Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

J oe threw open the door and the pack stormed in, Zeke behind Joe and Cal, Ross and Dylan at the back. Ross just had time to see the sheer relief on Owen's face before Zeke swept him into his arms, nearly taking down Peter as he did so.

"The meeting isn't over." A shifter, it was funny how Ross could always recognize them now, scowled at Joe. He looked like an older version of Cal. He had to be one of his brothers.

Joe gave him a cool look. "The meeting is over. You're disrespecting my pack and my authority. You need to leave now."

"This is shifter business, human."

"No, this is pack business, wolf. You're on my territory and Owen is part of my pack, not yours." Joe turned to Owen. "Next time you listen to me and Zeke. You need your alpha pair and your mate."

To Ross's shock, Owen bowed his head. "Yes, Alpha Joe."

Ross exchanged a glance with Dylan. Owen never responded to an order. There was a story here which Ross was sure they would hear later.

The wolf snarled at him. "Owen is part of Wild Creek."

"He was your pack, Pope. You exiled him. Now he's a valued member of our pack."

Owen looked as if he wanted to cry. Valued member. Our pack. Words he hadn't heard in a decade when he was rogue.

Ours.

Ross wasn't sure who said it, maybe Cal, but it went across the pack and everyone from Sapphire Ranch nodded, even Peter and Joe Senior. Owen pressed into Zeke who held him tight and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was, Owen nodded furiously.

"We'll wipe you out. All of you. I'll challenge you here," Pope snarled, his fangs lengthening.

Tension rolled across the room, the wolves bristling, ready to shift.

"I'll defend our pack," Joe said stoically.

The shifter curled his lip. "You're a human. You can't beat me in a challenge."

Unfortunately, Pope was correct. There was no way a human could take down even a weaker wolf. Cal was an omega wolf and stronger than Zeke who was at least three times his size. The fact it wasn't in Cal's nature to challenge anyone wasn't relevant. If push came to shove, he could.

"No, but I can," Peter said, "with my alpha's permission. You want to challenge me, beta ?"

Pope blanched. He may be older, but Peter was a superwolf. There was no way the beta could beat him in a challenge.

Joe leaned forward in the shifter's space, seemingly ignoring the sharp fangs close to his neck. "Go back to the Wild Creek pack, Mac Pope, and tell your alpha that none of you and your kind are welcome at Sapphire Ranch again. And until you back the fuck off, you're on your own. The Cavalry will withdraw their protection. You deal with the hunters on your own."

The shifter went pale. "You don't have that authority."

"Try me."

"I can't tell my alpha that. The hunters will wipe us out again."

Joe folded his arms across his chest. "That's your problem, not mine. Sapphire Ranch pack is my problem. And Owen is under my protection."

"You should be led by the true alpha." Pope pointed at Peter.

"We are, Mac," Cal said. It was the first time he'd spoken to his brother. "We're led by an alpha who values each member of his pack, who listens to us. Not one that tries to bully and dominate and crush the weaker members of the pack."

Joe held up his hand as Cal's brother went to speak. "If you say one derogatory word about my mate, I will allow Peter to challenge you."

Pope shut his mouth.

Sensible move, Dylan muttered across their link.

"For God's sake, Mac, enough's enough." Ross turned to see a handsome chestnut-haired man, maybe around thirty-five, who'd been sitting in a corner out of sight. He was a shifter too.

Cal looked over his shoulder and broke into a smile. "Doc."

The doc rolled his eyes. "Since when did you call me that?" He got to his feet and opened his arms wide.

Cal hesitated and flicked a glance at Joe. "You're an unmated wolf."

Ross tensed, waiting for trouble, and noticed the rest of the pack doing the same.

The doc looked over at Joe. "Permission to hug my cousin, alpha."

Joe inclined his head. "Permission granted." But he made it clear just by his tone that he would be watching.

Ross knew that a mated wolf hugging an unmated wolf could cause issues and had led to challenges and wolves dying in extreme circumstances. But the doc hugged Cal and let him go, then he surveyed the pack and his eyes lighted on Dylan.

"You must be the wolf with no memory."

Dylan's spine stiffened and he held his head high. "I am. Dylan Anderson."

Ross moved closer to Dylan so he could lay a comforting hand in the small of his back.

I've got you, mate. You're safe.

Dylan leaned back against him.

The doc nodded but he made no effort to shake hands. "Oliver Pope. And you're mated too."

"He is," Ross growled.

The doc rolled his eyes. "Stand down, human. The fact he's mated is a good thing. You can help your mate to recover his memory.'

"Do you think it's possible I can get my memory back?" Dylan asked.

"That's what we're going to find out. I'll need to examine you."

Ross heard footsteps outside, a knock, and the door opened. Ross was unsurprised to see Milo, Eli, and Niles.

Milo was still wearing the sheriff's badge, although not for much longer. He surveyed the room, then looked at Joe. "Are you all right, alpha? Is Owen okay?"

He could see Owen wrapped in Zeke's arms, but he respected the authority of the alpha. They never used titles, but then they never usually had other wolves here.

"We're all fine," Joe assured him.

"Half-wolf," the shifter snarled at Milo who just narrowed his eyes. He'd heard many insults about his heritage over the years from his mother's pack. This insult was nothing.

Milo curled his lip. "Mac, still an asshole, I see."

"This is your pack?" the doc asked Joe.

"We're all here now."

The doc studied them all. Ross had the uncomfortable feeling he'd stick them under a microscope if he could.

"You're such an interesting concept," the doc murmured.

"Abominations," Pope hissed. The guy clearly didn't know when to shut his mouth.

Cal rolled his eyes. "Why are you being such a hypocrite? You had human lovers. I know you did."

The wolf looked horrified. "I didn't," he spluttered.

But Cal stared at him implacably. "You want me to give you names? Because I can. You think I'm weak? Just remember I have the dirt on all of you. Take that back to your pack and smoke it."

Ross blinked. This was the first time he'd heard Cal talk like this. The omega of their pack wanted to please everyone, and they wanted to make him happy.

Wolves always underestimate the omegas. Dylan pointed out. They are around the packhouse more than anyone else. The alphas and betas and gammas ignore the omegas at their peril.

Ross gave a slight nod to show he'd picked this up. Cal's former pack was all about the hierarchy. And they were Cal's father and brothers, so they picked on Cal constantly.

They were bullies.

That was Owen's hissed contribution. Ross had obviously been projecting again.

I didn't know what a true pack was until I came here. Now Cal joined in.

Someone sniffled. Ross had no idea who it was although he suspected Joe Senior from the way he wiped his eyes.

There is more than one way to run a pack. Peter smiled at Joe and Cal. You have a lot to teach shifters.

I can't wait to see it. Now Owen sounded gleeful.

Zeke tugged his mate back against him. You have a lot to teach me.

Owen rested against his mate. The Wild Creek shifter glared at them, clearly never going to change his mind about anything.

The doc scowled at his pack mate. At least he seemed more open-minded. "I came here to examine Dylan. Not get into a fight about pack grievances."

Joe gave a curt nod. "Ross, take Dylan and the doctor into the kitchen. Eli, can you arrange a guard for Mr. Pope? I don't want him anywhere near the rest of the pack, especially Owen or Cal."

"Done," Eli growled.

The shifter sneered. "Humans can't stop me."

Eli fixed him with a pointed stare. "They aren't human, wolf."

Cal gave his brother a wickedly evil grin. "The mistake you always made was thinking wolves were the top of the food chain."

The Cavalry had been building a multi-species shifter detachment, just for circumstances like this. Especially for circumstances like this. There was a reason the shifters were known in the Cavalry as ‘Owens'. Ross wondered if Owen knew. Then he saw the smug look on Owen's face. Of course he knew. Ross had a feeling this was probably his concept.

They filed back into the kitchen, leaving the huge grizzly bears with the wolf. Ross took a deep breath. There had been too many people inside the small room. He felt as if he could breathe now.

Dylan stepped into his space and reached for a kiss. "Stay with me?" he asked when he pulled back.

"I'm not moving from your side," Ross promised, pushing a bang away from Dylan's cheek. No handsome wolf was laying hands on his mate without Ross watching his every move.

Dylan smirked at him, but he didn't step away as Ross held him gently. Now you're being ridiculous. You're more handsome than anyone else in the room.

Ross made a growly noise, but his jealous hackles were soothed by Dylan's immediate compliment. He looked around and saw Eli deep in conversation with Niles and the doc.

Dylan followed his gaze. "That's not suspicious at all."

"Can't you listen in?" Ross knew shifters had exceptional hearing.

"I can and I think I did when I was working." Dylan tapped his head. "I kind of remember that. It's rude to listen in without being invited. I know how to switch my hearing on and off. Living in a pack makes you do that. No one wants to have the whole pack listening into every conversation they have. Especially the alphas."

"I'm jealous," Ross admitted. "My job would have been so much easier if I'd known what stupid things my clients were about to do."

"But life wouldn't nearly be so much fun."

Ross ran a thumb over Dylan's sharp cheekbone. "Life has only been fun since I met you."

Dylan stared into his eyes. "I'm sure that's not true." But he sounded breathy and somewhat hopeful.

"You'll just have to stay with me to find out."

"Do you think you could put your mate down for five minutes to get examined?" Eli asked.

"Have you finished talking about us?" Dylan snarked.

The doc chuckled. "You've got your hands full here, Watkins."

Eli sighed. "You have no idea. Use the kitchen if that's all right with you, Cal." He bowed his head.

Showing respect to the alpha mate in front of his old pack had been the right thing to do. Cal beamed at him, and there was a wash of contentment across the pack link.

"Sure. We'll clear out of here. I need to go shopping."

"Zeke and I'll go with you," Owen said.

Ross had a feeling Owen needed a break from the Wild Creek pack.

Eli turned to Ross and Dylan. "Niles and I need to talk, and Milo has to get back to work, but you have five grizzlies, two tigers, and a puma in the house."

"And us," Joe Senior said. "With Ross and Dylan's permission, we'll stay in the kitchen."

The doc grinned. "I'm not the wolf with the issues but by all means, protect your pack. I'll make sure it's reported back to my alpha. In full detail."

"Let's do this," Dylan said. "Fix my brain, doc."

"I'm not a miracle worker," the doc protested.

Ross gave him a long cool stare. "Then you need to step up."