Hybrid: First Rare Wolf (Rare Wolves Book 1) Page 7

  Baron rolled his eyes and threw a pair of sweats at my chest, which I caught and pulled on.

  “What did you think you were doing, Tessa?” My voice was low and deep.

  Baron looked at me confused. He knew I was angry, but he didn’t know why. “What’s going on, Shane?”

  I didn’t look at my Alpha, just stalked forward another couple of steps, my eyes glued to the woman cowering behind her Alphas.

  “Tessa came to the compound. Which I told everyone not to do. She jumped into the enclosure with the pups and challenged Holden, who is human.”

  “She was just curious, Shane.” Miranda interjected, protecting her sister like always.

  “No.” My silver eyes went icy cold, causing those who saw them to shiver. Baron was Alpha only because I was not at all interested in challenging him for the Alpha spot. I could take it. I had always been the strongest wolf, even before I had gone off to war. I never wanted to be Alpha. Or at least, not of this Pack.

  The others knew. We ignored it and let Baron be Alpha.

  I knew, though, it took more than strength to run a Pack. It took wisdom and discipline. Baron’s only blind spot was Miranda. And, by association, Miranda’s sister.

  Miranda was always protecting Tessa. I was so over it. Tessa was not high in our Pack. If Miranda hadn’t been the Alpha female, we wouldn’t even be here discussing this. They should allow me to punish her for interfering with the pups’ progress. Heck, she shouldn’t have gone near them at all. It was well over time to discipline this self-serving, egotistical bitch.

  Baron eyed the woman in question. “Why did you disobey his command, Tessa? You know Shane had declared it off bounds because of the pups. Those were his brother’s pups. He knows best how to bring them into the Pack.”

  Tessa stood up a little, still staying behind her sister. “They looked okay to me. That male pup attacked me.”

  Baron’s head swung back to me, as Miranda gasped. “Is that true?”

  I growled, my wolf wanting to take over and defend my new Pack. “Yes. She jumped into their area and challenged Holden. Soren defended both his space and his sisters. And Holden. Tessa threw him against a tree, knocking him out. Holden got between her and the pup before she could do any more damage. Except she is human and didn’t know she was challenging Tessa by not looking away. She was, in her mind, protecting her charge that she was trying to bring back from death. Tessa was wrong. She shouldn’t have been there.”

  Tessa sobbed. “You are never here anymore, Shane. I don’t understand what takes up all your time there!”

  “My brother’s pups!” I roared, my Alpha powers rising with my anger. Many of the wolves went submissive, dropping to their bellies if they were in wolf form. Those who looked human dropped their eyes, and some fell to their knees.

  Tessa dropped to her knees, while her sister barely stayed standing. Baron dropped his head, shaking it, watching Tessa from the corner of his eyes. I knew I was pushing this issue for him, but he needed to take a stand.

  Tessa wouldn’t stop.

  “I could be their surrogate mother, Shane. We could, between us, take care of them, and make them whole. You don’t need that human!”

  “Tessa, you know nothing about caring for pups.” Max melted into sight from the shadows, his voice stern. He must have followed me, knowing that I was coming here. “Soren has gained five pounds since Holden has been with them. The pups are still wary of other wolves, given how Soren reacted to you. They are not communicating via the Pack bonds yet. They are not acting like Pack with us. Yet, they protected her. They are acting like Pack with her.” His gaze traveled to others there. “Holden has created a miracle with those pups. In just a few days. We will introduce them to the Pack gradually, but there is a bond forming between them and her. A bond built on grief.”

  Guilt flooded me. I don’t think I had told Max I had talked with Lexi via our fledging Pack bonds. Of how strong my Pack bonds with the pups were becoming. I wasn’t sure why I withheld that information, but I didn’t want to bring it up now, with Baron standing here, glowering.

  Baron looked at the doctor, his eyes narrowing. “Grief?”

  Max nodded. “Holden is grieving for her husband, who had died in the last year in a car accident. The pups are grieving the loss of their parents and whatever had happened in that lab. Like is connecting to like. They are healing.”

  Tessa foolishly stood up and took a step towards me. “I would like to help. Let me help. Perhaps they would bond with me.”

  I looked at Baron, my eyes growing darker. Baron knew that I wouldn’t allow the other woman near my nieces and nephew, even if she hadn’t broken my decree. It was Max who answered her.

  “You know nothing about grief, Tessa. You are selfish. You are a spoiled brat. You don’t even recognize your place in the Pack.”

  The words were sharp, cutting straight to the point. Several of the wolves surrounding us nodded. It was a true assessment of the Alpha’s sister-in-law. The wolf wasn’t even beta quality and yet she schemed and lied her way to things she didn’t work for. The Pack knew she was scheming for me, for no other reason except my standing in the Pack. Because I was Beta and could be Alpha if I wanted the position.

  Baron knew this. He chose a more diplomatic approach than Max, though.

  “No, Tessa. Wait until they introduce us to the pups. Do not go to the compound. Do not challenge Holden. Ever. I will let it go this time, but Shane will determine your punishment if you disobey and go there without permission again.”

  Baron sounded tired. I wondered if being Alpha was tiring him out, or if it was just dealing with Tessa and the issues she brought to our group. Our Pack was huge. It was a huge responsibility.

  Baron turned and walked into his cabin. Miranda put her hand up to her mouth, turning to follow him.

  This was different. It was always the Alpha who meted out punishment. Here, though, he had given it over to me, his Beta. She knew her sister had crossed a line that she may not get back over.

  “Shane!” Tessa cried out, taking another step towards me. She was oblivious to what she had done.

  Miranda whirled around and grabbed her arm, stopping her. For the first time, she showed her displeasure with her sister. She shook her, Tessa’s mouth falling open as she stared back.

  I took another step towards them, my voice low. “I will never mate with you, Tessa. Find another wolf. Leave my pups alone. Leave Holden alone. Leave the compound alone. Leave. Us. Alone.”

  Miranda’s eyes went wide. She heard the possession in my voice. She heard the beginnings of a mate bond in how I spoke Holden’s name. She pulled her sister behind her, rushing into the cabin, her sister stumbling after her. As they went through the doorway, though, Tessa glared back at me, her face ugly with anger.

  “I think you just made an enemy of that one, Shane.” Max commented beside me.

  “She had no right. She could have done a lot of damage to those pups today.”

  Max studied me. “And to Holden.” He paused and then continued. “Soren is okay. Limited bumps and bruises, but nothing major. Impressive weight gain, though. I thought he looked a little bigger, given how he had attacked, but it was surprising how much he has changed in just a few days. I will weigh and measure the girls tomorrow, but whatever Holden is doing has been a miracle. I think they are thriving because of her.”

  I nodded, still staring at the cabin door. The rest of the Pack dispersed, melting into the village and the surrounding trees.

  Max added softly, “I think the cubs are taking her as their surrogate mother. She appears to be Pack to them, even if she isn’t a wolf. I think they will protect her as a Pack would.”

  Max studied me as I relaxed. I could see the small smile, his suspicions obvious but unspoken. Darn. I wasn’t doing a good job hiding my connection to Holden.

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yes, Holden has been a miracle. I suspect part of it is because the pups can see she is hurting just a
s much as they are, albeit for a different reason.”

  Max nodded, not pushing his point.

  I turned and melted into the forest. Max knew I needed to shift and run to get rid of some of my angry energy. I hoped to hunt, because I needed to feed my wolf, both physically and mentally.

  Chapter 11

  Holden

  “Holden? Holden! Where are the pups?”

  I stretched out under the warm covers. My toes kneaded one furry body while I felt another take a deep yawn around my knees. Lexi just snuggled in closer to my shoulder, her nose warm and moist against my neck.

  Huh. That had sounded like Max.

  The man burst open the bedroom door, stopping to stare at the scene in my bed.

  Neither Max nor Shane had returned last night, and I knew I wouldn’t feel comfortable sleeping outside after watching that wolf jump the fence. Except, when I had moved into the bedroom, the pups had followed me, not allowing me to leave their sight.

  Since we were all nervous, I had surrendered, letting them sleep with me in the large bedroom. The plan was for me to use the bed and for them to lay on blankets on the floor. At some point, though, they must have snuggled in on the bed, like they did when we had slept outside.

  I yawned. “Sorry, Max. I didn’t feel safe sleeping outside after that wolf had just hopped over the wall. The pups didn’t leave my side at all after the ordeal. So, we all slept in here.”

  Max slumped down against the door frame. “Understandable. I just thought someone had taken them.”

  I sat up at that. “If you thought that, then I think we must reinforce the fence. Today. Make it taller, harder to get over. I don’t want some mangy dog trying to hurt my babies.”

  All three pups looked up at me at that and gave me their weird puppy grins.

  I could just imagine Lexi saying something like She’s ours, Uncle Max to him.

  It startled me to see Max widened his eyes in astonishment. Lexi just gazed at him. I wondered what he thought her look meant.

  The pup snorted and Max just shook his head. Huh. Once more, I sensed I was missing something. Something going on right under my nose, and I could sense it, but not quite figure out what it was.

  Before I could ask Max, Lexi got up, stretched, and then jumped down to the floor. She wandered out into the living room, her siblings following her on silent feet.

  I watched them momentarily before glancing at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed. “Damn it! It’s nine o’clock already. They need their breakfast.”

  Max put up a hand. “Let me feed them, Holden. Shower and get dressed. Take your time. I also need to weigh and measure Betta and Lexi. Did Shane come back last night?”

  I figured he knew the man hadn’t. I wouldn’t have been nervous if Shane had stayed with us.

  I shook my head and disappeared into the attached bathroom.

  Max

  She’s ours, Uncle Max. I always could talk to you and Uncle Shane. We just didn’t feel the need to. But you need to protect our new mama.

  I was shocked. Lexi had talked to me. And yet, it was not via the bonds of Baron’s Pack. This was a different communication path. I wondered if any of them had talked to Shane yet.

  Still somewhat in a daze, I made my way into the kitchen. The pups were exploring the living room, after having drank all of the water in the large bowls in the kitchen. I opened the doors to the deck so they could go outside if needed, before refilling the water bowls.

  Heading out to my car, I got a large bowl of rabbit meat and a small box with holes punched into it. Scratching noises could be heard coming from inside the box.

  I grinned. This would be a different meal time. The pups needed to learn how to hunt. The extra meat in the bowl was to make sure they got enough nutrition, since they were still catching up on considerable growth right now. But first, they needed to get a taste of live food.

  I put the bowl into the frig and then moved outside onto the deck with the box. All three pups were out there, laying in the sun, near their den.

  Putting the box down, I sat on the stairs so I could be closer to the pups.

  “Today we will hunt. These are just mice. If they get away, you will have lost a tasty treat. If you catch most of them, then we will move up to more yummy things like rabbit, which is what is in your breakfast this morning. Live rabbit is so much better than day old rabbit, though, kids. I just want to let you know. So, come over here so we can play.”

  Soren came over immediately. I figured that the male pup would probably be an Alpha or Beta when he was grown, given how quickly he had protected Holden from Tessa. Betta moved a little closer, but Lexi remained where she was, watching her siblings through half-closed eyes.

  I grimaced. Well, one pup was better than none. I reached into the box and took out a mouse, dangling it in front of Soren’s mouth. The pup snapped at it, snatching it out of my hand before putting a paw on it and biting it into two.

  I jumped. The pup was fast. Definitely leadership quality there. He finished the mouse, spitting out the head before looking expectantly at me for more. I chuckled.

  “This one you will have to catch yourself, Soren.” I chastised. Pulling out a mouse, I let it loose on the ground in front of the stairs.

  Soren was after it in a flash. The mouse scampered into a bush, but the wolf pup flushed it out and almost got it. It ran to his left but suddenly Betta was there, snapping it up and swallowing it whole. The male pup slid to a stop and growled softly at his sister. I chortled at the smug look Betta wore.

  “Good going, Betta! Soren, that is how you work as a Pack. One flushes out the game, the other does the killing. Unfortunately, these are so small that killing means eating.”

  “Come on, Lexi. Let’s get you into this fun game.” Holden came out of the house to join us, her feet bare. She cradled a coffee mug in her hands.

  Lexi had sat up to watch her siblings hunt, but she hadn’t made her way to the ground yet. Holden gently nudged the pup with her foot. She yipped and then slowly got to her feet and made her way down the stairs.

  Holden came and sat on the stairs next to me. “How many do you have? Release two this time?”

  I chuckled. “I had ten, but Soren ate the first one when I showed it to him. Snatched it right out of my hand. Betta got the second, which I think made him mad. Let’s do two and see who doesn’t get one this time.”

  Holden rolled her eyes. “My bet is on Lexi. She really doesn’t seem to be interested.”

  The pup in question was laying at the bottom of the stairs, watching her siblings.

  I grinned evilly, pulling out two mice. I sneakily set them down close to the lazy pup before letting them go.

  One mouse ran away from all the wolf pups, while the other ran right underneath her. Lexi leaped a foot in the air before coming down. Betta already chased that mouse, while Soren had gone after the other. Lexi growled and then ran after her sister. Before Betta could turn around, the mouse had changed direction, running directly at Lexi who snapped it up, crunching it down immediately. Betta looked at her sister sadly.

  Soren triumphantly came out of the grass with a mouse tail hanging out of his mouth.

  “Poor Betta!” Holden laughed easily.

  “Well, she has had one already.” I consoled. “Should we let the rest go? I am okay if some of them win their freedom.”

  Holden grinned back. “Yes, lets. Okay, pups, it’s a contest! Five, no six, mice are left. All being let go. If any get away, either you get them later or they have earned their freedom. Ready?”

  The pups lined up haphazardly in front of us. Holden pulled her feet up close to her, as I dumped the rest of the mice out of the box. The pups flew around, hunting the rodents.

  Holden screamed and jumped up. One mouse had climbed the steps and had ran over her toes. Lexi was there in a flash, snapping up the mouse before running back to continue to see how many more she could get.

  “Look at you, Ms. Wolf Biologist. Afrai
d of a tiny mouse.” I just had to tease her.

  “Yep. Not even going to deny it.” Holden looked around carefully and then decided that she would just retreat for now. “I am going… in there… to get the bowl of meat. Yes, that is it. The bowl.” She made a hasty retreat for the house.

  I roared in laughter. It had to have been the mouse on her foot that had spooked the woman. I glanced out over the enclosure and saw a silver wolf skulking in the bushes.

  “She’s afraid of a mouse!” I yelled, letting Shane know what he was missing.

  The wolf pups came back and laid down, panting hard.

  “So, of the six, how many did you get?” I inquired.

  Two. Betta answered first.

  One. Soren’s answer was sullen.

  Two, but Holden caught one for me. Lexi laughed.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the silver wolf do a slow blink. Shane didn’t seem surprised the pups were talking, but he was that they were talking to me. Interesting. That wolf would have some explaining to do.

  “Well, Soren, you had two already. You each got three, so one got away.” I counted.

  Uncle Shane got one. Soren pouted. I chased it towards him, and it escaped through the fence but he was there and he ate it.

  I laughed harder, holding my stomach. Shane grinned at me from the bushes before slipping away, right before Holden came back out, sneakers on her feet and the large bowl in her hand.

  I stood up. “Wait up a minute, Holden. I would like to weigh Betta and Lexi before they gorge themselves on rabbit.”

  I grabbed Betta and walked over to the outdoor area that I had turned into my medical office. Lexi climbed the stairs and laid down near Holden’s feet.

  “Silly wolf pup!” Holden smiled down at the pup. “Saving me from a little mouse.”

  Lexi gave her a look like Seriously? You were screaming, woman!

  I came back with Betta, dropping her near Lexi before picking her up. “Humph, Lexi. You are much heavier than you were even a few days ago. You must weigh about as much as a bunny rabbit now!”