Page 105 of Wulf's Pack
The woman pulls back and frowns at me. “Trust me, you’ll want it. The cameras will wash you out.”
I glare at her. “Then I’ll look washed out. I don’t need any more makeup.”
I accidentally growl that last bit, and the woman stumbles back, going as pale as she claims the cameras will make me. “Wulf,” Skylar chides from the chair next to mine, where she’s receiving her own makeover.
“What?” I huff, even though I know she’s right.
“She’s just trying to do her job. Don’t be so grumpy.”
I slump back in my chair and mutter, “I’m not grumpy.”
Skylar laughs and reaches out to me. I take her hand and accept the small dose of calming omega power she sends my way. My shoulders relax, and I release a long breath. The people fixing her hair and makeup finish, and the moment she’s free, I pull her into my arms. “Everything’s going to be fine,” she promises.
I sigh. “I know. I just hate dealing with the press.”
She gives me a crooked grin. “It’s your own fault for being so likable.”
I glare at her, and she laughs again. “Come on, tough guy, let’s go get this over with.”
She drags me from the suite and downstairs into the insanity. A wall of noise and camera flashes hit us when we enter the room. I ignore it all and lead Skylar to the front of the crowd, where a small stage has been erected with a table topped with four microphones. A row of chairs has been lined up on either side of the table. As codirectors of the FUA, Nora and Shayne are sitting in front of two of the mics with Shayne’s human policeman husband and Gorgeous in the chairs beside them. Agents Ralston and Johnson are on the other side of them, representing the human authorities. I’m surprised to see the mayor with them too, but I guess it’s a good idea to show the humans of Detroit that their local leaders support us.
Beside Nora, there are two empty chairs at the table with mics in front of them meant for Skylar and me. Bree, Easton, Dennis, and Elise are in the chairs beside them. Bree is stoic as ever, Easton and Dennis watch the crowd with shrewd eyes, and Elise sits poised and proper, looking professional in a skirt and blazer while wearing a friendly smile. I have to admit the smile is a relief. Between her and Skylar, at least some of us look friendly and approachable.
The rest of our pack, along with my former clan, are sitting in the back of the room. They’re getting a lot of curious looks, but so far, people seem to be leaving them alone. Even though I asked them to come today, I can’t help feeling nervous about their presence. As with anything underworld-related these days, this press conference is not without a large group of human spectators—both gawkers and protesters. The FUA and the Detroit PD have done a great job keeping anyone not on the guest list outside and the crowd under control, but I still don’t like exposing my pack, especially the children, to the world. Exposure is inevitable, though, so having them here as a show of confidence and unity is the right way to go.
Skylar and I take our seats, which must be the signal for this media circus to start. Nora glances my way, and when I nod, she flashes the sea of media people the beautiful smile that’s helped her charm most of the world. “Hello, everyone,” she says. “Thank you for coming.”
A hush falls over the room. It’s handy having a siren as codirector of the FUA. Her allure is no joke. On top of that, Nora is just too friendly to dislike or not trust. And the bombshell redheaded fox shifter beside her is the perfect choice for her partner. Nora is charming, but she’s a bit more reserved, and she’s extremely powerful. Shayne is…well, she’s totally outrageous and completely nonthreatening. The underworldfears and reveres Nora, while the humans relate a lot more with the sarcastic, baseball obsessed, human-loving Shayne.
Nora falls into her speech while the cameras roll and continue to flash. “A lot has happened in the last month, and I know you’re all very curious. We’re here today to clear everything up. But there’s a lot to cover, so please hold your questions until the end. We’ll try to answer as many of them as we can.”
“And don’t worry,” Shayne chimes in, “you’ll get the chance to hear from Alpha Winters directly, so everybody keep your pants on.”
“Especially you, Shayne,” Nora teases. “You may not have a problem with nudity, but apparently network TV does, and I don’t need another lecture.”
Everyone in the room laughs, and Shayne releases an over-the-top sigh. “I swear, shift in front of a camera one time, and they’ll never let you live it down.”
Shayne is a bit notorious. The day the humans learned about supernatural beings, more than just the underworld was exposed. After the fight that tore up Detroit was over, Shane shifted back from her fox to her human form. Which left her as naked as a jaybird in front of dozens of camera phones.
The crowd laughs again, and I start to relax. This is why I asked Nora and Shayne to start this interview. This is what they do—they dissolve tension. Nora charms everyone, and then Shayne makes them laugh. If the FUA didn’t need them so badly, they could go on tour with a stand-up comedy act. I’m pretty sure the two of them are the only reason the humans have yet to revolt since the outing of the underworld.
“Anyway.”Shayne rolls her eyes. “Let’s get to the heart of it, shall we? The real reason we’re all here today.”
“Right.” Nora smiles at the room again. “You all heard about an incident that occurred last month between a pack of wolfshifters from Colorado and Alpha Winters’s new pack. We have information to share about that, but firstly, we can confirm that, yes, a new pack has been formed here in Detroit, led by Alpha Wulf Winters.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Shayne cuts in, waving Nora’s statement off like it’s not important. “New pack. New alpha. We’ll get to that. But you know what they all really want is the tea about Detroit’s most eligible bachelor, and the sexiest bartender in the state, officially being off the market.”
I roll my eyes at the sexy eligible bachelor title, but it gets another chuckle and even one highly unprofessional whistle that has me chuckling. Even Skylar giggles.
Shayne goes for the dramatic pause, waiting until she has everyone’s full attention, and then she places a fist over her heart as if she’s been stabbed. “I’m sorry, but it’s true. Wulf Winters has taken a mate. I know, it’s a devastating blow to all the single women out there, but the good news is, our resident dragon is still very much available.”
Nora snorts. “Available for a night, maybe.”
The crowd falls apart with laughter while Nick shoots his bosses a cocky smirk and calls out, “The best night of their lives.”
Nora shakes her head in amusement, and Shayne turns her smile on the cameras. “So he’s got commitment issues, but who doesn’t love a good challenge? Am I right, ladies?” She pauses again and then adds, “And gentlemen. No reason for you fellas not to shoot your shot too.”
More laughs ring out. Nick is now glaring at Shayne, and Skylar is giggling her head off. “Still not gay, Davies,” Nick says dryly. “Get to the point.”
