Page 15 of Smoke and Lure

“Minsi and all the Pack knew it wasn’t permanent, and you were always clear she wasn’t your mate or chosen,” his Beta assured him.“Will Morlie be ready?”

“She’ll have to be.I’ll make sure of it.”Chanin knew it was imperative for Morlie to show strength among the Pack.The Lupines needed her to prove she was worthy to belong to their Alpha.They could not end their mate bond, which came from the Great Spirit, but they would not respect her, and the Pack members would constantly look down on Morlie.Other females would try to relieve him of what they saw as a burden and take her place beside him.

The fuck if I’d let that happen.

“There’s no one as strong and fierce as you, Alpha.Let me know if my mates can assist in any way,” Bleddyn offered.

Chanin nodded.“I will.She needs more than a lioness’s share of sparring partners, and Lovel has proven herself a warrior many times over.”Chanin gave his Beta a firm pat on the shoulder blades.“What’s the current situation?”

Shifting to Chanin’s new direction of the conversation, Bleddyn began, “Boris informed me that Farkas’s scent was picked up and headed south.”

“South makes sense.”Chanin considered.“It is mostly barren land in that direction.Harder to find a food source, but easier to lay low.”

“Faolan and the Fang Warriors are following it to see where it leads.”Bleddyn removed his shirt and dropped it at the base of a tree.“Boris reported something about the scent, which keeps dropping but will pick up again a few miles away.”

Chanin frowned as he stripped out of his clothes and set them on the tree closest to him.He knew his cousin liked to use old caves and cold storage shelters, as had been Farkas’s pattern.“What about old subway systems?For the most part, the bombs that attacked the infrastructure or flooded out from the redirected waterways and four years of endless rain that followed the nuclear wars destroyed most of the entrances.”

“Yes.Boris mentioned that they searched any of those they came up upon.”Bleddyn shifted into his wolf in his next breath and continued,But reported Faolan and the others could tell Farkas had entered a few, but due to the flooding level, it didn’t get very far before his scent picked up again above ground.But now they have lost his trail and are searching to pick it up again.

Chanin let his wolf out alongside his second’s beast and continued listening.We must be missing something.

The Fang Warriors were fierce fighters and some of the best trackers in the Pack because of their unique gifts.

Bleddyn’s wolf took a moment to perform a good, deep stretch with its paws forward, chest to the ground, and hindquarters in the air.

Meanwhile, Chanin’s beast seemed to need a deep-boned shake to work the kinks out of its spine and joints.

Then they were off.

“Chanin.Over.”The radio still attached to Bleddyn’s belt, now resting on the pile of the Beta’s clothing, crackled.

Chanin’s ears perked up at the sound a few feet behind them.They trotted back as the outsider's voice came through.

I got it.Chanin shifted and held a staying hand toward Bleddyn, keeping his Beta from shifting as Chanin walked back to the tree entrance of the path.He was naked and unashamed.Their kind didn’t have the same uncomfortableness humans had about displaying their bare bodies.

Hell, his Pack spent most of the rain years in nudity.They didn’t see the point in putting on clothing only to end up sodden once they were outdoors.And no one enjoyed trying to get into wet apparel.

Bleddyn’s wolf followed.

It wasn’t rare, but it wasn’t often they received contact from other territories.Chanin didn’t expect the chat to take long, and he would ensure it didn’t because he wanted to get on the trail with his men to ensure they found Farkas that day, even if they had to stay out all night.

His wolf would enjoy the hunt.It was a big part of their genetics.However, with the low whine his wolf released inside him briefly, Chanin knew that the beast would prefer to be in the woods cavorting with Morlie and making her wolf his instead of chasing down a rogue late into the night.

At the tree, Chanin stooped down and swiped up the radio before the call could come through a second time.“This is Chanin.Go ahead.”

They didn’t often use radio lingo within his Pack but handled them more like phone calls, especially when they were more likely to be in wolf form managing their communications.However, outside the territory, the terminology became paramount to ensure no miscommunications happened.

Chanin released the side button and waited with slight trepidation for the person to continue.The last time he spoke to another Preternatural Council leader, it had been Iskah, and she was entering his territory because of Farkas’s vile actions and intent for two Fae girls.Valko, the rogue second, was now dust at the Fae Queen’s hand.Chanin could only hope his cousin hadn’t insulted another leader by his actions.If so, it solidified that Chanin needed to get his hands on his cousin this day no matter what.

It had been days since Farkas escaped the cold storage facility, but Chanin did not regret taking the time to make Morlie his and complete her first shift.It had to be done.In a Pack as fierce as his, there could be no weakness.If Morlie had remained human for too long, especially with Minsi out for blood, it could have gotten his mate killed.

“This is Dov, Alpha of the North American Sleuth.Your Comms male, Dolf, said I could reach you on this frequency channel.Over.”

“Read you loud and clear.What can I do for you?Over.”Chanin watched Bleddyn’s wolf pace about.His Beta’s wolf was just as anxious to get to the hunt as his.

“It’s more about what I can do for you with the situation of your rogue.Over,” Dov continued.

Chanin frowned.“Say again.I don’t follow.Over.”

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