Page 111 of Campfires & Canines
We meet Heath outside the office trailers. He's quietly discussing something with Fisher.
"Slate, Hazel, I'd like you to join me for our discussion with Jasper," Heath instructs. He fixes his gaze on me. "Since you were the catalyst that brought him into our pack."
My stomach flips. Is he angry? I can't tell. His perfectly neutral expression holds while he ushers us into the building.
As I pass him, I pause. "I'm sorry," I whisper. His eyebrows furrow and he raises a hand to stop me. Fisher brushes past us and follows Slate into the room.
"What are you sorry about?" Heath asks.
I fidget, trying to pull my words together. "For Jasper, making you take him."
Heath nods. "Hazel, if anyone else tried that, I wouldn't have allowed it to happen. Any of it." I bite my lip. He continues, "But you are my heir now. You're next in line to be Alpha and that's why I let you make that choice."
Heir? I swallow, regretting this conversation already. I should have questions, but I can't process what he's saying.
"You did the right thing." He guides me forward.
Jasper sits at a conference table, his head in his hands. He's got dirt smudged across his cheek and his hair is sticking up to one side. Not his typical polished style.
Elm stands against the wall behind him. Beside him is Aven, the younger Theta. She's polite but reserved, and right now she’s watching Jasper like he’s an interesting bug she’s considering squishing.
Fisher and Slate stand on either side of the door, waiting for Heath. He takes a seat opposite of Jasper. Slate holds out the chair to Heath's right for me and then sits beside me. Fisher sits on Heath’s other side.
Jasper watches us, his expression wary.
I would like to ask you about your old pack."
Jasper nods. "Of course."
I press my lips together, trying not to smile. Jasper's outlook is changing before my eyes. It's more than I hoped for.
"First, should we be concerned about a rescue attempt from your parents?"
Jasper shakes his head. "When Ferris disowned me, he meant it. They'll consider me dead."
"Sounds like Sienna to me," Slate mutters. Heath ignores him.
"How many wolves does Ferris have now?"
Jasper rubs the back of his neck. "Um, I think they are at about seventy-five."
Fisher and Heath don't react, but Elm stiffens. Granite Ridge is almost double our size.
"What can you tell me about Ironcrest?" Heath asks.
"Zephyr and Ferris meet regularly," Jasper confirms grimly. "I don't think they like each other. But they’ve worked out some deals. I don't know any details."
"What was their role in abducting Hazel?" Heath's voice is lower. He looks calm, but I can sense his anger simmering.
"They are the ones who grabbed her. I went in the car to pick her up from them on the edge of Raven territory."
“Were they involved?”
“No, Nyx doesn’t have the resources to watch the north end of her territory. I believe Ironcrest has all but taken that land.”
“Interesting,” Heath says, "How did Granite Ridge even know about Hazel?" Jasper swallows. He looks to me, an apology in his eyes. "They knew you had a visitor. They have security cameras along the road." The tension in the room ramps up.
"I met Hazel in town. And the second time I ran into her, I identified your pack." He looks away. "I told my father. And I regret that."
