I kept my eye on Brown’s kin as they approached. They had redneck written all over them, complete with mullets, heavy metal t-shirts and thick necks. Not that half my pack—especially the ones who lived up in these mountains and rarely interacted with humans—weren’t also a little hillbilly. Only good thing about pack politics and having to deal with ignorance and closed-mindedness was that it wasn’t a fucking democracy.
I was alpha, and I’d grown into the role. No one fucked with my pack, even from the inside. Everyone felt my alpha power when I pulled it out. They instinctually responded to my commands.
There were four of them—one shifter in his forties, two in their early thirties and a younger wolf—barely an adult. They had a casual way about them, but I sensed they were on their best behavior.
“Sal Brown,” the oldest says to me, extending his hand. I supposed he looked familiar from pack exchanges and mating games we’d had in the past. He wasn’t their pack’s alpha, but a brother or something.
“Alpha Wolf,” I answer coolly, shaking his hand. My name was irrelevant. My title said it all.
“Yeah, I guessed that much.” He gives a mirthless chuckle. “Oh right, your name is Wolf.” The joke sounded rehearsed, one I’d heard about a million times.
In fact, my grandfather used to say, “I’m Alpha Wolf because I’m alpha wolf.”
I’d often thought my family was foolish to keep the name Wolf when we, as a species, were trying to blend into human society, but it was a source of pride. We were related to the oldest Wolf families across the globe, and the name was always synonymous with alpha. It wasn’t changing now either.
I stared him down, waiting for some explanation about why the fuck he and his crew were at my pack meeting. When it was clear by his hesitation he didn’t want to give me one, I released his gaze and let him step inside. His other three family members also introduced themselves and skulked in.
I’d find out the truth, but sometimes the direct approach wasn’t the way to go.
“Hi, Alpha. Hey, Boyd.” Shelby, one of the few single females came up the steps and smiled. Boyd had taken position at my shoulder when the Brown clan arrived. I’d seek his counsel later on what he thought of them and why they were here.
We didn’t shake Shelby’s hand because both were full with a giant glass carafe filled with her famous watermelon lemonade. She was in her late twenties and the full package—pretty, smart, friendly. I never had any interest, though, and fortunately, she hadn’t seemed to want me, either. In fact, she’d made it plain she believed in fate and hoped to find her true mate someday, much to the irritation of both her parents, who’d been trying to throw us together from the moment she turned eighteen.
My wolf hadn’t shown any interest in her or anyone else. I sighed. Until earlier. Until Natalie Shefield. The human.
“Shelby,” I said, tipping my hat.
I had no idea why Shelby brought my mind careening back to my new neighbor. The vision of Natalie working that dildo and moaning had been ricocheting around in my head all afternoon. The memory of her scent—so sweet and right.
The need to get back to her house—to see her again and find out every detail I could about that bold little redhead—consumed me.
I waited outside until everyone had arrived and then went in and took my position at the head of the circle. Boyd sat on one side of me, with Clint on the other. Rand and Nash took seats by Clint. Johnny and Levi next to Boyd. I was flanked by my inner circle—the ones I’d trust with my life.
I tried to keep the meetings short—for my own sanity, mostly. I didn’t have any business to address this month, so I opened the floor.
There were a few minor issues brought up and handled. I was a man of few words, and I didn’t tolerate a shit ton of talk at my meetings. Things got solved fast.
“All right. Anything else, or can we eat?” I looked around, eager to get to Janet’s lasagna.
“Yeah, I’ve got something.” Nate Brown stood. He looked around the room, addressing the pack instead of me. “I’ve been wondering when someone was going to mention the latest pack news.”
My upper lip curled. A growl started to tickle behind my nose. When I said I’d find out what the guy was up to, I knew the time would come. It seemed to be now. In front of the entire pack.
“What’s that?” I snarled.
“I’m surprised you didn’t mention it tonight. Namely, how your brother broke pack law by mating a human. And now I hear Colton has mated her sister. Is that true?”
Boyd was on his feet in a flash.