“I was hoping to talk to you about possibly hiring on as an Enforcer,” the man said.
“Where’s your home pack, son? And who’s your Pack Alpha?”
“I’m originally from Maine,” he said. “My father died in the war, and Mom was a beta who didn’t have a home pack we could return to.”
This Prime was at least a century younger than Duncan and not a fraction as strong as him. Still, it’d be rude to overpower him at this social event—one of the unwritten rules of courtesy for the gathering—and try to get a better read on him. “Why couldn’t she?”
“Her parents moved here from France and were both dead when she met my father. I wasn’t raised in a pack.”
“How did you learn about the meeting? And who gave you my name?”
“I met a wolf from New York, and he told me. Several people here have said you’re expanding operations and might have openings.”
Which was true, but still…
If the guy didn’t grow up in a pack, he would likely throw off odd signals that a wolf raised in a strict hierarchy wouldn’t because they’d damned well know better.
Old words rang in his dusty memories.
Love those from outside and welcome them as yers. They might not be yer blood, but they are far closer, and they will willingly spill blood for ye, if need be.
“Get with me tomorrow after the morning session and we’ll talk more,” Duncan finally said.
The man smiled again, nodding. “Thank you, sir!” He left as another Pack Alpha walked up to speak with Duncan, and he soon forgot about the stranger.
Until the next day, when Endquist approached him again.
After speaking with him for a few minutes, which he could barely spare from his schedule, Duncan agreed to let him come out to the Idaho compound and be evaluated by Badger, but that was all.
No promises of any particular position, Enforcer or otherwise, much less a spot in their pack.
Duncan rarely rejected people out of hand the way some packs still did. But as the years passed, he’d become more cautious, more…selective.
Not wanting there to be issues.
Rogue wolves were rare nowadays, but they sometimes lurked in the shadows. And while taking over a pack by brute force wasn’t something that could easily happen in this modern age, it was still a possibility that Duncan would guard them against.
Two Years Later
“What’s going on, Da?” Chelsea asked as they walked.
“Do I need a reason to want to take a walk on a nice day with my youngest daughter and my wife?” He held her hand as they walked, Louisa following close behind. “You’re fifteen and pretty soon you’ll be like your sisters and wanting to do anything but spend time with your old man.”
Chelsea arched an eyebrow at him in an almost identical way her mother usually did. “Yeah, this isn’t suspicious at all.”
Chelsea also possessed her mother’s biting sarcasm and wit.
Louisa wore a sidearm on her hip. He’d allowed her the gun because she promised she’d only draw if Chelsea didn’t react positively to Charlie and the man couldn’t control himself.
Or if Badger couldn’t reel Charlie in.
They were heading to an overlook Duncan loved. He felt it was appropriate. Either a new start or an unfortunate ending was ahead of them.
He didn’t know which option he dreaded more, quite honestly. Their Collette was already mated and married. Cynthia was dating a clueless human, a cousin-in-law to one of their pack’s wolves, and Duncan suspected the man would soon be their next pack member. Carolyne was dating but not yet mated or married.
But Chelsea was their baby, the youngest, and in some ways Duncan felt like he’d betrayed her by not telling her the full truth sooner.
He didn’t want her to feel obligated. He didn’t want to inadvertently push her toward Charlie if she wasn’t ready.
