Lakota stared for a frozen moment. “You want me as your second-in-command?”
“I’m only surprised you haven’t been courted by another alpha. You’re a strong beta, and I think you know that. You have presence when you walk into a room, and even though you’re batshit crazy, you’re the kind of man a pack can trust. You have leadership skills, and your days as a bounty hunter show me you’re savvy, patient, and on the right side of the law. But friend, it’s more than that. You’re like a brother to me. I’m not mating Hope without a plan. We need a pack—our wolves demand it. This isn’t the first time the thought has crossed my mind. Remember our talks?”
Lakota leaned forward and lowered his head. “I never thought you would break away from your tribe.”
“Neither did I, but this is the path I must take. My pack family is out there somewhere, and I need a good beta to help me find them. Someone to help me build a homestead, establish rules, keep the pack in line, and be a loyal wolf I can confide in. If you want me to hold your hand on bended knee, you can kiss my ass. But I’m asking you, Lakota Cross, if you’ll join my family and help me lead.”
Lakota covered his nose and mouth with both hands, eyes thoughtfully wide.
“I can make homemade bacon if that sweetens the deal.”
Lakota cut him a sharp look, and Tak wondered if he was hiding a smile.
“Where do you plan to settle?” Lakota finally asked.
“Wherever we feel best. I’m willing to go anywhere, but right now, Hope and Melody’s store takes precedence. We can see what land is available outside city lines. It might be a commute for them, but in time, someone else can manage the store while they focus on crafting new designs.”
Lakota nodded. “If we had a pack, we could assign those jobs to them. Mel works too many hours, and she complains she doesn’t have time to do what she really loves—designing all those purses and funky clothes. She’s too busy running the shop and looking at numbers. Some nights she’s too tired to mate with me.”
Tak chuckled. “Maybe you lull her to sleep with your sweet words of nothing.”
“I don’t have a problem in that department.”
“Is that what all your previous lovers told you?”
Lakota leveled him with a single glance. “Melody was my one and only.”
Tak’s eyes rounded, and then he threw his head back and laughed. Lakota looked annoyed, which made Tak laugh even harder. He finally wiped the tears away and settled down. “That explainssomuch. I have respect, but you have much to learn. Melody is going to be a busy teacher.”
“Apparently it all comes naturally.”
“If you say so.” Tak’s chuckle was deep and sonorous. “If you ever need advice in that department, you know where to find me.”
“My bad. I thought we were talking about a job offer here.” Lakota sat back and put his arms on the armrests, crossing one leg over his knee. “So, what can you offer me that no other alpha can?”
“Friendship. Loyalty. Trust. And sometimes I might let you win at a game of pool in front of the pack.”
Lakota rubbed his chin, his face framed by his long hair. “How much do you have saved up? The Council offers limited acres of land to start. You can buy more land as the pack grows, but it’s not cheap, especially if you want something with a house already on it.”
“We can build a house.”
Lakota snorted.
Tak leaned forward. “How do you think the homes in my tribe were built? Do you think we hired people? We did everything. The electricity, the plumbing, the foundation—everything. The key is making sure you have packmates with desirable skills. Maybe in your world, you prefer a man who’s good with numbers. But in mine, we look for wolves who are willing to labor and learn.”
Lakota raked his hair back. “Are you bringing in people from your tribe?”
Tak shook his head. “I don’t think any would leave their families to follow me. Our tribe has too much history tied to that land. This is my path to walk alone. My people can spread the word to other Packmasters from coast to coast that I’m searching for good candidates.”
“You might get a bunch of young wolves leaving a pack or rejects. If people don’t know you from Adam, there won’t exactly be a waiting list.”
“But they will know my father, and maybe that would carry some weight. Do you really want to limit our choices to this town? A wider net catches more fish. I’m looking for more than just good packmates; I’m looking for a new family.”
Lakota stood up, his expression unreadable.
Tak rose to his feet and looked down at him.
They stared at each other for a beat, Tak waiting for Lakota’s answer. He couldn’t say much more to sway him one way or the other. It was up to Lakota to decide which path he wanted to take in life, and a man who had to be convinced wasn’t a man worth having.
