Chapter 7

Chapter

Seven

CONNOR

Dawn turned the lake a pretty pink hue, with barely a ripple in the water to disturb Connor's peace. Mist clung low, trapped by the mountains, and he took a moment to relish the view before turning to his wooden cabin.

Connor's gaze lifted to the second level, where Ben shuffled along the outside of his cabin to the drainpipe. The sprite was almost stealthy, but a single scuff on the wood had been enough to alert Connor to come outside and watch. Ben looked sleep-mussed but determined, the black sweats tightening across his ass as he planted his feet around the drainpipe and slid downwards.

The air shifted, and Connor breathed in the combined scent of sunlight-on-water and the fire-and-ash smell he recognized as his own. It made Connor think of campfires and summer by the lake.

It took a moment longer to realize Ben wore his own sweats and oversized black t-shirt, and Connor inexplicably wanted to gut someone for bringing the two scents together.

His enforcers were pranking him. It was the only reason Connor could come up with to explain why Ben wore his clothes instead of something from the spare closet usually reserved for unexpected visitors.

The distraction was dangerous and stupid, considering what Connor knew of the pack hunting Ben. He'd left Craven to the tender mercies of Grayson and the wolves of Grainer Pack, trusted allies who had no love for Vaughn. Connor planned to request an update—as soon as he dealt with one stubborn sprite.

"What are you doing?" Connor called up, his voice loud in the quiet.

Ben yelped, barely catching himself from falling. He wrapped his arms and knees around the drainpipe and glared fiercely down at Connor. "You could have killed me, scaring me like that!"

"If I wanted you dead, you'd know it," Connor replied dryly, fists on his hips. "Or not, if I want to kill you fast."

Ben pressed his head against the drainpipe and muttered something under his breath. The sprite peered about and seemed to calculate his best move. The second level window to his bedroom was above him and to the left, needing a nimble jump to reach it. Not that going inside was going to offer him sanctuary. Much better to continue with his original plan and face the wrath of an alpha head on.

"Get down," Connor ordered. "This cute little escape attempt is over."

"Cute!" Ben only grew outraged. "Stupid, arrogant—" The rest was lost in an angry mutter as Ben came to the same conclusion and shimmied down the drainpipe. He landed in front of Connor with a soft thump.

Dark, forest-green eyes looked up through thick eyelashes at Connor, the anger quickly transforming to wary vulnerability.

Connor didn't relax for a second. He'd seen what the pretty sprite could do when backed into a corner. Resisting the urge to touch Ben, he pointed with his chin. "Come on, I'll give you a tour so you can see how pointless it is trying to escape."

Ben blinked as if surprised Connor didn't force him back into the cabin. "You're not going punish me for trying to run?"

"Should I?" Connor raised an eyebrow.

"No, because killing Vaughn isn't pointless."

"It is if you end up dead," Connor replied.

Ben frowned like he didn't understand why Connor gave a damn. But he fell in beside Connor and followed him behind the cabin to the pebbled shore of the lake. The forest beyond remained still except for a few eagles gliding towards the thermals. Mountains framed the lake on all sides, heavy with forest except for the stony peaks. The peak to their left was scarred from a winter rockfall, but green was already beginning to take over.

Ben was unexpectedly quiet as he soaked in the view, his head tilted upwards as if scenting the clean water and alpine trees. His green eyes matched the darkest parts of the mountain where streams helped the spruces grow thick and strong.

"We're going this way," Connor said, walking along the pebbled beach until they reached a path that led up through the trees to a small escarpment. From their vantage point, Connor pointed out several dozen cabins dotted along the far side of the lakeshore.

"Hells, Stone, how many are in your pack?" Ben asked.

"Hundreds, all loyal to me," Connor said proudly. "Some of the pack live in town, but most of us prefer the lake and mountains."

Ben chewed the side of his lip, clearly thinking hard. "And the town?—"

"Is a decent walk, which is completely irrelevant to you. Try it, by all means. Wolves love to hunt."

Ben folded his arms. "Maybe I will. Your luck can't hold forever."

Connor shrugged. "I don't need luck, Ben. Nothing escapes my notice in Oakford territory."

Ben turned to face him, his green eyes narrowing into a deep squint as he glared up at Connor. He held the glare long enough to give Connor pause.

"What are you doing?" Connor asked.

"Imagining your head exploding," Ben muttered, squinting harder.

Connor grinned. "That might be scary for someone who doesn't know sprites aren't capable of curses," he said, far too amused. "Besides, I think your luck likes me."

Ben squinted for a few moments longer before giving up with a sigh. "Yeah, I know."

Connor felt a sudden urge to kiss that sulky mouth. He wanted to prove he was worthy of Ben's luck, but it was far too soon for that.

Connor took a different path back, leading Ben past the cleared area where his enforcers liked to spar and run up to the shooting range set aside for Jake with his rifle.

Their cabin was set a little back from the lake, a leftover from when Anders first joined the pack and preferred to stay out of sight. Now their front garden was awash with brightly colored spring flowers, while a herb garden stretched along the side of the cabin with Anders threatening to shoot anyone who pilfered his thyme.

Ben looked over the place curiously as they walked past, returning to Connor's cabin in time to see Kris and Seamus stretched out on the deck chairs facing the lake.

Seamus smirked when he looked at Ben, and Connor suddenly figured out who stole his t-shirt and sweats and gave them to the pretty sprite.

"We're sparring today," Connor said.

Seamus dropped his smug expression and he threw up his hands. "Hey! What did I do?"

Connor gave him a look as he pushed the door open and ushered Ben inside. The smell of bacon, eggs and fresh coffee greeted them.

"Good timing," Jake said with a smile as he put a plate piled high with bacon on the kitchen counter.

"Thanks, Jake, you're a legend among wolves," Connor said, earning another quick grin from the wolf.

Anders sat in one of the chairs, nursing a mug. Connor squeezed the back of the enforcer's neck in hello, knowing Anders would be non-verbal until after his second coffee.

"Take what you want, Ben," Jake said. He pulled a tray of roasted tomatoes and mushrooms from the oven, and Ben perked up in interest.

Ben grabbed a few strips of bacon on a plate along with scrambled eggs and mushrooms. He hesitated when he glanced again at the bacon.

Connor heaped his own breakfast before dropping more bacon on Ben's plate.

Ben frowned but didn't protest—probably because his survival instincts told him to load up while the food was free and easy. It made Connor want to growl, but thankfully kept it behind his teeth.

"What's the plan for today, boss?" Jake asked, crunching loudly on toast as Kris and Seamus made their way inside from the deck.

"Seamus has a busy day," Kris said with a grin as he sat beside Anders and pressed a quick kiss to the wolf's temple.

Anders grunted, having long accepted his mate was a morning person, and took a big gulp of his coffee.

Jake raised his eyebrow at Seamus. "I told you our alpha was going to kick your ass for stealing his stuff."

" Borrowed, " Seamus corrected with a shit-eating grin. "I can't help it if there aren't any spare clothes around here."

Which Seamus knew was absolutely untrue.

Ben seemed to figure out what they were discussing, looking down at his too-large t-shirt and sweats. He pulled at his t-shirt as if to strip right there. "Oh, I can?—"

"No," Connor said, maybe a little too quickly considering the poorly hidden grins from his enforcers. "Keep them, Ben, it's no issue at all."

Kris snickered around his bacon.

Connor swept a predatory gaze over his wolves. He was going to fight all of them, he decided. Every single one of them. Except maybe Anders, who sipped his coffee like he couldn't give a shit.

But the collaborators would pay.

A good fight would get the scent of campfires and sunshine-on-water out of his nostrils, too.

"You're all overdue for some training. Mountain run first, then obstacles and hand-to-hand," Connor said, taking vicious glee at the grumbles and groans at the table.

Jake reached across and smacked Seamus on the back of his head, ignoring his yelp.

"Actually, Jake, you can try out your new rifle," Connor said, crunching on some bacon. "Bean bag rounds, of course."

Jake brightened. The enforcer tended to be quiet, but he was a formidable marksman.

Seamus swore and gave his mate a bleak look. "Be gentle with me," he pleaded.

Jake's grin turned pure wolf. "Not a chance."

"Anders can keep Ben company here at the cabin." Connor pointed at Ben. "I want you to get more rest. It's obvious you haven't caught your breath in a long time. Now's your chance to stop."

Ben scowled and looked at Anders, a brief flash of calculation in his forest-green eyes before it disappeared. "Okay," he said with a shrug.

Connor let it be. The pretty sprite would learn that a dislike for mornings only made Anders more dangerous.

Glancing at everyone, Connor felt a deep satisfaction rising from his wolf. It felt good, like anticipation before a full moon. He knew it was in part because of Ben. His wolf wanted to sidle up to the sprite and press his scent all over him, the damn clothes stirring a deep need to the surface.

Connor promised to do nothing—not unless Ben showed interest. There were a few moments when Connor thought there was something before Ben pushed it back down.

His wolf was content to wait.

All the same, Ben brought a new sense of rightness, and it made determination flare in Connor's body. Ben wasn't going to waste his life on someone like Vaughn. Connor planned to convince him that life was more than revenge and survival.

Convincing Ben was a fight Connor was determined to win.