“Pack Alpha business.” Ken’s stomach took another lurch, and he mentally added travel sickness meds to his airport to-buy list. “I will meet you at your home, and I’m overnighting you a package. Do not open it. And you still have Peyton’s things, right? The stuff from the hotel?”
“Yes, they’re here.”
“Keep them there.”
“Is… is there danger?”
“I…” He thought about Peyton’s orders. “I am safe, and this visit isn’t dangerous. I am under orders not to disclose anything else until I’m in front of you. It’s for your ears only. I’m operating under standing orders from the Pack Alpha, and no one else can know I’m coming until after I talk to you. By that I mean no one.”
“Isn’t Badger the acting Pack Alpha now?”
“No one,” Ken repeated. “Not even Badger.”
Trevor sighed, and Ken wondered if all Pack Alphas had that same heavy, weighty sigh. “Very well, Ken. I shall await your arrival. Do you want me to send a driver to meet you?”
He recalled Peyton’s adamant order. “No. I’m renting a car and driving myself.”
“You’re not under duress right now, are you?”
Ken nearly laughed at that. “No, just very stressed because I need to get out of here without Dewi finding out.”
“All right. Please send me your flight info, so if you’re overdue, I’ll know that.”
Peyton hadn’t forbade that. “Okay. Before I get on the plane, I will.”
“Very good. Then we shall see you soon.”
Ken checked everything one last time, remembered to dig Dewi’s passport out of her purse, and left via the cabin’s rear door, taking the long way around behind the cabins to reach the parking area. Fortunately, the rental car couldn’t be seen from Peyton’s house.
Ken stowed his bags in the car, grabbed the car seat, and made sure there wasn’t anything else Dewi might need for the baby in the car and left those things in the cabin.
But he knew he had to do this next part.
He couldn’t look himself in the mirror if he didn’t.
Ken let himself in the back door of Peyton’s and found Badger there, Lyssa asleep on his shoulder as he moved around the kitchen preparing himself a snack.
Upon seeing Ken, Badger froze. “What is it?”
Ken held a finger to his lips and risked touching Badger’s arm.
“Pack Alpha business. Standing orders. I’ll be safe, but I’ll be gone a few days.”
Badger scowled, but answered silently. “What about Dewi?”
Ken shook his head. “Don’t tell her until I text you. I cannot tell you anything else right now.”
Badger let out a weighty sigh.
That’s a hat trick.
“But ye swear yer gonna be safe?”
Ken nodded, blinking back tears as he took the baby from him and held her, rocking her, nuzzling her head. He stepped closer to Badger, his arm pressed against the grizzled old shifter. “I have Dewi’s passport. I’ll tell you where it is if needed, but she is not allowed to leave the States. In fact, she needs to stay here, in the pack compound. Her and Gillian both.”
Badger stared at Ken, his gaze narrowing. “Ye can’t even tell me? The actin’ Pack Alpha?”
Ken shook his head. “Sorry. Pack Alpha orders. I’m not allowed to.” He kissed the baby and breathed deeply, inhaling her scent, before he returned her to Badger.
