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Christ, was I supposed to do small talk? That hadn’t been covered in the wolf handbook.
Be silent,Esme urged.Let him yip first. He is inourden.
I didn’t know if she was right or not, but she hadn’t led me astray yet so I fixed a warm smile on my face and waited. The silence dragged out, long and uncomfortable, but I let it ride. Manners sat statue-still next to me.
Finally, Ace let out a soft laugh. ‘And you said she wouldn’t know our ways,’ he murmured to Lauren, his lips barely moving. For whatever reason, he didn’t expect me to hear it.
He raised his voice. ‘Well met, alpha. The council greets you and welcomes you in your new role. We have been sent here as a mere formality, to review the conditions of your turning and the passing of Lord Wilfred Samuel. Are there any other issues we should discuss?’
His tone was too knowing; he already knew about Mark. I didn’t know how, but I was certain he did. This was a test. What was it with werewolves and their bloody tests?
Matters of pack importance should be discussed after a hunt,Esme said firmly.Whilst we rip into the carcass of the hunted.
Over dinner?
That’s what I said,she huffed impatiently.Let’s run with them, then eat with them, then we will yap about pack matters.
‘There is much to discuss,’ I acknowledged coolly. ‘Tonight we will run and hunt together, then we will talk.’ I stood. ‘Meanwhile, rest and explore the grounds. You are welcome in our mansion. Our housekeeper will show you to your rooms.’
Ace stood and bowed his head in acknowledgement. Manners and Liam followed me out. We walked down the corridor into my office, shutting the heavy door firmly behind us. I sat behind the mahogany desk. Manners positioned himself so he could see all exits and entrances, and Liam took the other seat.
Liam was looking at me with open surprise. ‘How did you know to hold silent? You haven’t met any other packs yet.’
‘I’m full of surprises,’ I said drily.
‘And inviting them on the hunt?’ he continued, bemused.
I didn’t deign to respond. I couldn’t tell him that I was a piper and I had my very own wolf guide helping me to navigate the murky pack waters. And it was interesting that Liam had been willing to sit with me but hadn’t warned me about the protocol. He might not hate me anymore, but he still wasn’t completely on Team Lucy. I’d wear him down.
He cleared his throat and stood up. ‘I’ll ready the pack for a full hunt and alert the dryads to our presence tonight in Black Park.’
I nodded, like I had expected him to take such action, and he gave a small bow before he exited, carefully shutting the door behind him. That was a significant improvement in his behaviour, and I dared to feel a glimmer of hope.
Manners lounged back into his seat. ‘How did you know about the silence thing? I didn’t know that, and I’ve been in the Other my whole life.’
I studied him for a long moment. I’d asked him to be my friend and my ally; keeping secrets isn’t the healthiest thing in a true friendship…
‘I’m a piper,’ I explained, ‘so I can talk directly to my wolf. She told me what to do.’
He froze. ‘You can converse with her?’ There was wonder in his voice.
I nodded.
‘All I get from my wolf is emotions – distrust, happiness, anger,’ he said slowly. ‘Nothing more, just flashes that can guide me. When I’m in the Other I can feel my wolf all the time, like a heavy coat wrapped around me. Being in the Common is almost a relief to feel that weight lift.’
His gaze was assessing. ‘It’s a huge advantage to be able to talk to your wolf. When I turn, we have to wrestle for supremacy. Each time we seem to manage a compromise. When we’re on four legs, he guides our body but I still control our mind – just about. But every single time I turn, I have to fight him. I can feel him wanting to take over.’
‘There’s no battle between Esme and me.’
‘Esme?’ He smirked. ‘Your wolf is called Esme? Not Fang or Claw, or something dramatic?’
‘My name is Lucy, and she wanted a name that was nice like mine. Anyway, her name is just for us. When we turn, she has full control.’
‘What?’ He was genuinely surprised.
‘I sit back and let her have the reins. Why not? I have the reins when we’re on two legs, she has them when we’re on four. We’re equal partners. I trust her and she trusts me.’
‘That might be part of the reason why your change is so quick,’ Manners mused. ‘You’re not fighting it from the minute it starts. You wholly embrace it – and your wolf.’
