Page 5 of Ethan (Pecan Pines #7)

Ethan

I bit back a laugh.

How could someone like Dean, all brawn and bravado, get caught off guard by a simple sweep? I’d spent enough time around enforcers to know better.

Sure, they were muscular, built for battle, every inch of them exuding power, but there was a grace to their movements too.

They were precise, deliberate, almost calculated, especially during sparring. But Dean hit the ground like a sack of flour, limbs flailing before landing flat on his ass.

As I walked back to the office, the memory replayed itself, and my first thought was about his ribs, barely patched up yesterday. Hopefully they weren’t any worse for the fall.

The rest of him, though… thick thighs, solid legs, pure strength and force. And of course, my brain decided now was the perfect time to notice how annoyingly shapely his ass was.

Heat crept up my neck at the memory. I shook my head, hoping to clear my thoughts.

“Why are you smiling?”

Devon’s voice startled me. I turned sharply, not realizing he’d come out of his office.

“I wasn’t smiling,” I said, maybe a little too quickly.

Devon’s brow arched.

“Are you heading out for the day?” I asked, hoping to change the subject.

“No,” he replied, crossing his arms. “I was actually going to look for you. Didn’t you see the meeting I added to your calendar?”

I pulled out my phone, frowning as I swiped through the notifications. Sure enough, a new event had popped up, titled Meeting with Cooper and Devon . It hadn’t been there earlier.

I wasn’t in the mood for a surprise meeting, especially one with my boss and my lead alpha.

I’d already messaged Zack and Noah earlier, telling them I was on my way to Griffin’s bar to help set up for tonight’s gig.

The equipment needed to be unpacked, the stage prepped, and the sound check done before the evening crowd trickled in.

I made a show of glancing at my watch. “Think we could postpone it? First thing tomorrow, maybe? I’ve got that thing at Griffin’s tonight.”

Devon didn’t answer right away. He was busy scrolling through his phone, his frown deepening.

Hesitating, I added, “Or hey, if you’re free later, you could drop by afterward. We can hang out once the set’s done. First drink’s on me.”

Devon finally looked up, but it was clear he hadn’t heard a word I’d said. “C’mon,” he said, tucking his phone into his pocket. “Cooper’s waiting in his office.”

I followed him down the hall, my stomach sinking. Something felt off.

If there was a problem, Devon usually laid it out plain and simple. But the same distracted frown from earlier was back, and I had a feeling he wouldn’t hear me even if I asked.

As we arrived at Cooper’s office, Devon knocked once before pushing it open.

Cooper barely glanced up, gesturing for us to sit in the two chairs across from his desk. Devon didn’t hesitate, sinking into the nearest one with a heavy sigh.

I hovered for a second, caught off guard by how fast everything seemed to be moving. No pleasantries, no explanation. Just straight to business.

Sliding into the other chair, I tried to push down the growing unease in my chest.

Devon handed the file he was holding to Cooper, who flipped it open without a word.

His eyes scanned the pages quickly, the scratching sound of his pen filling the room as he marked things here and there.

I straightened in my chair, trying to keep my expression neutral, but curiosity got the better of me. I leaned slightly, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever was in that folder.

A sharp pain shot through my ankle, and my head whipped toward Devon, annoyance flashing in my eyes.

He didn’t even glance at me, his face a picture of stoic calm, but the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth told me he knew exactly what he’d done.

I resisted the urge to rub my ankle. The kick had been hard enough to leave a bruise, I was sure of it.

Devon broke the silence first. “I’ll be needing a few days, maybe a week,” he announced, his tone matter-of-fact.

Cooper nodded. “When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I can,” Devon replied, sitting straighter as if bracing for questions.

I froze, my stomach tightening. “What? Why? Where are you going?”

“Family matter,” Devon said simply, avoiding my gaze.

Devon had been a member of the Pecan Pines pack for as long as I could remember, but I knew most of his family still lived in his original pack.

He rarely talked about them, and he never left Pecan Pines, not for more than a day or two.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, leaning forward slightly.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” he said, brushing off my concern. “But while I’m gone, you’ll be in charge.”

The words took a moment to sink in. “Wait, what?”

Cooper leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “I’ve already approved it. While Devon’s gone, you’ll be the acting head healer.”

The title hit me like a slap. Head healer. The weight of it pressed down on my shoulders. It wasn’t a role you could just “fill in” for.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to keep my panic in check. Was this why Devon had been giving me more responsibility lately? More cases to handle on my own?

“But—” My thoughts spiraled as the implications hit me. “I’ll be the only healer here?”

Devon nodded.

I stared at him. “Overseeing everything? Like patching up training injuries, handling routine check-ups, and... what else?”

“Treating minor illnesses, monitoring the pups if they catch something,” Devon offered casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“But I can’t even fully heal a broken rib in one session!” The words blurted out before I could stop them. “And you want me to be the acting head healer?”

“You’ll be fine,” Cooper said firmly. “There are no high-risk missions scheduled, no major events planned. Things should be quiet.”

“Should be,” I echoed weakly.

Devon tapped the closed folder. “I’ve already outlined everything you need to do while I’m gone. Most of the cases are minor injuries or routine care. Nothing requiring consistent healing sessions.”

I wasn’t reassured. The information was coming at me too quickly, the responsibility too sudden. I wasn’t ready for this.

Devon must have noticed the panic creeping into my expression. He reached over, placing a reassuring hand on mine. “I’ll walk you through my cases tonight. It’ll be okay.”

“Tonight? Like, right now?” My head snapped up, disbelief clear in my tone.

“I’m leaving in a couple of hours,” he said.

My jaw slackened. He at least looked a little apologetic about throwing this at me with so little notice, but it wasn’t enough to soothe my rising anxiety.

My shoulders sagged as I sank into the chair. I had no choice but to nod.

“Okay,” I said, though it felt like anything but.

I struck the last note on my bass, letting it resonate as the crowd erupted into cheers. Zack followed it up with a quick, spontaneous drum riff.

It was a sharp, improvised roll that ended with a crash of cymbals.

The energy was electric, the kind that usually left you buzzing long after the lights came up, but I couldn’t feel it tonight.

“You’ve all been amazing tonight!” Noah called into the mic, his voice cutting through the noise. “We’ll see you same time next week!”

The audience roared in approval, and Noah gave them a quick wave before stepping back.

I turned, slinging my bass over my shoulder. My fingers absentmindedly ran along the strings, muting them out of habit.

Was I even going to be here next week?

Devon said he’d only be gone a week at most, but the look on his face made it clear he wasn’t entirely sure when he’d be back. And with the workload he’d dumped on me, it wasn’t like I’d have much free time.

The crowd cheered again as Noah gave them one last wave.

Backstage, the three of us regrouped. Noah set his guitar on the stand, while Zack rolled his drumsticks between his fingers, grinning.

“Sorry again for running late,” I said, unclipping the strap from my bass and placing it gently on its stand. “I didn’t even get to do the sound check.”

“It’s fine,” Noah said, waving it off. “Griffin was already here anyway and let us in early.”

I nodded toward the crowd. “Looks like Jackson’s calling you over.”

Noah glanced toward the bar, where Jackson was waving him over, a slightly sheepish expression on his face. “Ah, crap,” he muttered.

“It’s fine,” I said, waving him off. “We’ve got this covered.”

Noah hesitated but eventually headed toward the bar, leaving Zack and me to pack up.

“What’s going on with those two?” I asked, nodding in their direction.

Zack shrugged, setting his drumsticks back into their case. “Not sure. Noah mentioned something about Jackson planning a surprise party for Beck, but more importantly, what’s with you? You looked distracted earlier.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “It’s been a day.”

Zack raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to fill him in.

I went on to explain what happened earlier in Cooper’s office and how Devon had dragged me through what I could only call a retraining crash course.

I wasn’t sure if I should feel insulted or relieved. Sure, I’d forgotten a few things, and yes, I even had to write some of it down to remember, but I’d never admit that to Devon.

Zack smirked. “And now?”

“And now, I’m stuck taking over all of Devon’s cases for the next few days on top of my own. One of which, by the way, includes a certain shifter from Thornebane pack.”

Zack leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “You mean Dean?”

“Seriously, it’s like I keep seeing him everywhere,” I said, throwing up my hands. “This morning, he came by with coffee, and when I went to the gym to check on the enforcers’ training, guess who was there too?”

Zack’s grin widened. “I guess you could say he’s been a thorn in your side.”

The urge to hit him over the head with my $700 bass had never been stronger.

Zack must’ve noticed my fingers tightening on the neck because he quickly added, “But c’mon, didn’t you say Griffin’s training him? Of course, he’d be in the gym. And maybe the coffee was his way of thanking you for helping him.”

I scoffed. “It’s the way he looks at me. It’s like he’s…he’s…”

I trailed off, struggling to find the words. Dean’s image flashed in my mind.

The slight tilt of his head every time he caught sight of me, and that lopsided smile that somehow managed to be both cocky and endearing.

“Like he’s kind of smug about something, but you don’t exactly know what?” Zack offered.

“Exactly! But also, there’s…”

I stopped myself just in time, realizing I was dangerously close to saying too much. Zack was looking somewhere over my shoulder, a knowing grin spreading across his face.

I followed Zack’s gaze and froze. There was Dean, laughing with a few enforcers he’d been training with in the gym earlier.

Seriously, the guy was everywhere.

Before I could think twice, I found myself making my way toward the bar, heart picking up pace.

Zack’s voice rose above the crowd. “I can’t pack everything up on my own, you know!”

I ignored him, weaving through the throng of people. A couple of shifters lingered too long in my way, so I nudged them aside with a firm shove.

When I finally reached the bar, Dean noticed me and gestured toward the empty stool beside him.

I didn’t take the seat. Instead, I crossed my arms, hoping my stance was anything but welcoming. “What are you doing here?”

Dean didn’t seem fazed by my tone. “Griff invited me for a drink. Said this was a good spot to meet a few more packmates.”

I opened my mouth, ready to point out that he wasn’t officially part of Pecan Pines pack yet, but the words never came. For some reason, I just left it alone.

Before I could decide what to say next, Griffin appeared behind the bar, a tray of empty glasses in one hand. “Hey, you were great up there.”

The tension coiled in my chest melted instantly. “Thanks,” I said, a smile tugging at my lips.

Griffin grabbed a bottle of beer from the cooler and slid it across the counter toward me. “On the house.”

“Isn’t it always?” I joked, earning a chuckle from both of us before Griffin moved to the other end of the bar.

I took a long swig, the cold beer sliding down my throat and easing away the last of my irritation.

When I set the bottle back on the counter, I noticed Dean watching me, his expression unreadable.

“What?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Dean twirled his beer bottle between his fingers, gaze dropping to the counter. The confidence, almost arrogance, he usually carried was nowhere to be seen.

Curiosity won out, and I finally sat down beside him.

Dean cleared his throat, hesitating before he finally spoke. “Look, I just want to know. Are you and Griffin...?”

I blinked. “Me and Griffin what?”

Dean shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. “You know…”

I stared at him for a second before it clicked. A laugh burst out of me, sudden and loud. “Ha—oh, hahaha! You think?—”

Dean groaned. “Alright, fine. Please just stop laughing!”

Griffin glanced over from the other end of the bar, raising a brow at the commotion.

Dean mumbled, “I asked him earlier, and he didn’t exactly give me a clear answer.”

Wiping tears from my eyes, I shook my head. “Griffin isn’t exactly the talkative sort.”

When I finally managed to stop laughing, I continued, “Griffin’s one of my closest childhood friends. And his mate , Michael, is someone I’d call any time I needed an extra man for my raid squad.”

Dean blinked at me.

“You know, like in an MMORPG. We’d team up to take down dragons, orcs, that sort of thing.”

Dean’s brows furrowed for a moment before realization dawned on his face. “Oh.”

“Does that satisfy your curiosity?” I asked, my voice teasing.

“Yeah, it does.” Dean let out a quiet chuckle, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

It was the kind of amused, “you’ve got me there” look that caught me off guard. Somehow, it made his eyes soften in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

I fumbled with my bottle for a second, pretending to check it while my chest tightened for a beat, then nodded at Griffin for two more beers. When they arrived, I handed one to Dean.

“C’mon,” I said, standing up. “I’ll introduce you to more of the pack.”