Page 76 of Exiled Heir

Something about the way Jay phrased it made it clear Jay was a consort, but not like the rest of them.

I heard the sound of flesh on flesh, a grunt, then the sound of wood breaking. Someone laughed. The clearing came into view suddenly as we pushed through the tree line.

A half dozen wolves in workout gear turned to stare at us.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the man who took down the geriatric alpha.” Tyson smirked. “Are you here to get your ass kicked?”

ChapterTwenty-Five

“So I’m wondering if you don’t like me. This is the second time you’ve taken me into the woods and dropped me off with homicidal werewolves, Jay,” I said.

I looked around the clearing. Outdoor workout equipment had been placed around the edges, leaving an empty ring in the middle. In the center of the ring, two wolves had backed off each other, both turning to face me.

“Little rabbit, you usually don’t come here,” Tyson said, smirking at Jay.

Raising his chin, I could smell the fear when Jay said, “I’m allowed to go wherever I want. I’m showing Miles around.”

“Is that a problem?” I stepped forward, baring my teeth. “Because we can make it a problem.”

“You want to have a go at me?” Tyson spread his hands. He smelled salty like sweat, the forest bringing his wolf to the forefront.

“I just came to show him the workout area,” Jay said, stepping between us.

His fear was more distinct now, and it set my teeth on edge. A packmate was scared, and I had to deal with whatever had his heart going so fast.

That thought alone brought me up short. Jay was not my packmate. I could never have a packmate, not until I figured out what happened to my parents and cleared their name.

Not to mention, he belonged to a mage. The consort collar around his neck showed exactly whose property he was.

A soft breeze flowed through the other werewolves, bringing me each of their distinct scents. Interest, intrigue. Were Tyson and I about to fight for the recently vacated top spot?

“I thought all you house pets used the workout gym in town,” Tyson said. His canines were growing longer, the words clear despite his partial shift. “This out here is for real wolves.”

“Real wolves?” I snorted and made a show of looking around the area. Punching bags, weights, ropes, even some tires in the corner, I spotted a couple of lawn chairs with workout magazines on the ground next to them. “This is clearly CrossFit for outdoorsy types. You pay them the affiliation fee, or is this just a knockoff? MossFit? Caveman Bootcamp?”

Tyson growled, the sound making the wolf rise under my skin, every hair on my arm standing on end. I wanted to shift; I wanted to take him on, wolf to wolf.

But my wolf still wouldn’t come. No matter how hard I pulled, it was stuck there, and the rage I felt almost made me punch him anyway.

A cool hand touched my arm, the contact snapping me back to myself. My skin was oversensitive. I could still feel the echo of Cade’s wrist against my throat, my own brushing over his pulse point. I glanced at Jay, and his eyes were wide.

“We aren’t here to fight,” he said. I wasn’t sure who his words were for, Tyson or me.

Either way, he was right. I couldn’t afford to fight. I couldn’t afford for anyone else to find out I couldn’t shift. That would make Cade vulnerable.

I blinked, the thought like a bucket of ice water first thing in the morning. I couldn’t afford to makemyselfvulnerable. Not Cade. Cade was my employer. The only time I had ever worried about Declan’s well-being was around paydays.

“Thanks for showing me your survivalist CrossFit. If someone reports you for copyright infringement, it definitely wasn’t me.” I smirked.

Tyson growled again, stepping forward, the hair growing on his arms, his mouth and nose shifting. “Run away with the rabbit. You’re not worth fighting.”

Jay’s hand clamped down tight on my wrist, tugging me back. He pulled us through the brush, not seeming to pay attention to where we were going. When we were far enough away that I couldn’t hear any hint of the wolves in the forest, he turned, irritation clear.

“What is it with you?” he snapped.

“Something about Tyson sets me on edge. He’s setting himself up to be alpha.” I rewound the past few minutes in my mind, remembering each face that had been there. The two wolves standing behind him last night had been with him, but now I had another four faces to add to his pack.

“Hecan’tset himself up to be alpha. Wedon’t havea pack.” Jay turned away, crossing his arms over his chest, his shoulders hunching.