Page 42 of The Rabbit's Foot

Cece laughed. “By George, I think he’s got it.”

Alp huffed a breath, doing his best to tamp down the anger. What was it with wolves? Were they all like this, or had Alp and Cece drawn the short straws with theirs?

“Alp?”

“Yeah?” he replied, turning back to the phone as if Cece would be able to see him.

“You and I? We need to be besties. Can you imagine what these guys would be like if we got together?”

“Cece, we’re in a meeting, do you mind?”

She scoffed. “We’ll talk later, I promise.” Then she said, “Damon, I’m going to go check on the kids.”

“Okay.” Soft footfalls leading away faded into nothing. “Don’t worry about them getting together, Mal. We’re on opposite ends of the country.”

“We have phones,” Alp reminded them.

“Screw phones. We have a jet,” Cece called out.

“Shit,” Damon murmured. “I am so going to pay for that later.”

“Probably sooner than you think, myFirst.”

“Can you please check the kids and leave me alone?” he grumbled.

“For now. I need time to think of a suitable punishment anyway.”

“This is on you, Mal,” Damon whined. “Now I’m going to have to grovel to get back in her good graces.”

“That’s okay. Mal’s going to have to do the same here,” Alp said, a wide grin on his face.

“Can we please focus?” Mal snapped.

Alp realized he was playing too much for the seriousness of the conversation. “Sorry.”

“Come here and sit on my lap,” Mal said.

Alp scampered over and did as he was asked. Mal leaned in, and Alp knew he was sniffing him.

“Okay, I talked to the pack last night.”

Mal tensed, and Alp knew he needed comfort, so he reached up and massaged Mal’s neck. The soft smile he got made it well worth it.

“Should I even ask?”

Damon growled. “Do you believe my pack would abandon you? Is that what you think of us?”

“No, First,” Mal said quickly. “I apologize. That wasn’t what I meant at all.”

A chuckle rolled out of Damon. “Even as a First yourself, you’re easily brought to heel. Alp will have much fun with that. Anyway, when I explained what we believed was happening, there was no end of volunteers. The members who knew you before you left? They were among the most eager to help. There will be sixty-three of us coming.”

“Sixty-four,” Cece shouted.

“You are not going, and that is final!” Damon yelled back. “You need to be here for the kids.”

Fast footsteps sounded as Cece returned. “You did not just say I wasn’t going.”

“You’re not. We talked about this, and I told you that you were staying here. I need someone I trust to watch the children.”