Page 7 of The Night Wolf
Franklin sighed. “We need something to call him.”
“My name is Sean,” said a soft voice. “What’s going on?”
SEAN HATEDthe fact that they were discussing him like he was some sort of lab project. He’d lain awake, listening to the two men bicker for the last thirty minutes. He was surprised the Alpha didn’t notice, but he was otherwise occupied.
“How are you feeling?” the gray-haired man asked.
“Like I’ve been put through a meat grinder,” Sean said, pushing his way to a sitting position. “Where am I?”
“You’re on the Lydon pack grounds,” Gareth replied, his voice smooth as silk.
Sean groaned. It hadn’t been a dream. He really had crossed onto another pack’s area. Shit, he had to get out before they found out who he was. Last thing he wanted was for Gareth to find out the truth and report him to Ryker. “I apologize for intruding. I didn’t realize I’d wandered so close to someone’s territory. I’ll be on my way.”
“Naked?” Gareth asked, with a shit-eating grin.
Sean looked down, then pulled the blanket Gareth had wrapped around him up to his neck. “Fuck. Oh God. I’m sorry. I… I…. Fuck.”
When Gareth laughed, Sean felt his cheeks warm. “It’s fine. We’re shifters. It isn’t like we’re offended by nudity. Besides, from what I saw, you don’t have anything to worry about.”
“Oh God,” Sean groaned. “You should have just let me die.”
Gareth’s expression morphed into one of anger, and Sean trembled.
“Don’t you ever say something so stupid,” he snapped. “Dying is not a laughing matter.”
“I’m sorry,” Sean replied, fighting the urge to bare his neck. He refused to show any submission to the Alpha.
Gareth’s eyebrows lifted. “No, it’s me who should be sorry. I’m all out of sorts. I believe I made you a promise. What’s your favorite food in the whole world?”
That question didn’t even require any thought. “Spaghetti with meat sauce, loads of vegetables, and lots of Parmesan cheese.”
Taking out a phone, Gareth punched in a couple of numbers, repeated the order, said thank you, and hung up. “Dani said she’ll whip up a batch, with enough left over to keep you fed for a week.”
So after a week, he’d be back to hiding in the woods. That would be okay. At least he’d have a chance to regain his strength. He couldn’t stay, though. He’d seen more than one Alpha change when they discovered what Sean was, and that never ended well.
Sean swallowed hard. Even though he hadn’t intended on staying, it still hurt to be dismissed that way. “Thank you. I don’t mean to be any bother. I’ll take the food and go, if that’s okay with you.”
“Wait. What are you talking about? Where will you go?”
Anger surged to the fore. “What do you care? You want me to go, so I’ll go.”
Gareth rushed to Sean’s side and gripped his hand. “What did I say that made you think I wanted you to leave?”
“You said she’d make enough to feed me for a week. I assumed….” Sean’s chin dropped to his chest. “That’s not what you meant, was it?”
The gray-haired man laughed. When Gareth gave him an annoyed look, he shrugged. “What? It’s funny.”
“No, it really isn’t,” Gareth growled.
“Lighten up, Alpha.” He turned to Sean. “I’m Dr. Franklin. You can call me Frank, if you’d like. What our beloved leader is trying to say is that he’s going to make sure you have enough of your favorite food to last several meals if you want it. He’d—well,we’d—prefer if you stay here. You definitely aren’t in any shape to be going out.”
Gareth dropped his gaze. “Yes, what he said. You’re welcome to stay here, Sean.”
Holy shit. Someone actually wanted Sean to stay. Would that offer still be extended if they knew the truth?
Chapter Three
GARETH PACEDin his room. He couldn’t believe he’d gotten tongue-tied around Sean. He was a fucking Alpha, for God’s sake. Even more amazing, Sean hadn’t submitted to him, and his wolf didn’t go berserk. In fact, Gareth’s wolf calmed at the display. It chuffed, then curled up in the dark recesses of Gareth’s mind, completely content.
