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“Don’t be sad, Da.”

“I’m not, munchkin. I’m worried, but I trust your dad to be careful.”

“He’s okay.” She leaned on John, and Rory’s heart melted a bit.

Was this what being a parent was like? He couldn’t wait to share it with Fen now. He put a hand on his belly, so happy to think about that. And so worried about Fen.

“No worry, Rory. Fen is okay too.”

“My little seer,” John said. “She does seem to know things.”

“I’m glad. It eases my mind.”

Alpha Jameson just showed up,Fen told him.I imagine the shooting is totally over for the day.

I imagine so, love.Jameson had a fearsome, if fair, reputation. He did not suffer fools, but he was never one to be cruel or abuse his power. Keegan was more good cop, funny and friendly. Until he shouted like he had today…

“Okay, that just wasn’t nice. Not any of it was fair.” He was going to talk to Fen very seriously about this whole being told what he could and couldn’t do.

“No, I see.” John chuckled at him. “So apparently back in the day, this whole, you know, alpha voice command thing. The old alpha used it all the time on everybody, just randomly. It’s only supposed to be for emergencies.”

His temper flared, and his cheeks began to burn. “I was having an emergency. The emergency was that my mate is getting shot at!”

“Yeah, I get that, but it’s sort of like this.” John shook his head at him, rolled his eyes. “If you were up there, endangering yourself and your baby, Fen would’ve freaked out. They would have had to deal with a freaking out Fen,andwith shooters and making sure that you and the baby were safe.”

“You… I mean, I understand, but it’s still not fair.” Now Rory was beginning to feel like John was humoring the lunatic.

Lucien, Jameson’s half-fae, half-wolf mate with all the little ones, turned to stare at him, nostrils flaring. “No, it’s not. I really don’t think that being fair was in their heads. At least not right now, you know? People they grew up with are shooting at Loyal.That’swhat’s on their minds. What’s on their minds is keeping people from being hurt like Fen was hurt. So, I’m sorry if what you wanted wasn’t their number one priority.”

Well, damn it.

Rory blew out a hard breath. “I’m sorry. I just want to help.”

“I know.” Lucien came to them, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You think I’m not going nuts wondering what could happen to them? The fact is, this whole wolf thing is what it is. We each have our place in the pack, whether or not we like it. We have lots of other roles too, but your main job right this second is protecting that baby. Because nobody else can do that but you.”

“You know, if you don’t stop being so damn logical and shit, we’re all going to stop being friends.” He included John and Lucien both in his mock scowl.

Lucien grinned. “In that case, I don’t know about you, but I need a cookie.”

John nodded, enthusiastically. “And a beer.”

“I’d take a cookie and a milkshake. Why don’t we have more milkshakes? Seriously, there’s a lack of milkshakes in this pack.”Please, Fen. I love you. Be safe.

He was willing to give here. John and Lucien needed that. So did he.

Fen peekedout from where he’d been crouching by one of the ATVs. The one with the steaming engine and flat tires.

That? Had been entirely too close.

“Fen? You okay?” Keegan came to give him a hand up. He’d roared into the clearing with four other men, and Jameson had come howling in before that in wolf form. The shooting had stopped immediately, and he had a feeling the shooters had fled.

Hard.

He brushed dirt off his…everything. “I think so. Liam? Dean?” He looked around for his new family members. “Dean! Are you hit?”

Dean blinked, looking down at his arm. “A scratch maybe.”

“Dammit. Let’s get you inside.” Keegan helped Dean up. “Here, put pressure on the wound. Niall! Incoming.”