If he had anything to say about it, he’d never have to deal with any kind of mess alone again.
Chapter Five
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“ARE YOU SURE IT WOULDN’Tbe better for all of you to come home?”Umberto asked.
Rex wasn’t surprised that his brother was worried enough to call him.Word of what had happened had no doubt reached pack territory by now, and the wolves who’d picked up the prisoners had probably talked to Kieran.Kieran already knew everything since Rex had called him, but Rex’s family would only just be finding out.He wasn’t surprised that the first thing they did was ask him to come home.They loved him.
“I wish we could all come back, but we told the dragons we’d help them find out who killed the guy,” he explained.
“It’s not your job.”
“It’s not, but they were accusingus.The only way for us to show them that we didn’t do anything is to find the person who did.Otherwise, I’m afraid that some of them will use it against the pack, and that’s the opposite of why we’re here.We need the clan to stop attacking people.We can’t afford for them to want revenge, especially for something we didn’t do.”
Umberto huffed.Rex understood the frustration, but he was glad that his brother was safe.Umberto and Taylor had just found each other, but Umberto already felt so much for Taylor.It wouldn’t have been good to take him away from the man, especially since Taylor was wounded.After what the clan had done to Taylor, Rex hoped he’d never had to return to this house.
He especially hoped that Taylor wouldn’t have to come back to save his sorry ass.
He glanced at the bathroom door, but it was still closed.He’d already had his shower when Umberto had called, and since he was waiting for Harmon to be done, he’d had the time to answer.He’d known it would have something to do with the murder, so he hadn’t been surprised when the first thing Umberto asked was if he was okay.
“I hate this shit,” Umberto said.
“No more than I do.We’ll be home soon, though.”
“Will you?”
Umberto’s words made Rex think about his plans.He didn’t have anything set in stone yet, but he was seriously thinking about not permanently going back to the pack once this was over.Of course, he’d return to visit his family, but he didn’t know if he could settle down with the wolves.He had nothing against them, and he wished he could live closer to his family and their partners, but he wasn’t sure he could ever belong there, not the way they did.
He glanced at the bathroom door again.He might not belong with the wolves, but what about a vampire coven?He’d never been in one of those, either.Maybe he wasn’t made to share a home with many people.Maybe his loner tendencies meant that he’d never be comfortable living with so many people.
He didn’t know, and now wasn’t the moment to worry about it.He could do that once they were free of the clan and sure they wouldn’t be attacked for something they hadn’t done.
The bathroom door opened, revealing Harmon.He was only wearing a towel wrapped around his hips, and Rex briefly wondered if they had time to fall back into bed.He glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand—an old-style one with digital numbers—and grimaced.
They didn’t.
“I have to go,” he told Umberto.
“Maybe Taylor and I could come,” Umberto offered.“He knows these people.”
“So do Merrick and Arlen.”
“Yeah, but they haven’t been clan members in years.Taylor knows them better.”
“I’m not saying he doesn’t, but he’s hurt.Do you really want to involve him in this mess?”
Umberto sighed.“No.But he’d come if you wanted him to.”
“I know, and I’m grateful for that.He needs to stay home and heal, though.I promise that even with everything going on, we’re safe.The clan might not have a leader right now, but the dragons aren’t stupid.They know what would happen if they were to attack one of us.”They’d win because they had numbers on their side, but that didn’t mean that the pack would stand back and not do anything about it.Numbers could only do so much.If the clan insisted on antagonizing the other supernatural beings in the area and hurting them, eventually, they would be hurt back.They already had been.
They hadn’t only lost their leader and his second-in-command during the fight.Martin and Lou hadn’t attacked the pack alone.They’d brought people with them, and those people had been hurt, or worse.Some of the dragons who’d stayed home had lost family members and loved ones.Even those who hadn’t, knew to be careful.
Rex hoped that fear would be enough to keep the dragons at bay until they were out of this place.
“Call us if you need anything,” Umberto said.“Even if Taylor and I can’t come, we can send someone else.”
“For now, sending more people would make things worse, but I’ll keep it in mind,” Rex promised.
