Page 65 of Alpha Gray

Ugh. Does he really have to call me out in front of everyone? Is this some stupid jealous boy thing?

“She stayed in my room,” Brooke interjects.

I shoot her an appreciative glance. My twin always has my back and I’m so damn grateful that she’s been my best friend since birth, covering my ass whenever I run into trouble. Which is a lot- I’ve always seemed to be a magnet for trouble.

Boyd’s expression is still a little skeptical, but he doesn’t question Brooke. She’s the honest, no-nonsense twin, after all.

“You went for a run on our day off?” Connor asks, wrinkling his nose. “Are you just a glutton for punishment or what?”

I laugh, clapping him on the shoulder. “No days off. We’ve gotta earn this, because I’m not standing out here again to say goodbye to any of you.” I look around at my friends sternly, pointing my finger.

“Yeah, yeah,” Boyd sighs. “We get it, you’re a maniac. So what, are we starting this extra training tonight? Is it gonna be like old times, after dark in the park?”

I have such fond memories of training with Boyd and Davis on weeknights when we were in high school. Boyd’s a goofball, but he’s serious when he needs to be, and I wouldn’t be half the fighter that I am today without those late-night practice sessions the three of us had.

“You know it,” I laugh, winking.

The six of us start walking in the direction of the squad complex, and as we do, Brooke strides up beside me, linking her arm with mine as we fall back from the others.

“Thanks for the save,” I whisper. “That was a close one.”

“Don’t mention it,” she whispers back.

I catch Connor stealing a little sideways glance at Brooke and suddenly remember what I saw last night- she was dancing with him!

“Hey… is there something going on with you and Connor?” I ask, keeping my voice low. I grin mischievously and waggle my eyebrows.

Brooke’s cheeks flush and she darts her eyes away from me. “I just danced with him a little bit, it’s no biggie. But… I do think he’s cute.”

“Ooooo!” I tease, and Brooke and I giggle together.

When we reach the doors of the barracks, Boyd’s holding one of them open for us.

“Ladies,” he drawls, tipping his head. Typical Boyd. Brooke and I just roll our eyes, walking in past him.

“I’ve gotta go work on a few things,” Brooke sighs, unlinking her arm from mine. “Chat later?”

I nod. “For sure. Love you.”

Brooke blows me a kiss over her shoulder as she heads toward the squad dorms. “No matter what!”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Gray

I called the council together on Sunday evening to discuss my trip to Denver. The council for the six-pack consists of twelve members: the alphas from each pack and our betas. Reid and I are the young bucks, heading up the Goldenleaf and Stillwater packs. Theo’s dad, Alpha Anders, runs the Summervale pack, and Alpha Damian, Jax’s father, runs the Westfield pack. Brock will be taking over the Riverton pack at the end of the summer for his old man, Alpha Rowe. I’m looking forward to the day when all five of us are the alphas of our packs, running the council. Not that I mind the current alphas, but some of them are older, stuck in their ways, and resistant to change.

The only outlier will be Alpha Vaughn from the Norbury pack. He’s got a son, Chase, but he’s still in high school so it’ll be a while before he takes over. I’m hoping that Chase will come join us at the squad complex after he graduates high school so we can get to know him better, assimilate him into our little brotherhood of young alphas.

At the council meeting, we all debate the pros and cons of forming an alliance with the Denver pack. In the end, we unanimously decide that we should at least go hear them out, and because Reid and I are unattached, without mates or families, we volunteer to make the trip. I’d planned on going either way, since I’ve been the one laying the groundwork with the Denver alpha over the last few months.

The whole ride to Denver, it’s like I can physically feel the distance between Fallon and myself growing, almost like there’s some invisible string between us that’s stretching thinner and thinner as the miles increase. I know how absolutely insane that sounds, especially since I’ve only known the girl for a few weeks, but I can’t get her out of my head. I’m not even there yet and I’m already aching to get back to her.

Reid and I arrive in Denver late on Monday afternoon, rolling up to a gated community on the outskirts where most of the pack resides. I throw my Jeep in park at the gate, hitting the intercom button and telling the person on the other end who we are and who we’re here to see. After a few seconds, the gate slides open and we drive through, winding through the residential streets until we reach the large packhouse situated at the top of a hill.

They must’ve really tightened up their security recently, because we’re barely out of the Jeep when we’re greeted by two bulky guys coming down the driveway in our direction.

“Alpha Gray, Alpha Reid?” one of them asks, and I just give a curt nod.

---