At least, Matt hopedthat would be enough.
Meanwhile, he somehow had to process everything Jesse had told him. It was harder than it sounded given that his brain still hadn’t gotten over the shock of Jesse being an Argent. Or the fact that Argents still existed.
Given his history, it was no wonder Jesse didn’t want a pack. He didn’t understand what it meant to be part of something. He’d only ever been able to trust himself. And if Matt caught up with that so-called foster mom…
He shook it off. He had more urgent things to think about. Yeah, he’d be looking into the New Mexico packs just as soon as he could, to try and track down Jesse’s family but meanwhile, he had Cale to think about.
Cale must want Jesse because he’d seen he was an Argent. His pursuit made all the sense in the world now. Cale wasn’t just any shifter, and Matt had the distinct suspicion that Jesse was worth more to him than just a pretty silver pelt.
Matt pushed to his feet. He needed to call the pack together and let them know what was happening. Now that Cale knew Matt wouldn’t back down, he was done waiting. He’d come for Matt tonight.
And if he didn’t, Matt would go after him. This was his territory, his pack, hismateCale was threatening. And Matt would defend them with his life.
Chapter Twenty-six
JESSE
He sat very silent, very still. There was a squirrel scrabbling in the branches somewhere above him, a blue jay flashed in and out of his peripheral vision, but nothing else moved.Jessecouldn’t move. If he did, he thought he’d break.
No one would find him here, not unless they were looking for him. He couldn’t quite remember getting here, just that, once he was among the trees, away from Mattand his questions that sliced to the bone, he’d been safe enough to let go of the control he had over himself. He’d spilled down into a messy heap.
And there he stayed, looking up at the cloudless blue between the aspens, and trying not to think. His chest was tight with old, remembered grief, though he didn’t know what for.
But he couldn’t let it take over. Grieving changed nothing. So he gradually organized himself, settling himself more comfortably against the lichen-covered bark of the tree behind him, and carried on very deliberately not thinking.
He’d heard the brass bell ring shortly after he’d gotten here, but it hadn’t been a wild clanging of the sort to indicate an emergency. It was too early for dinner, so he guessed that Matt wanted to call a pack meeting.
And he could carry on sitting here, ignoring it, because he wasn’t pack.
That was the way he wanted it. Couldn’t imagine anything worse than being at the beck and call of someone who just had to ring a bell to get him to show up.
But as he sat there, the day slowly losing its heat as the sun dipped, he couldn’t stop his thoughts circling around the meeting. About what they might be talking about. And the fact Matt had expected to meet Cale today. Jesse hadn’t even asked how that had gone. Hadn’t had thechanceto ask before the whole Argent thing blew open.
Matt acted like Jesse being an Argent was the biggest thing ever, but Jesse still didn’t see the big deal about having a fancy-colored coat. Maybe, if they were all supposed to have died out years ago, it was like seeing a ghost.
Curious now, he stripped off and shifted. Looking critically at the parts of himself he could see, he reckoned he just looked pale. Nothing special there. And then he growled in irritation as he realized he was in the shade.
Once he’d woven his way through the trees to a patch of sunlight, he looked again. Maybe there was a bit more of a sheen than simply having a glossy coat would give him.Maybe.But he thought he might be seeing it because he was looking for it.
Wolf vision was different from human vision—it had been a hell of a shock at first, the way he couldn’t see colors the same way. Maybe wolves’ eyes didn’t see the shimmer Matt had said Argents had. And it wasn’t like Jesse had ever shifted anywhere there were mirrors or had even seen another wolf, not until thatnight in the mountains. How the hell was he supposed to know he was different?
Exasperation felt a hell of a lot better than the misery from earlier, so Jesse rode that surge of annoyance as he headed back toward his clothes. He shifted and yanked them on. He wanted to know how Matt’s meeting had gone. Had Cale shown up? Had he told Matt what he wanted?
Matt was convinced they were after Jesse because he’d seen something he shouldn’t have. But it didn’t add up. Not enough to explain all of this.
MATT
He’d withdrawn to his den after the pack meeting, needing to ensure everything was in order. His Will was locked in the filing cabinet, and Bryce knew where the key was. He’d known for years, part of the quiet trust between them, but when Matt reminded him tonight, Bryce had gone very still. He’d said nothing, but his eyes had been stricken.
If tonight went badly, Bryce would be the one to pick up the pieces. If there were any pieces left to pick up. He breathed out very carefully, slowly, calming himself. He hadn’t asked for this. Hadn’t brought it on his pack, unlike Cheyenne. All he could do was try to stop it before it tore them apart.
Out of nowhere, he found himself wondering, what if he hadn’t gotten Jesse to stay? What if he hadn’t been selfish andwanted?If he’d let Jesse go, then Cale would be on Jesse’s tail miles away, instead of here, threatening his pack.
But if Matt had sent a clueless wolf out there, to be hunted down by Cale’s pack, he wouldn’t be any alpha worthy of the name. This wasn’t his fault.
He kept repeating that as he ensured the important documents, like house deeds and car ownership, were where they could be easily found if needed.
A tap on the door caused him to look up as Jesse edged his way into the room. He didn’t look precisely happy, but the earlier hollowness in his eyes had gone.
