Page 79 of Black Moon

Aspen had spent so much of his time there when we were kids—it should have been the first place I thought of when someone said Brook had disappeared. It was almost a mile hike from the nearest road, and far enough from town, high enough above the valley, that you could literally see the whole of Grovetown from there.

I gave a shrill whistle, and a second later Ginger came racing in through her flap in the back door. “Hey, Ginger girl, want to go for a walk? Maybe see Brook?”

Yeah, fine, it was rank manipulation, but who didn’t feel better with fifty pounds of enthusiastic dog slobbering all over them? Some people, sure, but not Brook. He was weak to her canine wiles.

Maybe she should stay with him for a while.

Or maybe he’d like a dog of his own.

I took a deep breath and let it out slow, then turned to Zeke and Colt. “I have some ideas, and I’m going to go check them out.”

Zeke’s eyes were conflicted, and he bit his lip. “You want me to go?”

I shook my head, but I wasn’t paying attention anymore, mind already miles away with Brook. “Nope. Better idea if you stick with Claudia, make sure she knows what’s going on.” I was about to turn when I noticed the smirk turning one corner of his lips up. “What?”

He turned his cheek and put up his hands. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Alpha. I’ll get over to the Wilson house as soon as I finish the excellent breakfast your mate made.”

My first instinct was to deny that Colt was my mate. Not because I didn’t want it, but because I wouldn’t have anyone making his choices for him, not even the small-town gossip-mongers who were determined to see us together. Before I managed that, Colt broke in.

“It’s just eggs and bacon. I’m no Rowan or anything.” Was he...pleased? That was odd. Leftover heat hormones making him less annoyed with the implication that he was a homemaker?

But Zeke hadn’t implied that. Just that he’d cooked, and it was good, which it was. I’d have to ask how he’d done the eggs, because they truly were excellent.

Or just make sure he never wants to leave, my alpha instincts suggested unsubtly.

Then, finally, I realized Zeke hadn’t been talking about my designation like somebody’s grandfather. He’d been calling methealpha. Notanalpha.

Before I could change mental direction yet again and correct him, Colt was pressing onto his toes next to me, kissing me on the cheek. “Bring him home safe, huh?”

“Do you need—”

Before I managed to finish the ill-conceived sentence, he smirked at me and shook his head. “I’ll go see Claudia too. Maybe she’s got a plan I can help with. I think you know what you’re doing.”

I couldn’t help it, I pulled him in, wrapped my arms around him, and squeezed as I kissed his cheek. “How did I manage before I had you in my life?”

“I don’t know,” he snarked right back, “but I’m guessing the answer is ‘badly.’”

“Got that right,” Zeke mumbled as I let Colt go and turned to the door. Colt laughed, and if I turned back, it wouldn’t be to tell Zeke off, but for another hug.

But no. Brook first, holding Colt more later.

I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten attached so fast, but I damn well was. My whole room smelled of him, and that felt more right than anything else had in years. He was beautiful and clever and just the thought of him leaving to go back to Washington was the most awful thing I could imagine.

A year ago, I’d have offered to split my time between Grovetown and Washington. Now, if I truly was going to be pack alpha, I didn’t have that option. So instead, if I had to, I would beg. And I would learn to live with the time Colt was willing to give me.

And if two things were finally penetrating my thick alpha skull, they were:

1. I was going to be alpha.

2. I needed Colt Doherty like I needed air.

The idea that either Colt or the pack would ask me to give up the other made my stomach tie itself in knots as I grabbed Ginger’s leash and took her out to the car. She didn’t often get to take car trips, but she was pretty excited about it, cramming her face against one window, then hopping into the backseat and staring out another, and another. On any other day, I’d have worried about her hopping around being a traffic hazard, but I didn’t have time for that today.

Also, she very carefully didn’t jump into my lap and demand to see the driver’s side window, which was unusually reserved for the energetic pup.

The drive got her all revved up, though, and by the time I got to the trailhead, parked the car, and opened the door, she was practically vibrating. She hopped up and down as I clipped the leash onto her collar, and the moment I was done, she turned toward the path and started straining against my hold.

“Just give me a second,” I begged, sliding the leash securely around my wrist and hand—she wasn’t getting away from me to knock Colt down again, even if he wasn’t here to get injured this time. Brook was here, maybe, and he was already hurting enough. He didn’t need to add broken bones inflicted by enthusiastic dogs to the mix.

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