Chapter Two

Charles had met Chance when he’d arrived at the pack, and he’d seen him around the house, but they hadn’t really talked. He already knew Chance was very different from Mark’s father. In fact, if he could find two more different people, he’d be surprised.

He’d seen Chance with his boyfriend. He’d never seen Mark’s father treat his wife or his sons with as much care and love as Chance did Theo. Charles couldn’t look away as they sat at the breakfast table, and he was pretty sure he was embarrassing both himself and them. Theo’s cheeks were on fire, but he didn’t lean away when Chance kissed him.

“Did you have a question?” Chance drawled as he turned toward Charles.

Charles cleared his throat and looked down at his breakfast. “No. Sorry.”

There was a moment of silence before Chance sighed. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet Mark and Dustin’s father. I don’t know him well, obviously, but I know enough. You don’t have to be afraid of what I’ll say or do if you have questions or something to say. I don’t punish my pack members just because they’re watching me or because they have questions.”

Charles swallowed. “I know.”

“Yet you’re still not comfortable with me.”

Charles wasn’t, but he suspected he wouldn’t be comfortable with any alpha. He’d grown up with Mark’s grandfather and father in charge. Neither of them were good people, and Charles had been looking forward to when Mark would finally take his father’s place. He hated that Mark didn’t want to become the alpha, but he thought the clan would have benefited from having him in its lead.

There was no more clan for Mark to guide. Mark had what he wanted, and maybe it was better that way. They’d lost everything, but Mark would be happier now than he could ever have been as their clan’s alpha.

“Not everyone is comfortable with alphas,” Theo said gently. “If you remember, I wasn’t very happy to have to deal with you initially.”

Chance chuckled. “True.”

Charles looked up to see that they were kissing again. It didn’t last long, and when Theo turned to him, he explained, “I haven’t been with the pack long. Before coming here, I lived on the streets with several friends. All of us are shifters, and I was kind of the alpha.”

Charles nodded. “Red told me.”

Theo blinked. “You’ve met Red?”

“We both needed some space the other day and found each other in the forest.”

Theo stared.

It made Charles wonder if he’d made a mistake, but he couldn’t see how. He hadn’t done anything to Red. They’d talked for a while, and Charles had made sure to keep his distance. Not only did they not know each other, but Charles hadn’t had his clothes with him. Red was a shifter, but Charles didn’t know how comfortable he was with nudity, and he hadn’t wanted to make him uncomfortable.

He’d enjoyed their chat. It was clear that Red needed someone to talk to, and while Charles didn’t want to talk, he did need company. He knew he could always go to Mark, but Mark was busy with Lester, and Charles didn’t want to bother them. They deserved some peace, and he wouldn’t be the one to ruin it.

“That’s good,” Theo said. “Red hasn’t come to me to talk, but I know he’s been uneasy. Everything’s changing quickly, and sometimes it makes my head spin. I can see how some members of my old pack would find it hard to deal with.”

That was pretty much what Red had told Charles. He’d been used to living with his little family on the streets, and now they all had to share living space with a bunch of bear shifters. It couldn’t be easy, even though it came with the bonus of having a home and food.

“I didn’t expect to find a new friend, but I think I might have,” Charles admitted.

“We want you to make friends,” Chance interjected. “This is your home now. You should settle down, and although I understand that’s easier said than done, I want you to feel safe here.”

If that was what Chance wanted, he was doing a good job. Charles hadn’t expected it, but he did feel safe, even though he was sitting at the table with the alpha. He would never have felt this way with Mark’s father, but Chance wasn’t Mark’s father.

Charles needed to give him a chance. He’d held himself back because he hadn’t been sure it was the right thing to do, but he already knew he didn’t want to move in with his sister and her family. He loved that she’d offered, but that wasn’t his place. He couldn’t belong to another dragon clan.

But maybe he could belong to Chance’s pack.

“Anyway, some of us are still uncomfortable with having an alpha,” Theo said as he bumped his shoulders against Chance’s. “We all need time. I suspect that you especially need that because of everything you’ve gone through.”

The wound in Charles’s side ached in memory. It didn’t really hurt anymore, but when he thought of the attack, it was as if the wound was fresh again. It was one of the reasons he tried not to think about it. When he did, everything hurt, from his body to his heart.

“As long as Charles knows he’s welcome here, I’ll let him be,” Chance promised.

“I do know I’m welcome here. Mark wouldn’t be living with you if we weren’t. I just need to get my feet back under me, and it’s proving more complicated than I expected.”

“Don’t beat yourself up too hard. You lost everything over just a few hours, and I don’t think anyone expects you to know what your next step will be.”

Charles nodded and turned back to his bacon. He was glad when Chance and Theo let him be and started talking to each other. He’d thought Mark and Lester would be at breakfast, too, but he hadn’t seen either of them. They were probably taking advantage of their time alone, and while Charles didn’t want to think of his best friend doing that , he was happy for Mark.

Mark had been forced to do things he didn’t want by his father for many years. He would eventually have been forced to take his father’s place as the alpha, although Charles still wondered if Mark’s father would have actually stepped down. He’d been obsessed with leading his clan up to the point when he realized he didn’t have a clan anymore.

Mark’s father could have taken charge, started to rebuild their clan, and faced the mages to get back the people they’d taken. Instead, he’d washed his hands of the clan. He thought Mark was dead, and he hadn’t even cared enough to look for him. Instead, it had taken Chance’s pack and Dustin to get Mark back. Charles would always be grateful to them for that.

“Chance!” someone yelled outside the house.

Charles jumped. What was happening? He glanced at Chance and Theo, but they appeared as puzzled as he was.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Theo murmured.

“It has to be a pack member,” Chance said as he got to his feet. “It wouldn’t be possible for anyone else to be in front of the house.”

Charles hesitated, but he was curious. He suspected that if Chance didn’t want him to know what was happening, he would tell him to stay where he was. Instead, he took one last sip of coffee and left the kitchen. Theo hesitated for one moment, then quickly followed Chance after giving Charles a tight smile.

“Chance!” the voice called again.

What was Charles supposed to do? He looked around the kitchen, but beyond starting to clean up, he couldn’t think of anything. What was happening out there wasn’t his business, but at the same time, Chance had told him that this was his home. Surely he had a right to know what was happening in his new home?

Charles didn’t think Chance would tell him to leave, and if anyone else did, it wouldn’t be Charles’s problem. He only obeyed the orders of the alpha, and Chance hadn’t ordered him to stay away.

He scrambled to his feet and quickly left the kitchen. His heart raced, and he had to tell himself that this wasn’t another attack. Whoever was out there wasn’t attacking Chance and the pack.

They couldn’t be.

* * * *

Red had been curious when he’d noticed several people marching toward Chance’s house. The house Red lived in wasn’t far from where Theo and Chance lived, and he had a good view of their home.

Normally he wouldn’t have seen anything, but he’d been sitting in the window seat, daydreaming about a dragon shifter he probably shouldn’t be thinking about.

He’d been surprised by how smooth and comfortable his conversation with Charles had been a few days ago. Usually, Red was quite awkward with people he didn’t know. He wasn’t sure why, but more often than not, he’d rather stay silent than have to talk to strangers, which hadn’t been great while he’d lived on the streets. He hadn’t felt any of that with Charles, maybe because he already knew who Charles was, or maybe because he was a dragon shifter like Dustin and was somewhat close to him.

The fact that he was incredibly handsome helped. Even though Charles had been naked, Red had been comfortable with him, and since their conversation, he’d been wondering when they could talk again. He wasn’t sure he had it in him to go to Charles and ask, but it was something to keep in mind. It was easier to dream about what he wanted to do and say than do it and say it, which was what he’d been doing. His dreams had been interrupted by the people walking toward Chance’s house, and Red doubted he’d be able to get back to it.

“Chance!” one of the men called out.

Red leaned forward. His window was open, letting the fresh air in. He counted five people—four men and one woman. One of the men was clearly in charge, and he stood in front of Chance’s house, his hands on his hips, clearly expecting Chance to come out.

If he wanted to talk to Chance, why wasn’t he going inside? Red might not have been born in this pack, but he knew Chance well enough to be sure that he would’ve talked to the guy if there was a problem. Instead, the man appeared to want to make enough noise to get the attention of more pack members. He wanted this to be public, which meant it couldn’t be good.

Red didn’t recognize the guy, but then, he didn’t know everyone in the pack. That was his fault, and he promised himself to change things once this mess was over. If he was going to be a pack member, he needed to truly be one instead of hiding in the house and staying with his friends. All of them were spreading their wings and finding places where they belonged. Red should do the same.

He eyed the man in charge. He was tall, in his fifties, with broad shoulders and graying dark hair. Red racked his brain, but he couldn’t remember ever seeing the man.

Red doubted there was anything he could do to help Chance with whatever was happening, but maybe Chance wouldn’t mind some support. At the very least, Theo wouldn’t mind it, and he was the one Red cared the most about. Theo might not be Red’s brother by blood, but he was in all the ways that counted.

Red closed his window and quickly went downstairs. He could hear voices coming from the living room. It sounded like whoever was there was playing video games. The TV kept making loud explosion noises, so the players wouldn’t have heard what was happening out there. If that was the case, Red didn’t want to worry them, so he didn’t stop. He quickly left the house, squaring his shoulder as if he were about to face execution.

He headed toward Chance and Theo’s house, but he made sure to keep enough distance so that if something happened, he wouldn’t get hurt. By the time he reached the house, Chance and Theo were on the porch, facing the man who’d been calling out for Chance. Red skirted around the small group but didn’t climb the porch steps. Instead, he stepped between the trees to the side of the house, close enough to see and hear what was happening but not so close that he’d be noticed.

“Francis,” Chance said. “To what do I owe this pleasure? And I’m sure you know that if you want to meet with me, you only have to call or knock on my door. There’s no reason for you to yell.”

The guy—Francis—crossed his arms over his chest. “I didn’t want you to have the opportunity to run.”

Red frowned. What was Francis talking about? Chance wasn’t the kind of alpha who ran. If he was, he wouldn’t have allowed Lester, Mark, and Charles into the pack. He would have stayed as far away as possible from what was happening with the coven, and while some people might think that was the right thing to do, Red wasn’t quite sure. The coven had attacked the dragons without a reason. The dragons hadn’t provoked them. Hell, they hadn’t even known the coven was there. They’d been hiding behind spells, and no one had been aware of their existence.

Who was to say they wouldn’t do the same to this pack? They hadn’t yet, because they lived closer to the clan and other shifter groups, but they might reach the area eventually, and what would happen then? At least now, Chance and the pack knew about the mages and what they were capable of.

Charles appeared behind Chance and Theo, and Red’s heart jumped. He had no business thinking about Charles, but how could he not when the man was so handsome, nice, and sweet? He felt almost like family, even though he and Red barely knew each other.

Francis pointed a finger at Charles. “There it is.”

Charles looked around as if he expected Francis to be pointing at something else, but no. The man was definitely focused on Charles.

“There what is?” Chance asked, sounding exasperated. “If you have something to say, say it. I have enough to do today without having to deal with this.”

“So you don’t have time to deal with your pack members anymore? Why? You’re too busy with the newcomers?”

Two of the men and the woman who were with Francis nodded, clearly agreeing with him.

Red thought it was ridiculous. Chance didn’t treat anyone better than others. He treated the newcomers and his older pack members exactly the same. The only person he did treat differently was Theo, but that was because they were in love.

“I’m busy being an alpha, but I am ready to listen to anyone who needs my help. If that’s you, I’ll listen to you, but if the only thing you want to do is scream at me and Theo, I can do without it. So what do you want, Francis?”

Red leaned closer. Francis looked like his head was about to explode. He was clearly pissed, but Chance didn’t seem to care. He stared at Francis until the man finally had no choice but to tell him what the fuck was happening.

“You’re putting the pack in danger by welcoming all these new people,” Francis said. “We don’t want them here. We weren’t happy when you welcomed Theo and his people, but the dragons and that mage are too much.”

Chance didn’t look surprised by what Francis was saying, but he did look angry. Red was grateful he wasn’t an idiot like Francis and his friends. Had they really expected Chance to go along with what they wanted? Chance wasn’t that kind of person. He’d welcomed the dragons and Lester into his pack, and he wouldn’t change his mind just because a few of his pack members weren’t happy.

“The pack is as safe as it can be,” Chance said.

“Not with the coven coming after these guys.”

“We don’t know what the coven is doing. They might come, and they might not. Beyond that, they might have attacked us even if we hadn’t taken Lester in.”

“You can’t keep welcoming people who don’t belong here. We don’t want them. This is our home, and we should have a say in who lives here with us.”

“Am I or am I not the alpha?” Chance said in a deceptively calm voice.

Red could hear the undertone of power, though, and he suspected he wasn’t the only one.

Francis took a step back. Red was pleased to say he appeared cowed, but he couldn’t help but wonder how long that would last.

Francis slightly inclined his head at Chance. “You are our alpha. But we can’t help but be worried and scared that something’s going to happen to our loved ones. The pack has never been in danger the way it is now, and we feel it’s because of these people.”

Red understood where Francis was coming from, and he didn’t blame him, but he was still angry. Yes, Francis was worried about his family and wanted them to be safe, but what about Red and his family? What about Charles and the people he’d lost? Didn’t they deserve a place to call home where they could be safe? What about Lester, who had to leave everything he knew behind to save a life?

They all wanted the same as Francis. They all wanted a place to call home, where they could be safe and happy.

Why was that too much to ask?

* * * *

Charles hated that because of him, these people were afraid for their lives and for their families. He wanted to tell them that he would never hurt any of them, but that wasn’t what frightened them.

No, they worried about the coven coming after the pack now that they were done with Charles’s clan. Charles couldn’t promise that wouldn’t happen. He didn’t know why the coven had attacked and destroyed his clan, and he didn’t want to make promises he couldn’t keep. He hadn’t even known the coven existed until they’d attacked. He supposed that at least the pack knew about them now, which meant they could plan and try to ensure that the coven wouldn’t hurt them.

Charles couldn’t see a way to make that happen. Lester had magic, and even though he knew the coven, having been born there, there was probably little he could do against them. He was only one man. Even with the help of the friends he’d been able to convince to leave the coven, it would be impossible to defeat the coven. Four against a bunch of people was better than one, but it still wouldn’t be enough.

And it wasn’t like Charles could do anything to help. He’d been useless during the first fight against the coven, and he doubted that would change if he had to fight them again.

He looked at the people standing in front of the house. He might understand why they wanted him out, but where was he supposed to go? His home was gone. Even if he went back, there wasn’t a clan there anymore. He’d be utterly alone, and it wasn’t something he thought he could deal with. More than that, he didn’t want to deal with that.

“How would you feel if you were in Charles’s place?” Chance asked, staring straight at Francis.

Charles had no idea who Francis or his friends were, but he didn’t need to know. They were pack members, and they wanted him out. That was all that mattered.

Francis’s cheeks colored. It was as if he hadn’t tried putting himself in Charles’s place, and maybe he hadn’t. Why would he? He didn’t know Charles. They’d never spoken, and Charles couldn’t remember ever seeing Francis. He’d been hiding in Chance and Theo’s house, licking his wounds and trying to deal with the grief that weighed heavily on his shoulders. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe he should’ve visited the pack and its members, ensuring they knew who he was and that he was as human as they were, but he didn’t have it in him right now.

“I’m not saying that what happened to the dragons isn’t horrible,” Francis said. “It is, and I’m really sorry they lost everything. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to put my family before them, though. Quite frankly, they’re nothing to me.”

Charles swallowed. Francis wasn’t wrong. Charles was nothing to him, and it was clear that wasn’t going to change.

Charles tried to think of another solution. He didn’t want to leave the pack and Mark, but maybe he and Lester would want to leave with him. They weren’t any more welcome than Charles was, after all. Hell, if Charles had to guess, Chance’s pack was even more wary of Lester and his three mage friends. They’d been coven members until recently. They might be spies, and even if they weren’t, the coven could try to get them back and hurt the pack as they did so. If anything, their presence here meant the coven was keeping an eye on the pack, and Francis clearly disliked that thought.

“Don’t worry,” Theo whispered as he leaned closer to Charles. “Chance isn’t going to let them do anything.”

“I didn’t think he would,” Charles told him. “But maybe it would be easier if I left.”

Theo shook his head. “No. Chance has welcomed you into the pack, which means you’re a pack member. No one can force you to leave. If they’re unhappy, they should be the ones to go.”

“This is their home. It wouldn’t be fair to ask them to leave.”

Theo’s gaze was harsh as he looked out at Francis and his friends. “You know what wouldn’t be fair? To kick you and the dragons and mages out. Was the attack on your clan fair? Is the fact that you grieve the people you lost fair? These people have always been protected by Chance and his father. They don’t know how hard life can be outside of the pack, which is why they don’t understand what’s happening. It doesn’t mean they can’t learn, though, and it certainly doesn’t mean they can take it on themselves to kick someone out. The only one who can do that is Chance, and maybe Houston, although even he wouldn’t do that before talking to Chance. This is your home, Charles. It’s your home and mine, and Lester’s and Mark’s.”

It touched something in Charles to hear those words coming from Theo, but that didn’t help the situation. Francis and his friends were still angry. There was still a possibility that the coven would attack the pack.

“You aren’t the actual reason they’re angry,” Theo continued. “They’ve been like this since Chance welcomed me and my family into the pack. A lot of them weren’t happy about it, especially when Chance fell in love with me. They don’t think I’m a good alpha mate, but they’ve been quiet about it because they know what Chance would say.”

“Why would they think you’re not a good alpha mate? You’ve behaved the way an alpha mate should ever since I met you. Besides, Red told me about the time you spent on the streets. You protected him and the others, made sure they weren’t hurt, had a place to sleep, and food. That’s what an alpha is supposed to do.”

Theo shrugged. “But I can’t give Chance an heir. His father was the alpha before him, and his grandfather before then. People tend to be attached to their traditions when they don’t know the world around them. It’s the way they’ve always done things, and they expect it to be the way things will always be done. My family and I have put a wrench into that, and you, Mark, and the mages have reinforced that feeling. As far as Francis is concerned, everything’s going sideways because things are different now.”

Francis was still arguing with Chance. He seemed to want Chance to realize that the dragons and the mages were a danger to his family and the families of everyone who lived with the pack. Chance was just staring at him, listening but not saying anything. Francis appeared to have taken that as meaning that Chance agreed with what he was saying, but Charles wasn’t so sure. Chance’s expression was calm, but his jaw was tight, and he looked like he wanted to grab Francis and give him a good shake.

“Are you finished?” Chance asked Francis.

The man sucked in a breath. His cheeks were still pink, and it made him look harmless. “We just want to keep our families and the pack safe,” Francis said.

Chance nodded at someone behind the small group. Charles had been focused on Francis, then Theo, and he hadn’t realized how many people had gathered to listen. Francis and his friends were huddled in a group, with more pack members standing behind them, including Houston and James. Charles had never really talked to them, but he knew who they were, so he wasn’t surprised that Chance had nodded at his beta.

“Make sure Francis gets home without trouble,” Chance told Houston. “And please remind him what being pack means.” He looked Francis in the eyes. “Being pack means we don’t kick people out because they bring danger to our doorstep. It means helping people because we can and because they need us to.”

“But these dragons aren’t pack members,” Francis insisted.

“They are, as are the mages. I’m not going to kick them out, and if the coven attacks us, we’ll defend ourselves. Do you really think the coven wouldn’t have found us eventually? They took on an entire dragon clan. They were powerful enough to do that and kill countless of them. Do you think they wouldn’t have turned their attention to our pack eventually?”

“They will now.”

“Possibly, or maybe they’re done with the dragons. I don’t know the future, Francis, and neither do you. What I do know is that we can decide whether we want to be on the right side of things or on the wrong one. I’m not going to abandon people who need a new place to call home after they lost everything. I’m not going to kick them out just because I’m afraid of what might happen now that they’re pack members. If you’re so afraid for your family, you can take them and go. I’m not going to stop anyone who wants to leave the pack. You can do that, or you can stand up with the other pack members and face the danger head- on. You can be proud of who you are and what you are a part of.” Chance looked at the people gathered around them.

Charles was in awe of the way people were hanging onto his every word. The only way Mark’s father had managed to keep that kind of attention was by threatening people. That wasn’t what Chance was doing, though. He stood tall and strong, the portrayal of a quiet power that no one could deny.

“Being pack isn’t just having a place to live,” he declared. “Being pack means that we’re there for one another. It means that if someone attacks us, we’ll stand together. If any of you aren’t ready to do so, you’d better think about what you want to do. If the pack is ever attacked and you decide to run, you won’t like what happens once I find out. Either you’re truly a pack member, or you’re not. Make your decision.”

* * * *

Red was in awe. He’d known Chance was a good alpha from the beginning, and he knew Chance was a good man—otherwise, Theo wouldn’t be with him—but seeing him like this was so very different.

Red had only ever known Theo as an alpha. Before then, he’d lived with his family, but they hadn’t belonged to a pack. Theo hadn’t had an easy job, but it had been easier than Chance’s because their pack had been more like a family. There were only a handful of them, and it was easy for Theo to deal with them when they were so close.

Not so for Chance. Many other alphas would have agreed with what Francis had been saying, and they wouldn’t have been wrong. It was normal for Francis and the others to fear for their lives and for their families. It was easy for them to view Charles, the mages, and even Red’s family as not being one of them. Maybe if Francis told himself they mattered less than his family, it was easier for him to kick them out.

But not Chance. He’d stood up to Francis, and apparently, he was ready to kick Francis out rather than Charles or any of the other recent pack members.

Red wasn’t the only one who was surprised by that. Everyone was staring at Chance with wide eyes and slackened jaws. Francis’s face was so red he looked like his head might be about to explode. He sputtered, but he didn’t say anything to Chance. He had to be able to see that whatever he said wouldn’t matter. Chance had said what he needed to say, and he didn’t need Francis’s opinion on the way he led his pack.

Chance turned around and went back into the house. Theo was behind him, but Charles didn’t move. He continued staring at the people in front of the house as Houston and James asked them to leave.

Red sucked in a breath and stepped out from between the trees. Charles looked confused and a bit overwhelmed, and Red wanted to help him if he could.

Charles’s gaze landed on Red when Red reached the porch steps. Charles smiled, which was a relief because it meant he was happy to see Red. Red hadn’t been sure about that.

“Did you hear all of that?” Charles asked when Red reached him.

“I did. I’m surprised Chance stood up to Francis like that.”

Charles nodded. “So am I. If he’d been Mark’s father, he would have threatened everyone so they’d shut up. He would have as soon kicked them out as he would’ve me.”

Red gently touched Charles’s arm. “Chance is nothing like Mark’s father.”

“You’ve never met Mark’s father.”

“Maybe not, but I suspect that’s a good thing. Besides, I’ve heard enough about him from Dustin. I don’t need to meet him to know he’s an asshole and that he doesn’t deserve to be an alpha.”

For some reason, Charles looked more relaxed now that Red was with him. Red was uncomfortable, though. He could have sworn he could feel people watching him, possibly thinking of a way to kick him and Charles out, and he didn’t like that.

“We should go inside,” he suggested.

Charles nodded. “I don’t think Houston and James will allow anyone to do anything stupid, but it’s probably better. Are you coming in with me?”

Red had been planning to, so he nodded and followed Charles inside the house. He felt better as soon as Charles closed the front door behind him. He smiled at him, unsure what to do now.

“That was a mess,” Mark said as he came out of the living room.

Lester was behind him, looking worried. Lester’s friend Chris was with them, but he didn’t stop to talk. Instead, he disappeared deeper into the house.

“They feel they’re in danger because of us, and I can’t say they’re wrong,” Charles said. “If it’d make things easier, I would pack my things and leave.”

Mark glared. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Red agreed. He understood why Charles felt the way he did, and while he didn’t disagree that they might have brought trouble to the pack, it didn’t mean Charles needed to leave.

Red had already decided he wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t care if people didn’t like his presence here or that he was a pack member. For the first time in a while, he had a place to call home, and he felt safe. He wasn’t giving that up.

He hoped Charles wouldn’t, either.

“It might be the best for everyone,” Charles argued.

“No, it’s not. The coven already knows we’re here. Lester is, too, along with his friends. Do you really think that things would be easier if you weren’t here? What if the coven attacks? Don’t you think the pack could do with one more dragon shifter?”

Charles rubbed his face. He looked tired and sad, and Red stepped closer to him, wanting to give support. He wasn’t sure Charles wanted it, but maybe just being there for him would help.

“I couldn’t do anything when the coven attacked us,” Charles said. “What makes you think it would be different if they attacked the pack?”

“Well, I’d be here,” Lester said. “As would Chris, Hannah, and Cole. We might not be able to take on the entire coven, but we’ve been looking into several spells that could be of use.”

“Really?” Red asked, interested. He leaned closer to Charles to see Lester better. For some reason, Charles seemed to take that as an invitation. He wrapped his arm around Red’s waist and put a hand on his hip, startling him. Red looked up at Charles, having no idea what was happening.

He liked that Charles didn’t move away, though. He didn’t know why Charles was touching him, but he didn’t want it to stop, so he pressed closer. Their bodies were close now, and Red could feel Charles breathing.

Lester nodded. “We’re thinking about shields, although they wouldn’t be easy to maintain with only four of us. Alarms might be a better option, and of course, we have spells that can counteract the kind of spell the coven used to prevent the dragons from shifting. That seems to have been the main reason dragons weren’t able to protect their clan. Without their ability to shift, they could only fight as humans, and against a bunch of mages, there wasn’t much they could do.”

“I know I’m not a mage, but if you need any help, I’m volunteering,” Red said.

Lester stared at him for a moment before nodding. “You want to protect the pack.”

“I do. It’s been a long time since I last had a home, and now that I do, I won’t let anyone threaten or destroy it. I’ll fight if I have to. I’d rather still be standing once it’s over, though.”

Lester chuckled. “I think we all feel that way. I’ll keep your offer in mind. Thank you.” His gaze flickered to Charles and the way he was holding Red. “I wouldn’t mind spending more time getting to know you.”

“I’m up for making more friends,” Red said with a smile.

He had his friends already—his family—but he couldn’t be the center of their world anymore, and that was all right. He wanted them to be happy with the people they were falling in love with, and if he could, he wanted the same.

He wanted to bring his grandfather here. He wanted him to meet Theo and the others, to see the place that Red now called home, and to live peacefully with him. They’d been separated for too long, and while there were still many obstacles, Red felt that he finally had a real possibility of being reunited with the only member of his family he still had.

It was going to take some work, but that was all right. Red might not have been a pack member for long, but he was ready to defend it and its members, apparently more than Francis was.

Francis was only thinking about keeping his family safe. Red wanted to keep the entire pack safe, whatever he had to do to make it happen.