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Most of shifter society would have been taken aback to learn an unofficial pack was not only helping an official pack, but doing a damn good job holding off a bigger, more powerful pack. It didn’t surprise me in the least. The Eleventh Pack had been the only pack to show us any hint of kindness. Not only that, but Kira’s father had allowed us toliveon their lands. That type of trust and friendship instilled loyalty. We would never bow down to Kira’s dad as our alpha, but we would uphold our end of the bargain and fight off anyone who wanted to mess with us or them.
Kira chewed at her lip.
“I promise, as soon as we get home, we’ll make sure Jayson knows he picked the wrong fight,” I said to her. “The Eleventh Pack won’t fall to the Ninth. Not unless it’s over my dead body.”
“I appreciate that,” Kira said. “Let’s just try to not haveanydead bodies, maybe?”
I wanted to kiss her. Even when she was worried, she had that glint in her eye. The one that said she would be okay. All I wanted was to pull her in close, but I refrained. With Kolton standing right there, I had no idea how to act, and I didn’t want to make things more awkward.
Being with Kira was the most natural thing I’d ever experienced. It was like we’d always been together. Kira felt the same—I could tell. Yet, it would take time to be open with our relationship. After hiding everything during our time on the show, it was difficult to figure out how to even have a normal relationship.
“You know, Wyatt,” August said, looking back at me and Kira, “I’m gonna be a very rich man when we get back home.”
“And why is that?” I asked.
“You see, almost every member of the pack has had this bet going. Being the intellectual I am, I was the only one who thought you’d ever bite the bullet and get with Kira. We all knew you had it bad for her, but none of them thought it would ever happen. What I’m saying is, you’re welcome. I was the only one of your packmates to have faith in you, so thanks for making me a few hundred bucks. I appreciate you.”
Kira laughed at my expense. “August, why did they think it was so unlikely? I have to know.”
“Mostly because they didn’t think you wouldever givethis dumbass a chance,” August said, elbowing me in the gut.
Kolton laughed, winking at Kira. He moved his forefinger in a circle next to his temple and crossed his eyes. “Crazy.”
“Get back to piloting, flyboy,” Kira said to August. “And you shut up,” she snapped at Kolton, her face going red again. “I’m going to go check on Zoe.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
Kira turned to head back to the rear of the cargo area. I made to follow, but Kolton’s hand on my chest stopped me in my tracks. He waited until Kira was out of earshot.
“Look, bro, I am really happy for you guys. I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you’re both safe. I wanted to, uh…” Kolton looked away, blinking away the tears forming in his eyes. “I wanted to thank you for protecting my sister. I didn’t have any doubt you would, but…thanks.”
The emotion on Kolton’s face showed me exactly how worried he’d been. How many times had he watched the show and seen how close to death we’d been? And then when the showrunners told the world we’d all died. I couldn’t imagine the horror and grief he went through, even if he nevertrulybelieved that we were dead.
“I’d look after Kira no matter what. Haven’t I always?” Trying to change the subject and get his mind off what might have happened, I patted the wall of the helicopter. “Speaking of saving people, how the hell did you get this thing? A military helicopter? While a war is going on? I mean, who in their right mind would hand that over to a couple of idiots like you when it might be needed for whichever pack or army owned it?”
August snorted. “You got the ‘idiots’ part right.”
“It’s complicated,” Kolton said. “Couldn’t have done it without August, though. It’s not quite the same craft, but he’s flown planes before and at least had some idea how to do it.”
I chuckled and looked at August. “He makes it sound like you flew fighter jets.” Turning my attention back to Kolton, I said, “He used to fly those dumb planes that have the advertising banners on the back. The ones you see at the beach.”
Kolton didn’t laugh and was having a hard time meeting my eyes. “What’s really weird is how we got this thing. One day, we get this message—well, I got the message. A wire transfer came through to my account, along with a letter delivered by a wiccan courier. The letter told us what the money was for, and gave the name and contact info for a human arms dealer. He said if we told him who sent us, we’d be taken care of.”
“He?” I asked, frowning. “Who are we talking about? This thing had to cost a few million. Who the fuck has that kind of money?”
August glanced at Kolton, and the two men shared a look. Kolton sighed. Oh, I wasn’t going to like the answer. I swore, if they told me Jayson Fell or Von Thornton paid for this fucking helicopter, I would jump out the door and drown myself in the ocean.
“The wire transfer was from, uh, your dad. Lawrence Rivers,” Kolton said.
The words slammed into me so hard, I took a step back. Confusion warred with disbelief. My father? The same man who’d barely blinked when I left our pack to become a lone wolf?
“Hey,” Kolton said, hurrying on, “I know you left your pack for a good reason, and I’ve never pushed you to tell me what happened, but he really wanted to help save you. He told us he wanted you to contact him as soon as you got back…er, if you were alive, that is. Which you are…so that’s good.”
My mouth moved, but no words came out. I put a hand on the wall to hold myself up. My father? I hadn’t spoken to him in years. Not since I’d walked out the door the day after I rejected Serenity. Hell, until I called my Uncle Rob to get put on the show, I hadn’t spoken toanyonein my family, much less my father. I’d pretty much made up my mind that he didn’t give two shits about me anymore, that he’d already written off the sonwho’d disappointed him. The kid who’d shamed his father, the second-in-command of the Second Pack.
“Crap,” Kolton said, seeing the look on my face. “I fucked up, didn’t I? I never should have accepted this gift. I’m sorry. We were freaking worried about you guys. This was like a miracle we couldn’t turn down. All I could think of was saving you and Kira. We were—”
“Chill,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face. “It’s fine. You saved us. More importantly, you saved Kira, and I can’t fault anyone for that.”
