Page 51 of Wolf Crowned

He laughed out loud. “Me either.” He chanced a glance at me before staring at the tombstone again. “Do you come out here often? I haven’t seen anyone else?”

I clasped my fingers together inside the front pocket of my sweater. “I do, when I get the chance, which isn’t as often as I’d like.” I licked my lips. “Is it weird that I talk to him?”

Brandon turned to me and arched a brow. “No. I do it too.” He chuckled. “If it’s weird, I guess we can be weird together.”

I cracked a smile as I rocked up on my toes. “I ask him what I should do and if I’m doing things right.” I tucked my bottom lip between my teeth and looked at the ground as I dragged my shoe through the leaves. “I’ve had to make some tough calls lately. I’m just afraid I’m not doing the right thing.”

Brandon met my gaze. “Dad chose the right person for the job. Just the fact you question if you’re doing a good job says so.”

I laughed out loud as I ducked my head down. “I’m not sure that’s a sign of a good job, Brandon.”

He turned back to the tombstone and sighed. “It is. It means you care. That you’re thinking about the pack and not just yourself or our family. But everyone involved.”

My heart fluttered. “Thanks.”

We stood in a comfortable silence for a few long moments until I broke it. “How are you holding up with everything?”

He shrugged. “Oh, you know, okay.”

I nudged him with my elbow. “But really? I know you’ve been helping Lincoln...how are you?”

I’d been so buried in pack affairs I hadn’t had time to myself or to really grieve.

His brows squeezed together. “I’m glad to be helping.” He gave me a wide smile. “I think I’ve finally found my place helping with the computer stuff.”

I bumped his arm again. “I wish I’d known you were that good at stuff earlier. I’ve got some ideas for the future.” I eyed him. “You and Lincoln work well together.”

Brandon ran a hand through his hair. “He’s a smart guy. I’m glad the two of you found each other.”

“Me too.”

Brandon looked away and cleared his throat. “Have you heard from Sawyer?”

A lump formed in my throat. “No. Not yet.” The longer we went without contact the more my nerves frayed. I cleared my throat. “How did you know?” We hadn’t told anyone.

Brandon gave me a tight-lipped smile. “I overheard you talking to Willa earlier. I didn’t mean to ease drop.”

I hugged myself tighter. “He’s alive. I know that much.” It was something, but nowhere near enough.

Brandon blew out a frosty breath. “I’m sure it’s all going to work out the way it’s supposed to.” He lifted his brows. “Hopefully in our favor.”

I wiggled my fingers, that were turning to icicles even in my sweater pocket. “I hope so.” Luna wouldn’t truly turn her back on us. Would she?

Brandon knelt and picked up some leaves and dirt, crumpling them in his hands and letting them fall back to the ground. “Are you going to let her go with Jacob?”

I pursed my lips. “I don’t know. Maybe. I think she should talk to him. It doesn’t seem right to go without telling him. You know?”

Brandon hummed. “Yeah. I can see that. He’s not going to like it.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think anybody will.” I gripped rubbed my hands together, hoping the friction would create some warmth. “Willa and I made a pact when we were prisoners there. We are supposed to kill Alpha Dane together.”

“Do you think you can?” His gaze snapped up to mine. “Kill him?”

It felt weird when he asked me like that. I’d killed before, in self defense. But I wasn’t a cold-blooded killer, and if I struck him down unarmed, I’d be just as bad as him. “Only if he gives me no other choice.”

Could a man like Alpha Dane be rehabilitated? Probably not? Did he deserve a chance to be? No. But I’d give him one.

Winning meant nothing if we weren’t better than our oppressor.

---