River Wolf(79)

“She went away to college, and she committed suicide while she was there.”

Ice slithered through his veins. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Charles sighed. “Before you demand an answer, I don’t know it. Sometimes, no one knows why these things happen. She didn’t leave a note, she didn’t contact her family and, as far as I know, they had no warning signs either. There was an investigation, and Dad sent two Hunters as well as reached out to the Enforcers. He didn’t abandon her fully, but no one could tell what happened.”

“Is her family still in Hudson River?”

“One of them.” Ominous words. “They took her loss badly. Several moved to other packs, some just faded. It happens Brett. Grief is hard on wolves.” The tacit reminder of recent events didn’t help his cause.

“Who?” If he could talk to someone who’d known a latent, maybe they could provide some insight.

“Babette Danes. Bethany was her aunt.”

Brett pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Babette and Bethany were tight. Her father was Bethany’s brother.” Babette’s father had gone to Vietnam. Died there. They’d lost several wolves to that conflict. “She was young when Bethany killed herself.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Brett…”

“Don’t.” He straightened. “Colby will be fine.” He wasn’t his grandfather, and his deep respect and love for his paternal grandparent aside, he would not make the same mistake. Colby was his. The possession and the claim felt right. Even if she weren’t… Even if she wasn’t mine, I wouldn’t leave her to struggle. Her wolf is in there. I’ve seen her.

“Whatever you need,” Charles said, the oath resonating. “I will do.”

“Thanks, Dad.” He repeated the sentiment then, because he owed him one, he said, “Thanks for sticking by me while my head was up my ass.”

“Anytime, son. You care, don’t stop. It’s part of what makes you a tremendous Alpha. Be yourself—trust yourself. I would follow you into fire, son.” The second time in as many hours that he’d heard that statement.

“I’ll do my best to keep our asses out of the fire, then.” After disconnecting the call, Brett fired off a blanket text message to his Hunters. They would begin the tree, alerting others. His mother would do the rest. Closing his eyes, he tipped his face to the sun and reached. Every member of his pack was tied to him, he could track them based on that alone, if he quieted his mind and listened.

He could also call them.

The fact he hadn’t called his wolves in more than a year was on him. Letting the guilt eat away at him was also on him. They were all done with it. Power swelled through him and then reverberated along every strand stretching from him to his wolves. The Hunters answered first, but then one by one, he felt their howl. His wolf rose within him, the fur seeming to rub over his skin. The call wouldn’t force a change, but he wanted their attention. The ripples continued, and he listened to where they resonated. Wolves on the road far from home were the last to feel his call.

Pack bonds had to be renewed, they had to be reinforced. Long months of isolation and separation had frayed his bond with his pack. Frayed, but not destroyed. The joyous answer of the wolves responding to him pooled in his system. Others were more resistant and resentment echoed back. Obedience did not require joy.

His phone buzzed. Text messages flowed in, but he ignored the chirping. One of the wolves on the road turned around, another pulled away entirely. Brett let him go, and severed the tie. Shock echoed, then more surged through him. His pack answered him.

Opening his eyes, he found Gillian staring at him steadily. At his glance, she lowered her eyes. “It’s about damn time.”

Before he could respond, Owen swung his truck into the driveway and parked. Stepping out of the vehicle, he clenched a fist and tapped it twice against his heart. They weren’t his wolves. The nascent tie to Gillian existed and would, until such a time as he or she chose to sever it. But he couldn’t claim them unless they turned away from Mason. Neither wanted that, and he accepted their choice.

“Don’t be insulted, but neither of you are invited to the party.”

Owen laughed as he strolled over to wrap an arm around his mate. “As the Alpha wishes.”

Damn straight.

Now, to deal with Babette’s gossip and find out what she knew of latents. Repairing his pack and taking care of Colby took precedence over all.





Chapter Fourteen





An hour after Brett left, he still hadn’t returned or called. Not one to lounge around all day no matter how tempting the idea, she dragged her sore body off the bed and borrowed one of Brett’s t-shirts from a drawer. The hem hung to her mid-thigh and covered her bare ass. All she really wanted, since people tended to show up at his place randomly throughout the day, was be at least presentable. Brazen as she wanted to be, she wasn’t going to stand buck ass nude in front of people.