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Fen blinked. “Pardon me?”

That didn’t make any sense. A wolf would know if their child wasn’t a wolf. The scent had to be different, if it was a dragon. How did that even happen?

“It’s a long story, but suffice it to say that Gareth was ill-used by the old alpha and his adopted family. I hope that they’re very happy now, wherever they are.” A hint of loss crossed Jameson’s face.

“I wish I had been able to see a dragon.” Fen had seen selkies before, and a mermaid once as he ran along the beach. It had very large teeth and scared him, badly. He would like to say that it was only because he had been a little pup, but the fact was, had he seen it again?

Fen would still have the good sense to be scared.

Keegan shook his head. “Do they matter, the whys?”

Fen tilted his head, pondering that question. It seemed to be an important one, but it was also an incredibly easy one to answer. “No. No, it doesn’t matter at all. He’s my mate, and I intend to keep him.” He lifted his chin, holding the alphas’ gazes, one after the other. “So then the question is, am I welcome in your pack? And if so, what should you have me do? Because I will not leave him, and he is happy here.”

Fen knew that as well as he knew anything. Rory had a house, friends, a life here. Fen had been alone and lost, there was no pack for him to return to, and the life of a solitary wolf was at best a challenge.

“You are welcome here,” Jameson said. “It is always good to have another strong male to help. And as far as how you contribute, what do you do?”

“I was a carver by trade.”

“A carver?” Keegan sounded surprised.

“Yes. I work with wood. I make big things and small things, but I have lost all of my tools. I will have to do something else until I can replace them.”

Keegan shook his head. “Nonsense. If you are part of the pack, and you need something to do your job, the pack provides. Tell Rory what you need. That’s his job, or if he cannot get it,then I will get you what you need. Having another woodworker would be a great blessing. Furniture. Do you do furniture?”

“I make furniture beautiful. I’m not a carpenter. I can make furniture, in necessity, but what I do is I make it beautiful.” He could also make bowls, spoons, toys. Working with wood gave him great joy.

Keegan and Jameson looked at one another. “We need to get you together with Timothy. Timothy is our woodworker. He has a workshop. Perhaps you two could collaborate.”

Fen nodded. “Of course.”

Whatever it was he needed to do, he would do it. Fen was eager to become part of the pack, to show Rory that he would also be a good provider. He would be the wolf that Rory needed him to be.

“If it’s all right with you, we’ll have him stop by at Rory’s?—”

Keegan nudged Jameson.

“Right. At your house.”

He blinked at the words, letting them fill him. “Of course, of course. Perhaps he could come for a beer.”

Surely Rory wouldn’t mind that. They could even sit out on the front porch and talk if they needed to.

“Who are we having a beer with?” Rory bounced up, cookies in hand. He passed out cookies to everyone and then sat. “So who are we having a beer with?”

“Your mate was telling us that he was a carver. We thought that perhaps he and Timothy could work together on projects. Collaborate.”

Rory nodded, eyes lit with a pleasure Fen could feel. “Oh, I can totally see that. Timothy is such a sweetheart—a very kind man. And why doesn’t he come to supper? We can have stew and bread. It doesn’t have to be fancy. And also, do you need tools? I can totally get you some tools. I’m making a big order.”

Jameson blinked at him. “You are?”

“I am. I have some things at the house, at the old house, that I can trade, but I need to get my mate clothes and shoes. Books. Tools, obviously, things that he can use to make himself happy, to make this a home for him.”

Fen was honored. His mate was good to him.

“If there’s anything that you guys need, just let me know. I’m going to have them bring a truck,” Rory said.

“Then we should absolutely discuss our Yule situation before the snows come.” Jameson chuckled. “We have lots of kids to make happy now.”