“I’m here if you need me before then.” Dillon pulled back enough that he could feel her but so that he wouldn’t feel intrusive to her. He wanted her to know she had control. They would move at her speed for as long as they needed to.
His attention returned fully to his trek. Mile after mile passed, and Dillon detected nothing out of place. It appeared that if any other vampires had been in the area, they were gone now. When he reached the pack mansion, he phased. He ran through the front entryway, yelling, "I need the pack medical personnel!" He knew they didn’t have a healer. No one had even seen or heard of a gypsy healer in over a century. Packs had to make do with members learning medical skills. Taking one of their own to a hospital was out of the question, considering they healed so much more quickly than humans and their DNA looked different. The good news was Canis lupus were tough as nails.
Like most packs, the Colorado pack kept a stockpile of extra clothes on a shelf just inside the front door for just such emergencies. Dillon quickly threw on a shirt and pants. The first person to appear was Penelope, and Dillon was glad he'd gotten his clothes on before she came around the corner.
"What’s going on?"
"Where's Jeremiah?” he barked, his voice sounding harsher than he intended. She flinched, so he took a breath and softened his voice. “We were attacked by vampires."
"I'm here." Jeremiah's large form appeared from the common room. "Where are the others?"
"They're right behind me, in human form. Rusty was hurt badly. He couldn't walk."
Jeremiah pushed past Dillon out the door. Dillon followed and saw the alpha scanning the surrounding woods. He could hear the man muttering under his breath. "Cursed vampires." He turned back to Dillon. "How much farther behind were they?"
"They should be here any minute,” Dillon scanned the forest. “Kevin and Gabe were both injured, as well."
"Yet you managed to escape unhurt?" Jeremiah’s eyes narrowed on him.
Dillon didn’t miss the accusatory tone of Jeremiahs’ voice. He turned and stared at the alpha. This time, he didn't hesitate to lock eyes with the man. "I came ahead to make sure we wouldn't be ambushed on the way back." Dillon growled. “I did what I thought was best for our pack.”
Jeremiah sniffed and turned back to the forest. Just then, the three men emerged from the woods—Kevin and Gabe hobbling along on foot, Rusty in Kevin’s arms. Jeremiah watched them come but didn't move from the porch. Dillon fought the urge to run to Kevin and take Rusty himself but knew the pack was expected to take cues from the alpha. If Jeremiah wasn’t telling someone to help them then he didn’t want someone to help them. Ass, Dillon mentally growled. He had a feeling it was going to be a nickname for his soon to be father-in-law.
When they reached the steps, Jeremiah motioned them inside. "Take him to the infirmary." He turned to Penelope, who was standing off to the side, watching them with large eyes. "Nell, see to him. You're the closest thing we have to a healer."
Kevin climbed the steps. As he stepped past Dillon, Rusty put out a hand and grabbed Dillon's arms. “You saved my life, Dillon. I won't soon forget it."
"Get him inside," Jeremiah barked.
Rusty let go, and Kevin hurried inside, with Gabe and Penelope following.
When they were alone, Jeremiah turned to Dillon. He stared at him, his eyes roaming over Dillon’s face as if he could decipher some sort of deception. After the time he’d spent with the three males, hearing how they felt about their alpha, not to mention Tanya’s own opinion, Dillon wasn’t about to give Jeremiah a reason to kill him. This pack needed someone who could possibly stand up to their current alpha. It might take time, years even, but one day Dillon would be that person. He just had to bide his time.
“I take it you didn’t find any rogues?” Jeremiah finally asked after at least a minute of silence.
“Not a one.” Dillon crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Which, honestly, alpha, as strong as your pack is and as well-known as you are for your strength, I can’t imagine rogues even attempting to get into your land.” He quickly held up his hands. “I’m not saying it doesn’t happen. I, of course, believe you. But I’m glad it wasn’t the case this time. Maybe it means they’ve learned their lesson.”
Jeremiah grunted, but his face seemed less angry and more smug. “How many vampires?”
“Five.”
“So you were not evenly matched,” The alpha’s brow rose. “How is it that you didn’t get a single scratch on you, but I have three injured pack mates?” The skepticism in his voice that Dillon could possibly fight off multiple vampires was, frankly, insulting.
Dillon’s hackle rose as his arms dropped to his sides, his hands curling into tight fists. “Surely you don’t think that I was working with those vampires?” His teeth ground together as he felt his wolf rising to the surface ready to rip out Jeremiah’s throat. It would be one less thing to worry about, his beast pointed out. Dillon ignored him.
Jeremiah’s lips dropped down into frown. “No.” He shook his head and actually looked a little upset that he believed his own words.
Ass, Dillon thought again.
The alpha shrugged. “I just find it peculiar that there were five of them and four of you, and you managed to remain unharmed.”
“Doesn’t always matter the number of foe.” Dillon made sure to calm himself down and swallow his pride. “Fighters all have different levels of skill. I am older than each of those men.” He motioned to the door they’d disappeared through. “I’ve been fighting a lot longer.”
“Mm-hmm,” Jeremiah nodded. “Why is that? Have you had a lot of enemies to fight in your life?”
“I fight when necessary. Not for any other reason,” he said matter-of-factly.
The alpha tilted his head as if needing to look at Dillon from a different orientation. “I suppose for now I’ll have to take your word on that. Your actions will reinforce if you’re telling me the truth.”
