Page 60 of Same Difference
“You’re being offered Alpha of my old Pack?” she whispered.
He still didn’t look up, and he didn’t answer.
“Why would he be offered that?” Tabian asked. “It’s a big Pack with a long history of strong Alphas. They coach up members to take over that position. They usually only take legacy Alphas who have been in the Pack for a long time, not strangers.”
“Well, I think they’re having an Alpha problem right now, and Nate won a fight with the reigning one.”
“Holy shit, man,” Vic uttered, sitting up straighter in his chair. A smile transformed his face, and he threw a roll at Nate. “Congratulations! Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because I don’t know if I will accept the position yet.”
“You don’t know if you will go be an Alpha in an Elder sanctioned Pack, with all of the resources you could ever need?” Tabian said.
“I just have some stuff to think about before I make the decision.”
“Like what?” Vic demanded. “You’re an unofficial Second in a Pack of Rogues, living out of a hotel because there isn’t a house for you here. Why would you turn it down?”
“It’s personal,” Nathan growled.
“Cool, well that’s a bullshit answer—”
“Why are you all so eager to get rid of me?” he asked.
“Because you suck?” Dodger guessed.
An open beer hit him directly in the face, and hard. Delta gasped as she ducked out of the way of the flying liquid, and when she opened her eyes, Nathan already had Dodger’s throat in his hand and was dragging him out of the house.
In a bland voice, Liam called, “The order is lifted. You may fight. Work your shit out.”
The front door slammed, and Delta jumped with the sound.
Vic and Tabian shot up, and Bridger followed them out, and then Liam, leaving Nory and Delta at the table.
“Did you know he was being offered Alpha?” Delta whispered to her in horror.
“No. I just now found out too. Maybe it happened today? Liam didn’t tell me.”
“He has to do it. He has to take Heritage, right?”
“He’ll stay,” Nory said, her eyes wide. There was an uncertain note to her voice.
“The opportunity is too big.”
“But he chose to come back here with you. He’s been asking about you all week. He will stay for you. I know he will.”
Yeah, but now their Arrangement was dissolved. “Nory…what do I do?”
Nory shook her head helplessly. “I don’t know.”
Delta stood so fast, her chair fell back, and Nory followed her out of the house, shrugging into her jacket as she tried to catch up.
Outside, on the edge of the clearing, Nathan had peeled his shirt over his head and paced in the snow, blazing gold eyes on Dodger as he removed his shirt too.
Dodger went straight to kicking out of his pants and was the first one Changed. An enormous light silver wolf ripped out of him, and he charged Nathan.
Delta’s heart was in her throat as she gasped. Nathan was human! He would be hurt!
But the second Dodger’s wolf reached him, he Changed in an instant and arched his back and threw Dodger’s wolf onto the ground.
