“Agreed,” Ezra said as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
“My name is Shannon Wells,” she said, her voice quieter. “And I am the Alpha. This is John and his brother, James.”
John’s scowl deepened.
James gave a nervous little wave.
“And this is my second,” Shannon said, jerking her head toward the other man, “Malik.”
Malik didn’t say a word.
“You are welcome in my territory,” Shannon said. “But if I suspect there is anything untoward happening, I will kill you both, consequences be damned. Do you believe me?”
“Yes,” Ezra said. “I do.”
“Good. Pull your car up next to the barn. It’s almost time for dinner. You can join us if you wish. I’m sure you have much to say, whether I want to hear it or not.”
The interior of the farmhouse was more modern than I expected, though it still seemed to be a work in progress. It smelled faintly of wet paint, so it had to have been a month or two since they’d done it. Mostly it smelled like the four of them, like a pack home should.
Off to the left of the entryway was a large living room, a sectional couch surrounding a TV mounted above a fireplace. I was amused to see a stack of old black-and-white monster movies on a bookshelf. They all seemed to be about werewolves.
“I like them,” a voice said.
I glanced over to see James standing beside me, nervously wringing his hands. “Yeah? I’ve seen a lot of them. Pretty good. Funny. Got a bunch of stuff wrong, but some of it isn’t so far off. Makes you wonder if any wolves actually worked on them, you know?”
He nodded, looking relieved. “It’s—”
“Jimmy,” John said, voice rough. “Come here.”
Jimmy’s eyes widened, and he took a step back toward his brother. John wrapped an arm around his shoulders, glaring at me as if he thought I was about to attack Jimmy. His expression softened as he glanced over at Jimmy. He leaned over and kissed the side of his head. “Stay by me, okay?”
Jimmy looked annoyed but didn’t argue.
Malik disappeared up the stairs in front of us without a look back as Ezra crossed the threshold. Shannon came in behind him and closed the door.
“No wards,” Ezra said as if he were commenting on the weather.
“No witch,” Shannon said. “Though I think you already knew that.”
“I could help you with that, if you’d like.”
“I wouldn’t like that at all.”
Ezra’s only reply was to nod. He stood with his hands clasped behind him, waiting for Shannon to take the lead.
“Upstairs is off-limits,” she said, and I couldn’t get over how young she was. “I don’t want you in our rooms. Malik has an office downstairs where he works, and we can use that after we eat.”
“Of course,” Ezra said. “Whatever you think is best, Alpha.” He looked over at me and smiled.
Dinner was, in a word, awkward.
Malik stayed silent, always watching.
Jimmy tried to keep the conversation going, but anytime I tried to answer him, John would tell his brother to be quiet.
Shannon didn’t look apologetic in the slightest. I didn’t blame her.
It wasn’t until Ezra spoke, halfway through the meal, that it took a turn.
He wiped his mouth almost daintily before spreading his napkin back on his lap. “John, was it?”
John tightened his grip on his fork. “Yeah? What about it?”
“Are you all right?”
“Fine.”
“You’re happy?”
“Yes.” He didn’t sound happy.
Ezra nodded, glancing at Jimmy. “And you take care of your brother, I see.”
John looked at Shannon, who jerked her chin in response. He said, “I do. But he takes care of me too. It’s what we do for each other. We’re pack.”
“He’s bigger,” Jimmy said, sounding proud.
“And he’s smarter,” John said, sounding pissed off, but not at his brother. All the venom in his voice was meant for us. I wondered what he’d been told. Why his animosity was so blatant.
“Good,” Ezra said. “Keeps things even. You depend on one another.”
“But we can take care of ourselves,” John retorted. “Jimmy may be small, but he can kick your asses if he needs to.”
“I’m hard-core,” Jimmy agreed.
Shannon sighed.
Malik didn’t say a word.
“I bet you are,” I said. “People make assumptions about things they shouldn’t. I bet you prove them wrong all the time.”
Jimmy grinned at me.
John did not.
“And you’re in school?” Ezra asked as if we were among friends.
They looked to Shannon again. She nodded.
“We’re almost done with our junior year,” John said begrudgingly. “We have a few weeks left until summer break.”
“And are there any other wolves at your school?”
Jimmy shook his head. “No. We’re the only ones. And we don’t tell anyone about us.” He fidgeted in his seat. “Promise.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Ezra said. “Most people wouldn’t understand.”
Malik cleared his throat and spoke for the first time. His accent was thicker than I expected, sounding sweet and almost musical. “And you should be studying for finals since you’ve finished, correct?”
Jimmy groaned.
John rolled his eyes.
“Yes,” Malik said. “Such a terrible life you lead. Up, up. I’ll take care of the chores tonight. Jimmy, I want to see that math book open. John, I’ve looked over your essay and made some suggestions. Read through it and make any changes you deem necessary.”
Jimmy looked like he was going to argue, glancing at me, but John grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward the stairs.
Shannon looked up at the ceiling as the boys made enough noise for a dozen people. “They’ll hear every word you say, even if they’re not supposed to listen in.”
“We’re not listening!” Jimmy shouted from somewhere above us.
“I’m sure they will,” Ezra said with a chuckle. “It’s not every day they get to hear from another pack.”
Malik and Shannon exchanged a look. “We’re fine on our own. We don’t need anyone else.”
“Wolves are pack creatures,” Ezra said.
“And we have a pack.”
Ezra sipped his tea. “I can see that. Your mother took them in, correct? After they had no one else?”
“Yes. They’ve been with us since they were little. They don’t know anyone else.” Her eyes narrowed. “And they won’t have to. They’re not going anywhere.” It was a challenge.
I was alarmed. “Oh, hey, no. Of course nothing’s going to happen. That’s not why we’re here.” And, because it felt right, I added, “And I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Alpha Hughes spoke highly of her.”
Shannon stared at me without acknowledgment.
“Why are you here?” Malik asked.
“Because Alpha Hughes was worried,” I said. “She cares about all the wolves. She’s not trying to take anything from you. Not your pack. Not your territory. All she wants are open lines of communication. We’re better off together than we’ll ever be apart. There is strength in numbers.”