Page 86 of Bad Wolf's Nanny

Nothing pissed him off more than a wrinkle in his diplomatic endeavors, after all.

“I’ve got to get back,” said Felix, “damage control. John’s a hard bastard.”

“We’ll get him on side,” Rick said, his voice viper-smooth, “his pack is in a hell of a lot more danger from Red Teeth and his minions. He needs us.”

Felix’s brow creased. “I’m not so sure.”

Dane followed them back outside into the chilly evening air. The firepit had died down a little, the kids were now chasing each other under the watchful eyes of a few of the olderpack members, and John Heath was sitting near the embers, murmuring to one of his wolves.

Dane inhaled deeply.

He still felt the ache of everything he’d said to Lola. Still felt the bruise of her anger, her heartbreak.

But for the first time in days, he also felt something else.

Resolve.

He’d talk to her.

And this time, he wouldn’t run from the truth.

The chill of the evening had begun to lift as the fire pit was coaxed back to life. Logan and Danny were deep into a stick-sword battle, their whoops echoing across the lawn, while Thea darted between them, trying to referee. Sam was perched securely on Dane’s hip, chubby fingers wrapped around a toy wolf that Gracie had lent him.

Dane felt…lighter. For the first time in days, maybe weeks.

He’d said the words aloud. He wasn’t proud of how everything had unfolded with Lola, but he knew now what he had to do. Tomorrow, he’d face her. No bravado, no posturing. Just the truth.

Beside him, Nicolas was half-smiling as he tried to wrangle Max, who was making a determined crawl toward the fire pit. Rick stood at the edge of the patio, arms crossed, eyes trained on John Heath.

The Green Mountain Alpha remained seated by the fire, sipping from a flask and watching the chaos around him with cool calculation. Despite the children’s laughter and the pack’s easy banter, he looked…removed. Politely distant. Like a guestwatching a performance he wasn’t sure he was meant to applaud.

Dane shifted Sam to his other arm and stepped closer to Rick.

“He doesn’t trust us,” Dane muttered.

Rick didn’t look away. “Would you?”

“Felix offered him everything but a blood oath.”

“Exactly,” Rick murmured. “And that’s what makes him nervous. We’re too generous. Too open. He’s wondering what we’re hiding.”

Dane frowned, eyes narrowing on Heath. “Should we be worried?”

“Not yet,” Rick said, “but keep an eye on the younger ones in his pack. They’ve got something to prove. And that makes them reckless.”

A squeal of laughter pulled Dane’s attention back to Sam, who had somehow managed to drop the toy wolf and was now trying to eat the drawstring of Dane’s hoodie.

“Hey, none of that,” he said with a chuckle, gently prying it out of the baby’s mouth.

Sam giggled.

Dane’s chest ached with something warm and unfamiliar. He sat down on the low stone ledge bordering the patio and cradled Sam in both arms.

“You’re a menace,” he murmured, brushing a hand over the baby’s downy curls.

Sam cooed in response.

He wasn’t perfect at this, not even close. There were still moments when the weight of it all threatened to crush him. But somehow, being around Sam made the rest of the world quiet down.