Page 9 of Wolf Duty

Standing, she forced herself to meet his eyes. “I won’t run. I?—”

Dale let out a vicious growl. As he jerked his head toward the front walkway, he pushed her back into the chair, his palm pinning her down.

The stranger from the cafe stepped up onto the porch, his eyes lingering where Dale’s hand was splayed on Sonya’s chest. A low, dark rumble emanated from the out-of-town shifter, and the sound’s echo somehow reverberated inside her.

A wicked smile formed on the stranger’s lips. “Take your hands off her.” The power of his demand rippled through the still night air.

Dale snatched his hand back, bared his teeth, and took a step toward the stranger.

CHAPTER 6

Bay stared at the male who’d dared touch Sonya. The other man stalked toward him, and Bay placed the square carton he’d brought on the railing of the porch. He could probably take the shifter with one hand, but he didn’t want the pie smashed.

“This is my territory,” the man growled. “You are not welcome. Especially since you should have reported to me and asked for visitor permission as soon as you arrived.”

So this asshole was the alpha Bay and Justice had spent the day trying to chase down. He bared his teeth, letting his wolf peek through his eyes a bit more. “I would have, but you hid from me like a scared little pup.”

Claws sprang from the alpha’s fingers, his hands changing into massive paws. “Get the fuck out of Sunbeam before I slice your hide and make jerky out of it. I will not grant you the right to visit here.” The alpha’s beast rose to the surface, and pack magic rippled through the air.

The power would have forced a less dominant shifter to bare their throat in submission. Bay only grinned wider. “You’re welcome to try.”

Taking another step forward, the alpha growled deep in his throat with the voice of his wolf. Bay’s beast rose and answered the challenge.

Suddenly, the door of the house opened. A head covered in black curls popped out, the boy’s eyes huge in his tiny face. “Sonya?” he asked in a trembling voice. “What’s going on?”

“Oh my goddess, Karim.” Sonya rushed to the door and grabbed the boy. She propped him on her hip, her arm encircling him. She brushed back his hair with her other hand, her gaze searching his face. “Are you all right?”

Karim nodded. “Something woke me.” He must have felt the ripples of pack magic.

He wasn’t the only one. Based on the soft paws padding behind him, Bay realized several other wolves had arrived to watch the show. They didn’t worry him—he’d won more than one fight against multiple opponents. But he wouldn’t risk injuries to innocent bystanders. “Take the boy inside.”

Wide golden eyes met his, and then they narrowed as Sonya looked between Bay and the alpha. “Lower the testosterone level a notch,” she barked. “There’s a kid here. Try to be adults.”

Damn, the woman had fire. Faced with dominant wolves squaring off, she was unfazed. Bay wiped his mouth to hide his grin. His wolf rumbled low in his throat, like a fucking purr.

Sonya’s gaze snapped to his. Had she heard his beast? “Calm down, or take your squabble elsewhere. My house. My rules.”

The pack alpha snickered. Bay’s wolf growled, and the other shifter shot him a look but then turned toward the woman and the boy. “That’s another misconception of yours, Sonya.”

She cocked a hip, adjusting her grip on Karim. “What is?”

A slimy smile stretched across the asshole’s face. “That this is your house.”

Bay felt her heart beating faster.How the fuck could he feel it?She frowned. “This was Albert’s house, so now it belongs to Karim and me.”

“It belongs to Karim, but since he’s a minor, his guardians have ownership.” The alpha’s words dripped with malice. Bay wanted to punch him.

“Oh.” Sonya’s shoulders slumped. Bay wanted to go to her. Wanted to make her feel better.What the fuck was going on?

“Your timeline just moved up,” the alpha continued. “We’ve discussed your options. Choose before tomorrow night. That’s when the pack will take ownership of the house and become Karim’s guardians.” He shot Bay a dirty look, headed down the steps, and walked away. Eyes glowed in the darkness as the other wolves took a last look at Bay before following their alpha.

He flipped them the bird but made sure his body blocked the gesture from Sonya and Karim. “Are you okay?” he asked them.

The boy nodded, his eyes still huge. “Why was Dale here? And the other pack wolves?”

“Other pack wolves?” Sonya asked. She obviously hadn’t seen the rest of them.

Bay grabbed the pie carton. “Let’s get inside.” He herded them through the door and closed it behind himself.

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