Bryce didn’t look remotely concerned, which only annoyed Matt more. A new thought struck him, sharp and unwelcome. “If you dragged him in here just because you want to fuck him, so help me—”
“I might have something to say to that, y’know.” The voice was raspy and soft, but it sounded pretty damn mad, too. The stranger sat up in bed, his bright blue eyes darting between Matt and Bryce. “Where the hell am I? Who the hell are you?”
His gaze flicked down, then back up again, panic creeping in. “And where thefuckare my clothes?” His voice cracked—rage laced with something rawer, thinner. Fear, maybe?
“Steady there,” Bryce said soothingly, hands spread out before him, his voice low and calm. “We foundyou in the woods, where you’d passed out because of that hole in your side, and brought you in.”
“That damn hole in my side ain’t nothing.” He thrust his chin forward pugnaciously. “It was that damn red wolf jumping on top of me that did it. Where the hell is he? And where’s my damn boots?”
Matt bit back a huff of amusement at the shock on Bryce’s face. He looked like he’d picked up a kitten only to find himself holding a spitting, clawing wildcat. Matt was willing to bet this was one pair of pants Bryce wouldn’t be getting into anytime soon.
His humor faded as he remembered the situation—a stranger, not from their neighboring pack, with a bite wound. He didn’t need anyone bringing trouble to their door. His pack did that enough all by themselves.
“What’s your name?” he asked abruptly, swinging around the chair Bryce had been sitting on and straddling it, his wrists resting loosely on its back.
“None of your damn business.” There was a mutinous spark in the blue eyes that glared at him, and the mulish jaw was set even more firmly.
“You don’t speak that way to an alpha.” Bryce’s voice sounded gentle, but Matt could hear the warning in it.
The guy didn’t even blink at the warning. Just curled his lip like he’d had too many people try to make him bow down before. “He ain’tmyalpha.”
As Matt rose slowly to his feet, six foot two of coiled power and authority, the guy seemed to rethink the wisdom of his attitude.
“Jesse.” It came out sullenly.
“Jesse what?”
“Turner. And who the hell are you?”
“I’m Matt Urban, alpha of this pack. That’s my beta, Bryce. What are you doing in my territory, Jesse?”
Jesse shook his head and fisted his hands in the blankets he was holding to his bare chest. Like he was some kind of modest maiden. Or, Matt realized an instant later, like he was vulnerable and scared. The way his fists were twisted in the blanket looked like he expected to be yanked out of the bed.
“Didn’t know it was your territory,” Jesse said. Then he let out a little huff. “Sorry if I was trespassing.”
Matt didn’t believe him for an instant. It was impossible for any shifter to have missed the fact this was a pack’s territory. His best guess? Jesse was frightened of them, and he was saying what he thought Matt wanted to hear.
Matt stepped closer, holding his gaze. His wolf pushed against his skin, hungry for something. Truth, he thought.
“Are you trying to tell me you didn’t pick up our scent markers?”
“Well, hell, the place smelled of a whole bunch of wolves, but I didn’t know it was yourproperty,” Jesse protested. “Listen, this has been all kinds of nice, but I gotta go. I need my boots.”
Matt’s fingers dug into his palms as he clenched his fists, controlling his instinct to shake the truth out of Jesse. Matt was analpha.No one lied to him, not if they knew what was good for them. But laying hands on someone already injured sat wrong in his gut.
“Christian backtracked your trail and found your boots and other gear,” Bryce said, when he realized Matt wasn’t going to say anything further.
Tearing his gaze from Matt’s face to glance at Bryce, Jesse relaxed very slightly. “Well, thank Godsomethingwent right. So, you got any more hoops for me to jump through before I’m outta here?”
It sounded snarky, but Matt heard the fear behind it, sharp and sour.
He turned away to straighten the chair, using the movement to keep his wolf tamped down. He’d figure out later just why his wolf was so front and center tonight.
“How long ago did this happen?” he asked Bryce.
Bryce tipped his head as he thought back, working it out. “Must be about an hour since Dave came to find me. I let Karl know, and we had a good look around. There’s no one else out there, Matt. Not at the moment.” He evidently saw the way Matt was clenching his jaw. “And there was no point in letting you know when you were driving. Figured I’d fill you in as soon as you got home.”
Matt supposed that was fair. But it didn’t mean he liked it. The safety of the pack washisresponsibility, and it was a sacred trust.
