Page 1 of Howl You Doin'

1

CALEB

The wood of Caleb's desk cracked under his grip. "He did what?"

"Victor's been showing up at the community center," Wade said, leaning against the office doorframe. "Manager's been letting him and his goons hang around, intimidating our people. Got the security footage right here." He waved his phone.

Caleb's nostrils flared, catching the lingering scent of his second's anger mixed with the leather of his jacket. The afternoon sun streaming through the window did nothing to warm the ice in his veins. "Show me."

Wade crossed the room. The video played out in grainy black and white: Victor's smug face as clear as day, while pack members hurried past with their kids, heads down.

"Son of a-" Caleb's chair scraped against the floor as he stood. "That community center is supposed to be a safe space." His wolf stirred beneath his skin, hungry for action. "And Thompson just let them walk right in?"

"Thompson's been taking payoffs. Found the transfers this morning."

"Fire him. Now."

"Already done. But Cale-"

"Double the security. I want cameras everywhere, better ones."

"What about Victor?"

Caleb's lips pulled back, showing teeth. "Let him try that shit again. I'll personally escort him out - through a window if necessary."

"You know that's what he wants, right? To provoke you into-"

"Into what? Defending our territory? Our people?" Caleb paced, his reflection fragmenting across the wall of windows. "This isn't just about territory anymore. He's going after families now. Kids."

"We could call a council meeting, get the other packs involved."

"Politics." Caleb spat the word like it was poison. "While we're filling out paperwork in triplicate, Victor's out there terrorizing our people. No. We handle this our way."

Wade sighed, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "Your way usually involves property damage."

"Property can be replaced. Peace of mind can't." Caleb grabbed his jacket. "Come on. Let's go make sure our people know they're safe."

"Where are you going?"

"To the community center. To remind everyone exactly why Eclipsed Moon doesn't bow to bullies."

Caleb stalked down Main Street, the cobblestones still slick from the morning's rain. The salt-tinged breeze carried snippets of conversations from the Cauldron & Cup's outdoor seating area, where a group of witches quickly averted their gazes as he passed. News traveled fast in Saltwater Grove.

"Remember when Victor tried to challenge you at last year's Midsummer Joust?" Wade matched his stride, hands tucked into his jacket pockets. "Man couldn't even stay on his horse."

"The horse had more sense than he did." Caleb's lips twitched at the memory. "Bucked him right off into that big pile of manure."

"Good times." Wade chuckled. "Before he got... whatever this is."

Caleb's amusement faded.Five years of territorial disputes, three failed attempts to absorb smaller packs, and now this. Victor's obsession with power had grown from annoying to dangerous.

"He's always wanted more than he deserves. Remember when he tried to convince the Shadow Pack that their alpha was 'unfit to lead' because she preferred diplomatic solutions?"

"Yeah, that backfired spectacularly. Jill kicked his ass in front of everyone at the winter council."

"And now we're the last ones standing between him and his delusion of becoming some sort of supreme alpha." The wolf inside him bristled at the thought.

A group of kids ran past, toy swords clashing as they played shifters versus vampires. One small boy with plastic fangs waved shyly at Caleb.

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