives. “Hurry up and shift. It’s cold out here.”

Just as they were about to, Wyatt gave a yelp. We all jerked back to him, just in time to watch the newest member of the Carlyle pack complete her first shift.

She leapt from Wyatt’s arms, landing in the snow. She tripped and fell on her face first thing, not used to her legs at all.

My relatives went wild, howling and barking, yipping and jumping all over. Cody and Connor started chasing each other in circles as my little girl wobbled her way over to meet them. Aunt Caroline stood very still as the pup approached her first. They nosed at each other, before the pup headbutted her—recognizing her as family. Safe.

Karla sniffed her next, then headbutted her, knocking her into the snow, which she bit at, her bright eyes—hazel like Wyatt’s, even in her coyote fur—taking in the world around her.

Carter sniffed her next, then gave her a playful nip and darted off into the snow. With a tiny growl and a waggle of her tail, she gave clumsy chase, nearly buried under the snow as she dashed after her uncle.

I glanced at Wyatt, who smiled at me and nodded. Without further hesitation, I shifted into my fur, joining the fun.

It took me a moment, but I realized someone was missing.

I paused, looking toward Caroline, trying to telegraph my thoughts:Where’s Cal?

The crunch of tires over snow ended our play a second later. I snatched my pup up off the driveway, carrying her back to Wyatt. He took her with open arms. “You’re all wet,” he told her. “We’ll have to get you dried off—don’t want you to get chilly.”

She yipped and wagged her tail in reply. Then she turned her head curiously toward Cal’s F-150.

I frowned as I realized Cal was sitting in the passenger seat; someone else was driving. I couldn’t see who. The snow was really coming down now, so heavy it was hard to see even a few feet.

I glanced at my family. Did we need to hide? A pack of coyotes frolicking in the snow on someone’s driveway in the middle of the day was going to be tough to explain to some unassuming human resident of Coyote Creek.

Caroline didn’t seem afraid at all, though. Her amber gaze met mine, then flicked back to the vehicle. The passenger door swung open, and out stepped my eldest brother.

I looked between him and my aunt, who seemed to be smiling, a spark of amusement in her bright eyes.

“Hey,” Cal said, stopping a couple of strides short of us. He rocked on his heels.

I wanted to ask why the hell he wasn’t in his fur. Wasn’t like him to hop a ride when the rest of us were running around fully shifted.

And why the heck hadn’t he driven himself? And who the hell—

A tall, broad man with dark hair rounded the vehicle, tucking his keys into the pocket of his jacket. My breath caught as I recognized Tom, the new owner of the Orchard. He strode right up to Cal, bumping shoulders with him.

“Hey, Cam,” he said, lifting a hand as I stared at him.

“Hi, Tom,” Wyatt said from the doorway. I could practically feel the questioning hanging off him:Why are you here?

I almost shifted back right then and there, ready to barkquestions at my brother. Why the heck was Tom here, and why the hell was my brother riding around with him? Letting him drive the truck?! That seemed like a bridge too far, even for Cal.