Page 14 of The Wolf's Secret Twins

Once Gertie captured the attention of the crew by knocking into a table of tools, I slid right into place like I’d always been around. I perused the structure with my hard hat on, checking everything to make sure it was sturdy, done properly, checking the boxes on my clipboard like usual.

Scribbles filled the space between conversation and the sounds of tools. The footsteps that echoed behind me were noted—I just hadn’t felt like acknowledging them yet. It was probably Wendell checking in about Gertie’s outlandish claim of me being present the whole morning.

But when I turned around, I was met by the kind and gentle smile of Alpha Troy.

I bowed my head. “Sir, I’m sorry. I thought you were Wendell.”

“I told him to go home. He appeared haggard. Thanks to your dedicated worker, Gertie, we were able to get him off his feet before he fainted.”

I gaped at him. “Oh, I didn’t realize—”

“That he was on another work binge?” Troy chuckled lightly. “Even his mate can’t always convince him to rest. That’s why we have a community—a pack. To help each other.”

My heart hammered as I realized he was talking about something he wasn’t saying outright. Was it because I had been gone all morning? Had Gertie spilled the beans? If that was the case, then she wasn’t getting her “burgie” special at the Greasy Doorknob, or whatever it was.

“Sorry, Alpha,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to skip work. I just—”

“I’m not here about that. I’m here to apologize for trying to pair you with someone who…” A wrinkle creased his eyebrows. “I was unaware of your history with Miss Denton. She’s a wonderful woman. However, I wouldn’t want to start a fight within the pack over your family history.”

I tapped the pen on my clipboard. “Yeah, well…history or not, Alpha, there’s something you should know.”

“I’m listening, dear friend.”

“Ginny—I mean,Virginiawas telling me that this guy Bentley has been bothering her for a good while now,” I explained. “I caught him trying to hurt her after the meeting.”

The creases in his brows deepened. “Where?When?” He scoffed as he looked away. “IknewI shouldn’t have left her by herself. Something seemed off yesterday.”

“I followed her. I felt like something was off too.”

“Slater, I appreciate your effort to protect your pack members, especially ones who have done you harm in the past.”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing.”

“It’severything.” He held my shoulders with a firm touch that resonated with comfort. “You make me proud, dear friend. You’re the type of shifter we need in our community. You’ve set an example for everyone. The way our members reacted to her reveal was—”

I growled. “Disgusting.”

Troy nodded while gently releasing me. “Precisely, Slater. My sentiments exactly. I will bring Bentley in for justice. Stalking and assault are serious crimes that require punishment.”

“What about Virginia and her kids?”

“What about them? They’re afforded the same care and protection as everyone else in the pack.”

I frowned. “Except for when it comes to having a mate. And she’s already facing heat at the school with the other parents. How long will that behavior be permitted until it’s punished?”

“Has anyone else been stalking her?”

“Well, no.”

Troy stared at me with a blank expression for a long time. While I didn’t get the feeling that I was in trouble, I knew he was studying my every reaction. He was searching for something. For what, it wasn’t clear.

“Does something else weigh your heart, dear friend?” Troy asked in a low whisper. “You seem troubled.”

That was one word for it. With Virginia going into protective care with the alphas, I didn’t have a reason to hang around her house. There was something satisfying about making sure she was safe, and something even more satisfying about resting my head closer to her than I had been in ten years.

So, yes. I was troubled. I was worried about Virginia and her kids—and I had no real reason to be concerned with a woman whose family had screwed us over ages ago.

I scratched the side of my head. “Yeah, no. I’m good, Alpha.”

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