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Her fingertips brushed over the scratches she’d left on his back. They stung a little, but he wanted to wear her marks.

“My pack wouldn’t be thrilled, but I don’t think they’d banish me.”

He kissed her and pulled away to find his clothes. The wet fabric of his shorts clung to his legs as he dressed. He’d have to shower before he returned to the cabin he shared with his pack, so the other wolves didn’t smell her on him.

Macey propped herself up on one elbow, her skin gleaming in the moonlight. “What do you need me to do?”

“Nothing. Just continue to think about moving and talking to people. Find out who else wants to move. Progressives only, not those who only tolerate change. I want to make something different. Times have changed and we need to look forward instead of clinging to the rules that kept us safe it the Dark Ages.”

“Some will hate you. They’ll say you are putting us at risk.”

He glanced at her. “I’d never put wolves in danger. But old hierarchy rules? We aren’t actual wolves, and this isn’t a fiefdom. There doesn’t need to be a pecking order. We can be equal and operating for the benefit of all.”

“And vampires aren’t shunned.”

He nodded and leaned over to kiss her. “Definitely not. I have never understood why vampires need to be kept on the fringe.”

She looked away. “There’s a theory that wolves are afraid of us. We’re stronger and faster and never need to run as a wolf.”

That was a possibility. “Are the vampire’s planning a coup?”

“Not that I know of. You are the only one planning and scheming.”

He grinned. “Let’s keep it that way. If too many people find out it will be over before it begins. There will be other packs jostling to take over the Death Valley pack territory. And it will be up to Ajax to decide how he wants the pack to end.”

She sat up and wrapped the towel around herself. “But you still need your own people?”

He didn’t know the makeup of Ajax’s pack, but if no one had fully shifted for long enough that the pack was being declared dead then it would mostly be vampires and old wolves. “I’ll need wolves to bring up the numbers. I have a second already.”

How would Ajax feel given that he was supposed to be the leader? Not that a vampire could lead a pack. Had there ever been such a thing? The wolf packs wouldn’t allow a pack of vampires to exist, nor could he imagine Ajax disbanding and letting his friends and family live as rogue vampires.

“The surrounding packs will argue.”

“I know. Which is why everything has to be in place.” He needed a pack and Ajax’s approval before the idea was presented at the council. There was one meeting near the end where people requested to change packs. It was a formality and most of the time it all went smoothly because the details had already been worked out. Some people had already been living with their new pack for a year or more if they’d had to move because of work.

This would be different. This would be a friendly takeover with no bloodshed. Hopefully. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Thank you.”

“I haven’t done anything yet.”