Page 33 of Drive me Wild (South Island Shifters)

“There’s more. She says something is going on with her pack. Something weird with all the unmarried men, but no one will talk about it. She is willing to become loyal to you for me. She doesn’t feel safe with that pack.”

She must come from an unknown pack to me as those details don’t ring any bells. I wonder if Edward knows about it. I make a mental note to ask him when I next see him. Taking a sip of my drink, I continue listening, hoping there’s more to the story.

“Are you telling us you let a strange wolf onto our lands because you were too busy getting laid?” Zane thunders.

Christian shrugs. “No one complained when he brought Winter here who is a human.”

“Actually, they did, but that is beside the point. Christian, you’ve never done anything like this.”

“I know, Dec, and I’m sorry. I just lost all common sense when I saw her. It’s like she took over me.” I know the feeling, but I won’t tell him this.

I exhale. “Your mate is to come to me Monday morning so that I can meet her. I want to know which pack she wants to separate from and ensure she’s in no immediate danger, nor that she poses a danger to our clan. Despite this, I’m angry, Christian. You brought someone onto our land without me knowing about it. Now, we have a big problem because I’ve not met this wolf of yours, and as there is already a threat to our community, I have to ask you to hold this close to your heart for a while. For tonight, Christian, you’ll patrol out with the others. Don’t even think about trying to sneak off and find your mate. I will know.”

Christian grumbles the entire way out of my house, leaving Zane and me alone.

Someone has infiltrated our clan. After what Kara did to me, I don’t trust people easily. There is even a tiny part of me that doesn’t trust Winter all the way. Her walls are always up, and I’m not sure why, but until she explains to me why she is the way she is, I can’t trust her fully.

“Where have you been anyway?” Zane asks.

“What do you mean? I’ve been at work and patrols.” I pour myself another whiskey, needing the hit.

He shakes his head. “I meant in your head. You’ve been thinking about Winter a lot lately. Everything alright?”

“Peachy,” I reply, holding up my hand. His eyes widen like saucers as he stares at it.

“When the fuck did that happen? And was it with Winter?”

I nod. “The first time we slept together. I didn’t even know I’d done it, but please don’t say anything to the rest of the clan yet. You’re my Beta, my right-hand man. I trust you completely. I’m not sure about the rest of them yet. I’m not sure they’ll accept Winter and I. Hell, I’ve still got to get Winter to accept me.”

“She will, brother. Just tell her, and be honest.”

I shrug. “I tried tonight, then you rang. So yeah, my head’s all over the place right now, and I’m frustrated at this wolf on our lands, twice now.”

He nods. “It’s not normal for this to happen, but I’m not as worried about this lone wolf as I am about the one Christian brought back. Maybe she’s in league with this other one, and they want our guys off our game.”

I nod. I agree with him; trouble is brewing. I think the she-wolf Christian found was a decoy to let the other guys she was with infiltrate our clan. It was probably a fluke that she turned out to be his mate. I’ll meet her first then get the information I need. Then we’ll be able to devise a plan.

“Right. I gotta run. I start my shift in the morning. Don’t have too many more of those, and get some sleep,” Zane orders, nodding towards the tumbler in my hand.

I chuckle. “Will do, Doc.” I drain my glass as he exits my house.

Locking the front door, I head up to my room and bathroom to shower. Entering my bedroom, I’m overwhelmed with a putrid scent and not one I want in my room. Inhaling again, I sense it carries a similar scent to the wolf I chased off our lands earlier.

My heart pounding, palms sweating and head spinning with confusion, I shift. If I’m going to protect my own home, I’ll do it as a wolf. I take care to search through every room in my house, every nook and cranny. Nothing has been taken nor moved, yet, there was definitely someone who wasn’t me in the most sacred place of my home—my bedroom.

Now, I’m beginning to feel like I’m losing my mind, and I need to talk to Winter about this mark of mine sooner rather than later. If someone can get to me this easily, they can find her and do God knows what with her.

* * *

“Nothing was taken then?” Graham asks, sitting in the dining room opposite me.

I shake my head. “Nothing is missing.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Did you recognise the scent of the wolf?”

“Not quite. It’s not one of ours, but it’s similar to the one we tracked last night. And I have the added problem of Christian deliberately letting a stray onto our lands. I know I sound completely crazy right now,” I say.

“Not crazy. They broke into your home, breaking the confines of the one place you are supposed to feel safe. I have heard from Kelcy. She’ll be staying at your Nana’s place overnight to keep her safe.”

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