Page 21 of Corbin
When Badger’s wolf took a second step, Tarski paused in mid-step but did not turn around. She emitted an even deadlier growl of warning. Power rushed out from her.
Static energy raced across Corbin’s skin. Ares howled. Ha. Didn’t like that, huh? Corbin forced every muscle to remain still as did the rest of the pack. They had to look like a bunch of stone statues.
Tarski’s snarl picked up volume.
Badger’s wolf stumbled backward as if shoved. He dropped to the ground once more and exposed his throat in submission again. Whining, he begged her wolf to pull back the power.
Corbin’s muscles relaxed when Tarski’s power dissipated.
Tarski trotted over to Adrian, able to look him in the eyes with a slight tilt of her head due to how tall that wolf stood.
Jaz’s mate gave Tarski a sympathetic smile. “Sorry about your jeans.” He watched her for a moment more, then he nodded before Tarski continued to the house.
Adrian announced, “Listen up. We’re still eating dinner together tonight on the back deck, and there will be beer.”
The guys shouted a cheer.
Corbin asked, “Why?”
“Shut up, dickweed,” Hammer snapped. “Can’t you take a win and say thank you?”
“I’m asking so I understand for the future.”
Lifting a hand to stifle the conflict, Adrian explained, “Fair enough. It’s because you all learned a valuable lesson today, even Badger. We realize many of you have trouble with your wolves. Our goal is not to punish you or put down your wolf but to offer incentives to work on your control so we can train you. Eventually, you’ll all be able to work individually or as a team as Corbin and Ladrón have recently. We’ll assess your abilities when the time comes. Jaz asked me to make it clear that this is not your prison.”
That confirmed Corbin’s belief about those two speaking telepathically even in mixed physical forms.
Adrian continued while he had the floor. “Once we feel you can be trusted outside this property, and we believe SCIS won’t grab you for acting out of control, you can have a real life. You show promise. That’s enough for today.”
Corbin expelled a long breath. Another day of being safe in the middle of nowhere. He craved this freedom with a yearning that only someone with his past could appreciate. As for leaving the property, let the others go out in public when they wanted. He’d do whatever work Adrian asked of him, like mountain climbing.
Still, he’d absorb everything he could from Adrian every day.
Only a fool would believe that this could last forever. Adrian was teaching him new survival skills, unlike the ones he’d learned on his own while under Vlad’s control.
Adrian walked over to Badger’s wolf and calmly ordered, “Shift back.”
The scarred wolf let out a pained whine and started a slow shift, which sometimes happened when a wolf fought against an order to change.
Corbin had enjoyed all he could stand of Badger and headed toward the shade trees surrounding Jaz and Adrian’s front porch on his way to take a swim in the compound lake deep into the property.
Wind rushed along the ground, rearranging fallen leaves, then swirled through the ancient oak trees with limbs stretched over the front of the house. As he neared the porch, Jaz stepped out dressed in a red T-shirt and jeans. Her wild black hair, no more tamed than before, fit her free spirit. She looked out of place against the gentle country style, but she seemed content in her skin regardless of the surroundings.
She called out to Adrian, “G is waiting on the phone.”
Adrian ended whatever he was saying and ran to the porch, thanking her before he leaped up the steps. He rushed inside. The screen door thwacked shut.
Jaz spent that time giving Corbin an odd look.
He told himself to keep walking and stare ahead. Don’t engage.
“Corbin.”
At the sound of her quiet order, he stopped and turned back to face her with his arms crossed. He could do polite and evasive but found being direct saved everyone time. “Yes, alpha?”
“Why’d you scrap with Badger?”
See? Questions he did not want to answer, and she’d hear a lie. Lifting a shoulder, he said, “Asshole pissed me off. We’re all tired of dealing with him.” Truth, but he hadn’t answered the question she’d asked.
