Page 14 of Wolf's Vow

“They all in the pack hall?” I asked him as we resumed walking.

“Yeah, Brand’s separated them into two and told them to sit down and shut up until you come.”

I winced. “Did he say it a little more diplomatically?”

“Thatwasme saying it diplomatically to you. Brand didn’t have the same…finesse.”

“Any lost?” Axel asked, running his hand over his hair.

“No, a few scrapes and scratches, nothing a half shift won’t heal.” Killian glanced at me. “Brand also told them they weren’t allowed to shift until you saw them for yourself.”

“A fewscrapes,” Axel complained. “Ugh. They can’t even fight amongstthemselveswith any fucking effort.”

“Wolfe.”

All three of us turned to look at the druid. That pure shock of white hair that arced back from his face shone almost yellow in the afternoon sun.

“Druid.” I felt Killian and Axel tense beside me. “I’m on my way to the pack hall. Can it wait?”

“Can the wind wait for the rain?”

What the fuck does that even mean?Killian grumbled.

“I don’t know,” I answered them both. “But I’m assuming the answer to my question is no?”

“In time, you’ll be a wise alpha.” The druid turned, and I exchanged a look with the other two.

“Go ahead. Save Brand from being any morediplomatic,” I told Killian, and with a sigh, I followed the druid, bracing myself for the lecture they had no doubt prepared already.

I ducked into their tent, chafing at the delay in seeing to my pack, but I knew how much weight Blueridge Hollow placed upon their druid, and I’d already bucked enough traditions by bringing my Stonefang Pack here; I didn’t need to piss off their druid.

They were already seated. I sank down onto the cushion without being asked. I needed this to be fast; I had a lot of shit to do today.

“What?”

The druid looked up from their wooden bowl, and I saw the flicker of annoyance at my impertinence before they schooled their face into their usual impassive, smooth mask.

“You rush forward so readily, you can be blind to what you can’t see.”

That made even less sense than the rain comment. “If I can’t see it, does it matter if I am blind or not?”

The druid set down their bowl and sighed. If I were a more reckless man, I’d tell them they were being dramatic.

“Wolfe, I amtryingto work with you here.”

“When?”Huh, looked like I was living recklessly today after all.

The druid sat straighter, fixing me with a cold stare, and I braced myself once more for the lecture. “You’re making it harder than it has to be.”

The druid’s voice was calm—too calm. Like he thought if he kept it steady, I wouldn’t snap. Or maybe he wanted me to.

I tried not to react, but my arms were crossed and my jaw was tight, and I watched them with a steady gaze. I knew I looked defensive before I even opened my mouth.

“Two packs with generations of mistrust,” I said. “You think I’m the only problem?”

“No,” they said. “I think you’re the chaos in the middle of the problem. And I think you’re too proud to admit you can’t control the wind.”

I exhaled through my nose. “I’m doing what needs to be done.”