Morgan
“Isn’tit weird how big Ashe is already?” Sage asked over a breakfast of berries and dried jerky. “Like, he’s barely two weeks old and he’s already taller than Lupa.”
Ashe and the twins were asleep in a pile together in the center of the grove after a hectic play session. Len had held Lupa and Leveret back from romping with Ashe until he was older, but Ashe grew larger so quickly that it wasn’t long before all three could play together. It made me happy that my son was part of a big family that accepted him unconditionally. The thought of it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Ashe had the childhood I didn’t have and I was so happy for him.
“It’s not weird, Sage,” Len argued, grabbing a handful of berries and clover leaves. “I mean, Ashe was almost born bigger than Lupa in the first place. Heisa deer.”
“It’s like you forgot how big my belly was when I was pregnant,” I told Sage dryly.
“The legs add a definite height advantage,” Dax pointed out with a proud grin. “Nobody’s ever going to catch up to him.”
“Unless the next member of our misfit pack is a giraffe or rhinoceros or something,” Sage remarked thoughtfully, like this was a possibility he was really considering.
Hugo shot Dax a sympathetic glance as the eldest wolf brother let out an exasperated sigh and decided not to crush Sage’s fantasy.
A small clearing of the throat drew all our attention. It came from the edge of the trees that formed a natural ring around the grove. A bright red coat made it clear immediately who the voice belonged to—the fox shifter Red.
Red took a paw step into the circle, his tail waving languidly behind him. “Speaking of members of the misfit pack…”
Dax and Hugo were on their feet, not yet changed into wolves but rippling with the urge to shift.
“What do you want?” Hugo asked tersely.
“Oh, hey, it’s Red,” Sage said. “Hey!”
“Don’t encourage him,” Hugo growled to his brother.
“Oh, stop it,” Len said, putting a hand on Hugo’s arm. “He’s not doing anything.”
“Yet,” Hugo muttered as he glared at Red.
Len rubbed his temple and sighed. “You wolves like to bite first and ask questions later…”
I was inclined to agree with Len. The fox hadn’t done anything wrong in the time I’d known him. Apparently, there was a history between Red and the pack but I couldn’t judge what happened in the past.
I stepped up beside Dax. “At least let him talk. He’s all alone and there’s six of us. What harm can he do?”
Dax curled his lip over his fang, glancing over his shoulder at the kids. They were still sleeping and unaware a stranger had appeared.
“I’m worried about Ashe,” Dax growled.
I crossed my arms. “You’re letting your alpha hormones go to your head. What’s a twenty-pound fox gonna do? Fight off four wolves, a buck and a hare?”
Dax grumbled but didn’t reply because he knew I was right. I rubbed his arm to soothe him.
“Come on, Len,” I said. “Let’s go see what he wants.”
The alpha wolves trailed behind us like angry bodyguards just waiting for Red to make one wrong move. It was rather comical, honestly.
“Good morning, omegas,” Red said pleasantly as we approached.
I skipped the introductions. “Let me say something. I didn’t get to thank you properly for helping me during my birth. So, thank you, Red.”
The fox’s tail paused, then wagged a little. “Well, what a surprise.” He took a small bow. “You’re welcome.”
“See? He’s not all bad,” Len said to Hugo and Dax behind us, who wore mirrored scowls. They didn’t seem appeased by Red’s manners.
“That said,” I continued, “I heard you had some bad blood between yourself and the pack.”
