Page 5 of Homecoming

“Right… And you think that would be the best thing to do? Put the wedding off?”

“Yeah. Zak, if you’re not ready to commit, tell him. Best you both know where you stand now before you do the deed, right?”

“Okay… it’s just well, uh… I’m not sure if that sounds like such a great idea. But that’s what you would do?”

“Hell yeah.”

“Okay, well… I’ll think about it. Uh-oh… now what?” Zak growls and gestures across the grass as Riley comes striding towards them. “I still don’t understand why we have to have all these damn shifters at ateambarbecue.”

“Zak stop it. I thought you got over the Riley issue.”

“Yeah, it’s not Riley I have the problem with. It’s that shifty ass’d brother of his and the way he keeps sniffin’ around QT like that.”

“Yeah, why are they hangin’ out so much lately?”

“Oh, this idea QT has, about training as a Doctor. Yeah, well, because Kat’s not here, Quinn’s supposedlyhelpinghim with the pharmaceutical side—drug names and stuff like that. All I can see is that shifty fuckin’ shifter, Quinn, is angling to get his paws on QT. I can see the way he looks at him. I swear, if he touches him one more time, I’ll rip those damn paws off.”

“Zak calm down,” Digby laughs. “And you’re tellin’ me you’re havin’ doubts about gettin’ married? Sounds like you should get QT down the aisle next week cuz you sound pretty damn smitten. Gettin’ jealous of a shifter… hell that’s funny as fuck.” He sips his beer and smirks as Riley joins them. “Hey, what’s up man?”

“Uh… I just thought you should know, Noah’s back.”

“What the fuck… And Kat… Kat’s with him, right?” He watches as Riley slowly shakes his head. “She’s not with him? What the… Well, where the hell is she?”

“Come… Speak to him. He’ll tell you more. I just… Well, come on.”

“Noah…Howarethings?”Digby sniffs with annoyance. Noah’s scent is different from anything else he’s ever smelled. It’s more muted, not the strong body odor of a savage shifter or that lusty smell of a wolf, but something deeper and much more complicated. His scent comes from his soul and it always gives Digby goosebumps. “What’s goin’ on? And more to the point, where the hell is Kat?”

“Hey. I’m good. Thanks for asking. Look, I know this must be hard on you but… I couldn’t find Luna. I mean, I tracked her for a few days, but as she went further down the mountain, the path was too steep and I couldn’t follow. I went back to the cabin to wait, but she still didn’t return, so I packed my stuff and headed here. I ran into a couple of issues with the truck, that’s why it’s taken me a few days to get back.”

“I told you to trade that ol’ heap in for somethin’ newer,” Digby scowls. “Anyway, what do you mean you couldn’t find her? Where the hell is she?” Digby’s natural protective wolf kicks in and his scent becomes a rage of testosterone and aggression.

The smell irks Noah, and he rubs at his nose. “I don't think she's far away. With the pups here, I think she might have already returned to the valley to be closer to them.”

“If she’s here, then why the hell doesn’t she just come home? You know, this is fuckin’ bullshit! How can she do this to us? Leave her pups… No, this doesn’t make any sense.”

“Digby, calm down.” Riley places a hand on his arm.

“No, don’t tell me to calm down.” He points first to Riley before he jabs a finger at Noah’s face. “This is you… and you!” His words hiss and the tone of his voice is angry and full of malice. “You did this. Agreeing to take her up that damn mountain. She should have stayed here. Luna could have stayed here and it would have been just fine. This was your idea. You’re the one who kept her away from her family and now she doesn’t wanna come back. What the hell did you say to her?”

“Digby, she needed to be where she was.”

“No. No, she needed to be here with me. Goddamit, I should have fuckin’ insisted. I should have made her stay. I knew this was going to end in bullshit like this.Fuck.” He slams his beer on the table. “I need a proper drink!”

Digby’s never been good at keeping his anger at bay. He reacts on instinct and the rage he now feels rises like hot liquid, welling in the corners of his mouth, behind his eyes, and trickles in sweat down the back of his neck.

“Diggs… Digby…” Zak calls after him. “Hey, hold up and I’ll come with you. Where the hell do you think you’re goin’?”

Noah and Riley sigh as they watch Zak chase the angry wolf across the lawn.

“Now what?” Riley frowns as they look at each other and shrug.

“We wait,” Noah sighs. “She’ll come back. The moon wanes tonight.”

“And you think that’s what she’s waiting for?” Riley questions.

All feels calm as a warm breeze wafts in from the south and Noah takes a deep breath of the freshening air. “Yeah…” he nods as the pair stare at each other. “I think that’s exactly what she’s waiting for.”

“Areyounotjoiningthe barbecue?” Marco frowns, watching in silence from the study doorway as Darius leans back in the brown leather chair.

---