Page 18 of The Renegade Mate

The differences between the two Packs became more noticeable as the meal wore on. The Bridgetown wolves seemed to have specific rituals about the passing of dishes and the order in which food was served. Each action was measured and deliberate, contrasting with our more casual dig-in-and-eat-what-you-can ways.

Ryan caught me watching and whispered, “They follow the Alpha’s lead in everything, even in eating. Did you notice how no one started until Michael and Camille took their first bite?”

I nodded, feeling the distinction. I’d not been in a Pack that followed this custom before.

“Before the festival, there is a Pack hunt. We take most of the Pack up to our western hunting ground for a week. Tell me, Ryan, I’ve always been curious: how does the Three Rivers organize its hunts?” Ivan asked, a polite smile on his face. I had the feeling he was testing our suitability to fit in with his Pack.

“We generally rely on individual strengths and dynamic planning. Everyone has a say; the Alpha decides on the best course, and then we adapt as the situation demands.”

I could see Ivan weighing our words, his brows furrowing slightly. “That’s quite different from how we operate,” he finally said, choosing his words with care. “Bridgetown believes in a strict hierarchy and detailed planning. Each wolf knows their role and follows the Alpha’s directives without question.”

Danni chimed in, her tone echoing Ivan’s reservation. “It ensures a smooth execution and minimizes risks. We have always done it this way. Sometimes tradition has its value.”

Ryan nodded. “Tradition certainly does, but so does innovation.”

I smiled, thinking it was funny that Ryan was trying to be diplomatic. It was not usually his forte.

Ivan’s eyes turned to his Alpha as he said, “Do you remember that hunt last winter? With the elk stag?”

“Of course! That was quite the day!” replied Michael.

Ivan nodded, a knowing smile on his face. “Indeed, the way you led us, the tactics we employed. It was an extraordinary hunt.”

Uh-huh. The message was clear. This was Ivan’s not-too-subtle attempt to remind us that Michael was a formidable leader. In case we got any ideas about trying to destabilize, or even take over, the Bridgetown Pack.

Danni’s laughter rang around the table, her words directed at the Bridgetown wolves. “And Tucker falling into the river! I don’t think I stopped laughing for the rest of that week.”

The room erupted in laughter, but it wasn’t a memory our renegade Pack was privy to.

I glanced at Ryan, feeling the separation. We were guests and outsiders, our connection to our own Pack pulling us back, and our understanding of Bridgetown limited to the surface. We had a lot of work to do if we wanted this to truly be the safe haven we needed it to be.

Chapter ten

Ryan

“Can I go for a run?” Tucker jumped up from the table, dashed to the full-length window, looking out into the woods, and pressed his face up against the glass.

Camille laughed. “He always does this after a meal. It’s like he can’t stand being in human form longer than a couple of hours.” She turned to her son. “Yes—”

“Whoop whoo—”

“After, Tucker! After you have helped your brother and sister clear away the dishes.”

Tucker grinned at me, then came to take the plates to the kitchen, following his brother. I had a feeling he would be out the kitchen door and into those woods before Henry had the time to come back and get the rest of the dishes. Mason and Sam stood up and helped clear the table, Mason hovering close to Shya as she moved plates into the kitchen.

I looked out of the window into the woods, and my wolf stirred inside me. Tucker was not wrong. A run right now would be good for all of us. I glanced at Mai. Her leg was bouncing under the table. Derek was staring out the window, his fingers tapping against the tabletop. Mason and Sam came back from the kitchen, having a very stilted conversation, their voices devoid of their usual cheerfulness. We needed something familiar and untamed.

“Why don’t we go for a run as well?” I suggested. Derek, Mason, and Sam immediately perked up.

Mai grinned, a spark igniting in her eyes.

“There is good running ground in the east woods,” Michael said. “Just head into the forest and turn left when you reach the first stream.”

We said our thanks to Michael and Camille and headed outside. The scent of earth and pine welcomed me, my body responding instinctively to the call of the wild.

I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the connection to my inner wolf, the fierce and free spirit that resided within me.

I set off toward the woods. I didn’t want us to Shift out here, not until we got to the safety of the trees.

---