Page 38 of Return to the Pack

The garage is lit up, so I head there, sure that Warrick is out there messing with his ride.

Sure enough, he’s sitting on an ancient plastic milk cart from years back. “Hey,” he grunts when I enter the room, not taking his eyes off the engine. He grips the wrench in his hand and twists a bolt.

“Remember how you gave me shit for asking for Luna’s hand in marriage without consulting with the rest of you?” I demand.

His eyebrows stitch together, but his gaze stays glued to whatever task he’s performing. “Yeah? What about it?”

“What the fuck are you doing going to the pack without consulting me?” I shout. “It’s my pack. You’re my Second. You don’t talk to them about going to war with the lone wolves or give them our fucking weapons. That’s my job, Warrick.”

“What the fuck is your problem?” He stands and takes two steps toward me, towering over me. “You’ve been kind of busy, Romeo, so I thought I was doing you a favor.” He grabs the neck of my t-shirt, twisting it in his grasp.

“You’re overstepping,” I growl at him. “If you want to challenge me for Alpha, be a man and fucking do it. Don’t sneak around behind my back like a pathetic little pussy.”

Warrick yanks the t-shirt in his hold, jerking me off-balance. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”

Warrick is a threatening presence on his best days. But when he’s mad, red-faced, eyes bulging, looking at me like he could eat me for dinner, he’s looks like death itself. Fighting to the death is standard when an Alpha is challenged, though. My whole life is a balancing act, and nothing is guaranteed. One day, someone will take my place. It could be today or tomorrow or in twenty years.

“Isn’t it?” I snap back at the meathead.

“I opened my home to you, asshole. Why would I want to slide in and take over the pack?” His spit sprays my face, but I make no move to wipe it off. “I’ve got enough on my plate being your Second, joining the pack, fucking our mate senseless every night, and making sure my brothers don’t murder anyone in your pack. I’m not trying to take over.”

“All directives come through me.” I pound my chest with my fist.

“I’m your Second,” he says, glowering. “I’ve been informed by my prick of an Alpha that decisions can be made when said Alpha is otherwise engaged. And you’ve been otherwise engaged.” He releases his hold on my shirt and slaps his palm against my chest.

It stings, but I don’t react.

“Christ, just a few weeks ago, we all thought you were dead. Would I have cared? Not for myself. After we brought you here, did I want you to move in? Fuck, no. Did I set aside my preferences and do it anyway? Yes, I did. I did it for Luna. Because I love her, and for some fucking reason, she loves you.” His shouting makes the walls of the garage shake.

We stare at one another, unwilling to show weakness and look away first.

Luna races through the garage door, and we look away at the same time. “What’s going on?” she cries. “I thought something happened to you, Warrick.”

“Something did happen to me,” Warrick says in a quieter voice. “Your boy here got in my grill about ‘going behind his back’ and speaking to the pack today about matters which concern us all.”

“Axel,” she says, and my name lands like a punch to the gut.

“What?” I snap. “He went over my head, making me look like an asshole in front of the pack.”

“He wanted to take some of the burdens off your shoulders,” she says in a voice like honey. “He told me before he left today.”

Now I feel like a bigger idiot, but I’m not going to let Luna see that, and I’m definitely not going to let Warrick see.

She turns to Warrick and says, “And I thought when you told me you’d already cleared it with Axel.”

“No,” Warrick says, scowling. “I’m not used to checking in with people to get shit done.” He crosses his arms over his massive chest and glares at me.

“And I’m not used to people performing my role in the pack,” I say, matching his stance.

“I did it to help you, Axel,” Warrick says, his voice calmer.

“Thank you,” I grit out. “But I shouldn’t be hearing it after the fact.”

“Yeah, okay,” he acknowledges.

“He did open his home to you, Axel,” Luna says. “Otherwise, you’d be sleeping on someone’s couch.”

Yes, I think glumly. Without you by my side.