Page 3 of Homecoming

“Huh…” Digby shakes his head. “Well, that’s a helluva dangerous fuckin’ game he’s playin’ by doing that. When Luna realizes he sent her pups away… Fuck, that could seriously backfire and even I wouldn’t wanna be in his shoes if it does.”

“He’s not going to stay. Even Noah knows that taking the pups was a huge risk, but we couldn’t think of what else we could do. If he doesn’t find her, he’s going to come back here and hope she’ll follow. He’s certain she’ll come back for the pups, but he said she’s gotten to know the mountain well now, so she’ll be alright.”

“Fuck… I knew I should have gone up there. That I should have been the one to bring her home. This is total bullshit. What the fuck is she playin’ at? I knew this was going to happen when Noah said Kat didn’t want me to come back when she first had the pup. I’ve hardly seen her in all this time with the winter snow and us gettin’ spun up. All the work we’ve done on this place—making it nice for her to come home to—I thought she’d be excited to see what we did.”

“Whoa… Diggs… like Riley said, calm down. Let’s think this through.” Marco places his hand on Digby’s shoulder and turns his attention back to Riley. “First things first, is Kat alright? I mean her mind, do you as a doctor think she’s okay, or is there something we should do to make the transition easier when she comes home? I understand it’s gonna be a shock to her system. I mean, shifting for any period can mess with your head, but five months is a long time… maybe if we speak to some of the other she-wolves in the village, they’ll have a better understandin’, right? Maybe we could put an after-care plan in place—I mean, this has to happen to others—just maybe no one took it seriously before? We all just assume they love their pups and get on with it, but maybe some of the others have struggled too?”

“Yeah, sounds like something we could look into.” Riley nods in agreement. “And I could talk to my mom. After all, she is a psychologist and may have some pointers for things we could try. Being honest, I’m not sure how to deal with this but I know she was getting panic attacks about coming back and when Noah suggested she pack her stuff, she just up and left. We loaded the car and waited, but she didn’t come back. It was getting late. The pups were tired, and I knew you were waiting, and that’s when Noah suggested I drive back.” Riley’s dressed casually in a powder blue shirt and navy jeans and as he stands straight, he broadens his shoulders to make himself appear taller. The drive was tiring and rubbing a hand over his lightly bronzed skin, the rust amber of his tired eyes catches the last of the lowering sun as he stretches his arms and yawns.

The constant yapping of barks snaps him away from his tiredness and hearing the loud howls coming from inside the vehicle, he turns around. “It’s okay guys. Just hold on… Uncle Riley’s coming to get you out now.”

He smiles and as he opens the front door of the car, Lukas barks excitedly loud; his ears swivel as his eyes hone in on the tall man in the distance—his dad.

Riley lifts the cage from the front seat and placing it on the floor, he lets Lukas out.

“Wow…” Zak smiles. “Hell, he sure has grown lately. Geez, little man, what the hell have they been feedin’ you on these past few months?”

“Yeah, he’s getting really big now, right?” Digby smiles as he collects up his son and nuzzles him close to his neck; Lukas’s warm tongue happily licking his father’s chin. “Is Luka okay?”

“Yeah, he’s uh… he’s looking at a picture book,” Riley smiles. “I’ll get him out now.”

“I’ll d-do it…” QT smiles and going around the other side of the car, he opens the door to the child strapped in the seat at the back. “Hey there…” Luka grins as QT lifts him from the travel seat and holds him close.

Zak smiles and a sudden pang of jealousy descends as he watches the way QT holds Luka—the jealousy is not of QT, but the fact he’s started to think seriously about how much he’d love a pup of his own.

“So what about the new pup? Did she remain behind with Luna?” It’s the one thing they all wanted to know and it’s now Marco’s strong resolute tone that cracks the awkward and uneasy silence as none of the others dare ask.

“Uh no… No, she’s here. Like I said, Noah thought bringing her here might encourage Luna to follow.” Riley smiles as he reaches into the back of the car and drags the small cage from the seat. Opening the latch on the wire door, he carefully lifts out the tiny sleeping pup.

“Digby…” Riley turns her around, “this is your daughter… Evelyn.”

“Oh my God!” Digby’s mouth drops open as he looks first at Darius, then at Marco. “Oh my God, look at her. She’s… oh my God she’s…”

“…stunning.” The words fall from Darius’s lips and he’s instantly overcome with a powerful emotion that confounds him into silence.

“She’s like a miniature Luna.” Digby smiles as the pup awakens and blinks her eyes. She shivers with nerves as she stares at the group of men gathered in front of her. Quickly she snuggles into the comforting protection of Riley’s arms and pressing herself tightly against his chest, she quietly trembles.

There’s a collective gasp as they stare at the small silver-gray pup. With a white underbelly, a patch of off-white fur along her muzzle, and snow-white tips on her ears, her bright eyes widen as she mewls to herself.

“Hey, it’s okay… that’s your daddy.” Riley smiles as he offers her forward.

Digby places Lukas on the ground. Immediately he's released the pup, scampers across to Zak and without hesitation, cocks his leg against the large man’s jeans to take a pee. “Oh… you littlefu…ker!”

“Zak!” The chorus of voices chime in unison, reminding him to temper his language now that the pups are back.

“Yeah, I get it but look what the little shi… look what he did! He… Oh my God… why?” Zak picks Lukas up by the scruff and scowls at him. “Grrr… You really are a little shit,” he growls through gritted teeth under his breath. As always in these testing situations, the little black pup soon has him won over and, enthusiastically licking Zak’s face, Lukas purrs against his ear.

“Oh my,” Zak smiles, holding him tight as he kisses his head. “I missed you so much little guy.”

The pup, now freed from the cage, knows no bounds and the realization he’s free to roam makes him howl with a renewed ferocity. He shakes his head and spittle flies from his drooling black lips and the overpowering alphas scent fills Zak with odd revulsion as it splatters warm and wet on his neck. The pup licks him one more time before he leaps from his arms to the ground.

Zak fights the urge to heave and reaching down, he pets the pup. Immediately, Lukas playfully leaps at the large man’s hand and latches on with his teeth.

“Arghh… you little shit—” Zak squeals as each tooth feels like a miniature ice pick—a thousand light bulbs prickling electricity through his fingers in a hot burst of energy.

Zak snatches his hand away as the rest of the team continues in open-mouthed silence and a zapping zing of emotions overcomes them all as they watch the tiny gray pup nestle herself contentedly in Digby’s arms.

Evelyn blinks and lifting her snout, she sniffs. Filling her nose with Digby’s scent, she sneezes.

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