His lips twitched. “Love, huh?”
She felt her skin heat. She also acknowledged Frank as his gaze bore into her.
“I can’t exactly have two imprints and feel nothing. Can I?”
“But you were in love with me?” He obviously wouldn’t let this die.
“I was fond of you, okay?”
Jock winked. “I’ll take fond.”
“I’ll take a little love, too,” Frank said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.
The wind changed and kicked up a few balls of tumbleweed. As they rolled across the prairie, Jock studied them. “I need to see Grant.”
“You need to convince him.” Frank released her and placed a hand on Jock’s shoulder. “Grant can’t survive out here without us. You know it. I know it. Somewhere down deep, he may realize it, too. If he fights us, he will lose more than the battle. He’ll die, Jock.”
“The WolfDen territory is large enough for two packs.”
“I didn’t come to Wyoming for one small territory within this wide-open range. I came here for Wyoming and everything west and southwest of the Laramie River.”
“Our goals weren’t all that different then,” Jock assured him.
“And what are your goals, young woman?” Frank teased.
“To make sure my mates are well loved so they can stake a claim wherever they want to put down permanent roots.”
“I can think of one place I’d like to place a root.”
“Oh no you don’t,” she teased, giving Frank a playful push. “You need to go with Jock.”
“He’s a big boy.”
“Yes, but I’d feel better if you went with him. And if the Alpha female isn’t happy, no one is happy.”
Frank grunted. “And here I worried she’d be like every other Alpha female and abuse her power.”
“Abuse it?” Jock shook his head. “No. She won’t abuse it. She’ll just remind everyone around her that she is the lone Alpha female. And she’ll remind us often.”
Chapter Sixteen
Frank was concerned when they first entered the den. The stench of booze filled the cave and Grant could be heard in the distance, singing some out-of-tune chorus to an unrecognizable song.
“I know you’re out there!” Grant yelled, stopping midverse.
“Grant! It’s Jock and Frank. We came to talk!” Jock motioned for Frank to stay behind him and he was happy to give him the lead since Jock knew his former home better than Frank.
“We ain’t got a thing to say to one another, Jock. You chose your way in life. You don’t have business here.”
“My life was here, Grant. I came to collect my things.”
“I burned ’em,” Grant said, a chuckle following his confession. “We don’t need traitor wares around here.”
Frank studied Jock and wondered then. Were other pack members present? He tilted his head high in the air and sniffed, trying to differentiate between the scent they’d left behind before their trek to the border and a fresher scent, one marked as different due to the meat they would’ve brought back with them.
The cave was dark as they stepped into the heart of the den, keeping their backs against the cold cavern stones. Jock crossed one leg over the other while Frank tiptoed behind him, fighting the need to phase, determined to stay in his human form as they made their way toward Grant.
He and Jock were on opposite sides in their thought process. He viewed Grant as an enemy. Jock still cared for him as a friend.