Chapter 1

Chapter

One

R ory Calhoun was…itchy.

Not bored, necessarily. He had a lot to do. Shipments to distribute from his uncles and shit. Kids to watch when the omega wolves needed a babysitter and some adult time with their mates.

He loved it. He really did. He wasn’t lonely like he had been down at the little outpost where he’d grown up. The pack had taken him in. But he was still…restless.

His feet itched, so he started walking, needing to maybe go to the stream and wander along the banks.

The children were roaming now that summer was in full swing, coming home filthy and exhausted, snarfing up their suppers, taking their baths, and collapsing. There was way less in the way of weaving, knitting, and crocheting.

Canning. All the ladies and many of the male omegas were canning, and while Rory knew the basics of all that, he was just in the way, really. He would deliver some of the canned goods down to the trading post to sell at some point, but they only needed so many people chopping veg…

So he was on his own for a hot minute, and he was loving it.

Seriously. Just loving it.

Even if he was restless.

God, he was such a dork.

He grabbed a couple of flat rocks to skip, because that had always been one of his favorite things when the water levels were down in the summer.

A low growl had him tilting his head, his nostrils flaring. “Who’s there?”

He heard the sound again, and he tried to decide whether to crouch down at the stream level or try to fade into the woods. His heart pounded, and sweat gathered on his skin.

He couldn’t take a wolf. He knew it. He was just a guy.

Rory took a deep breath. “Hey. I’m not here to trespass or anything. I can move along. Seriously. I’m one of Keegan and Jameson’s pack.”

A huge silvery-gray wolf stepped out of the brush on the other side of the creek, padding forward, head down, teeth bared.

Oh, shit. Shit. Don’t run , he told himself. That just makes you prey. How many times had Zeke told him that. Hopefully, that crazy dragon had the right of it, even if he was across some damn mythical veil now.

“Hey, I don’t want trouble.” The wolf’s markings were unfamiliar, his coloring not like the reddish tones of most of the pack…

Then Rory saw the bloody wound on the wolf’s left shoulder.

“Oh no! Oh, honey. Let me get you help.” He grabbed his phone, not even hesitating.

A sharp bark made him almost drop the phone.

“I swear. I’m just getting someone here who can help. I suck at medical shit.”

The wolf waded into the water, coming ever closer, and he wondered for a crazy moment if this was one of the wolves Jameson had banished a while back. Like a bad-guy wolf.

He glanced into bright blue eyes. No.

No, he didn’t believe that was the case.

“No attacking. I’m going to get you help. I’m a good guy. I have a pack—I mean, they let me in. You know I’m not a wolf…”

He texted Jameson. I need help. There’s a wounded wolf here by the creek.

OMW

Jameson wasn’t much of a texter, but he was a man of action.

The wolf padded right up to him, then that nose hit his crotch, the wolf sniffing deeply.

Oh, oops. His eyes went wide. “Uh. No biting, man. I’m friend, not foe. Or food. I doubt I smell like food, though. I have some water in my pack, maybe an oatmeal cookie?”

The big guy panted, his blood leaking down to stain the ground.

Right. Wounded. “I have an extra shirt in my bag. Let me get it, and I can at least get the bleeding slowed down.” Rory made a show of moving his hands slowly. “I promise. Just a shirt.”

The big wolf eased to sitting and then kind of…keeled over on his good side. And he sure wasn’t asking for belly rubs.

“Oh, sweet wolf. I’m so sorry. Let’s get the bleeding slowed and then we’ll get the healers. Niall is amazing, and so are Linda and Lacey…” He just kept jabbering as he got the shirt out and gingerly tried to cover the wound.

A soft sound came out of the wolf. In a less alpha-looking specimen, he would have said it was a whine.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Someone is coming…”

The sound of Jameson’s truck rattled to him, and he gave a sigh of relief.

“Jameson! Over here! It looks bad.” And he didn’t want this one to be hurt.

“Coming.” Jameson squealed to a stop as close as he could without wrecking the truck. “I had to bring the truck because we won’t all fit in the side by side. Let me see.”

“I don’t know him, but he’s—” Gorgeous. “—needing our help.”

“He’s not familiar to me either, and he doesn’t smell like pack or like the banished. They shot him, I would guess.”

One big paw came up, resting on Rory’s leg.

He jumped a little, but he thought he got it. Don’t leave me, that paw said. I trust you.

“I’m right here. I won’t go anywhere, I promise. I told you, this is a good place.”

The panting got more and more shallow, and Jameson gave him a grim look. “He’s going into shock. I need to lift him. Make sure he doesn’t bite me.”

“Okay. We’re going somewhere we can get help now. I’m with you.” Rory rubbed those crazy cool ears. “This is going to hurt, but I won’t leave you. I promise. You found me.”

The words just poured out of him, like they were what he was supposed to say.

That low sound came to him again, and he winced. God, that hurt his soul. He hated that this wolf was in pain.

“You sit with him and keep him as still as you can,” Jameson said, settling the injured wolf on blankets in the back of the truck. “This is bouncy.”

“I’ll stay with him.” He offered the big wolf a smile. “Help is coming. Or we’re going to help. You know what I mean.”

That big paw pressed against him again, the wolf’s eyes closed now, the blood still sluggishly seeping out from under his shirt bandage.

“You’re going to be all right. I’m here.” He slowly stroked the soft ruff. “You’re fine.”

The paw got heavy on his arm.

“No. Stay with me, okay? I need you to look at me. Please.” Please don’t die , he thought.

Not…dying. Just so tired.

Oh, honey. You can rest. I just want you to be all right. If it wasn’t real, answering couldn’t hurt anything, and if he heard the wolf, then it would help.

They’re a good pack?

Amazing. They took me in, and they didn’t have to.

I trust you. And with that, the wolf went limp .

“Hurry, Jameson! He’s passed out.”

“Good. I don’t have to be so careful! Hold on.”

“I’m on it.” He held onto the truck with one hand and the wolf with his other. He didn’t want them falling out. They came to a stop not much later at the village, people pouring out of cabins.

Rory refused to leave the wolf. He’d made a promise, and he would keep it. So he stuck close as Jameson carried the wolf to the healer’s hut, his legs giving out so he flopped down next to the pallet they laid the wolf on.

“Can you help him?”

“Of course we can. He’s weak, but the wound is clean, still.” One of the healers swatted at him. “Have faith.”

“I want to. He’s just hurting really bad.” And it made him want to bawl. He wished he had some sort of magical healing ability, but he was just a dude who hauled shit up and down the mountain.

He was a fairly reasonable babysitter and a half-fine cook too, but it wasn’t anything that fixed anything.

“Then sit with him and evince your will to the universe, Rory. Tell him he has to recover.”

“I can do that.” Don’t give up, pretty wolf. You’ve come so far. Please. Don’t give up. It would…it would break my heart.

No…breaking you. That mental voice was thready. Faint. But there. And…amused?

No. No breaking me, please. He didn’t need that. He was finally feeling like there was somewhere he could be.

I’m—I’m here. That fluffy tail moved just slightly.

You’re beautiful. I’m Rory. Rory Calhoun. What’s your name?

Fen. My name is Fen. The mental voice seemed a little stronger, as if Rory gave him something to focus on.

“His name is Fen.” I’m so glad to meet you. Honest.

“Good. That’s good.” The healer gave him an odd glance but kept working on Fen’s shoulder. “Stay with us, Fen.”

Yeah, no leaving. I want to get to know you. You’re safe now, remember?

I am? You promise? They shot me.

Not anyone from this pack. I swear. And if they had, Jameson and Keegan would bite them. You’re safe. I’ll protect you.

Thank you, Rory Calhoun. I’m so tired.

“There we go. The bullet is out, and I think he’ll heal up fine. He needs to stay shifted for a bit so he heals faster, but this was less invasive than I thought.”

“I’ll stay with him.” He’d promised he would.

“You’re a good egg, Rory. I’m going to go steep some herbs to put in some water for him. That will help him heal.”

“I’ll be right here to help, fair?”

“Fair enough.”

Rory… Hurts.

I’m so sorry. The bullet’s out, though. I… He stroked the soft fur, wishing with all he was that his wolf would be okay.

Thank you. Am I allowed to sleep now?

“Can he sleep if he’s able? We don’t need to keep him awake?”

“He needs his rest. Sleep is the best thing for him.”

Sleep, Fen. Sleep now. I’ll keep watch.

Rory. That was a bare mental whisper, and then he felt Fen turn off like a light.