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“We, you mean you,” Caleb retorted, bitterness ringing in his voice. “I’m useless.”
“Not true,” I responded, keeping my voice even. This wasn’t the first time the Alpha had ridiculed his son and knowing him it wouldn’t be the last. Experience taught me Caleb wouldn’t appreciate pity so I said lightly, “Who else would get my coffee?”
Caleb stared at me for a second and then came at me in a full run which I nimble dodged, shouting, “Race you,” as I headed for the forest.
We were evenly matched, my longer strides keeping up with his faster speed, but he edged ahead and entered the narrow path in front of me. We slowed once we entered the woods, staying in our human form, and Caleb was laughing by the time we reached the cleared path.
“Beat you,” he crowed, his fist pumping the air. “What’s that? Third time ever?”
“Yeah, and that’s only because I’m not at my best,” I retorted as we walked back to the Pack community.
“I’ll take it,” Caleb said shamelessly. “A win is a win.”
“Damn straight,” I replied, glad to see the smile back on his face. “Caleb, your dad ever mention a pack to the north of us?”
He frowned, shaking his head before pausing. “He didn’t, but – ” I lifted my eyebrows, waiting for him to finish. “Payne,” he said slowly, nodding. “I’m pretty sure Payne has mentioned something about a pack on our northern border.”
“On our border?” I questioned, my eyes narrowing. It was one thing to have a pack I didn’t know about but one that bordered us that closely and had never heard of? That shouldn’t be possible.
Caleb rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. “I’m not sure, to be honest. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me. He was drunk when he told me. Ranting about Dad sending him away. He might have said something about a no man’s land,” Caleb made air quotes dismissively, seeming unconcerned, but I knew it mattered because he’d remembered it. “Who knows, it was when Sam – ” he broke off abruptly, his expression turning immediately apologetic. “I’m sorry.”
I waved off his apology at the mention of my sister, the painful reminder muted by my growing concern about this elusive pack and why no one seemed to know anything about them. It sounded like the Alpha had been trying to do to Payne what he was doing to me, but Payne wasn’t a shifter. It was possible he could pass on the gene, but unlikely and the Alpha would never waste a breeding female on him, as evidenced by my sister.
Distant howling distracted me and my lip curled at the sound. “Hanleys,” I spat, tempted to shift and run along the highway. It would rile them up and no doubt start a fight, something I wouldn’t think twice about normally, but at the moment I’d rather avoid drawing their attention.
“We can go,” Caleb said eagerly, about to drop his backpack and I shook my head tightly.
“No,” I said sharply and at his wounded look, tempered my tone. “Not today. Not with Jess at the motel.” Relief spurted through me at the knowledge that Jess was safe in her father’s car and out of reach of the Hanley Pack.
If they caught her scent….I took a deep breath as my muscles tightened at the thought.
“Yeah, okay,” Caleb replied, nodding understandingly as he started walking again. “No point in giving them a reason to come after us.”
I nodded absently as apprehension coiled through me. “Trent,” I nudged the link I shouldn’t have with a wolf who wasn’t part of the Navarre Pack, while keeping a careful eye on Caleb. I wasn’t prepared to explain Trent’s presence, not with the Alpha as pissed off as he was currently.
“Hmm, you think they make suckers with caffeine because this is the most boring surveillance ever,” he replied, and I shook my head in amusement.
“No idea. Have Jess and her dad arrived yet?” There was a sense of urgency I couldn’t explain, a need to have eyes on Jess, and I scanned the woods as I waited impatiently for his answer.
“Nope. Her dad left hours ago, hasn’t been back,” he replied, growing more alert as he picked up on my unease. “Want me to try and follow his scent?”
“No,” I said sharply. “Stay put. Hanleys are on the highway,” I warned him. “Let me know when Jess gets there.”
“Aye, aye,” he said agreeably and I sensed him relax as I blocked my emotions. Disquiet continued to rise though. They should have been back at the motel by now.
I continued to walk, my steps growing heavier with each stride, when the sound of something crashing through the forest reached my ears.
“You hear that?” Caleb asked, slowing down as he glanced to our left.
“Yes,” I answered shortly, focusing on the faint sounds. It wasn’t the Hanleys, I knew, because there was no way they’d alert us to their presence. I tilted my head, breathing deeply as I tried to see if I could scent whatever was coming our way.
