Page 126 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha
“You okay?” Night asked, taking my hand.
“I am.” I smiled up at him. “Don’t worry.”
Frankie led us toward the southern side of the compound. It made sense that a lot of the Wargs would be housed there. When I had lived here, the Kings were constructing new cabins in that area.
There were a few Kings out and about, and they stopped to stare at the three of us as we walked by. Their expressions ranged from shock to curiosity to outright disgust. A few people didn’t even pretend that they weren’t glaring at me. I kept my head high, though I felt the burn of their gazes.
“You’re doing great,” Night whispered to me.
His encouragement made me smile. “Thanks, love.”
As we walked through the center of the compound, I was surprised to see the amount of damage that Troy had done to the cabins and buildings there. There were many that showedfire damage or that looked like they had been ripped apart plank by plank. I recognized some of the houses as those belonging to lower-ranking wolves in the pack. It seemed that Troy was starting with the weakest wolves and working his way up the totem pole.
The hand that wasn’t holding Night’s clenched.What a coward.
“I think that’s going to be the first thing on my agenda,” I said, eyeing what looked like half of a charred table lying on the ground. “Reconstruction.”
“I agree,” Night said. “I’m surprised they haven’t started on their own already.”
“Me too.”
“I guess this place is in need of leadership,” Frankie said, glancing at me and Night over her shoulder. “It’s a good thing we’re here to help them pick up the pieces.Ifthey want that from us, I mean.”
He squeezed my hand. “We’ll offer our help as much as is needed,” he said.
I squeezed his hand back. That was his way of telling me that I had the Wargs at my disposal. I had thought that would be the case, but it was comforting to have him confirm it. I was sure that we’d have some pushback from the Kings about accepting help from the Wargs, but I hoped that logic and necessity would win over the most stubborn Kings.
When we reached the southern end of the compound, we found that the Wargs had already assembled in front of one of the cabins. Tavi wasn’t with them.I guess I’ll have a chance to catch up with her later on. When she’s ready.
The Wargs grinned as we approached. When they saw my mark, a few of them whistled and clapped. It made my face warm right up, but I was happy to hear their approval.
“Alright, alright, settle down,” Night said, raising his free hand. He was grinning, too. “I’m here to quickly answer your immediate questions, and then Bryn and I are headed back.”
Vince raised his hand. “How long are we going to stay on the compound before heading back home?”
“A couple more days,” Night said. “Then we’ll head back to our compound to check in. Of course, we’ll be back for the Alpha ceremony.”
Redford came next. “What do we do if we get into a conflict with the Kings?”
“You come to me if you can’t squash it,” Night said. “I don’t want any of you fighting the Kings if you can avoid it.”
Vince asked another, “Will you name your first pup after one of us?”
That earned a laugh from all of us and a playful smack from Night.
There weren’t many serious questions after that, so Night and I headed back to the Alpha cabin. I was getting antsy, and all I wanted to do was cuddle Night. It seemed he was just as eager to get back because I had to speed-walk just keep up with his long, quick gait.
The minute we entered the cabin, Night and I returned to the bedroom and immediately got under the covers again.
“Getting up that early was a mistake,” I yawned.
“Let’s never get out of bed again,” he agreed, spooning me. “Deal?”
“Deal.”
When I woke again, it was nighttime, and I was ravenously hungry. I grabbed the shirt Night had given me last night and slipped it over my head. I knew that he and I were alone in the cabin, but I didn’t feel comfortable being naked while I wandered its halls alone. With Troy’s prying eyes and seeking hands still fresh in my memory, I didn’t want to walk around so exposed in the cabin he’d once called home—even though I knew he would never set foot inside it again.
Light on my feet, I slipped out of the bedroom to make some breakfast. Before I was a wolf, I ate hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, a salad, or anything light and fresh and full of vegetables. But now that I was a wolf, all I wanted was meat and lots of it.
