Page 84 of Can't Be Love

“There’s a reason Alpha didn’t make a public announcement,” James leaned down to whisper in my ear.

I shrugged. “They have a right to know. Challenges are public information.”

“No Larken is going to take down a Collier,” Hewitt loudly yelled to the agreement of others.

I snorted. “Thought I was nothing more than an outsider. I’d think you’d want someone a little closer to home for your Pack Mother, the way you’ve all been acting.”

The room quieted.

Edna was the first to speak. “Child, we were all shocked when you showed up. Everyone loves Sydney, and no one wanted to see her hurt.”

“I’m right here, you know,” Syd said from across the room. “And I’m not hurt. I’m happy Thomas found his true mate. Maybe a little jealous that I haven’t found mine yet, but Lily’s a great person and she’s what’s best for him. That’s all that matters to me, and that’s all that should matter to you guys, too.”

“Thanks,” I mouthed to her, and she nodded.

“Of course, we know all that,” Edna said, blowing her off. “We protect our own around here. Sydney’s Collier. You, Ms. Lily Westin, are not . . . yet. Most of us remember you as a young pup, running around with Madelyn. We’ve seen you grow up into a fine young woman. We aren’t even questioning your capacity to care. You just have some mighty big shoes to fill as our future Pack Mother, and we’re not going to go easy on you because we need to know you’re tough enough to handle the job.”

I nodded. “Okay, I can accept that. Time will tell on that one.”

“Time, shime,” Hewitt said, swaying when he stood to walk over to my table. “No offense, Syd, but you were always too sweet and too quick to appease everyone to make a truly good Pack Mother. You need a pair of balls for that job, and you, missy,” he said, putting his arm around me, more for his own balance than as a show of comradery. “You have a big set of balls, a smart mouth, a quick wit, and still a kindness to everyone, despite how poorly you’ve been received. You will make a fine Pack Mother, and have my full support. Now kick some Larken ass to seal the deal.”

Cheers actually went up to his speech, and I shook my head, laughing.

Edna had to add her two cents. “Far as I’m concerned, if it’s a match between you and a Larken, you have my full support, too.” Her friends nodded their heads in agreement.

“Thanks, Edna. That means a lot coming from you,” I admitted.

Thomas walked in and looked confused. Several said hello to him and began to scatter. He stopped to talk to Clay for a moment, and I had no doubt Clay filled him in on all that had just happened. James and Emmett were still standing guard at my back. When Thomas finally got to me, he surprised me by leaning down and kissing me for all to see. Hewitt started hooting and hollering his approval. Somehow I’d made a strong ally in the town drunk.

Emmett finally left his station to help Clay pull another table over and my three Six Pack guards joined us. I could feel Thomas’s wolf was agitated, so I scooted my chair closer to his so that our thighs touched. He didn’t calm immediately, so I turned and placed my hands on his chest and leaned closer to whisper, “Are you okay?”

He looked as if he were studying me, and then leaned forward till our foreheads met. I sensed the shift within him as he finally started to calm. “I am now,” he confessed, stealing another quick kiss.

Milly showed up and took our orders without any further fanfare.

“Thanks for watching my girl’s back,” Thomas said, speaking to Emmett and James.

James was sitting next to me and nudged me with his elbow. “She ain’t gonna need our help. Hewitt’s right, this girl’s got a pair.”

“I assure you, she doesn’t,” Thomas mumbled under his breath as my cheeks started to burn and I turned to scold him, but he was grinning and looked happier than I’d seen him since our return to Collier.

Dinner was pleasant, and despite the weight of the challenges, the evening passed in lighthearted fun as I got to know this half of the infamous six-pack. They were loud, often vulgar, very animated, and sexy enough to gain the attention of every eligible she-wolf in Collier, as woman after woman stopped by to say hi, under the guise of introducing themselves to me, all the while staring at them. It really didn’t bother me though. I genuinely liked the guys.

As we finished up and said goodbye, Thomas and I made our way back to the car to head home. Several people stopped us along the short walk to wish me well in the challenge. Many of them had not been at the Tavern that night, only showcasing just how fast gossip spread through Collier.

Thomas was quieter than usual on the drive home. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, just different, and I knew he had a lot on his mind.

“Are you okay?” I asked when we were in the house and able to speak freely.

“No,” he said honestly, looking vulnerable. “We need to talk.”

My initial response was to overreact and start second-guessing everything that had transpired between us, but I took a deep breath, letting his scent soothe my nerves as I reached for his hand and led him over to sit on the couch. I sat first, patting the space next to me.

“Okay, talk,” I said.

He hesitated, like he was puzzling out what to say, or how to say it. “I met with Wanda today.” An unexpected growl erupted from me. Instead of causing added tension, Thomas laughed and leaned forward to kiss my lips. “That’s my girl. I may have angered her and she’s certain she’s going to win this battle, but I assured her she’d never actually win me. She’s a hothead, Lily. You can use that to your advantage.”

“Already did my research on her. It was clearly documented. I’m ready for this, Thomas. I’ve got this, and I don’t want you worrying about it.”

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