Page 68 of Same Thing
Liam looked at Nory, who was holding onto his arm. His smile was so handsome in the evening light. “It depends on you.”
“On who?” Bridger asked.
“All of you.”
The wolves went silent, and still, and they all wore matching frowns. All except for Delta, who already knew. She’d become a friend to Nory, and they’d been texting about it all week. Delta was smiling and watching Nate’s face.
“I don’t know what you guys have planned for the future,” Liam said, “but for me, our Pack doesn’t feel finished.”
“It is finished. Literally, we have been stripped of our name,” Tabian pointed out.
“Okay. So, we are Rogues,” Liam said.
“Why are you saying it like that?” Dodger asked.
“Like what?”
“Like it doesn’t matter? Like it’s a good thing?”
“Because from where I’m sitting, Rogue doesn’t sound so bad. Elders stay out of Rogue business.”
The matching frowns deepened. “Being a Rogue is shameful.”
“Why?” Nory asked.
“Look, you’re human, so you don’t understand—”
“So, make me understand?”
“It’s just…” Vic shook his head. “It’s just shameful, okay? You grow up thinking about Packs and never wanting to be a Rogue. Rogues are lone wolves. Quality of life is rough for lone wolves.”
Nory shrugged. “So, call yourselves a Pack.”
“That’s…” Tabian chewed on his lip. “That’s not how it works.”
“Well,” Liam said. “They stripped us of our registration, so maybe we make our own rules now.”
“Oh what, are we just going to make our own Pack?” Dodger said.
“Why not? Who is going to stop us?” Liam asked. “Are the Elders going to show up in our private, human-owned territory, drive past the no trespassing signs, and tell us to stop calling ourselves a Pack?”
“Hold up,” Nate said. “Human-owned territory. Let’s circle back to that.”
“Nory bought us thirty acres of land backed up to a thousand acres of protected forest.”
“Technically Liam bought it,” she explained. “He came up with the money, and I signed the paperwork.” She wiggled her fingers. “I signed it with my little human hands.”
The slow blinks dragged a giggle from Nory, and Liam took a screen shot of all their faces.
“I’m sorry,” Vic said, pushing his finger against his ear a few times. “I think I misheard you.”
“I want you to come back,” Liam said simply. “We have a guy that customizes those sheds into houses, or you can get anRV, or hell, tent camp all winter if you want. You’re responsible for whatever house you drag out here, but, well, we have the space.” He cleared his throat. “I was thinking we could call ourselves the Rogue Pack, and if anyone has a problem with that, well, they can fight us.”
Bridger leaned closer to the camera, and said, “Text me the address.” And then his video window went dark as he hung up.
Nory hugged Liam’s arm harder. One down.
“This is crazy,” Vic pointed out. “The Elders aren’t going to let us do this.”