Page 45 of Wolf's Vow

I’d take the win.

The door opened and Diesel walked in, his face hard. “East ridge,” he announced. “That’s where I’ll start.”

I didn’t doubt his tracking skills, but a barely weaned pup could tell him that east ridge was where to start. “It’s taken you all this time to tell me you’ll start where they attacked from?” I looked up at him. “Really?”

“You’re… Ah.” He smiled a knowing smile. “You heard I made new friends, and you don’t approve.”

“Sleep with whoever you want.” I brushed him off. I stood and walked over to him; he straightened up as I approached, his look questioning. My punch knocked him off his feet. “Talk to Rowen like you did again, and I’ll break every bone in your body and refuse you the shift to heal. Understand?”

He got to his feet and spat out blood as he grinned. “Was wondering when she would tell you,” he said, wiping his mouth. “Killian’s working on her strength; her punch lacked weight. She’s fast though.”

“Sheis my mate.”

“I know,” he said and sat down. “And she needs to be stronger, physically and mentally.”

I looked at him. The problem was, I didn’t disagree with him. “Just…less insulting going forward. Okay?”

“Rowen and I will be fine,” he said with a smirk. “You need to bed her though.” He saw my look. “Your pack needs it. The sooner you two orgasm, the better we’ll all be.”

“Can you not?”

“I know you know how to,” he continued without blinking. “I’ve heard you, so I’m not worried about that, and”—he gave me a smug smile—“I worked the ward for the house. It’s soundproof.”

“You sure you aren’t a shaman?” I asked dubiously. “How do you know how to do this?”

“Talented.” He stood. “I’ve done what I need here. Apart from the widow, I’m not seeing anyone else that stands out, other than your Rowen.” He didn’t stop. “There’s enough Stonefang here too. You sure it isn’t one of yours?”

“One of mine? No. One ofours?” My jaw tightened. “Still possible.” I thought of Cale. “Did you check Cale?”

He nodded once. Nothing defensive in his posture. Diesel didn’t flinch at the hard truths. That’s why I trusted him to go hunting.

I walked over, reached for the patrol reports he hadn’t seen yet, and handed them over.

“They’re targeting supply runs now,” I said. We’d taken more hits in the days since she’d left. No casualties, but the attacks and the disruption hadn’t lessened. They also weren’t as obvious and rightly or wrongly, I wasn’t broadcasting them to the rest of the pack. “Not just patrols. Someone knows our weak spots. And they know when we’re stretched thin.”

“That means they’re watching from the inside.”

“Or being told from the inside.”

He tucked the reports into his pack. “You want me to bring one back alive?”

“If you can,” I said. “But if it’s a choice between answers and survival?—”

“Survival wins.”

I nodded.

Diesel adjusted the strap across his chest, then hesitated. “You good, Alpha?”

I blinked. “Why?”

“You’re quiet,” he said. “Not storm-quiet. Calm.”

I almost laughed.

“I spoke to Rowen,” I said instead. “She asked me if I think she’s a traitor.”

He raised a brow. “She affects you this much?”