Page 1 of His Place in the World (Legendary Shifters #9)

There was a bounce to Angus’s steps as he walked toward his office.

How happy he was to be headed to the Rosewood pack made him feel guilty, but who could blame him?

The Rosewood pack had been more welcoming than the Wakefield pack ever had, and there was no denying or ignoring that, even though the Wakefield pack had been his home for years.

Or at least, that was how it was supposed to feel.

It didn’t.

The building was silent, which he enjoyed.

He’d arrived early on purpose, even though there was nothing he hated more than getting up at six in the morning.

It was the only time he had some peace, though, and he wanted to take advantage of that.

Unfortunately, his visit to the Rosewood pack wouldn’t be long.

He and Angela would probably be home tonight, and Angus already dreaded that.

He pushed open his office door as he sighed.

He was thankful to Angela and the pack for welcoming him when he needed a home, but they’d never made him feel like he’d found one.

Even after several years living with them, he was still an outsider, as several members never missed a chance to remind him.

On the other hand, the Rosewood pack had always made Angus feel welcome, even though he didn’t live with them.

Maybe it was because the Rosewood pack was made up of more than wolves. The same went for the Wakefield pack, but the shifters who weren’t wolves were very few, including Angus. And while the others were normal shifters, he wasn’t.

Why hadn’t he chosen Rosewood when he’d been looking for help and a pack to belong to?

Angus didn’t have an answer. Maybe it was because Wakefield had been much bigger—and it still was.

It had felt safer to have many shifters around him, and Angus had believed that in time, they’d feel like his family and that they’d protect him because they cared for him.

Instead, the Wakefield pack protected him only because he was a pack member. It was their duty, but that was where things ended. It was different in Rosewood, as Angus had seen. The shifters who lived with the Rosewood pack were a family, which was all Angus had ever wanted.

He flopped into his chair and sighed again. Thinking about it wouldn’t help. If anything, it would make the situation more complicated, and that was the last thing anyone needed.

Angus grabbed his messenger bag from under the desk and started putting his things into it.

The computer went first, along with the charger and the mouse.

Then went a notebook, his favorite pen, and other bits and bobs.

He wasted as much time as he could, but he was thankful that Angela had decided to set out for Rosewood early.

She wanted to come back to Wakefield as soon as possible.

Angus wanted to never come back.

Once he was done packing his bag, he allowed himself a few moments to dream.

What would happen if he asked the Rosewood pack alpha to become a Rosewood pack member?

He didn’t think Cam would have a problem with that, but what about Angela?

Angus owed her a lot, possibly his life.

She’d given him a safe place when he needed it, and she continued doing so.

Angus had no doubt that if she knew how some Wakefield pack members treated him, she’d step in, but it wasn’t because she cared about him.

Angus wasn’t sure she did. What she did care about was what he could do for the pack, and she wouldn’t want to lose that.

There was no way she’d agree to have Angus move, so it was probably pointless to dream about it.

But Angus couldn’t stop himself from doing exactly that.

He shook his head at himself and his thoughts and grabbed his bag. Maybe Angela would already be awake. If she wasn’t, he could shift and go for a run or maybe fly around for a bit. He didn’t have many opportunities to do so, because someone might see him, but he always enjoyed it when he could.

Angus made sure everything in his office was locked tight, then left. Pack territory was still silent as he headed out, and he felt his body relax.

No one had ever been violent. They knew better, and Angela wouldn’t hesitate to punish anyone who tried hurting Angus. He was an asset, and she couldn’t afford for him to get hurt and put out of commission.

That didn’t mean some pack members didn’t hassle Angus. He’d never told Angela because he didn’t want to sound like a whiny shifter who couldn’t deal with people disliking him, but he was reaching the end of his patience.

He wasn’t a wolf. So what? Why should that be a problem?

The Rosewood pack made it work quite easily.

They had many rare shifters, and all of them were happy.

They’d found their mates with the Rosewood pack, and Angus knew that helped, but it wasn’t like he could choose to find his mate.

If he could, he wouldn’t choose someone in the Wakefield pack.

Luckily for him, no one here was his mate.

That meant that his mate was still somewhere out there, living his life while Angus yearned for him.

Angus hoped he’d meet him one day, and that was one of the few things that pushed him to continue moving ahead.

He needed to think about something good that would take him away from Wakefield.

He was just putting his bag into Angela’s car when he heard footsteps behind him. His back went ramrod straight, and he sucked in a breath, hoping it wasn’t someone here to bother him.

He should have known better.

“You think Angela’s finally going to dump him somewhere?” a male voice Angus knew well drawled.

“That would be good,” another man answered.

Angus briefly closed his eyes, sucked in a breath, and opened them again.

He wasn’t a fighter, and he’d never been one.

Most of his worth was proved on the computer, and these guys knew it.

They weren’t afraid of him or afraid to confront him.

As long as Angela was nowhere to be seen, they were more than happy to poke and prod at Angus.

He turned to face them. Leonard’s hair was all over the place as if he’d just rolled out of bed, which he probably had. Chances were it hadn’t been his bed—not that Angus cared.

Angus crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you want?

“Where are you going?” Mike asked.

“None of your business.”

“We’re pack members. What you do is our business.”

They were pack members only when it was useful to them. Angus didn’t say that out loud, though. It would only make them angry, and things never ended well for him when they were angry. “It’s pack business. If you want to know where I’m going, you should ask Angela.”

Mike snorted. “Why do you always hide behind her? Don’t you have some pride? I asked you a question, not Angela.”

“And if you want to know, you should ask her. I can’t talk about pack business with anyone.” Especially not about this meeting.

Leonard grunted. “We’re not just anyone. We’re pack members, more so than you. We deserve to know what’s going on.”

“Until you’re in charge, you don’t deserve anything,” Angela’s voice suddenly said.

Angus had to hide his smile as the alpha stepped out of her house. She was carrying a backpack and had her phone in her hand. She scowled at Leonard and Mike. Angus could have kissed her, but he knew better. She’d probably punch his lights out if he tried.

“Alpha,” Mike said, lightly bowing his head.

Angela slammed her door shut and climbed down her porch steps. “What are the two of you doing here?”

“We wanted to see you off,” Leonard said. “Neither of us likes the fact that you’re going to Rosewood. Is it necessary?”

Angela’s eyes narrowed. “Are you challenging my decisions as alpha?”

“Of course not.”

“Then I don’t see what the problem is.”

“There are no problems, Alpha,” Mike quickly said. “We’re just worried.”

“You shouldn’t be. Angus and I will both be just fine. The Rosewood pack is an ally, and they won’t do anything to hurt us.”

“You can’t know that for sure.”

Angela opened the trunk of her car, dumped her backpack into it, and slammed it shut. “I don’t care what the two of you think or believe. I know what I’m doing, while you don’t. Stop sticking your noses where they don’t belong.” She turned to Angus. “Ready to go?”

Angus had never been more ready for anything. “Of course.”

“Let’s head out, then.”

She climbed into her car, and Angus quickly followed. He wasn’t afraid that Mike and Leonard would hurt him, but that didn’t mean he wanted to spend more time than he strictly had to in their company. He was happy to leave them behind, and he slowly relaxed as Angela drove off.

“Everything okay?” she asked, startling him.

“Of course.”

“Would you tell me if something wasn’t?”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Alpha. I’m fine and ready to work.”

He could feel Angela’s gaze on him, and he was grateful when she didn’t add anything. He supposed that she didn’t care how he felt as long as he was available to help the pack.

He wasn’t one bit surprised.

* * * *

Del landed on his back. The air slammed out of his lungs, and he stayed where he was, staring at the sky and the top of the trees. He should get back up and try to take down Kyle, but his entire body hurt.

Fighting wasn’t for him.

Kyle’s face appeared above Del. “Everything okay?” he asked, a worried frown twisting his expression. “Did I hurt you?”

Del shook his head. “Just my pride.”

Kyle laughed. “Your pride is fine.” He offered Del his hand. “Come on. I’ll help you up.”

Del didn’t hesitate. He allowed Kyle to drag him to his feet. It seemed easy for Kyle, and it probably was. Kyle was a shifter, after all, while Del was human.

It was still hard to believe that now Del lived with a bunch of shifters. As he thought about that, he looked at his brother, Doyle. He was panting heavily, too, and he grinned at Del as if he was having fun.