The Challenge (The Pack 2)

Ran out of cookies. Went to the store.

“Ahh,” I hummed to myself. “That makes sense.” I glanced around the empty apartment, empty except for me, something that had become a rarity in my world. I ran to the couch and flopped down, grabbing the remote so I could turn the television to something I wanted to watch, no arguments, when a knock at the door stopped me. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned, my head thudding against the arm of the sofa. “Maybe they’ll go away.”

Instead, the knocking got louder and I grumbled, but finally hauled myself up and went to the door. A frantic Wren met my gaze through the peephole and I hurriedly opened the door.

“What is it?”

“I need your help, please,” she begged, her hands twisting. “It’s my brother.”

Brother, I echoed to myself, but seeing her panic, I found myself nodding instead of asking questions. “Okay, we’ll help him,” I promised, reaching for a jacket and sending Dom an SOS through the bond link. “Where is he?” I finally asked as we rounded the building. She pointed to the woods and I pressed my lips together. Of course. “That’s who you’ve been meeting, isn’t it?” She nodded, looking ashamed, and I rested my hand on her shoulder. “Wren,” I pulled her to a stop. “This isn’t a trap, is it?”

“No,” she shook her head desperately. “No, I swear. I meet him in the woods to make sure he’s okay. I would have brought him with me, but I was afraid the Pack would kill him.”

“The Navarre Pack?” I asked in disbelief and she nodded dejectedly. “You still think they’d kill him after everything they’ve done for you?” She shrugged, unwilling to answer, and I sighed. “Is he bad?”

“No, he’s sweet. Just different,” she admitted, wincing. Okay, now I’m intrigued.

Jess? Dom was fully in my head after my SOS and I knew I needed to do something to calm him down before he showed up furry in the yard.

Mouse, I answered and felt his puzzlement. I saw a mouse, I continued. Panicked, but it ran outside. All good.

Uh huh, he answered doubtfully. Take Trent if you’re about to do something that would upset me. Please. My mouth twisted and it was only because of the please that I grudgingly nodded.

I don’t like how well you read me, I answered him.

I just want you to be safe, he replied the bond going back to its unobtrusive presence in my mind.

“Quick stop,” I told Wren, as we made a detour to the room on the end. I banged on the door and after a second it opened, Trent standing there, bleary eyed, a navy Henley in his hands as he gave a jaw cracking yawn.

“I saw your tonsils,” I remarked and gestured to his bare chest. “Cover up, pretty boy, places to go.” I made a chopping motion with my hand and he stared at me for a full second.

“Wolf or man?” He asked, pulling the door shut behind him as he padded out on bare feet. I chanced a glance at Wren but her worried gaze was focused on the forest.

“Let’s go with man for now. Not crossing wolf off the list though,” I answered and he nodded, still looking half asleep as he tugged the fitted Henley over his head. “Do you need shoes?” I asked, glancing down again at his bare feet.

He shook his head, seeming unconcerned and I let it go. Wren urged us to the forest and Trent sent me a questioningly glance.

“Brother,” I mouthed, pointing to her back and he looked surprised and more alert as he followed us. We walked for a while, Wren confident in where she was going, only slowing when the sound of a patrol met our ears. Trent had a cautious expression but not overly concerned as we made our way closer to the Hanley border.

“He’ll be here soon,” Wren promised, her hands shaking. “He needs help. He can’t stay there any longer. Not since….” She trailed off, her expression reluctant.

So, I finished helpfully, “Not since Caleb killed the Hanley Alpha’s son.”

She nodded and Trent slumped against a tree. I eyed him and he grimaced. “Night patrol,” he answered, not needing me to ask. He patted his pockets and his stomach before cursing. “Damn it.” He felt his back pockets and again came up empty and kicked a stick on the ground. Wren reached into the bag she had strapped across her body and fished out a sucker, handing it over without even glancing at him.

We both raised our eyebrows at her unexpected action even as he accepted the sucker, unwrapping and popping it into his mouth in one smooth motion. “Thank you,” he mumbled around the candy, settling more comfortably against the tree as we waited. Wren waved her hand dismissively at his thanks, more focused on her brother than him.