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“Fuck you.” I snatched the hand towel from the oven handle and threw it at him.
Wyatt caught it with a wide smile before it hit him in the face. “Touchy.” He came over and put the hand towel back. “Kiefer was hot last night, spoutin’ off about Mathias stepping down and wanting you to be the new Alpha.”
Dammit, Kiefer.He was already drawing battle lines.
I shook my head. “Mathias did ask me to ascend so he could step down and retire.” I met his eyes. “If I agreed, would you be behind me?”
He tilted his head with a shrug. “I’m not gonna fight you for the job, that’s for sure.”
“Mathias is hoping to avoid any fights to death.”
Wyatt nodded. “Good thing. We all grew up together. I can’t see any of us killing you.”
“But would you follow me?” I held my breath.
“Like I told Kiefer, it doesn’t matter who stands as our Alpha. My loyalty is to the Salem Pack.”
That didn’t really answer my question. “With the Coven of Shadows out there buying our severed body parts to power their magic, the last thing we need is a bunch of wolf politics forcing everyone to choose a side. If it comes to that, I’ll tell Mathias no and Kiefer can have the job.”
Wyatt studied me for a second and gradually started to smile. “I’ll follow you.”
I removed the pot and filled both mugs with black coffee. I handed one to Wyatt. “I thought you didn’t care who leads the pack.”
“Whoever becomes the Alpha needs to be able to put the good of the pack above everything else. Kiefer claims if you become Alpha, he’s going to leave the pack.” He paused and took a sip from the steaming mug. “He knows the danger coming for us. We need every wolf to stay and fight. To me, that’s not putting the needs of the pack first.”
So at least there was one wolf in my corner. Maybe even two. I couldn’t imagine Wes going against his brother’s pick. “What about the others?”
Wyatt took another swallow. “I haven’t talked to Ranger and Reason, but you used to tutor them when they were in high school, so unless you were a complete asshole, I’d say you probably have their votes.” He lowered his voice. “Jaron and Jackson were close with Kyle, so I’d say they’re more likely to support Kiefer.”
They were the strongest pack members physically. In addition to doing hard labor on the farm, then both spent plenty of hours in the gym. They called it a working meditation.
I called it sweating your ass off for no real reason. Werewolves were inhumanly strong already. We didn’t need to beef up our muscles to protect the pack. But maybe it was stress relief for Jaron and Jackson. I wasn’t going to judge them. Just wasn’t my thing.
“Good to know.” I took a swig of the hot coffee, enjoying the burn as the warmth spread through my stomach. “I better get a shirt and go up to check on Mathias.”
“No need.” His deep voice boomed from the stairs.
I set my mug on the counter and went to the stairs. “Get your ass back to bed, old man.”
He smirked. “Your bedside manner is shitty, Zeke.” He sobered. “I feel fine. The antibiotics must’ve done the trick.”
I glanced back at Wyatt, but he was focused on the inside of his coffee cup. I was on my own here. Sighing, I looked up at Mathias. “I think it might’ve been Lillian’s magic more than the pills.”
He raised a bushy, white eyebrow. “How so?”
“She apparently used an energy-transfer spell.” I lowered my voice. “She had a mild heart attack last night.”
His grip on the banister tightened as he cursed under his breath. “Is she going to be all right?”
I nodded. “They think so. She’s going to have a couple more tests this morning and then Ruby can take her home.”
“I need to see her.” He turned around, heading back to his bedroom. “I’ll get dressed.”
I growled as I looked at Wyatt. “Shit. He should be resting that leg, not walking through a hospital on it.”
“So get him a wheelchair.” Wyatt finished his coffee. “I’ve heard they have those at hospitals.”
“Smart-ass,” I grumbled as I headed back to my room.
