He glanced at his mate. Connor’s jaw was tight, hands clasped behind his back in a military-style at-ease position. Through the bond, gratitude flowed warm and steady. Connor appreciated Leyden handling the bulk of the talking, taking the spotlight.
Growing affection followed the gratitude. Soft and new, still forming, but unmistakably there.
Leyden’s wolf preened. Their mate was beginning to care for them beyond just the bond - beyond duty or acceptance. And damn if that didn’t send heat curling through Leyden’s body.
He forced his attention back to the crowd before his arousal became obvious.
“Questions?” Leyden asked.
Sarah raised her hand. “Will Alpha Mate Connor be holding office hours like you do?”
“That’s up to Connor,” Leyden said, glancing at his mate.
Connor cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable but willing to answer. “Probably not formal office hours. But I’ll be available. You’ll know where to find me.”
His voice was gruff, matter-of-fact. Several pack members nodded, seeming satisfied with that response.
Walter stood. “Alpha, will Connor be involved in pack finances?”
“We’ll handle administrative duties together, yes. Connor has experience from the Davis pack, and I trust his judgment.” Leyden crossed his arms. “Anything else?”
A young woman near the back spoke up. “Does this mean Beta Matthew is retiring?”
“Not yet,” Matthew answered before Leyden could. “I’ll stay on until Alpha Mate Connor is settled and comfortable with pack operations. Then I’ll step down properly.”
“Which means you’re stuck with both of us bossing you around for a while,” Leyden added with a grin. “Try not to fuck up too badly.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, easing the tension. This was good - formal enough to establish Connor’s authority, but relaxed enough that the pack didn’t feel like they were under siege.
Leyden fielded a few more questions - mostly logistical things about Connor’s role and how decisions would be made - before wrapping up the meeting.
“All right, that’s enough for tonight. You all know where we stand. Connor and I will be around if you need us.” He paused, then added, “And welcome to the new era of this pack. We’re going to do great things together.”
The pack applauded - genuine this time, not forced. As wolves began filing out, several stopped to speak with Connor directly, offering congratulations or asking quick questions about security protocols.
Leyden watched his mate handle each person with quiet competence. Connor didn’t smile much, didn’t make flowery speeches, but he listened carefully and gave straightforward answers. The pack responded to that honesty, to Connor’s obvious capability.
Through the bond, Leyden felt Connor’s relief as the crowd thinned. His wolf rumbled with satisfaction. Their mate was accepting them, accepting his new life. Now all Leyden had to do was make sure none of his pack members came along and stuffed things up.
Chapter Twelve
Connor leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowed at the laptop screen. “This one’s bullshit.”
Leyden glanced up from his own stack of applications. They’d been at this for three hours, holed up in their shared office reviewing candidates to replace the eight banished enforcers. Although, to be fair, Connor had been doing basic calls and reference checks in every spare minute since he arrived. The man was determined Leyden would be safe in his pack, with enforcers he could trust. Unfortunately, finding quality wolves willing to relocate wasn’t easy, especially on short notice.
“Which one?”
“Brad Kellerman. His application claims he was the head enforcer for the Riverside pack for six years.” Connor spun the laptop around, pointing at the screen. “But look at the dates. He claims he was there from 2015 to 2021, right?”
“Yeah, so?”
Connor pulled up another window. “I called Riverside’s alpha yesterday to verify references. He confirmed Kellerman worked there, but only mentioned him being around for ‘a few years.’ Not six. So I did some digging.”
Leyden abandoned his own work, rolling his chair closer. This was Connor in his element - focused, methodical, catching details most wolves would miss. Damn, his mate was good at the stuff Leyden got frustrated with.
“It turns out that Kellerman was fired in 2018 for excessive force during a territory dispute. He put a visiting wolf in the hospital over a minor insult.” Connor scrolled through what looked like medical records. “Fractured skull, broken ribs, punctured lung. The visiting alpha threatened legal action. Riverside paid them off and kicked Kellerman out.”
“How the fuck did you find medical records?”
