Page 23 of Pack to the Wall

It had been a while since Izzy had let me hold her like this. She’d been going through a phase, exerting her independence and testing boundaries, and we’d fought more than we’d talked recently. So, it was nice to just hold her again, like I had when she’d been younger.

When she could speak again, she finished her previous sentence. “It was awful, but then… seeing that monster in our living room. That…” she said, her shaking returning, and I held her closer. I understood now. It wasn’t any one event from today that had cracked her usually tough exterior, but all of it. I’d seen how horrified she’d been when Tyson had shifted.

“You know he’s not a monster now, right?” I asked softly. “Tyson is helping me. He’s on our side.”

She nodded against my chest. I wasn’t sure if she really believed me. “But the others… they’re so loud and…” She shivered.

I think I understood. She’d been hiding in her room all morning. A room which shared a wall with the living room. She’d probably heard all of Brick and Tank’s crass and horrid remarks.

“I know,” I whispered. “That’s why we’re talking now, to make sure you’re safe and to make sure we have a plan for what to do about all of this.”

She nodded against my chest again.

Milo brightened. “Does that mean I get to be a wolf?”

“No!” Tyson and I said in unison.

But that led to the next most important part. “But Iwillhave to become one, so I can defend myself. In a week anyone will be able to challenge me for leadership of the pack, and if I die, you both belong to them. I can’t let that happen, and I won’t, you understand me? I absolutely will not leave you.”

Milo seemed to shrink a little, subdued. “Oh… really? You need to fight?”

“Yes.”

“To protect us?” Izzy asked through her tears.

“Yes.” And to save my own life.

Izzy cried a little more. I waited for her to get it all out. It took a while. Then she sat up on her own, sniffling, eyes red.

“Are you okay to make some plans?” I asked.

She nodded, jaw tight, a hint of her usual mettle hardening her brown eyes. Good, she’d need it.

She wiped her tears on her sleeves. “What do we do?” she asked.

That was an excellent question. I turned to Tyson. “I’m open to suggestions. You know the pack better than I do.”

He nodded. “First thing is to make sure these pups are protected.” That was an excellent place to start.

“You can call them kids,” I said. Pups just reminded all of us he was a werewolf, which I didn’t think was helping.

Tyson nodded looking at Milo. “Hey, kid.”

That hadn’t been what I’d meant. “Please call him Milo,” I asked.

Tyson seemed to stiffen a little. I got the feeling it wasn’t because he didn’t want to, but more… he seemed a bit afraid of that level of intimacy.

“Milo.” He tested the word.

“Yeah? I mean… yes, sir?” Milo said.

I tried not to laugh at that. Milo had never been that deferential to anyone. I was a bit surprised.

“How’d you like a dog?”

“Sir?” Milo asked.

I was curious where Tyson was going with this. I raised my brow in question at the tall, dark man. He smiled back.

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