Page 14 of Brutal Mate

“This had better be good,” Jack grumbled as he answered his front door to Kane's hammering.

It still felt odd to Kane to have the alpha living outside the manor, but with a growing family, it was for the best.

He didn't like rousing the house during the middle of the night, but what other choice did he have?

“Something's happened,” Kane said, dipping his head. “Can I come in, or will Bonnie try to tear my head off for waking the kids?”

“She'll understand,” Jack said, stepping out of the way to allow him into the townhouse.

It wasn't often that Kane had been inside, but when last he had, the place had been covered in dust covers and paint mats, in the middle of renovation.

Now the place looked like a real home with pastel-painted walls and photos of the children hanging in the hall.

“I love what Bonnie has done with the place,” Kane said quietly as Jack showed him to the back room that had become his home office.

“She has a good eye,” Jack agreed. Kane laughed at that.

“We both know this place would be bare if you were alone,” Kane agreed playfully.

“I wouldn't need this place if I were alone,” Jack pointed out, closing the office door behind them. The minute it was closed, talk turned to business. “What's happened that couldn't wait till morning?”

Jack shoved his hands into the pockets of his pajama bottoms.

Kane ran his fingers through his dark hair and cleared his throat. “There's been a wolf sighting by some human teenagers in the woods.”

Jack raised one dark brow. “And you know this how?”

“After getting only one lead in town today on the missing teenagers, I thought I'd see if I could find these so-called hangouts for myself,” Kane said, shrugging. “I found one, but they weren't doing anyone any harm and I didn’t want to spoil their fun, so I was headed back to town when I heard a scream.”

Jack's face paled as if he already knew where this was going.

“I ran back, but by the time I got there whatever had happened was over. I questioned them and they said they saw a wolf.”

“Was anybody hurt?” Jack asked, always the first to care for his townsfolk.

Kane shook his head.

“And what did you tell them about seeing a wolf?” Jack asked.

“The usual,” Kane shrugged, “That they must have had too much to drink or whatever they were smoking was making them see things, because there aren’t any wolves in these parts.”

“Good,” Jack said, sighing as he dropped down into one of the armchairs opposite his desk. He gestured for Kane to take the other and he did. “And was there really a wolf? Did you see it?”

Kane nodded and explained, “Yes. I didn't see it, but I certainly smelled it. It wasn't one of ours.”

“Trespassing fucks,” Jack cursed, his jaw clenching. “Did you recognize the scent?”

Kane gritted his own teeth. “No.”

“If you had to guess, what would you think?” Jack asked, his expression curious.

Kane straightened his back and looked Jack in the eye. “Christian's men did promise to come back and cause trouble. Maybe they finally have the numbers to do so?”

Jack exhaled and rubbed his temples. “I was worried you were going to say that.”

Kane felt a shiver down his spine. The thought of an enemy pack on their doorstep once more didn’t sit well with him, either. “Perhaps we should double the patrols again?”

Jack nodded agreement. “I'll have Zander see to it. There's already one set for dawn.”

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