Page 7 of Wolf Reborn

What could the man have possibly been thinking? People with an eight-foot stone wall wouldn’t have any security?

Gavin sighed, long and deep, and stared at the paved drive under his feet. “I’m sorry about this,” he mumbled.

“Please tell me you’re some kind of conservationists or something,” Miles answered.

“Huh?”

He groaned and rubbed his eyes. “You know, conservationists. You’re trying to, I dunno, repopulate wolves in the area or protect them from ignorant people with guns, or... something.”

Well, that was the worst. Bad enough Miles had stumbled into the middle of the mess. Gavin didn’t want to have to lie to him on top of it. But—“Wait, what are the other options?”

“Are you serious? Gavin, please tell me you guys aren’t keeping a pack of wolves as exotic pets. Please.” The look in Miles’s eyes was enough to hurt Gavin’s heart. He so clearly wanted to believe the best of Gavin, even while he was thinking he’d accidentally stumbled onto something unethical.

Gavin met his eye, held it, and repeated, “We aren’t keeping a pack of wolves as exotic pets. Wolves don’t make good pets. They’re wild animals.”

Miles blew out a relieved breath, so at least it seemed he believed him. It was true, after all. Gavin would never try to keep a wolf as a pet. It sounded suicidal at best, but mostly, it was abuse of a creature that should be free.

Still, being Miles, he couldn’t leave well enough alone. His curiosity and intelligence were two of his best features, so Gavin wasn’t even surprised when he followed up with, “So the pack of wolves on your property?”

“Is a pack of wolves,” Gavin told him. He didn’t want to lie to Miles, but even dancing around the truth was lying in its own way. He didn’t know why he bothered. “They’re free to leave anytime. I don’t control them.”

“You have a wall around your property,” Miles pointed out, ever the voice of reason.

Gavin nodded, thinking quickly. “True, but the wolves got in on their own. I’m sure they can use the same exit they took to get in.” Again, no lie. Just avoidance of the fact that the wolves had been human shaped when they’d entered the property.

That slowed the questions, at least for a minute, as Miles processed. “You’re not worried about how they got in?”

“No one else seems to have snuck in that way,” Gavin pointed out. “Deputy Tomlinson said the security company called in the attempted burglary, so they’re still on alert.”

And dammit, he was going to have words with them. They were supposed to call the household on any alarms before notifying the police. He’d had his phone on him all night, ringer on, and gotten no calls. His pack didn’t need the police to protect them.

Miles nodded and looked around. “I don’t know much about wolves, but it’s weird if they’re using your property as some kind of base, isn’t it?”

“Base?”

Miles waved a hand toward the side of the house. “They’ve left so many prints out back, they must have been here for ages, Gavin. Surely you noticed.”

Gavin nodded. Of course he’d noticed. And of course, clever, observant Miles, he’d noticed the wolf tracks in the snow.

“I have no idea what’s normal anymore, Miles. There are wolves on the property. It just is.” He sounded exhausted, even to himself, and little wonder. He wasn’t tired physically. No, the full moon would keep him awake and alert till near dawn, like it usually did. But in every other way, he couldn’t be more drained.

He was lying to Miles. Interfering in the man’s career, putting him in the position where he felt like he needed to lie for Gavin.

Miles had, in fact, lied to protect Gavin. Lied because he thought Gavin might be breaking the law, and he was willing to protect him from it. Miles had protected the pack from unwanted scrutiny, and Gavin wanted to kiss him.

“So where’s everyone else? I thought it was”—Miles waved airily, trying to pretend that the earlier dismissal at the shop hadn’t bothered him—“family night, or whatever.”

“It’s pretty late,” Gavin pointed out, hoping he wouldn’t have to actually lie on that count.

“Right,” Miles agreed, dropping his head. “I guess I should get going.”

“No, that’s not what—” Gavin hadn’t meant to force the man to leave. In fact, now that it seemed like he was going to, Gavin wanted nothing more than for Miles to stay. For a drink. For the night. Forever.

Something in him howled in joy at the thought.

Impulsively, he leaned down into Miles’s space and pushed their lips together. His intentions were good. He just wanted to show affection to the man he had feelings for.

Intentions didn’t count for much on the full moon.

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